Who were the Nine?

[4th Age Scribe]

Who were the nine lords of men to whom Sauron gave the Rings of Power? Are their histories (as living men) chronicled, or is this knowledge beyond the text?

Most all the other ring bearers are accounted for in the books (except a few of the dwarven lords). I recall no mention of the identities of the Naz'gul.

Indeed, since it only makes sense to give the rings to the most powerful of leaders, or lords of the races he (Sauron) intends to control, there should be some mention of these great kings and lords of men?

Were any of these men from Numenor? Those would be the first men (of that age) whom I would "grace" with controlling rings.

(I'm relying on my memory from 10 years ago, though I've perused the books 12 times.)

 

[Walter]

I don't think the nine mortals are explicitly mentioned in the LotR or the Silmarillion...

... and welcome to this forum

 

[Gothmog]

I do not think that there is a detailed history of the Nine in Tolkien's books although that is one for Cian. Of the Nine it is said that Three were of Numenorian race. That is as far as i can help.

 

[Rosie Cotton]

I will add that one was the Witch King of Angmar, who you can read a little about in the appendixes..... that's all I know, the more knowing members can elaborate.

 

[Centin]

Lost tales

I'm sure there's something about them in Unfinished Tales or Lost Tales 1/2.

 

[Telchar]

There is one who is named.. Khamûl the Easterling.. (Hope I spelled it right this time..) He was second in comand, among the Nazgul, after the Witchking..

 

[Merry]

Didn't most of the race of Numenor turn evil and try to attack the western lands of Eru? (forgotten the name...oops). I thought that most if not all the men were from Numenor.

Am open to correction on this......

Where is the mighty hammer Grond, he knows this sort of stuff.

 

[Halasían]

Khamûl the Easterling was second, and the Witch-king of Angmar was #1, which is the one Éowyn and Merry kills. I dont think the others are named, but were probably great lords of the Numenorean settlements all along the southern coast of Middle Earth, and possibly the leaders of both Khand, and Harad as well. Its my guess and so I have no literary proof of this.

And I understand the none at the time of the search for the Ring had not the nine, but were enslaved to them, and Sauron held them.

 

[Wynston]

I can't remember where I read this, but I know that some of the nine were Black Numenoreans, and some were other kings of the south that were already hostile to Gondor.

 

[Gil-Galad]

Somebody posted once names of men who took the rings.He suggested that some of them were Numenorian kings and even wrote their names.But who was that?

 

[Glomund]

I have seen that list of the names of the nazgul on several sites, but it is someones own ideas, not anything written by Tolkien, only Khamul has a name and the witch king has his title