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Maedhros was the first-born son of Fëanor and Nerdanel. His father-name was Nelyafinwë ("Finwë the Third) and his mother-name Maitimo ("Well-shaped One", both Quenya). He also received the epessë Russandol ("Copper-top", Quenya). Maedhros was born in Valinor during the Time of the Two Trees. After the banishment of Fëanor from Tirion in Valinor he went with his father to Formenos in exile. When Morgoth killed Finwë and stole Fëanor's beloved Silmarils, Maedhros was the first son to take the terrible Oath of Fëanor to recover the jewels. Maedhros went with his father to Alqualondë, where the First Kinslaying broke out, in which he took part. When Fëanor sailed off without the host of Fingolfin, Maedhros thought that he was planning to return and carry across the others. He expected that the first ship would carry Fingon, his cousin and best friend. When he learned that Fëanor planned to abandon them, he was angry and, alone of his brothers, refused to help burn the ships. After Feanor's death in the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Maedhros became High King of the Noldor in Beleriand. Shortly thereafter, Morgoth sent an emissary, feigning the surrender of a Silmaril. Driven by his oath, Maedhros feigned to treat with him, but was captured, and spent 30 years chained to a rock wall by one hand, standing on a precipiece high above Thangorodrim. Fingon finally came to his rescue, but found no way up. He realised the only release he could offer Maedhros was death, and he bent his bow, praying to the Valar to give his arrow speed. However, Thorondor, king of eagles, appeared and carried Fingon up to the ledge. Fingon found no way to break the chain, and was forced to cut off Maedhros' right hand to free him. After Maedhros had healed, he learned to wield his sword with his left hand even better than with his right, and he was a terror in battle. In gratitude for his rescue and as atonment for his father's deeds, he abdicated and passed the crown on to his uncle Fingolfin, which angered his brothers. To prevent feuds from breaking out between them, he removed his brothers from Hithlum, they settled in the eastern parts of Beleriand. Maedhros himself ruled the lands around the hill of Himring ("cool-cold", "Ever-cold"), later known as the March of Maedhros, where he had his fortress (which survived the drowing of Beleriand). Allies with Fingolfin, he won the Dagor Aglareb and, due to his daring deeds during the Dagor Bragollach, Himring stood while many other strongholds fell. Hearing of the heroic deeds of Beren and Luthien, he gathered his brothers, united with other elven houses and formed the Union of Maedhros, an alliance to lay siege to Angband. However, no support came from either Doriath or Nargothrond following the deeds of his brothers Curufin and Celegorm. The union and the siege were utterly broken in the disastrous Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Himring was overrun by orcs, and Maedhros and his brothers lived in Ossiriand along the Laiquendi. Maedhros soon learned that Dior, the only son of Beren and Luthien, was in possession of the Silmaril Beren had taken from Morgoth. He had not dared accost them, but now his oath urged him to take action. Dior had assumed kingship following the death of his grandfather. With Melian's enchantment gone, Doriath was defenceless, and Celegorm urged them to attack. Celegorm, Caranthir and Curufin fell battling Dior; the king and his wife were slain. Celegorm's servants captured the princes Elured and Elurin and left them to die in the woods, only their sister Elwing escaped. Regretting his evil deeds, Maedhros went out in seach of the boys, but to no avail. Once Maedhros learned that Elwing had escaped to the Havens of Sirion with the Silmaril, he sent an envoy demanding she hand it over, since he was loath to shed more elven blood. However, Elwing, who ruled the city in the absence of her husband, refused, partly because of Luthien's sacrifice, and so the Feanorians attacked. Elwing took the Silmaril and jumped off a cliff, prefering this death to the one that awaited her at the hands of the attackers, and was believed dead, and the Silmaril lost. Repenting, Maedhros and his suriving brother Maglor took her sons, Elrond and Elros, into their care, and raised them. They eventually sent them to Gil-Galad and, after the War of Wrath, stole the other two Silmarilli now in the possession of Eoenwe. The herald forbade the slaying of the sons of Feanor, however, they had lost every right to them, and the gems burned their hands. Unable to bear the pain, Maedhros cast himself into a fiery chasm.

