Eönwë was the banner-bearer and herald of Manwë, whose might in arms, the Valaquenta says, is surpassed by none in Arda.1
At the end of the First Age, after Eärendil came to Valinor to plead for Elves and Men, the host of the Valar went to war against Morgoth, with Eönwë's trumpets filling the sky. In the War of Wrath the power of Morgoth was broken, Thangorodrim was thrown down, and Morgoth himself was chained and thrust out into the Void.2
Two Silmarils were taken from the Iron Crown and given into Eönwë's keeping. Maedhros and Maglor, the last sons of Fëanor, sent to demand them under their oath. Eönwë answered that their right to them had been lost through their evil deeds, and that they must return to Valinor to be judged. Instead they stole the jewels from his camp, and the jewels burned them.2
Sauron, too, came before Eönwë and abased himself, and seemed to repent. Eönwë had no authority to pardon one of his own order, and told him to go to Valinor and receive the judgement of Manwë. Sauron would not face it, and hid himself in Middle-earth.3
Eönwë's care for Men did not end with the war. After the war he came among the Fathers of Men of the three faithful houses and taught them, and they were given wisdom and power and life more enduring than any other mortals have possessed.4
Sources
Citations name the chapter rather than the page, so they work in any edition. The colour of each note shows what kind of source it is.
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and Tolkien's late writings on the Elder Days, assembled by Christopher Tolkien from his father's papers.
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, “Valaquenta”, “Of the Maiar”
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, ch. 24, “Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath”
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age”
- Edited posthumously The Silmarillion, “Akallabêth”