The Three Kinslayings 

askmiddlearth:

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The Kinslayings were the three times in history that elves attacked and fought fellow elves (hence the name “kinslaying.“) This only happened three times, and all were instigated by Feanor and his sons.

The First Kinslaying at Alqualonde

Right after Feanor and the Noldor decided to leave Valinor for Middle Earth, they realized that they would actually need boats in order to reach Middle Earth. Conveniently, the Teleri elves living in their city of Alqualonde were master shipbuilders, and had a ton of ships. Feanor demanded that the Teleri hand their ships over to the Noldor, but the Teleri refused. Angry (and a little desperate) Feanor and his people attacked the Teleri (who were largely unarmed) and stole their ships. It was this act that resulted in the banishment of the Noldor, and the Doom that Mandos placed on them.

The Second Kinslaying at Doriath

During the story of Beren and Luthien we learn that they stole one of the silmarils from Morgoth’s crown and gave it to Luthien’s father, Thingol (king of Doriath.) While the sons of Feanor definitely wanted that silmaril, and had sworn an oath to retrieve it at whatever cost, they were stopped by the Girdle of Melian - an invisible forcefield protecting Doriath. But when Thingol was killed, Melian left Doriath, and the forcefield disappeared. When eventually Luthien’s son Dior came to rule Doriath, he still had the silmaril. So the sons of Feanor attacked Doriath, killing many elves (including Dior, his wife, and his two sons.) Dior’s daughter Elwing escaped, though, and she had the silmaril.

The Third Kinslaying at the Havens of Sirion

When Elwing escaped Doriath, she and the other refugees travelled to the Havens of Sirion. There she met Earendil, and they got married and had two sons, Elrond and Elros. The sons of the Feanor left them alone for some years (mostly because they felt really bad about what had happened at Doriath.) But eventually their oath drove them to demand the silmaril again. When that didn’t work, the sons of Feanor (and those still following them) attacked the Havens of Sirion. During the battle Elrond and Elros were captured. Earendil had been out sailing, so Elwing, wearing the silmaril, jumped into the ocean. One of the Valar, Ulmo, saved her by transforming her into a swan, and she flew out to meet Earendil. They then made their voyage to Valinor.

I think it’s important that none of the Kinslayings ended up well for Feanor or his sons. The first one (while it did get them ships) led to their exile from Valinor and a curse that pretty much destroyed everything they built over the next several centuries. And they didn’t manage to get the silmaril during either of the next two kinslayings - though all but two of Feanor’s seven sons died in the attempt. These were considered to be very tragic and evil events, so it’s fitting that they didn’t have satisfactory results.

SOURCES: The Silmarillion

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nowe.
cirdan the shipwright.
lord of the grey havens.



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