Gil-galad was an Elvenking.
Of him the harpers sadly sing;
The last whose realm was fair and free
Between the Mountains and the Sea.
His sword was long, his lance was keen.
His shining helm afar was seen;
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield.
But long ago he rode away,
And where he dwelleth none can say;
For into darkness fell his star
In Mordor where the shadows are.
In Cirith Ungol, his body lay,
After one whole age, it started to decay.
But he lay strong and held his fists.
Killed the guards and rode into the mist.
Disguised as Vegorion he ran.
In Ithilien, he met half elf, half man.
Friends they became and an alliance stood
Stronger than steel, more useful than wood.
Returned Vegorion did to Lindon.
He saw it lay, in a devastation.
He came to rule the Fair Realm.
Wearing that same shining helm.
He made an empire out of it.
The spirits of the Ñoldor finally were lit.
Aeglos was forged anew.
The Elves their sadness finally withdrew.
Now Gil~Galad is the Elvenking.
Of him the harpers merrily sing.
The last whose realm was Fair and Free.
Between the Mountains and the Sea.
{The Fall of Gil~Galad in the Second Age, translated by Bilbo Baggins}.
First Age
Gil-Galad was most likely born in the fifth century of the First Age and was still young during the times of the battles of the Dagor Bragollach and Nirnaeth Arnoediad. He was the son of Orodeth. Gil-Galad lived in Nargothrond until its fall and escaped, and eventually came to the Mouths of Sirion.
After the death of Turgon during the Fall of Gondolin, Gil-Galad received the Kingship of the Ñoldor.
Second Age
In year 1 of the Second Age, Gil-Galad remained in Middle-earth and established Lindon, which was strong and secure against its enemies. At its height, the Fair Realm extended eastward as far as the Misty Mountains and the western parts of Greenwood the Great, though most of the Eldar remained in Lindon and in Elrond's refuge of Rivendell.
Gil-Galad had alliances with the Men of Westernesse, especially with Tar-Aldarion (the Mariner), The Faithful and Elendil. With Elendil he formed the Alliance of Elves and Men at the great watchtower of Amon Sul, which was so powerful as to be compared to the army which defeated Melkor at the end of the First Age. He reigned as High King of the Ñoldorthroughout the Second Age. During this time Gil-Galad was given the seeds of mellyrn, or mallorn, trees by Tar-Aldarion, who was, during this time, High King of Numenor. But the seeds wouldn't grow in his land so he gave them to Galadriel before she left Lindon. She carried these seeds for a long time, finally planting them in Lindórinand. When they grew in the land, it was renamed Lothlórien, Lórien of Blossom. Later on, Gil-Galad was entrusted by Celebrimbor with the rings Vilya (Ring of Air) and Narya (Ring of Fire), two of the Three Rings, which he passed on to his herald Elrond and his lieutenant Cirdan prior to his defeat at the Siege of Barad-dûr.[3]
With the emergence of Sauron, Gil-Galad joined forces with the Dúnedain King Elendil to defeat the forces spreading from Mordor. Their large and well-trained combined forces engaged Sauron's armies multiple times in the conflict known as the War of the Last Alliance. Gil-Galad's famed weapon was a spear known as Aeglos - which meant ' Icicle ; none could stand against it. Finally, at the end of the war, the Elves and Men marched on Mordor itself and laid siege to Barad-dûr, where Gil-Galad was supposedly killed at the hands of Sauron. He and Elendil fought the Dark Lord, but according to a scroll written afterwards by Isildur Gil-Galad perished due to "the heat of Sauron's hand", and so Gil-Galad passed on to the Halls of Mandos. He was not known to have a wife, nor any children, so the kingship of the Ñoldor ended in Middle-earth and Círdan was from then on the Lord of the Grey Havens and Lindon.
Third Age
During the Third Age, Gil~Galad was kept in chains at Cirth Ungol. However, after Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee escaped and started the Skirmish at Cirth Ungol, all the prisoners escaped as well. According to Gil~Galad, Elendil was also taken to Cirth Ungol, as well as all the Great Commanders who "perished" during the Second Age. "The life spans of men are short, and I was the only Elf taken by the foul Yrch. Elendil perished not in battle, but in chains because of his mortality" Gil-Galad remembered. Though many escaped, few did return. Most were soon found and executed. Not Gil~Galad. He ran so far, so far he had to forget his past. He called himself Vegorion. At Enedwaith, he met Andarr, a Half-Elf. The One Ring was destroyed, and so did end the Third Age.
Fourth Age
After Nalt Illska fell, Vegorion claimed throne of Lindon, and revealed himself as Gil~Galad. The capital was taken by Utumno's armies in FA 259. It took 8 years to claim it back. Sadly, a couple years after that, the Great Elven Crisis happened. Gil~Galad was again mistaken as dead again, and established a rebellion, called the Nomad's of the North. Long did he stray there. Many long centuries. Yet, Eristor, the leader of the Elven Crisis was murdered, and Gil~Galad returned to Lindon, no longer a happy, jolly Elvenking. He turned Lindon into the Nõldor Empire. As he will say later: "I saw this Realm as a sad one, I see this Realm as a fair one". Many Elves no longer went to Aman, but stayed in the Nõldor Empire, the most Fair Empire that ever existed in the universe. However, the Unknown War started. Gil~Galad, like his fellow Elvenkings, fought on the front line. When many perished, he stood. In 23 years, he was taken to the Ruin of Time, where he built a second TORDIS, the 2WORDIS. He returns to his Empire, and rules it with an Iron fist.