Fingolfin

Fingolfin

"Now news came to Hithlum that Dorthonion was lost and the sons of Finarfin overthrown, and that the sons of Fëanor were driven from their lands. Then Fingolfin beheld (as it seemed to him) the utter ruin of the Noldor, and the defeat beyond redress of all their houses; and filled with wrath and despair he mounted Rochallor his great horse and rode forth alone, and none might restrain him. He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust, and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking that Oromë himself was come: for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar. Thus he came alone to Angband's gates, and challenged Morgoth to come forth to single combat. And Morgoth came."
― The Silmarillion

Fingolfin was a High King of the Noldor in Beleriand, eldest son of Finwë and Indis, younger brother of Findis, older brother of Írimë and Finarfin, and the younger half-brother of Fëanor. His wife was Anairë and his children were Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel, and Argon.

Fingolfin was the strongest and most valiant of the sons of Finwë. Having different mothers, he and his older half-brother Fëanor never felt a close bond with each other. This lack of affinity developed into rivalry when Melkor secretly told each of them that the other was planning on driving them out of Tirion. During the days of the Two Trees in Valinor, as Melkor's lies were taking their place in Noldorin minds, people started thinking that the Valar were holding them back from returning to Cuiviénen. Fëanor was the first to speak against the Valar, and Finwë summoned all of the lords of his house to resolve the issue. As Fingolfin was contending with his father to restrain Fëanor, the latter arrived fully armed with weapons he had secretly forged. Even though Fingolfin accepted him as the older one, Fëanor threatened Fingolfin, who was unarmed, with his sword, after which Fingolfin bowed to Finwë and left, only to be followed by Fëanor and threatened again in public. After the escape of Melkor from Valinor, during the feast Manwë held for the reconciliation of the Eldar, Fingolfin publicly forgave Fëanor.

After King Finwë died, Fëanor rallied up the Noldor and gave an impassionate speech. Nearly all of the Noldor followed him, along with his two half-brothers. Fingolfin led the largest host of the Ñoldor when they fled Aman for Middle-earth, even though he thought this unwise; he did not want to abandon his people to Fëanor. As days passed in their exile, more and more of the Noldor started speaking against Fëanor, for their journey was uneasy, and they feared the prophecy of Mandos. After Noldor acquired the ships of Teleri following the First Kinslaying, followers of Fëanor were the first to use them to get across the sea. Fëanor burned the ships after reaching Middle-earth, for he thought the followers of Fingolfin would prove to be useless.

Fingolfin and his people saw the smoke of the ships from afar, and chose to travel through the ice desert, for they were ashamed to go back to Valinor, and were angry at Fëanor. Fingolfin took them across the ice of the Helcaraxë, the journey was hard and many died, yet they were filled with hope when they saw the Moon for the first time. And soon after, at the rising of the Sun, he came to the Gates of Angband and smote upon them, but Morgoth stayed hidden inside. Fingolfin and the Noldor, realising they could not be victorious this way, then came to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim, from which the Fëanorian part of the host had withdrawn.

Shortly after Fëanor's death, his oldest son Maedhros was captured by Morgoth. Learning this, Fingolfin's oldest son Fingon rescued Maedhros, with whom he was a good friend. Maedhros consequently waived his claim to kingship. Thus Fingolfin became High-King of the Noldor. He ruled from Hithlum, by the northern shores of Lake Mithrim.

After defeating the orcs in the Dagor Aglareb, Fingolfin maintained the Siege of Angband for nearly four hundred years. But the Siege was ended by the sudden assaults of Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach, and many peoples of Beleriand fled. In the end Fingolfin rode to Angband alone to challenge Morgoth to single combat. He rode so fast that those who saw him thought Oromë himself had arrived. Fingolfin died there after a mighty duel, wounding Morgoth seven times with his sword Ringil, and struck one last blow to Morgoth's foot before he broke the High King. Morgoth's wounds never healed after that battle, and he limped everafter. Thorondor the King of Eagles then brought Fingolfin's body to a mountaintop overlooking Gondolin, and Turgon built a cairn over the remains of his father.

"In that vast shadow once of yore
Fingolfin stood: his shield he bore
with field of heaven’s blue and star
of crystal shining pale afar.
In overmastering wrath and hate
desperate he smote upon that gate,
the Gnomish king, there standing lone,
while endless fortresses of stone
engulfed the thin clear ringing keen
of silver horn and baldric green."
― Lay of Leithian

Fingon became High King of the Noldor after his death.

TL;DR
Fingolfin was the High King of the Noldor and after seeing the ruin of his people in Middle-earth, he rode to Angband and challenged Melkor himself to a duel. He permanently crippled Melkor, but could not defeat him. The King of Eagles came to carry Fingolfin's body to the highest peak above Gondolin, where Turgon built a cairn over his remains.

Beren Erchamion: http://imgur.com/gallery/UfWEjzk
Elrond "Half-elven": http://imgur.com/gallery/5iXrjcV
Gandalf Greyhame: http://imgur.com/gallery/wYy1LsV
Glorfindel: http://imgur.com/gallery/srP6lSM
Gimli "Elf-friend": http://imgur.com/gallery/O2mz5PJ
Sauron: http://imgur.com/gallery/UyrzP6I
Tom Bombadil: http://imgur.com/gallery/p7xulbh
Smaug: http://imgur.com/gallery/thh14B0
Celeborn: http://imgur.com/gallery/XClY6Ls
Gil-galad: http://imgur.com/gallery/le7M2SL
Thranduil: http://imgur.com/gallery/DjiZDq5
Eru Ilúvatar: http://imgur.com/gallery/ckk42pI
Ecthelion: http://imgur.com/gallery/yVczEPY
Manwë Súlimo: http://imgur.com/gallery/g2R8aWM
Aragorn II: http://imgur.com/gallery/0p9lK3K
Witch-king of Angmar: http://imgur.com/gallery/pQbhyVA
Arathorn II: http://imgur.com/gallery/mjs7noE
Faramir: http://imgur.com/gallery/I0BgYUW
Fëanor: http://imgur.com/gallery/tz3EEoz
The Nine: http://imgur.com/gallery/Xl6E6nJ
Idril Celebrindal: http://imgur.com/gallery/Pj4SdIR
Gollum: http://imgur.com/gallery/OM3wb4O