Eärendil is the half-elven son of Tuor
and
Idril.
As a child he was rescued from the fall of Gondolin
by his parents and
brought
to the Isle of Balar where the remnants of the Eldar
had fled. There
with
the help of Círdan
the Shipwright he built the great ship Vingilot, fairest of all ships. Here he grew to love the sea and
became
the greatest mariner of all time. He sailed all of The Great Sea searching for his parents and Aman,
but did not find either.
Eärendil married Elwing,
and they had two sons:
Elrond
and Elros.
When the sons of Fëanor
attacked the havens,
Elwing
escaped. By the power of Ulmo,
she flew out to Eärendil's ship. With
the
power of Elwing's Silmaril, Eärendil passed the Enchanted Isles
and
Shadowy Seas and arrived safely in Aman. There he pled for pardon
and
the mercy of the Valar,
on behalf of the Children of Iluvatar,
Elves
and Men,
whom both he represented. His plea
was answered and eventually led to the War of Wrath.
In the War of Wrath Eärendil killed Ancalagon
the
Black,
the greatest dragon of Morgoth.
Eärendil was then sent from Aman with the
Silmaril
to sail across the heavens aboard Vingilot. The appearance of
Eärendil's
Star (Venus) flying from Aman came as a sign of hope to the people of
Middle-earth
and they called it Gil-Estel.
Reference: Silmarillion
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