The Atlas of Middle-earth Page 6

Upper: FIRST BATTLE Lower: SECOND BATTLE

  The Third Battle

  (Dagor Aglareb, the Glorious Battle)

  During the sixty years following Dagor-nuin-Giliath the Noldor established their foothold in Middle-earth.4 Morgoth’s informants thought the Elves were busy with domestic affairs rather than martial vigilance. Again he sent forth a force of Ores, heralded by eruptions of flame in the Iron Mountains.5

  Several small bands passed through the Pass of Sirion and Maglor’s Gap. In what must have been almost guerrilla warfare, they scattered through East and West Beleriand. In turn, they were countered by the Elves in the area—probably the Noldor, although Círdan may have assisted in the west. Doriath was protected by the Girdle of Melian, and the Green-elves of Ossiriand had refused open encounters after their disastrous losses in the First Battle.6

  The main host of Ores meanwhile attacked Dorthonion, where Angrod and Aegnor must have borne the brunt of the assault. When Fingolfin and Maedhros advanced from west and east, the Ores were trapped in a closing vise and were forced to retreat. They fled to the north, but were closely pursued. The Orc-host was defeated within sight of Angband’s gates. For the first time, in a battle against Morgoth, the victory was complete.

  The Noldor, having been reminded of their ever-present danger, tightened their leaguer. This was the beginning of the Siege of Angband, which lasted almost four hundred years. Only scattered incidents broke this time of peace. After one hundred years there was a small attack on Fingolfin, which was quickly defeated. A century later Glaurung, then only a half-grown dragon, drove the Elves to the protection of the highlands, but he was forced to retreat from Ard-galen by the archers of Fingon. Morgoth ceased open assaults, and during the Long Peace he employed his powers instead through stealth, treachery, and enchantment of prisoners.7

  The Fourth Battle

  (Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Flame)

  During the Siege and the Long Peace, the Noldor were able to complete their defenses. Nargothrond was finished, and hidden Gondolin was raised. Numerous fortresses spread all around Ard-galen. Men had appeared from the east, and the Noldorian princes had gained the allegiance of many of these hardy folk. Nor was Morgoth idle. In 455 the peace was broken, and crushing forces were unleashed from Angband.8

  Once again the battle was heralded by flames, but these were far more deadly than those of the third battle. Rivers of fire rushed along fissures, burning Ard-galen and virtually all the watchful troops encamped there. Swiftly following the fires came a sea of Ores, led by Balrogs, and Glaurung—who had then grown to his full power.9 This was no brief battle, fought in a few days. The attacks began in winter and continued in force through spring, and thereafter never completely ceased.

  Dorthonion fell soonest to the onslaught. Angrod and Aegnor were slain, and their remaining folk scattered.10 In the east, all the defenses except those of Maedhros were destroyed and abandoned, for Glaurung came there, leading a mass of Ores. Maglor’s horsemen were burned on the plain of Lothlann,11 and he retreated to Himring and fought with Maedhros. The Pass of Aglon was breached, and Celegorm and Curufin made their way to Nargothrond.12 The Ores took the fortresses on the west side of Mt. Rerir, overran Thargelion, and defiled Lake Helevorn. Then they scattered into East Beleriand. Caranthir fled south, and joining Amrod and Amras, built defenses on Amon Ereb.13

  In the west, Turgon stayed hidden in his refuge; but Finrod came north from Nargothrond. In the Fens of Serech Finrod became separated from his army. Encircled by Ores, he would have perished but for the timely rescue by Barahir, who descended from western Dorthonion. Having thus barely escaped, Finrod and his folk retreated to Nargothrond, while Barahir continued his fighting in Dorthonion.14

  No enemy troops entered Hithlum, although Fingolfin’s forces barely managed to defend their fortresses.15 When news reached Fingolfin, the High King, of the fall of so many of the Noldor, he galloped to Thangorodrim and dueled Morgoth. The Enemy was wounded in body and pride; but Fingolfin fell—valiant, but powerless against such evil.16

  Upper: THIRD BATTLE Lower: FOURTH BATTLE

  The Fifth Battle

  (Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears)

  Inspired by the deeds of Beren and Lúthien, Maedhros decided in 473 that taking the offense against Angband might regain their former possessions. In the eighteen years since Dagor Bragollach, the Noldor had suffered further losses. The Union of Maedhros first ousted the Ores from Beleriand, and in midsummer they gathered for the assault on Thangorodrim.17

  In the original plan, Maedhros, leading the eastern host, was to draw out the army of Angband. Then Fingon’s host, hidden in the Ered Wethrin, were to attack from the west. In the east were: Elves and Men of Himring, under Maedhros and the sons of Bór; Elves and Men of Amon Ereb, under Caranthir and Uldor; and the Naugrim. In the west were: Elves and Men of Hithlum, under Fingon, Huor, and Húrin; Elves of the Falas; Men of Brethil; a small company from Nargothrond, under Gwindor; and from Menegroth, only two Elves.18 Unexpectedly, Turgon came forth from Gondolin with a force of 10,000.19 This probably doubled the strength in the west, and the allies were filled with hope—but victory was not to be . . .

