Gil-galad

From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.

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Mark Ferguson as Gil-galad in The Fellowship of the Ring film in deleted scenes

Gil-galad

Biographical information

Other names

Artanáro, Ereinion Gil-galad, Rodnor

Titles

High King of the Ñoldor, King of Lindon

Date of birth

Late First Age ?

Year ascended to the throne

FA 510

Date of death

SA 3441

Realms ruled

Havens of Sirion, Lindon

Spouse

Unknown, possibly not

Weapon

Aeglos

Physical description

Race

Elf

Culture

Ñoldor

Gender

Male

Height

Hair color

Golden

Eye color

Peter Jackson's Film Trilogy

Actor

Voice

Character

Gil-galad (in Elvish, his name means "Spark of bright light") was a Ñoldorian elf, son of Fingon, and last High King of the Ñoldor in Middle-earth. Born in Hithlum, Gil-galad was sent to safety in the Falas with Círdan, the Shipwright. Fingon was lost in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, but the crown passed to Gil-galad's uncle Turgon in Gondolin, rather than Gil-galad himself (presumably because of his youth at that time). When Gondolin was lost, Gil-galad received the Kingship of the Ñoldor; he dwelt with the exiles of the city at the Mouths of Sirion during the remainder of the First Age. Gil-galad, despite his long life (he was born during the First Age and lived through almost the entirety of the Second), was not known to have a wife, nor any children. Due to this, and the fact that there were few Ñoldor remaining in Middle-earth, the title of High King of the Ñoldor in exile ended with his death.

Note: Gil-galad's parentage is uncertain. In various accounts, Gil-galad is said to be the son of Finrod Felagund, Fingon, and Orodreth. The version with Orodreth was the last Tolkien wrote, but the version with Fingon was the one used by Christopher Tolkien in compiling The Silmarillion. That is the most widely known version - and one that has been incorporated with other storylines and characters - and therefore it is the one used here.

[edit] Second Age

In the Second Age Gil-galad remained in Middle-earth as lord of Lindon (in the same region of Middle-earth where Hobbits would later establish the Shire), which was strong and secure against its enemies. At its height, his realm extended eastward as far as the Misty Mountains, though most of the Eldar remained in Lindon and in Elrond's refuge of Rivendell.

Gil-galad as depicted in the LOTR TCG.

At the War of the Last Alliance

Gil-galad had alliances with the Men of Westernesse, especially with the Faithful. With Elendil he formed the Alliance of Elves and Men, which was so powerful as to be compared to the army which destroyed Melkor at the end of the First Age. He reigned as High King of the Ñoldor throughout the Second Age. He was entrusted by Celebrimbor with the Ring of Air, one of the Three Rings, which he passed on to his herald Elrond prior to his demise at the Siege of Barad-dûr.

[edit] War of the Last Alliance

With the emergence of Sauron, Gil-galad joined forces with the Dúnedain King Elendil to defeat the forces spreading from Mordor. Their large and well-trained combined forces engaged Sauron's armies multiple times in the conflict known as the War of the Last Alliance. Gil-galad's famed weapon was a spear known as Aeglos; none could stand against it. Finally, at the end of the war, the elves and Men marched on Mordor itself and laid siege to Barad-dûr, where Gil-galad was destroyed at the hands of Sauron. He fought bravely against the Dark Lord, but Sauron picked the High King up into the air; Gil-galad caught fire from the heat of his enemy and died.

[edit] Gil-galad's Armor

Gil-galad's armor was similar in composition to that of all the elves of the Second Age: a cuirass and fault of interlocking lames of steel plate over a hauberk of fine mail, together with pauldrons and braces. However, befitting his status as High-king, his armor was blued and etched with vine like tracery, and the plates were embossed with tengwar symbols and included leather pants, which gave greater protection. At the throat he wore a steel collar that bore his heraldic insignia, twelve stars on a midnight-blue field. The color blue may have reflected an association with the sea; in any case, it was certainly a dye that was rare on Middle-earth, and it would have required a great deal of time and knowledge to locate enough flora or fauna with which to make it. His cloak was of a deep blue and his armor was golden, and instead of a helmet he wore a golden crown, fashioned for him by the smiths of Eregion, possibly by Celebrimbor himself, who made the Rings of Power.

[edit] His Shield

The Shield of Gil-galad.

The shield of the High-king was the same shape as the regular elven shield, but like his armor it was more richly adorned: it was enameled in blue on and around the boss and decorated in gold with the twelve stars of his house. Because Aiglos (his spear) was wielded two-handed, it is likely that the shield was carried only to the field of battle rather onto it, to be left with one of Gil-galad's attendants.

Mark Ferguson portrays Gil-galad holding the spear Aiglos in the 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Concept-art of Gil-galad.

"Gil-Galad was an Elven-King.
Of him the harpers sadly sing:
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the Mountains and the Sea.

His sword was long, his lance was keen,
his shining helm afar was seen;
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield.

But long ago he rode away,
and where he dwelleth none can say;
for into darkness fell his star
in Mordor where the shadows are."

-The Fall of Gil-Galad, as translated by Bilbo Baggins, and recited by Samwise Gamgee.

Source: "The Silmarillion", & "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J. R. R. Tolkien.

[edit] Appearances

In Fellowship of the Ring Gil Galad's death scene; that's when he dies in the hands of Sauron was deleted, however he makes a brief appearance when he fights multiple orcs with his spear.

[edit] Internal Link

• Aeglos, Gil-Galad's spear
• Last Alliance of Elves and Men

[edit] The House of Fëanor

Finwë = Míriel   Mahtan
      |           |
    Fëanor = Nerdanel
           |
      ------------------------------------------------------
      |        |       |          |         |       |      |
  Maedhros  Maglor  Celegorm  Caranthir  Curufin  Amrod  Amras 
                                            |  
                                       Celebrimbor