Aegnor
Older brother of Galadriel, younger brother of Finrod and Angrod. Aegnor was the son of Finarfin, King of the Noldor in Aman, and Earwen. Aegnor was born in the Undying Lands sometime between 1300 of the Years of the Trees, the year the his older brother Finrod was born, and 1362, the year of his younger sister Galadriel's birth. Their family lived in Tirion upon Tuna, a city of the Noldor in Valinor. Aegnor had golden blond hair that stood up, and his eyes glowed like fire in battle. Aegnor was a courageous and respected warrior with a noble spirit and a kind heart.
In 1495 of the Years of the Trees, Morgoth stole the Silmarils and fled east across the Sea to Middle-Earth. Feanor encouraged the Noldor to take action against Morgoth and set sail across the Great Sea to pursue the Silmarils. Aegnor and his brother Angrod agreed with their friend Fingon that a quest to Middle-Earth was worth pursuing, but they did not disobey their father who advised the Noldor to be careful. Eventually, Aegnor and his father and siblings were among the Noldor to venture eastward to Middle-Earth.
As it happened, Feanor demanded that the Teleri lend him their ships so he could sail across the Sea. The Teleri refused, and Feanor attacked and slaughtered many of them before obtaining their ships and sailing across the Sea. The Teleri did not possess enough ships to bring all the Noldor across the Sea, so Feanor took only himself, his family, and his closest followers on the ships he obtained and left the rest of the Noldor behind.
After the Kinslaying at Alqualonde, Mandos appeared before the Noldor who remained in Aman and warned them that if they followed Feanor, they would disobey the Valar and would thus be exiled from the Undying Lands for eternity, and would be doomed to great suffering in the long years to come. Finarfin turned back and repented his actions and continued to rule the Noldor in Aman, but his sons and daughter Galadriel continued on to Middle-Earth. Though they had not taken part in the Kinslaying at Alqualonde, Aegnor and the other Noldor still fell under the Doom of Mandos because they had defied the wishes of the Valar.
Since they did not have ships, the Noldor crossed the Grinding Ice in far northern Arda in order to get to Middle-Earth. This journey was perilous and many of the Noldor died. Aegnor and his siblings all survived and they reached Middle-Earth at the start of the First Age.
Aegnor and his brother Angrod made their home in Dorthonion, and their people became close allies with their brother Finrod who ruled Nargothrond. The people of Dorthonion were not populous because they lived near the plain of Ard-galen, which was located just south of Morgoth's stronghold of Angband. Aegnor and Angrod kept watch over the plain of Ard-galen and made sure that enemy servants of Morgoth did not pass through it. Men of the House of Beor came to live in Dorthonion between years 330 and 380 of the First Age.
As men came to live in Beleriand, Aegnor fell in love with a woman of the House of Beor named Andreth. But at that time there had been no marriage between an Elf and a woman of the race of men, and Aegnor realized that she would die after a short while because of her mortality, and he would linger on for many ages because of his immortality. Also, by wedding Andreth, Aegnor would have been disobeying the Elvish tradition of not marrying or having children during times of war. Rather than marrying Andreth for what seemed to him like a short period of time before her natural death, Aegnor decided to defend his people until the ongoing war between the Elves and Morgoth was over. Aegnor remained in defense of Dorthonion, and he parted from Andreth forever on the shores of Tarn Aeluin.
In the years that followed, Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, tried to arrange a strike upon Morgoth while Angband was under siege. Aegnor consented, but other chieftains of the Noldor did not support Fingolfin's proposal and the plan faded.
In 455, Morgoth broke the Siege of Angband and the Battle of Sudden Flame began. Morgoth sent forth rivers of fire from Angband, and the fire burned the plains of Ard-galen and the northern slopes of Dorthonion. Both Aegnor and Angrod were killed during the battle. After their deaths, the spirits of the Elves killed during the Battle of Sudden Flame went to the Halls of the Waiting to be judged by Mandos. Mandos allowed most of the Elves who had been killed to return to their human forms and resettle in Aman, but Finrod told Andreth that Aegnor would remain in the Halls of the Waiting because of his love for her.
In 1495 of the Years of the Trees, Morgoth stole the Silmarils and fled east across the Sea to Middle-Earth. Feanor encouraged the Noldor to take action against Morgoth and set sail across the Great Sea to pursue the Silmarils. Aegnor and his brother Angrod agreed with their friend Fingon that a quest to Middle-Earth was worth pursuing, but they did not disobey their father who advised the Noldor to be careful. Eventually, Aegnor and his father and siblings were among the Noldor to venture eastward to Middle-Earth.
As it happened, Feanor demanded that the Teleri lend him their ships so he could sail across the Sea. The Teleri refused, and Feanor attacked and slaughtered many of them before obtaining their ships and sailing across the Sea. The Teleri did not possess enough ships to bring all the Noldor across the Sea, so Feanor took only himself, his family, and his closest followers on the ships he obtained and left the rest of the Noldor behind.
