How Did Morgoth Lose the Silmarils?

Morgoth, the Dark Enemy of Middle-earth, initially possessed all three Silmarils. These gems were said to have been fashioned by his hand on an iron crown, allowing him to wear them without being scorched. However, the Silmarils met their fateful end in a series of tragic events, primarily centered around the exploits of Beren and Lúthien, and Morgoth's ultimate defeat.

Beren and Lúthien's Quest for the Silmaril

Beren wished to wed Lúthien, but Lúthien's father, Thingol, initially refused their union. As a condition for marrying Lúthien, Thingol gave Beren an impossible task: to retrieve a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. Beren's first attempt ended in disaster; he was captured, tortured by Sauron, and nearly fed to a werewolf. His second attempt was more successful: he and Lúthien disguised themselves to enter Morgoth's fortress, with Beren as a wolf and Lúthien singing to put the dark lord's court to sleep. Beren successfully removed one Silmaril, but failed to get the second due to his knife breaking.

During their escape, Beren's hand was bitten off, including the Silmaril. Nevertheless, he returned to Thingol and was honest: "In my hand I hold a Silmaril." He then had to track down and kill the werewolf and retrieve the gem.

Morgoth's Defeat and the Silmarils' Fate

After the War of Wrath, the remaining two Silmarils were removed from Morgoth's crown by the Maia Enw. However, Morgoth's sons, Maedhros and Maglor, still possessed the Silmarils despite their efforts to hide them. As a consequence of their evil deeds, the Silmarils burned their hands, causing them immense pain. Unable to bear the agony, Maedhros jumped into a fiery pit, taking the Silmaril with him. Maglor, similarly, cast his Silmaril into the sea and let it be lost forever.

Conclusion

The Silmarils, magnificent but cursed, were lost to forces both within and without Morgoth. Their story is told in the chapters Of Beren and Lúthien and Of the Voyage of Erendil and the War of Wrath in The Silmarillion.

Credit: Image of Beren and Lúthien by Breogan