Fingon's wife?
 

I've just been doing some research for 'relatively speaking' and, in the course of this, I discovered that Fingon's wife (i.e. Gil-Galad's mother) is something of a mystery. Does anyone have any record of this lady?

To the best of my knowledge Fingon's wife was never named, which may be why the Professor eventually decided he was unmarried and childless and switched Gil-Galad to the family of Finarfin, making him the son of Orodreth, last king of Nargothrond.

In which case he would be Finduilas' brother? So, who was his ma in that case?

I don't think the Professor ever bothered to name her either, but he did say she was of the Northern Sindar, not a Noldorin Exile. Thus she was presumably somebody Orordreth, (who in this revised genealogy is the son of Angrod and his wife Edhellos) met and married during the long peace.

How complicated. But how did Gil-Galad end up as High King if he is just the grandson of Finarfin? Why not Elrond?

AHA! Now that is a problem.

IMO Idril and her son Earendil were in turn acknowledged rulers of the Noldorin Exiles, though neither considered it fitting to use the title of High King/Queen as their people had been reduced to a huddle of refugees at the mouths of the Sirion.

Earendil of course never came back from his final voyage, and his sons disappeared in the sack of the Havens leading the surviving Noldor to take Gil-Galad, the next in blood, as their leader.

By the time Elros and Elrond reappeared Gil-Galad was well established and accepted in his role as King of the Noldor. Elrond would have been much younger and probably ill prepared to take over the job. Thus Gil-Galad remained King but Elrond was acknowledged as his second in command and eventual heir. A reasonable compromise acceptable to all parties.

This is, of course, just my opinion.

Because Tolkien wasn't finished, nor did Christopher Tolkien know as much then as he does now. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[then = at the time of Silmarillion publication]