The nine rings of men

[jd_95]

I have a question concerning the nine rings given to mortal men. Who were they given to? I think that they were given to kings and that the ringwraiths looked like kings when Frodo looked at them wearing the rings or at least LOTR says so, am I right?
Anyway, what I mean to ask is this:
These men (kings or not kings) turned to Nazgûls by Sauron, who were they? Are they known and do they have names (or rather, did they have names when they still were men)?

Thank you.
/Jens

 

[Eliot]

I don't believe it says anywhere the names of the Nazgul, except the Witch-King who is the head of them.

 

[Manwë Súlimo]

They were Black Númenorian lords and kings, and it does say their names somewhere but I can't right recall where. If I remember right it only says three or four of them too. The only ones I can remember at the moment are Khamûl who was the second in command of the Nazgûl, and Murezor who is the Witch-King of Angmar.

 

[Galdor]

The nine Nazgul were once kings of men, three of them were Númenorians. I'm sure that they had names once, but they have long since been forgotten, and the only ones known are Morgul, the Chief of the Nazgul and once known as the Witch-king of Angmar. And Khamûl the Easterling, the second in command of the Nazgul.

And Manwe, Murezor is not the name of the witch-king of Angmar, Morgul is. The name Murezor doesn't even come from any of Tolkien's works, but comes from a web site on the Nazgul where a guy made up names and backgrounds for all of the Nazgul. It's a interesting site to look at but almost all of it is made up by the guy who made the site, and not by Tolkien.

 

[gate7ole]

The Witch-King was not named Morgul. I don’t know where you read this. I may have missed something, but the name Morgul was used only in Minas Morgul and generally as a part of phrases, meaning “Black Magic” (e.g. Morgul-knife).

 

[Galdor]

Whether it was his true name or not is never said, indeed he was called many names. The Witch king of Angmar, Morgul, Lord of Morgul, Lord of the Nazgul, Chief of the Ringwraiths, the Black Captian, etc. Though Morgul was most likely not his real name he was often called Morgul, thus, for all practical puroses it can be said that his name was Morgul.

And btw, Morgul means "Black-wraith."

 

[Brent]

Originally posted by Galdor
Whether it was his true name or not is never said, indeed he was called many names. The Witch king of Angmar, Morgul, Lord of Morgul, Lord of the Nazgul, Chief of the Ringwraiths, the Black Captian, etc. Though Morgul was most likely not his real name he was often called Morgul, thus, for all practical puroses it can be said that his name was Morgul.

And btw, Morgul means "Black-wraith."

I don't think so. As far as I was aware Morgul means sorcery (as in Minas Morgul "Tower of Sorcery" ) and he was never called Morgul he was called the Morgul lord because he commanded that tower, just as when he commanded Angmar he was the Witch king of Angmar.

 

[Brent]

Originally posted by Brent
I don't think so. As far as I was aware Morgul means sorcery (as in Minas Morgul "Tower of Sorcery" ) and he was never called Morgul he was called the Morgul lord because he commanded that tower, just as when he commanded Angmar he was the Witch king of Angmar.

On the the other hand Galdor you've made me think differently, I see !! Mor = Black. Gul=wraith as in Moria - Black+ pit and Nazgul =Ring + Wraith. Doh !! Never thought about it before, the wondors of this board !! So Minas Morgul is the Tower of the Black wraith ?? Where does Tower of Sorcery come from then ?

 

[Brent]

Originally posted by Brent
On the the other hand Galdor you've made me think differently, I see !! Mor = Black. Gul=wraith as in Moria - Black+ pit and Nazgul =Ring + Wraith. Doh !! Never thought about it before, the wondors of this board !! So Minas Morgul is the Tower of the Black wraith ?? Where does Tower of Sorcery come from then ?

To answer my own question (I looked it up !!) though Galdors reasoning is logical....
Appendix to sil. "gul" means "sorcery" not "wraith". Morgul means "black arts"or "black sorcery" not "black wraith" and the name given to Minas Ithil after its capture was Minas Morgul "Tower of Sorcery" (from Sil. Index).

So I assume Nazgul is Ring Sorcery not ring wraith

 

[Rúmil]

Actually, whereas morgul is Sindarin, Nazgûl is Black Speech, completely unconnected. Nazg in BS means Ring, and ûl is just an ending meaning something like 'one connected with'. So Nazgûl is 'Ring-one', i.e. 'Ring servant'.

 

[Galdor]

On the the other hand Galdor you've made me think differently, I see !! Mor = Black. Gul=wraith as in Moria - Black+ pit and Nazgul =Ring + Wraith. Doh !! Never thought about it before, the wondors of this board !! So Minas Morgul is the Tower of the Black wraith ?? Where does Tower of Sorcery come from then ?

Actually Brent, I never thought of looking at it that way until after you pointed it out. I found that Morgul meant "Black-wraith" from the New Tolkien Commpanion. But I guess it must have been wrong on this one.

 

[Rúmil]

That book is not often right, I'm afraid

 

[Brent]

Originally posted by Rúmil
Actually, whereas morgul is Sindarin, Nazgûl is Black Speech, completely unconnected. Nazg in BS means Ring, and ûl is just an ending meaning something like 'one connected with'. So Nazgûl is 'Ring-one', i.e. 'Ring servant'.

Thanks Rumil I figured someone would explain it I figured out Naz was ring but is that actually Nazg then ?

 

[Rúmil]

yep, it's Nazg.

 

[aragil]

As in
"Ash nazg durbatulûk,
ash nazk gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk
agh burzumishi krimpatul."

But seriously Rumil, you don't think the 'wraith' element also had a g? As in: Nazg+gul=Nazgul?