Gondor Printable version

After the Downfall of Númenór, the Faithful Númenóreans led by Elendil would escape to Middle-earth and establish the North and South Kingdoms. They would be known as the Exiles of Númenór, who call themselves the Dúnedain, meaning Edain of the west. Gondor was known as the South-Kingdom or Southern Realm and jointly ruled in Elendil’s name by his sons Anárion and Isildur in its Capital Osgiliath. The North-Kingdom or Northern Realm was named Arnor, where Elendil would found the Capital of Annúminas. From there, he would rule as the High King of the Dúnedain having overall Kingship of the Realms of Exile.

The First Age

The Edain

The Edain were what the Elves named the three Houses of Men that first inhabited the lands west of the Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) called Beleriand and fought with them against Morgoth. These houses were the Bëor, Haleth, and Hador. After more than six centuries of fighting in the Wars of Beleriand, it culminated in the War of the Wrath that lasted 42 years. Morgoth gained the upper hand, and what remained of the Elves and the Edain led by Eärendil was driven to the far south of Beleriand. In desperation, Eärendil the Mariner crossed the Great Sea and reached the Land of the Valar with the help of the Silmaril. In Valinor, he successfully pleaded for the Valar’s help, and they sent a massive force to Middle-earth. The final battle in FA 587 was cataclysmic and caused the sinking of most of Beleriand into the sea. It marked the end of the First Age, and Morgoth was finally defeated and cast into the void for all eternity.

The Second Age

The Númenóreans

As a reward for aiding the Elves in the war, the Valar gave the Edain the Island of Elenna. The Edain who sailed there renamed their new homeland Númenór in SA 32 and called themselves the Númenóreans. The Valar also gifted them with longer lives. Many of the Men that inhabited the realm that was to be Gondor were Edain, who chose to stay in Middle-earth. Some were ancestors of the Edain that did not cross the Blue Mountains into Beleriand.

Those Men never heeded the summons of the Valar during the War of Beleriand and remained indigenous to Eriador and the Rhovanion. The Dúnedain later referred to all of them as the Middlemen, because they considered them as an inferior race of Men. In Middle-earth, the Middlemen never attained the heights of Númenórean civilization and culture and had shorter lives. Later, colonists from Númenór would found many settlements in Middle-earth and mingle with these Middlemen. Over time, however, they have come to hate the Valar. They wanted to live forever like the Deathless in the Undying Lands.
Instead, Valinor imposed the Ban of the Valar that prohibited the Númenóreans from sailing too far west until they can’t see Númenór in the east. It angered the Númenóreans even more, but some of them continued to believe and worship the Valar. They were called the Faithful and, during that time, were led by Amandil, the father of Elendil.

Sauron’s Deception

Morgoth’s chief servant Sauron had come into his own after the demise of his master. He tried to conquer the free peoples of Middle-earth, including Númenórean settlers there. It was for the latter reason that Númenór sent armies to thwart him twice. In his second defeat, their King, Ar-Pharazön, assembled such a massive force that most of Sauron’s servants deserted him. Sauron was humbled and realized that he couldn’t beat Númenór, whose military might was too strong. After he transformed into a more pleasing form, he willingly surrendered and allowed them to take him to Númenór as a captive. With his persuasive powers and cunning, Sauron eventually became a close advisor to Ar-Pharazön. Taking advantage of their fear of death, he deceived them into offering human sacrifices to Melkor as a way of attaining eternal life. When Ar-Pharazön grew old, Sauron convinced him to sail into Valinor with the full might of Númenór to force the Valar into granting them immortality.

The Downfall of Númenór

As Amandil saw it, challenging the might of the Valar was the beginning of the end for Númenór. He instructed Elendil to be ready to evacuate the Faithful in case worse comes to worst. He then set sail towards Aman, hoping to beg the Valar for mercy. Amanidil would never return, and Elendil, along with his two sons and the Faithful set sail aboard nine ships towards the Middle-earth just as the total annihilation of Númenór began. In SA 3319, the entire island sank into the sea after being inundated with giant tidal waves.

