Dagor Bragollach - Battle of Sudden Flame, Later Phase 456 - 466 First Age

466 First Age

Morgoth now consolidated his previous gains and exploited the disarray of the Noldor. From Angband, Sauron was sent in command of a great force of Orc-hosts, Werewolves, and Wolves against the fortress of Minas Tirith on Tol Sirion, which Orodreth still held. Sauron took it by storm and Orodreth was driven out, his retreat to Nargothrond covered by the cavalry of Celegorm and Curufin. Sauron made Tol Sirion a base from which to spread terror and it was renamed Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle of Werewolves. From there he expanded the occupation of Dorthonion with such sorcery and horror that even the Orcs would only pass through it with speed. Barahir and his men were hunted down until only Beren lived and, at last, he too was driven out and eventually came to Doriath. Now from the western gateway pass into Beleriand Sauron sent Orc-armies and Orc-legions south to encompass Doriath from the west. At that time, another Orc-host under Boldog came over Dorthonion, now named Taur-nu-Fuin, through the Anach Pass on the North March of Doriath and the Orc army that broke through the Pass of Aglon harried Radhrim, the East March of Doriath.

The marches of Doriath became a battleground between Orcs and the Grey Elves. Orcs sent by Sauron came south in force, but the Men of Brethil, aided by the Sindar of Doriath led by Beleg, destroyed an Orc-legion at the crossing of Taeglin in 458. Thingol and the Sindar of Doriath defeated the Orc-army occupying East Beleriand on Radhrim, the East March, in 462 and crushed the Orc-host of Boldog on the North March, in 465. A sortie from Himring destroyed the remnants of the Orcs. The second assault on Hithlum would see Galdor, Lord of Dor-lómin, die defending Barad Eithel. Morgoth launched a two pronged assault in 462, one Orc-host lay siege to forts of the mountain passes of Ered Wethrin while the other came down from the north, crossing the ice and attacking Fingon on the plains of Hithlum. Húrin, son of Galdor and the new lord of Dor-lómin, routed the armies of Morgoth and drove them back at Barad Eithel. Fingon, outnumbered on the plains, was reinforced by Círdan and the Falathrim who sailed to his rescue in great strength, landing their warriors near the Gate of the Noldor. The Orc-host, caught between the armies of Hithlum and Falas, was destroyed. In 465 Lúthien with the help of Huan first overthrew Sauron and destroyed his fortress Tol-in-Gaurhoth and then in 466, with Beren, in the depths of Angband, they took a Silmaril from the Crown of Morgoth achieving what all the swords and armies and plans of the Noldor had failed to in nearly 500 years of war.