Description
Maedhros was the first-born son of Fëanor and Nerdanel. His father-name was Nelyafinwë ("Finwë the Third) and his mother-name Maitimo ("Well-shaped One", both Quenya). He also received the epessë Russandol ("Copper-top", Quenya). Maedhros was born in Valinor during the Time of the Two Trees. After the banishment of Fëanor from Tirion in Valinor he went with his father to Formenos in exile. When Morgoth killed Finwë and stole Fëanor's beloved Silmarils, Maedhros was the first son to take the terrible Oath of Fëanor to recover the jewels. Maedhros went with his father to Alqualondë, where the First Kinslaying broke out, in which he took part. When Fëanor sailed off without the host of Fingolfin, Maedhros thought that he was planning to return and carry across the others. He expected that the first ship would carry Fingon, his cousin and best friend. When he learned that Fëanor planned to abandon them, he was angry and, alone of his brothers, refused to help burn the ships. After Feanor's death in the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Maedhros became High King of the Noldor in Beleriand. Shortly thereafter, Morgoth sent an emissary, feigning the surrender of a Silmaril. Driven by his oath, Maedhros feigned to treat with him, but was captured, and spent 30 years chained to a rock wall by one hand, standing on a precipiece high above Thangorodrim. Fingon finally came to his rescue, but found no way up. He realised the only release he could offer Maedhros was death, and he bent his bow, praying to the Valar to give his arrow speed. However, Thorondor, king of eagles, appeared and carried Fingon up to the ledge. Fingon found no way to break the chain, and was forced to cut off Maedhros' right hand to free him. After Maedhros had healed, he learned to wield his sword with his left hand even better than with his right, and he was a terror in battle. In gratitude for his rescue and as atonment for his father's deeds, he abdicated and passed the crown on to his uncle Fingolfin, which angered his brothers. To prevent feuds from breaking out between them, he removed his brothers from Hithlum, they settled in the eastern parts of Beleriand. Maedhros himself ruled the lands around the hill of Himring ("cool-cold", "Ever-cold"), later known as the March of Maedhros, where he had his fortress (which survived the drowing of Beleriand). Allies with Fingolfin, he won the Dagor Aglareb and, due to his daring deeds during the Dagor Bragollach, Himring stood while many other strongholds fell. Hearing of the heroic deeds of Beren and Luthien, he gathered his brothers, united with other elven houses and formed the Union of Maedhros, an alliance to lay siege to Angband. However, no support came from either Doriath or Nargothrond following the deeds of his brothers Curufin and Celegorm. The union and the siege were utterly broken in the disastrous Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Himring was overrun by orcs, and Maedhros and his brothers lived in Ossiriand along the Laiquendi. Maedhros soon learned that Dior, the only son of Beren and Luthien, was in possession of the Silmaril Beren had taken from Morgoth. He had not dared accost them, but now his oath urged him to take action. Dior had assumed kingship following the death of his grandfather. With Melian's enchantment gone, Doriath was defenceless, and Celegorm urged them to attack. Celegorm, Caranthir and Curufin fell battling Dior; the king and his wife were slain. Celegorm's servants captured the princes Elured and Elurin and left them to die in the woods, only their sister Elwing escaped. Regretting his evil deeds, Maedhros went out in seach of the boys, but to no avail. Once Maedhros learned that Elwing had escaped to the Havens of Sirion with the Silmaril, he sent an envoy demanding she hand it over, since he was loath to shed more elven blood. However, Elwing, who ruled the city in the absence of her husband, refused, partly because of Luthien's sacrifice, and so the Feanorians attacked. Elwing took the Silmaril and jumped off a cliff, prefering this death to the one that awaited her at the hands of the attackers, and was believed dead, and the Silmaril lost. Repenting, Maedhros and his suriving brother Maglor took her sons, Elrond and Elros, into their care, and raised them. They eventually sent them to Gil-Galad and, after the War of Wrath, stole the other two Silmarilli now in the possession of Eoenwe. The herald forbade the slaying of the sons of Feanor, however, they had lost every right to them, and the gems burned their hands. Unable to bear the pain, Maedhros cast himself into a fiery chasm.