The Realms of Exile

It was a treacherous journey causing the ships to get separated. Elendil reached the northwestern part of Middle-earth. In the lands stretching from the Misty Mountains up to the western shores, he would found the North-Kingdom of Arnor. His sons’ ships arrived on the Southern Realm, and they would gather all the settlements of Men there and unite them under the South-Kingdom of Gondor. Thus Elendil began his line of Kingship over the Realms of Exile in SA 3320.

Osgiliath

In Gondor, Isildur and Anárion would found its Capital Osgiliath in SA 3320. The city was built on a massive stone bridge crossing the Anduin that provided access to the Anórien on the west, and Ithilien on the east. From there, the brothers governed Gondor jointly inside a Great Hall, where they placed two thrones next to each other. Aside from carrying towers and houses, they also built the Dome of the Stars on top of this bridge. It was a structure that contained the greatest of the seven Palantiri called the Osgiliath Stone. The Capital also had quays where ships and boats that came up the Anduin from the sea could dock.

Minas Ithil

Elendil’s eldest son Isildur had Minas Ithil or Tower of the Moon constructed to defend the eastern borders, especially from the threat of Mordor. It stood on the slopes of the Ephel Dúath in Ithilien and connected by a gleaming white road to Osgiliath. Minas Ithil also housed a Palantir called the Ithil Stone. It was a beautiful white stronghold after its completion, and moonlight bounced off the white marble walls of the houses and the structures like silver light. Vast green meadows lay in front of it and beyond the Anduin on its western banks. Isildur planted the original White Tree that would become an enduring symbol of the Kingdom of Gondor.

Minas Anor

Anárion had Minas Anor or Tower of the Sun built on a shoulder of Mount Mindolluin, the easternmost peak of the White Mountains. This white, seven-tiered stronghold was located in Anórien and had a road connecting it to Osgiliath. They constructed it to defend the Southern Dúnedain from harassment by Men from the White Mountains.

Isengard and Aglarond

These two mighty strongholds were built in the early part of Gondor’s history to guard and defend western Calenardhon, and the areas surrounding the river Isen. The Southern Dúnedain [1] constructed Isengard at the source of the river Isen near the southern tip of the Misty Mountains. Aglarond stood on the mouth of a gorge (later called Helm’s Deep) in the western part of the White Mountains.

Return of Sauron

Unknown to the Dúnedain, Sauron returned to Middle-earth just a year after the Downfall of Númenór. His body perished in the catastrophe, but because he had built the One-Ring, his spirit lingered. Like a dark wind, he crossed the sea and returned to his ancient tower of Barad-dûr in Mordor.

In this disembodied form, he lost his ability to shapeshift but took on a far more terrible appearance. He quickly regrouped and was bent on taking his revenge on the Exiles. He felt he mustn’t waste any time for the new nation they built to flourish. In SA 3429, Sauron finally revealed himself and began his assault on Minas Ithil, which was closest to his borders. It caught the Southern Dúnedain by complete surprise, and Minas Ithil fell quickly with hardly any resistance.

The enemy burned the White Tree that Isildur had planted there. Isildur managed to escape with his family and bring them and a sapling from the tree to Arnor. His brother Anárion reinforced the defenses of the Capital Osgiliath, and with the rest of their forces laid siege to Minas Ithil. By the following year in SA 3430, he was able to liberate the stronghold.
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Elendil, having sensed a growing menace in Mordor but not knowing it was Sauron had made preparations before the attack. After gathering their forces for two years, he and Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor, forged the Last Alliance of Elves and Men in SA 3430. In SA 3431, they began their march towards Mordor. Gil-galad and Cirdan, Master of the Grey Havens, marched their Elves from the west and joined with Elendil’s forces in Amon Sûl. The combined host went to Elrond in Imladris. There they stayed for three years to forge weapons and form their war plans.

They finally set out again with Elrond in SA 3434 and crossed the Misty Mountains. The Dwarven army from Khazad-dûm sent by Durin IV joined them. They later gathered King Oropher and his Sindar forces from Greenwood the Great, and King Amdir and his Lothlórien Elves. Finally, Isildur and Anárion reinforced the host with the Southern-Kingdom’s army, and they proceeded towards Mordor. The combined host suffered many losses early in the Battle of Dagorlad. They lost Oropher and Amdir when their contingents were cut off and driven back in the area later called the Dead Marshes. Still, the host fought on and managed to whittle down Sauron’s Orc forces and drive them toward the Black Gate.

