On 20-21 June 510 FA, the Siege of Gondolin was fought in Middle Earth between Angband under Gothmog against the Elves of Gondolin under Turgon during the Wars of Beleriand.
Why did it happen?
Founded in 116 FA by Turgon under the inspiration of Ulmo, the city of Gondolin was one of the greatest kingdoms of Elves during the First Age. Protected by the Encircling Mountains and guarded by the Eagles of Thorondor, the city was largely unknown to Morgoth for most of its history. After the Sack of Nargothrond in 495 FA, Gondolin remained the last Elvish kingdom in Northern Beleriand not conquered by the forces of Angband. That year, Tuor came to Gondolin and fell in love with Turgon’s daughter Idril Celebrindal, marrying her in 502 FA. Unfortunately, Turgon’s nephew Maeglin, who was also in love with Idril, grew jealous of the couple. When Maeglin was captured by Orcs and taken to Angband in 503 FA, Morgoth promised him the lordship of Gondolin and marriage to Idril if he revealed the city’s location. Maeglin agreed to betray the city, and while he was sent back to Gondolin to avoid suspicion, Morgoth began preparing his forces over the next seven years. By 510 FA, his forces were ready and planned to attack Gondolin while its inhabitants celebrated the Gates of Summer.
Who was involved?
The army of Gondolin numbered 10,000 Elves: 7,500 Noldor and 2,500 Sindar. They were divided into twelve houses: King, Heavenly Arch, Tree, Golden Flower, Fountain, Mole, Harp, Swallow, White Wing, Pillar, Tower of Snow and Hammer of Wrath. According to J.R.R. Tolkien, the Elves of Gondolin “were mighty archers, and bows they made of a marvel of power. Therewith they might shoot an arrow into heaven seven times as far as could the best bowman among Men shoot at a mark upon the ground” (Tolkien, 2018, p.65). In addition, the walls of Gondolin were 400 feet high and lined with catapults, while in the event of the city falling to enemy forces, there existed a secret passageway underneath Gondolin that could act as an escape route. The forces of Angband at Gondolin numbered 30,000 Orcs and 107 Balrogs and Dragons. The forces of Angband planned to use their Dragons to burn down the gates and walls of Gondolin and allow the Balrogs and Orcs to get inside and sack the city.
What happened?
At 8pm on 20 June, Elvish cavalry alerted Gondolin of the approach of an army from Angband. Led by Gothmog, the Orcs of Angband surrounded the city on its northern, eastern, and western sides while the Dragons and Balrogs assaulted the walls and towers with fire. At the north gate, Gothmog ordered his Dragons to destroy the gate and, despite Gondolin’s catapults and archers' best efforts, succeeded in doing so while Orcs poured into the breach. At the same time, Tuor confronted Maeglin and, after a short scuffle, threw Maeglin over the city’s walls. As the Orcs and Balrogs overran the city’s northern half, the Elves of the House of the Swallow came under attack from Balrogs trying to climb the Amon Gwareth, who poured flaming darts into the city. As that happened, Duilin was hit by one and fell from the city walls. After Turgon ordered reinforcements to be sent to the northern half of Gondolin, Dragons finally broke down the city’s walls near the main gate. Under Tuor and Ecthelion, the Elves slayed numerous Orcs and Balrogs but were forced to retreat to the King’s Square at 12am. After two hours of fighting, in which Turgon and Ecthelion were killed, Tuor, Idril and Glorfindel led 800 men, women and children out of the city through a secret passageway underneath Gondolin. At 6pm, on 21 June, the last tower held by the Elves of Gondolin fell to the forces of Angband, ending the siege. While Angband lost 3,500 Orcs and 48 Balrogs during the siege, 9,200 Elves were killed or captured.
What changed as a result?
The Siege of Gondolin was a decisive victory for Angband. As the city fell to Morgoth’s forces, Tuor, Idril, and Glorfindel led the surviving men, women, and children over the mountains towards the Vale of Sirion and then southwards towards Arvernien. In 511 FA, Gil-galad was named High King of the Noldor. The fall of Gondolin made Morgoth believe that his triumph was complete and that the Noldor no longer posed a threat to his power. However, in 542 FA, Earendil, the son of Tuor and Idril, sailed to Valinor and pleaded with the Valar to intervene in Beleriand against Morgoth. The Valar approved his request, and in 545 FA, the Host of the West began the War of Wrath, “and Beleriand was ablaze with the glory of their arms, for the host of the Valar were arrayed in forms young and fair and terrible, and the mountains rang beneath their feet” (Tolkien, 2013, p.302). The war lasted four decades, and while most of Beleriand was destroyed and sank into the sea, Morgoth was decisively defeated and banished from Arda, ending the First Age.
Bibliography
Fonstad, Karen Wynn. Atlas of Middle Earth. New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991.
Palurfalas, Narfil. “Narfil Palurfalas - Siege of Gondolin 1.” Tolkien Gateway. Last revised May 13, 2006. www.tolkiengateway.net/wiki/File:Narfil_Palùrfalas_-_Siege_of_Gondolin_1.jpg
Sithlord2. “Siege of Gondolin Battle Map.” Tides of War. Last revised June 26, 2014. www.tidesofwargaming.blogspot.com/2014/06/siege-of-gondolin-battle-map.html
Tolkien, J.R.R. & Tolkien, Christopher. The Fall of Gondolin. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2018.
Tolkien, J.R.R. & Tolkien, Christopher. The Silmarillion. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2013.