The Last Great Kingdom of the Noldor

 Queen Galadriel painting by Angus McBride

The Noldor where the elves who followed Finwe on the long march to Valinor the Undying Lands they are also call the Deep Elves because they where the wisest in smith craft and lore. Feanor the creator of the Silmarils was of the Noldor and when Meklor stole the Silmarils the Noldor traveled to middle Earth to wage war upon him.  At the beginning of the second age after the fall of Beleriand the elven survivors traveled east to a far land know in the LOTR as Eregion on the western side of the Misty Mountains. There they established Ost-in-Edhil the last great city of the Noldor near Khazad-dum (the Mines of Moria) the great dwarven city. The gate Gandalf opens in the Fellowship of the Ring was the gateway elves used to enter Moria as the Noldor and the dwarves of Moria had a great friendship between them. Many of the great elf lords named in the Lord of the Rings lived in Eregion during this time. Queen Galaderiel and her consort Celeborn founded and ruled the kingdom of Eregion, Elrond dwelt there as did Thrunduil father of Legolas.

 Celebrimbor forging the three rings for the elves painting by Angus McBride

Sauron came to Eregion in a fair disguise calling himself Annatar Lord of Gifts. Galaderiel would not see him she had a foreboding about him but Celebrimbor would. Celebrimbor was the greatest elven smith after Feanor and he lead the Gwaith-i-Mirdain the guild of smiths. Sauron convinced him that he should rule Eregion not Galaderiel and he lead a bloodless coup against her. She seeing a glimpse of the future abdicated her throne peacefully and passed through the dwarf road under the mountain into Lothlorien. Then Sauron and Celebrimbor together forged the Rings of Power. For you see in order to forge the Rings of Power they had to teach each other secret lore that only they knew so that together their collective knowledge was equal to the task. Sauron then returned to Mordor to forge the One Ring alone. When Sauron left Celebrimbor forged the three rings for the elves. When Sauron put the One Ring on his finger both of them discovered they had been deceived thus the War of the Elves and Sauron began.