  Morgoth, aware of the battle plan, sent forth a host of Ores to challenge the western host. Most of Fingon’s troops—and a few of Turgon’s—were fired by the wrath of Gwindor. They broke from the hills without order, defeated the Orc-host, and thrust across Angfauglith. Gwindor’s company even passed through the gates into Thangorodrim.20 Then Morgoth’s trap snapped shut. A huge host erupted from all sides. They not only drove back Fingon’s host, but pursued and encircled them. Most of the Men of Brethil fell at the rearguard. Turgon, marching up from the south, broke through the leaguer.21

  At last Maedhros arrived. He had been delayed those five days of battle by treachery.22 The eastern host never came to Fingon’s rescue, however, for still another army was loosed from Angband—led by Glaurung the dragon and Gothmog the Balrog. Glaurung and his forces assailed Maedhros. Simultaneously, the traitorous Uldor broke away, attacking Maedhros in the rear, while on the right Maedhros was beset by more Men who swept from the hills. Embattled on three fronts, the eastern host scattered. The valor of the Dwarves, who held Glaurung at bay, allowed the host to slowly retreat, and escape to Ossiriand.

  Meanwhile, Gothmog’s forces had thrust aside Turgon, reencircling Fingon. Thus trapped, Fingon fell, and most of his forces perished. With the field lost, Húrin persuaded Turgon to return to Gondolin, protecting the secret of the hidden city. Huor and Húrin with the men of Dor-lómin formed a living wall across the Fens of Serech to guard the withdrawal. There they all died except Húrin, who was taken to Morgoth for torment. Thus, all Hithlum was bereft of its people; and Himring was abandoned. All the highlands, except the realm of Gondolin, lay in the hands of the enemy.

  The Great Battle

  (The War of Wrath)

  Little can be said of the final battle, although its effect was mighty. Over a century after Nirnaeth Arnoediad,23 the Valar granted the request of Eärendil and prepared their third and last assault on Morgoth. With them from Valinor went the Vanyar and Noldor, but the Teleri only agreed to sail the white ships. The host must have landed in Beleriand, for that land was “ablaze with the glory of their arms.”24 Only the Edain joined the host once it reached Middle-earth—none of the Elves.

  The host of Valinor approached Angband. As in all previous encounters between the Valar and Morgoth (the fallen Vala) the earth shook. So powerful were they that his massive army was swiftly destroyed. At last he released the winged dragons, led by Ancalagon the Black. Even the Valar were forced to retreat from these evil creatures. Then Eärendil came, and Thorondor led a swarm of eagles, and they battled the dragons through the night. Just before dawn, Eärendil slayed Ancalagon, who crashed down upon Thangorodrim, breaking its tall towers. The Valar bared the pits of Angband, and obliterated all the realm of Morgoth.25

  Upper: FIFTH BATTLE Lower: GREAT
BATTLE

  THE SECOND AGE

  Introduction

  THE DIFFERENCES APPARENT in the land of Aman followed Morgoth’s reoccupation of Angband during the First Age. The Valar fortified their land more fully by further lifting the Pelóri, and the Shadowy Seas were darkened with spells as well as the absence of light, and grew far greater in extent, reaching beyond the newly raised Enchanted Isles.1 The other important physical and cultural changes shown in the map of the Second Age were the result of a single action at the end of the first—the breaking of Thangorodrim in the War of Wrath. During the battle the lands of the northwest were convulsed and most fell beneath the sea.2 Galadriel foretold that they would some day rise again, but none knew when that would occur.3

  In Middle-earth the low-lying graves of Túrin and Morwen withstood the turmoils as foreseen.4 Although Tol Morwen was described as “alone,” it was perhaps the ‘last’ (most western) of the remaining lands. For as Beleriand was destroyed, many retreated to the highlands, and as the waters lapped the hills, they built ships in which to set sail. The last fragments of Dorthonion and the Hill of Himring remained as Tol Fuin and Himling: the Western Isles.5

  Lindon was the only portion of Beleriand that survived as part of the mainland, although Mount Dolmed and Rerir were both absent. At the River Ascar the Blue Mountains broke apart and the sea roared in, forming the Gulf of Lhûn (Lune). The River Lhûn (which evidently was present in the First Age, but was not mapped by Tolkien), changed course at the time, flowing west into the gulf to which it gave its name.6 Previously, it was shown as flowing east into Lake Evendim. Nogrod and Belegost were destroyed, and the Dwarves fled to other parts of the mountains. It was possible that the Tower Hills and the west-east ridge of the Ered Luin were newly formed at that time.