The resulting Siege of Barad-dûr lasted for another seven years until the final battle that took place on the slopes of Mount Doom. There, Gil-galad, Elendil, and his youngest son Anárion fell. Isildur picked up his father’s broken sword Narsil, and with its hilt-shard, managed to cut Sauron’s finger that had the One-Ring. With his Ring removed, it left the Dark Lord’s power scattered and diminished. His forces were then completely routed, and he was finally defeated.

The Third Age

Isildur’s Bane

In the aftermath of Sauron’s defeat, Isildur took the One-Ring but didn’t heed Cirdan and Elrond, who urged him to destroy it. Hence, the Dark Lord’s spirit survived and remained in Middle-earth still. Seduced by the Ring, Isildur claimed it as an heirloom of his House. Isildur was later crowned with the Elendilmir and proclaimed King of Arnor and Gondor. He planted the sapling of the White Tree in the Court of the Fountain of Minas Anor in Gondor. After staying in the South-Kingdom for a year, he left it to the care of Anárion’s son, Meneldil. A month after he left Osgiliath, a massive band of Orcs ambushed his company. It was called the Disaster of the Gladden Fields, where he lost three of his eldest sons. In TA 2, the Orcs slew him while trying to escape in the Anduin, and the One-Ring ended up lost in its waters. The Kingship of Arnor [2] passed to his youngest son Valandil when he came of age. His nephew, Meneldil, became the next King of Gondor.

Kin-Strife

King Valcar, who was the successor of Rómendacil II, married a woman from the Northmen of Rhovanion named Vidumavi. She bore him his heir Eldacar, and when he succeeded Valcar in TA 1432, many of pure Númenórean stock were against it. Chief among them was Castamir, who was one of Eldacar’s distant relatives and rebelled against him. In the resulting civil war known as the Kin-strife, Castamir successfully usurped Eldacar’s throne in TA 1437 and put his son Ornendil to death. Osgiliath laid in ruins with the Dome of the Stars destroyed, and the Osgiliath Stone it contained was lost. Eldacar gathered his kinfolk and hid in Rhovanion. After a decade, he finally emerged to reclaim his throne. Because of his tyrannical rule, many hated Castamir, and Eldacar gained the support of Men from Ithilien, Calenardhon, and Anórien. Eldacar was able to slay Castamir, but his sons escaped and sailed to Umbar with their forces. Since then, Umbar would remain a constant threat to Gondor for several generations. Eldacar regained his Kingship in TA 1447 and ruled Gondor up to TA 1490 when he died at age 235. His other son Aldamir succeeded him.

The Great Plague

In TA 1635, a Dark Plague from the east ravaged both Rhûn and Rhovanion. The pestilence wiped out half of the Northmen population in Rhovanion. It forced most of them to abandon their realm and settle in the Vales of the Anduin. It reached Gondor, and by the following year in TA 1636, thousands died forcing them to abandon Osgiliath, which was the hardest hit settlement in the realm. Osgiliath never managed to recover from the tragedy and remained mostly deserted ever since. Among the casualties were King Telemnar and his heirs who died in the same year. The fortresses, including Minas Ithil, that guarded the eastern border against Mordor, were evacuated. The plague also spread west over the Misty Mountains and northwards, devastating vast areas of Eriador. It managed to reach Tharbad, which was a garrison for both Arnor and Gondor, and it too was abandoned. In TA 1640, King Tarondor transferred the South Kingdom’s Seat of Power to Minas Anor, and it became the new Capital of Gondor.

Invasion of the Wainriders

With Gondor and the Northmen still recovering from the Dark Plague that reduced their numbers two centuries ago, Wainriders suddenly invaded the Rhovanion. These unfamiliar enemies came from the east while riding to battle on chariots and wagons and quickly overran the Northmen. In SA 1851, Gondor found itself involved in the conflict when this new threat began harassing the Dúnedain living near their eastern borders. King Narmacil II led his Gondorian army into a field south of Mirkwood to gather as much of the Northmen as he can to fight the Wainriders. Although they fought valiantly, the Gondorians suffered terrible losses, and it forced the surviving Northmen to seek safety in the west of the Anduin.

