Early days
Before its foundation, during the Great March, the Noldor made their dwellings in the forests of Neldoreth and Region that would become Doriath, on their way westward. That time the Teleri were still back in the East Beleriand; their leader, Elwë, often went through to the forests to seek his friend Finwë.
One of those times Elwë was lost in Nan Elmoth, and when Ulmo returned for them a part remained behind. They became known as the Sindar or Grey Elves, and when Thingol returned he became their king, ruling from Doriath.
As Melian foresaw that war was coming to Beleriand, she adviced Thingol to become an ally of the Dwarves of Belegost, who carved the caverns of Menegroth for him, that became the capital of the realm. In those years, Eöl the Dark Elf leased Nan Elmoth from Thingol, having paid the sword Anglachel for it.
In Y.T. 1497, after the First Battle of Beleriand, many Laiquendi removed to Doriath. After this, Doriath was encircled by the Girdle of Melian, an impenetrable fence of enchantment that guarded the kingdom. Eglador was the name of the land of Doriath before it was protected by the Girdle of Melian. Even beyond the limits of the Girdle, Thingol was seen by all the native Elves of Beleriand, from the Gelion to Belegaer, as their lord; he was even acknowledged as high-king of all the Teleri in Beleriand.
End of the First Age
While Thingol's own kingdom was protected by the power of Melian the Maia, he was still loath to surrender any other lands in Beleriand to the Noldor due to his suspicions of the aggressive new lords in Middle-earth. On a time Finrod and his sister Galadriel were guests of King Elu Thingol, their kinsman in Doriath. There, Queen Melian questioned Galadriel on how and why the Noldor had returned, upon which Galadriel told her only some of the story. Therefore she was the first to glean the truth, perceiving more than Galadriel was willing to tell, and she warned Thingol against dealing with the sons of Fëanor. Later, while Finrod, Angrod and Aegnor were visiting Galadriel, Thingol had learned the truth about the Kinslaying at Alqualondë and accused them of deceiving him for hiding their misdeeds against his kin. Angrod spoke out in anger, pointing out the grievous wrongs they endured as well. This led directly to Thingol banning the use of Quenya in his lands, which led to Sindarin being the common Elven tongue in Middle-earth. However, the descendants of Finarfin were not expelled from Doriath as they were of Thingol's kin from Olwë, his brother, but also because he showed a sympathy to both the Houses of Finarfin and Fingolfin for the wrongs they had suffered. Nevertheless, as King Thingol's relations with the Noldor were already strained even before he learned of the First Kinslaying, he refused to aid them in the war against Morgoth, and took little part in the ongoing struggle.
When Men arrived in Beleriand, they were refused entry into Doriath; however, at Finrod's request, the Haladin were allowed to live in Brethil.
Beren, son of Barahir and lord of the House of Bëor, passed through the Girdle as Melian had foretold, and arrived in Neldoreth. There Thingol's daughter Lúthien fell in love with him. After the Quest for the Silmaril, the Wolf Carcharoth also breached the Girdle, causing much destruction in north Doriath. But in the Hunting of the Wolf, Thingol, Beren, and Thingol's captains Beleg and Mablung hunted and killed the beast.
Túrin was sent to Doriath, and lived there until he came of age, when he fled from the land. Later his mother and sister, Morwen and Nienor lived there, until they were lost.
In F.A. 502, some time after Túrin's tragic death, Húrin, Túrin's father and now an old man, was allowed to enter Menegroth, where in anger he threw the Nauglamír, the treasure of Nargothrond before King Thingol and "thanked" him for aiding his son. Melian pierced through Húrin's madness and grief; shamed by his actions, he offered the Nauglamír to Thingol sincerely and left Menegroth a broken man.
Ruin of Doriath
At that time a desire came into Thingol's heart to take the Nauglamír and place the Silmaril in it, thus melding together two of the greatest creations made by the Elves and the Dwarves. He hired some Dwarven craftsmen to do it for him. But by the time the Dwarves were finished they had become obsessed with the Nauglamír and asked for it as a payment for their labour. This infuriated Thingol realizing they were coveting the Silmaril. The Dwarves were angered by his harsh words, and killed him. This led to the sacking of Menegroth in F.A. 503 and the eventual destruction of Doriath, which scattered its people.
In F.A. 503, Doriath was briefly restored under Beren and Lúthien's son Dior Eluchíl. Learning that the Silmaril is in Doriath, the Sons of Fëanor sent message to Dior requesting the return of the Silmaril. Dior does not answer. Thus, in F.A. 506, Dior was attacked and killed by the Sons of Fëanor, along with their followers. They assaulted Doriath with a surprise attack, in the middle of winter, and fought with Dior in the Thousand Caves. This was the Second Slaying of Elf by Elf. In that battle, Dior slew Celegorm. Curufin and Caranthir also fell. Dior was also slain along with his wife Nimloth. Eluréd and Elurín were seized, taken into the forest, and left to starve by the cruel servants of Celegorm. Maedhros repented of this act of vengeance and cruelty against the children, and he long sought for them in the woods, but "his search was unavailing," and the fate of Dior's sons is not known.[8] By F.A. 507, Doriath was utterly destroyed following the Second Kinslaying.
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