At the time of the awakening of the Eldar, the dark power of Melkor dominated Middle-earth from his northern fortress of Utumno. Seeing that the newly awakened Children of Ilúvatar were in danger, Valar set out from Aman to protect them, and in the ensuing Battle of the Powers they defeated Melkor utterly. Bound with the chain Angainor, he was imprisoned within the Halls of Mandos, and there he remained for three ages.¹

At the end of that time, Melkor was brought to trial before the Valar. He asked for mercy, and swore to submit himself to the commands of Manwë and aid the people of Valinor. Manwë, believing Melkor to have truly repented his evils, agreed to free him, and the chain Angainor was removed.

Manwë was wrong: at first Melkor worked subtly to undermine the peace of Valinor, but when his subterfuges were revealed he fled the land. Conspiring with the great spider Ungoliant, he brought about the Darkening of Valinor, and after stealing the Silmarils he fled out of Valinor and returned to the North of Middle-earth. Fëanor led the Noldor in pursuit, and so began the long Wars of Beleriand that would continue to the end of the First Age.