Editing Thingol (section)

== Fictional history ==

{{further|Sundering of the Elves}}

[[File:Elvish_Migrations_and_Kindreds.svg|thumb|upright=2|[[Arda (Middle-earth)|Arda]] in the [[First Age]]. The Elves awaken in [[Middle-earth]] (right). Elwë (Thingol), [[Finwë and Míriel|Finwë]], and Ingwë encourage their peoples to obey the call of the [[Valar in Middle-earth|Valar]] and travel to [[Valinor]] (green arrows to the left), but some refuse, causing the first [[Sundering of the Elves]].{{sfn|Flieger|1983|p=73}} When the [[Noldor]] return to [[Beleriand]] (red arrows to the left), Thingol is suspicious of them and refuses to fight the common enemy [[Morgoth]] alongside them. ]]

In ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', Thingol is introduced as Elwë, one of the three chieftains (with [[Finwë and Míriel|Finwë]] and Ingwë) of the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]] who depart from [[Cuiviénen]], the place where the Elves awaken, with the Vala [[Oromë]] as ambassadors to [[Valinor]], and who later become Kings. Upon his return, he persuades many of his people to follow him west to Valinor. This host becomes known as the [[Teleri]].<ref name="Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 3 "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"</ref> Some of the Teleri go to Valinor, following Thingol's younger brother Olwë.<ref name="Last Writings" group=T/> Thingol meanwhile meets [[Melian (Middle-earth)|Melian]] the [[Maia (Middle-earth)|Maia]], an [[angel]]ic immortal, and falls in love with her; they create an enchantment which keeps his people from finding him.<ref name="Thingol and Melian" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 4 "Of Thingol and Melian"</ref> Others of the Teleri reach the northwestern region of [[Beleriand]], but choose to remain there to look for Thingol, who had disappeared there. They later inhabit the forest realm of [[Doriath (Middle-earth)|Doriath]], when Thingol reappears and sets up his Kingdom of Doriath and his city of Menegroth; they are among the Sindar or Grey Elves of Beleriand. Alone of his people, he is an [[Calaquendi|Elf of the Light]] as he has seen the light of the [[Two Trees of Valinor]].<ref name="Sindar" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977|loc=ch. 10 "Of the Sindar"}}</ref><ref name="Túrin Turambar" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977|loc=ch. 21 "Of Túrin Turambar"}}</ref>{{sfn|Shippey|2005|p=283}}

[[File:Sketch Map of Beleriand.svg|thumb|upright=2|Sketch map of [[Beleriand]]. Thingol's forest realm of Doriath with its [[Sindar]] Elves is in the centre; the [[Noldor]] cities of [[Gondolin]] and [[Nargothrond]] are to its northwest and southwest respectively.]]

Thingol and Melian have a daughter, [[Lúthien]], who in turn falls in love with the mortal Man [[Beren]]. Disapproving of their relationship, Thingol sets numerous quests that he thinks impossible for Beren, so as to prevent him from marrying Lúthien. One of these quests is to recover one of the priceless star-jewels, the [[Silmarils]] which [[Fëanor]] had created, and the [[Dark Lord]] [[Morgoth]] had stolen and set in his crown; but even that quest succeeds.<ref name="Beren and Lúthien" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 19 "Of Beren and Lúthien"</ref>

Thingol fights several wars with Morgoth.<ref name="Sindar" group=T/> He is suspicious of the [[Noldor]] Elves when they arrive in Beleriand,<ref name="Return of the Noldor" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977|loc=ch. 13 "Of the Return of the Noldo"}}</ref> and refuses to assist them when they fight Morgoth.<ref name="Noldor in Beleriand" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977|loc=ch. 15 "Of the Noldor in Beleriand"}}</ref> The hero of Men, [[Húrin]], comes to Menegroth in his old age, lamenting the death of his son [[Túrin Turambar|Túrin]]. In bitter rage he hurls the treasured necklace of the fallen Noldor city of [[Nargothrond]], the Nauglamír, at Thingol's feet. Melian sees Húrin's thought, and deals with him gently; Húrin is sorry, and gives Thingol the Nauglamír. Thingol gets some [[Dwarves in Middle-earth|Dwarves]] to set his Silmaril in the necklace. The Dwarves do so, but come to covet the unequalled work, and ask Thingol if they may keep it as payment. Thingol angrily refuses; offended, the Dwarves kill him and sack Menegroth. The Sons of Fëanor, who had sworn a terrible oath to recover the Silmarils on behalf of their father, later destroy Doriath<!--the Second Kinslaying--> to recover the Silmaril; they kill Dior, Thingol's grandson, the second and last King of Doriath.<ref name="Of the Ruin of Doriath" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 22 "Of the Ruin of Doriath"</ref>