Curufinwë

	Finwë		(1) Míriel Serindë					(2) Indis
		Curufinwë (Fëanor)		Nerdanel		Fingolfin		Finarfin
Maedhros	Maglor	Celegorm	Caranthir	Curufin	Amrod	Amras

Finwë was the chief of the Noldor, who had led his people across the Great Sea to Valinor, and ruled as High King from the city of Tirion. His wife Míriel gave birth to a son, whom Finwë named Curufinwë, adapting his own name and adding a prefix meaning 'skill' or 'craft', for young Curufinwë showed prodigious talent in these arts.¹

It was tradition among the Eldar for children to receive two names, one from each of their parents, and Curufinwë's mother Míriel gave him a name of her own. That mother-name described the ardent spirit that Míriel sensed within her son, and its original Quenya form was Fëanáro, the 'Spirit of Fire'. That name would later be partly translated into Sindarin as Fëanor, the famous name used for this mighty Elf throughout the histories.

So great was the power of her son's spirit that Míriel's own spirit was consumed by his birth, and she abandoned her people to enter an endless sleep in the gardens of Lórien. Curufinwë's father eventually chose to wed again, and thus Curufinwë gained two half-brothers, Fingolfin and Finarfin.

Fëanor - as the histories universally name Curunfinwë - went on to achieve great acts of making, with the greatest among them being the Silmarils that captured the Light of the Trees. When those Jewels were stolen by Morgoth, Fëanor swore an Oath to recover them, and led a great part of the Noldor back to Middle-earth in pursuit of the Dark Lord. The Oath of Fëanor sparked the Wars of Beleriand that raged for centuries, but Curufinwë - or Fëanor - saw little of this later history. He was slain in battle soon after his return to Middle-earth.

Curufinwë had seven sons, all of whom joined him in his Oath and returned with him to Middle-earth. Of these seven, it was the fourth who most resembled his father in skills and temperament, as well as in his appearance. To him Curufinwë bequeathed his own name, passing on the name Curufinwë to the next generation, though in the histories this son is usually known by the shortened form of the name, Curufin. Curufin in turn had a son, Celebrimbor, who also inherited the skill of his forebears, and would play a great part in the making of the Rings of Power.