Battle of Tumhalad
|Battle of Tumhalad|
|Conflict: Wars of Beleriand|
|Date: F.A. 495|
|Outcome: Victory for Morgoth|
Forces of Morgoth
The battle was fought as result of a massive Orc-buildup beneath the Mountains of Shadow and in the Pass of Sirion. Messengers from Círdan brought these tidings and a message from Círdan concerning a warning from the Vala Ulmo that the Elves of Nargothrond should not fight in open battles against the armies of Morgoth.
 The Battle
The Elves of Nargothrond, though, were not used to open battle for they had always waged a guerilla war, ambushing but never assaulting the forces of Morgoth. Also, the evil hosts were larger than anticipated and led by the Dragon Glaurung.
The forces of Nargothrond could not withstand the assault and were driven towards the plain of Tumhalad, were most of them, including King Orodreth and the Elf-lord Gwindor, were slain. Only Túrin withstood the attack of Glaurung, as he wore the Dwarven-crafted Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin.
The defeat suffered by the Elves allowed the Sack of Nargothrond by Glaurung.
Elven casualties undoubtedly were very high, given that Nargothrond is totally erased with this defeat and unable to continue forth even in a weakened state, like how Doriath did after the Battle of the Thousand Caves. The few survivors fled to Doriath, the Isle of Balar or possibly rallying to the futile defence of Nargothrond itself.