After the Kinslaying at Alqualonde, Mandos appeared before the Noldor who remained in Aman and warned them that if they followed Feanor, they would disobey the Valar and would thus be exiled from the Undying Lands for eternity, and would be doomed to great suffering in the long years to come. Finarfin turned back and repented his actions and continued to rule the Noldor in Aman, but his sons and daughter Galadriel continued on to Middle-Earth. Though they had not taken part in the Kinslaying at Alqualonde, Aegnor and the other Noldor still fell under the Doom of Mandos because they had defied the wishes of the Valar.
Since they did not have ships, the Noldor crossed the Grinding Ice in far northern Arda in order to get to Middle-Earth. This journey was perilous and many of the Noldor died. Aegnor and his siblings all survived and they reached Middle-Earth at the start of the First Age.
Aegnor and his brother Angrod made their home in Dorthonion, and their people became close allies with their brother Finrod who ruled Nargothrond. The people of Dorthonion were not populous because they lived near the plain of Ard-galen, which was located just south of Morgoth's stronghold of Angband. Aegnor and Angrod kept watch over the plain of Ard-galen and made sure that enemy servants of Morgoth did not pass through it. Men of the House of Beor came to live in Dorthonion between years 330 and 380 of the First Age.
As men came to live in Beleriand, Aegnor fell in love with a woman of the House of Beor named Andreth. But at that time there had been no marriage between an Elf and a woman of the race of men, and Aegnor realized that she would die after a short while because of her mortality, and he would linger on for many ages because of his immortality. Also, by wedding Andreth, Aegnor would have been disobeying the Elvish tradition of not marrying or having children during times of war. Rather than marrying Andreth for what seemed to him like a short period of time before her natural death, Aegnor decided to defend his people until the ongoing war between the Elves and Morgoth was over. Aegnor remained in defense of Dorthonion, and he parted from Andreth forever on the shores of Tarn Aeluin.
In the years that followed, Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor, tried to arrange a strike upon Morgoth while Angband was under siege. Aegnor consented, but other chieftains of the Noldor did not support Fingolfin's proposal and the plan faded.
In 455, Morgoth broke the Siege of Angband and the Battle of Sudden Flame began. Morgoth sent forth rivers of fire from Angband, and the fire burned the plains of Ard-galen and the northern slopes of Dorthonion. Both Aegnor and Angrod were killed during the battle. After their deaths, the spirits of the Elves killed during the Battle of Sudden Flame went to the Halls of the Waiting to be judged by Mandos. Mandos allowed most of the Elves who had been killed to return to their human forms and resettle in Aman, but Finrod told Andreth that Aegnor would remain in the Halls of the Waiting because of his love for her.
Names & Meanings
Aegnor may mean "sharp flame." It may come from the Sindarin roots aeg meaning "point" (there is no Sindarin word for "sharp" or "fell," but it seems that "point" may have been a rough translation). The Sindarin word for "fire" is naur, which may have shifted to nor over time. Though this is not a proper translation into Sindarin, it appears that Aegnor's name could only have been of Sindarin origin. Aegnor's Sindarin name seems to have been based upon his Quenya mother-name.
Aegnor's Quenya mother-name was Aikanáro. This can be derived from from aika meaning "sharp" or "fell" and nár meaning "flame" with the suffix -o indicating masculinity. Aikanáro can also be spelled Aikanár.
Aegnor's Quenya father-name was Ambaráto. This cane be derived from amba meaning "up" and arta meaning "exalted." The Sindarin translation is Amrod. There was also a son of Feanor with that same name.
Aegnor's Quenya mother-name was Aikanáro. This can be derived from from aika meaning "sharp" or "fell" and nár meaning "flame" with the suffix -o indicating masculinity. Aikanáro can also be spelled Aikanár.
Aegnor's Quenya father-name was Ambaráto. This cane be derived from amba meaning "up" and arta meaning "exalted." The Sindarin translation is Amrod. There was also a son of Feanor with that same name.
References
The Silmarillion: "Of Eldamar," page 61; "Of the Flight of the Noldor," page 84; "Of Beleriand and Its Realms," pages 119-120; "Of the Noldor in Beleriand," pages 128-130; "Of the Ruin of Beleriand," pages 150-51; "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
The Unfinished Tales: "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn," page 250
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume X, Morgoth's Ring: "The Annals of Aman," pages 93, 106; "Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth," pages 323-326, 335, 357
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Grey Annals," pages 38, 52; "The Later Quenta Silmarillion," pages 183, 195, 219, 227
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Shibboleth of Feanor," pages 346-347, 353-354, 363 363-364
The Unfinished Tales: "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn," page 250
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume X, Morgoth's Ring: "The Annals of Aman," pages 93, 106; "Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth," pages 323-326, 335, 357
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Grey Annals," pages 38, 52; "The Later Quenta Silmarillion," pages 183, 195, 219, 227
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Shibboleth of Feanor," pages 346-347, 353-354, 363 363-364
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