Siege of Angband

The Siege of Angband was the name given to a 400 year-long Ñoldor containment of Morgoth's forces within his fortress of Angband during the First Age, which began following the Dagor Aglareb. Though called a siege, this containment was not technically a siege at all as the Elves and Edain were unable to actually assault Angband; they were merely able to battle Morgoth's Orcs when they chose to emerge.
== History ==
The encirclement of Angband was incomplete, as Morgoth was still capable of sending out various forces of Orcs to weaken the Ñoldor (such as the attack of Hithlum), mainly from the impassable north flanks of the fortress near the unguarded Iron Mountains. The Ñoldor had grown strong enough, however, and these raiding forces posed no significant threat. But these raids enabled Morgoth to coerce people who were captured to his service, which would later prove very disastrous to the Ñoldor and their allies.
Though considered by Fingolfin, the Elves never planned in earnest nor executed any sort of offensive action against Angband. The Elven kingdoms had prospered greatly during the time of the siege, and most were unwilling to engage in a seemingly needless battle in which they believed innumerable Elves would perish, whether in victory or defeat. The Elves in fact did not have the ability to overthrow Angband no matter what they did, but at the time, Fingolfin did not fully comprehend the power of Morgoth. The Siege was broken in the Dagor Bragollach in FA 455, and no similar leaguer was ever re-established.