  The west end of the Ice Bay of Forochel aligned with the former location of the conjunction of the Ered Engrin and the Ered Luin and extended over 300 miles into the lower lands north and east.7 It has been assumed that the former were utterly destroyed, with only occasional remnants, such as the Grey Mountains. Bays and coastlines were altered elsewhere as well. The submergence of about one million square miles could have raised the level of the sea enough to produce drowned river mouths, embayments (such as near the later sites of Dol Amroth and the fortress of Umbar), and isolation of some higher areas into offshore islands (such as Tolfalas).

  One other locale was worthy of note: Mordor. As noted in the discussion of the First Age the map of the world from ‘The Ambarkanta’ showed the Inland Sea occupying the area which would eventually be the site of Mordor.8 Although no text supports my conclusions, Mordor might have appeared as part of a worldwide upheaval during the destruction of the Iron Mountains in the area where the Great Gulf partially drained the Inland Sea—the volcanic processes in the formation of that land would allow relatively rapid mountain-building processes.

  In Middle-earth, at first the lands were relatively free from evil, but the Men there lived in isolated pockets cut into the forests, or along the coasts and rivers—mostly far from the Elves and Dwarves. The times for them were dark—dark in knowledge, and soon, dark in evil. After only five hundred years Sauron reawoke; and about 1000 S.A. he established himself in Mordor.9 Many Men, such as the Men of the Mountains near Dunharrow, were drawn under his sway. Eventually his evil influence affected the histories of all the Free Peoples throughout the second and third ages.

  The Valar could grant good, as well as destroy evil. So Ossë raised a land in the midst of the sea—Andor, the Land of Gift. It stood slightly nearer to Valinor than to Middle-earth. There, the Edain, the Three Faithful Houses of Men, were as far west toward the Undying Lands as mortal Men could be. So they called their land Númenor—Westernesse.10 They lived in peace and glory until they destroyed themselves by their own folly.

  Fleeing from Beleriand, many Elves chose to leave Middle-earth, but Tirion was closed to them.11 Thus, they sailed to Tol Eressëa and established the haven of Avallónë on a harbor of the south shore. Avallônë was the first city visible from the east, yet at the time of its founding, it stood closest to Valinor.12 When, after ages Eriol managed to reach the Cottage of Lost Play,13 he learned not only many of the ‘Lost Tales,’ but he also visited other sites on the island. For the Lonely Isle was large enough for many towns and villages, and the Tales told of a greater city eventually built in the midst of the island in the wooded ring of Alalminore, ‘the land of Elms’: Koromas, the ‘Resting Place of the Exiled of Kôr.’ There, Ingil, son of Inwë, raised a great tower in memory of lost Tirion on Tuna, and so the city came to be called Kortirion.14 There it would stand until the time of the final Faring Forth, when Ulmo would draw the isle back to mortal lands once more, when the “end was come indeed for the Eldar of story and of song.”15

  SECOND AGE OF ARDA Inset: TOL ERESSËA

  Refugee Relocation

  DURING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE LANDS of the North many survivors escaped—both good and evil. The servants of Angband fled east, while the people of the south either sailed west, or removed to Lindon and beyond. At the end of the Age, two concentrations of Elves remained: On the Isle of Balar, Gil-galad and Círdan governed most of the folk left from the Falas, Nargothrond, Gondolin, and Doriath.1 Some still dwelt in Ossiriand and on the Western Isles: the Green-elves, Sindar of Doriath, and some Noldor who had followed Fëanor’s sons.2 Some few who heeded Eönwë’s summons3 may have built ships hurriedly4 and sailed from Balar before it had been submerged, while others did so after being forced to the higher ground. Most of the Noldor and many Sindar chose to take the western path, and left within the first year of the Second Age.5 On Tol Eressëa they raised the new city of Avallónë, and ever after it remained the haven for those who sailed west from Middle-earth.6

