Turgon
From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.
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Turgon
Biographical information
Physical description
Turgon was a Ñoldorin elf, second son of Fingolfin, brother of Fingon, Aredhel Argon, and father of Idril. He was in Middle-earth the King of Gondolin (c. FA 104 - FA 510) and High King of the Ñoldor (FA 473 - FA 510).
[edit] History
In Eldamar Turgon was friendly with the sons of Finarfin and opposed Fëanor's plan to pursue Morgoth after the theft of the Silmarils, but at last he became one of the exiles. His wife Elenwë was lost crossing Helcaraxë, but Turgon and his daughter Idril came to Nevrast, where he built Vinyamar and gathered to him one-third of the Ñoldor of Fingolfin and a large number of Sindar.
In 51 and 52, Turgon was instructed by Ulmo to prepare a secret kingdom and was shown the hidden valley of Tumladen in the Encircling Mountains. After 52 years of secret labor, Turgon led his people into Gondolin, where he ruled for over 500 years, largely ignoring the events of the Wars of Beleriand.
Aside from the misadventure of Eöl, the splendor of Turgon's reign in Gondolin was undisturbed until Dagor Bragollach, when Turgon was brought his father's body by Thorondor. Two years later Thorondor brought him Húrin and Huor, whom he fostered for a year and then allowed to return to Dor-lómin. At this time Turgon foresaw the doom of the Ñoldor, and he secretly sent mariners to try to obtain the mercy of the Valar. None of these missions was successful and only one of the mariners, Voronwë, survived the Shadowy Seas paving the way for Tuor's coming to Gondolin.
For some reason Turgon joined the Union of Maedhros and fought alongside Fingon in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, but the sacrifice of Húrin, Huor, and the Third House of the Edain enabled him to retreat without revealing the location of Gondolin. When Tuor came to Gondolin in FA 496, Turgon welcomed him, but in his pride he refused to follow the advice of Ulmo to flee to the Havens of Sirion. But not the full malice of Morgoth was directed toward Turgon, last of the House of Finwë to control a realm in Middle-earth. At last, aided by the despair of Húrin and the treachery of Maeglin, Morgoth discovered the location of Gondolin, and Turgon was slain defending the Tower.
[edit] Etymology
His name is a Sindarinized form of his Quenya name Turukáno, which probably means something like "valiant lord".
[edit] References
| Preceded by: None | King of Gondolin FA 104 - FA 510 | Followed by: None, Kingdom destroyed and title abandoned |
| Preceded by: Fingon | High King of the Ñoldor FA 473 - FA 510 | Followed by: Gil-Galad |
| Elves of Arda |
|
Aredhel | Beleg Cúthalion | Caranthir | Celeborn | Celebrimbor | Celebrían | Celegorm | Círdan | Curufin | Daeron | Ecthelion | Elenwë | Elwë (Thingol) | Elwing | Enel | Eöl | Erestor | Fëanor | Finarfin | Finduilas | Fingolfin | Fingon | Finrod Felagund | Finwë | Galadriel | Galion | Galdor of the Havens | Gildor Inglorion | Gil-galad | Glorfindel | Gwindor | Idril | Imin | Indis | Ingwë | Legolas | Lúthien | Mablung | Maedhros | Maeglin | Maglor | Mahtan | Míriel Serindë | Nerdanel | Nimloth | Olwë | Orodreth | Oropher | Tata | Thranduil | Turgon |