  Many Sindar, especially those of the Teleri, passed east up until 1600.7 They joined the Silvan Elves scattered in the woodlands. The most famous was Thranduil,8 who had probably lived in Doriath, for his dwellings in Greenwood were quite similar.9 The Noldor who remained on the Hither Shore removed to the land west of the Ered Luin. It once had been known as Lindon,10 so after the inrushing sea at River Ascar broke the mountains and formed the Gulf of Lhûn, the two portions were renamed. Gil-galad ruled from Forlindon, “North Lindon,”11 and Círdan resided in Harlindon, “South Lindon.”12 At the eastern end of the Gulf were built the Mithlond, the “Grey Havens,” that were the primary ports; but farther west good harborage was also available at Forlond and Harlond.13 With Gil-galad (son of Fingon) dwelt Elrond Half-elven (son of Eärendil). With Círdan were Celeborn and Galadriel, until they went east to Lórien at some unknown time.14 Celebrimbor (son of Curufin) also dwelt for a time in Lindon. Later he crossed into Eriador, taking many Noldor. In 750 they reached Eregion (Hollin) and established Ost-in-Edhil.15

  Few were left of the Edain. It is possible those remaining had hidden in the hills of Dor-lómin, the Forest of Brethil, and perhaps in Ossiriand. At first they may have moved to Lindon, and some even into Eriador and beyond.16 Most awaited the completion of Númenor, which they finally reached in S.A. 32.17

  The Dwarf-city of Nogrod probably collapsed when the Blue Mountains broke apart.18 The Dwarves who escaped the ruin moved to lesser delvings—especially in the south where Belegost apparently survived.19 Later, many made the long trek east to Moria, where they arrived in S.A. 40.20

  With the loss of the lands and the forests on them, even the Onodrim, the Ents,21 withdrew to the lands of the east. Their domain was still great, yet ever-dwindling.22

  At the time of the fall, Morgoth was taken in his nethermost hall and thrust through the Door of Night.23 Of his vast hosts, few outlived the battle and destruction.24 The swarthy Men of the East who had, for the most part, served Morgoth, still lived in Dor-lómin.25 Those who survived the battle fled back to the east from which they had come, where some became kings; and in after years the hatred they passed on was the cause of many attacks on the Men of Gondor.26

  The evil s
ervants that had been bred or twisted by Morgoth were mostly destroyed: Balrogs, dragons, Trolls, Ores, and wolves.27 They all were creatures of deep, dark places, and those that remained sought such abodes thereafter. If, as has been hypothesized, the Grey Mountains were remnants of the Ered Engrin,28 it would have been likely for the flight to occur behind the cover of the remaining mountains. Later they may have found unoccupied caves, or they may have joined others of their kind who had never come west.29

  The only Balrog mentioned in later times was the one that fled to Moria and was found in the early Third Age by the deep-delving Dwarves.30 There it stayed until it was slain by Gandalf.31 The dragons (probably mostly winged, such as Smaug)32 in after years bred in the Withered Heath and lived in the wastes north of the Grey Mountains.33 Trolls probably spread from the northern valleys of the Misty Mountains.34 Ores, and their great allies, the wolves, were also common in the northern Misty Mountains and the Grey Mountains, although their territory expanded with the increase of evil. Mount Gundabad was their chief city.35 Sauron, Morgoth’s lieutenant, refused to seek pardon in Aman, as Eönwë required. Therefore, he hid in Middle-earth until S.A. 500. In 1000 he chose Mordor as his fenced land, and built Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower, which was completed in 1600.36 Once again the struggles began.

  RELOCATION OF REFUGEES

  Advent of the Dark Years

  Advent of the Dark Years

  AS THE NÚMENÓREANS increasingly visited Middle-earth, Sauron became afraid of their growing influence. After 1000 years of the Second Age he moved into Mordor.1 There he began gathering his forces: creatures of Morgoth and descendants of the Men of the East. To them he added many new people whom he could sway, mostly Men. Sauron sought after the Eves—going to Lindon, where Gil-galad refused him entrance; and to Eregion, where the jewel-smiths received him heartily.2 About 1500 the rings of power were begun by Sauron and the smiths. Over probably the next seventy-five years, they devised several lesser rings together. At that point Sauron may have returned to Mordor, for Celebrimbor worked alone until 15903 creating the three greatest rings: Narya, Nenya, and Vilya (Fire, Water, and Air). Soon after, Sauron forged the Master Ring in the fires of Orodruin.4 When he realized that his deceptions were revealed, he chose to wage war to punish the Elves, gain therings, and establish his dominion. For a century he built his armies. Then in 1695, he assailed Eregion. Gil-galad sent Elrond with aid to Ost-in-Edhil, but before he arrived in 1697 Celebrimbor was slain and the city had fallen.5 Khazad-dûm and Lórinand assisted Elrond’s forces, but they were too few to break the hold of Sauron, and Elrond retreated north with the surviving Noldor and built Imladris.6