King Narmacil II was among those slain in battle. His successor, King Calimehtar, finally defeated the Wainriders in Dagorlad and kept them away during his reign. His son Ondoher who succeeded him got word from the Northmen that the Wainriders were again planning to invade Gondor. This time, they launched a simultaneous attack with their allies from Khand and Harad, who advanced from the south. The resulting battle was the closest Gondor was to its destruction. King Ondoher and his two heirs died in the battle, and his troops retreated.

The Wainriders advanced into Gondor and set up a camp near Osgiliath to rest. It was only a matter of time before they would reach the gates of Minas Arnor. Unknown to the Wainriders, their allies in the south were unsuccessful. While they were feasting over their victory, Southern Gondorian forces led by Captain Eärnil reinforced with the remnants of the King’s forces descended on the enemy camp and caught them unaware. The resulting defeat of the Wainriders in TA 1944 became known as the Battle of the Camp, where most of them were killed and driven away into the marshes. They never bothered Gondor ever again.

Ruling Steward Pelendur

After the death of King Ondoher and his heirs, Gondor again found itself under another political crisis. Pelendur became the Ruling Steward for a year until the Council of Gondor searched for a valid heir from Anárion’s line. Pelendur dismissed other claimants that surfaced and recommended Eärnil to be the next King. Eärnil II was the hero of the Battle of the Camp and belonged to the “fifth line” of heirs to the throne. In TA 1945, the Council picked Eärnil II and proclaimed him the King of Gondor.

The Fall of Minas Ithil

In TA 863, the North Kingdom ceased to exist when the heirs of Eärendur, broke up Arnor into three separate kingdoms. With the rise of the Witch-King in Angmar, he successfully conquered these kingdoms one by one. Eärnil II sent his son Eärnur north, and together with Cirdan, they defeated the Witch-King in the Battle of Fornost and forced him to retreat towards Angmar. Before he was able to reach his fortress Carn Dûm, Cirdan and Eärnur intercepted him. He challenged Eärnur to a duel, and it frightened Eärnur’s horse and carried him away. The Witch-King then mocked him, but the arrival of Glorfindel and his host from Rivendell made him flee back to Mordor. In TA 2000, Minas Ithil suddenly fell under siege from the Nazgûl. After two years, they captured it and changed its name to Minas Morgul. The Witch-King of Angmar, who was the leader of the Nazgûl, made it his stronghold for nearly a millennium. Sauron also acquired the Ithil Stone from it. That Palantir would prove very valuable to him in manipulating both Saruman and Denethor before and during the War of the Ring. Consequently, Minas Tirith, which meant Tower of the Guard, became the new name of Minas Anor. From then on, it was the only remaining stronghold to defend Gondor against its enemies.

The Ruling Stewards of Gondor

After the death of Eärnil II in TA 2043, Eärnur succeeded him as King. The Witch-King, who had now occupied Minas Morgul, again challenged him to a duel reminding him of his humiliation in Angmar. That time, Eärnur wisely followed the advice of his Steward to ignore him. Seven years later, the Witch-King again issued another challenge, and this time Eärnur couldn’t ignore it. When he went into Minas Morgul to face the Lord of the Nazgûl, he turned into a wraith. And because he had no heirs, he became the last King of Gondor before the ascension of King Elessar to the throne a millennium later. Control of Gondor passed on to the Ruling Stewards beginning with Mardil Voronwë in TA 2050, who had served under both Eärnil II and Eärnur.

The Kingdom of Rohan

During the time of Eorl the Young, a surviving rider from six sent by Gondor’s Ruling Steward Cirion arrived in Éothéod. Gondor was experiencing overwhelming attacks from the Balchoth and needed their help. Eorl led 7,000 of his horse riders and marched down along the Anduin to come to their aid. His host finally crossed the Anduin. There, he found Cirion and his forces isolated from reinforcements while backed into the Limlight by the Balchoth. Orcs that came down from the Misty Mountains also flanked them. After Eorl’s host broke through their rearguard, they combined with the Gondorian forces and routed the enemies. As gratitude for saving Gondor from impending doom, the Ruling Steward ceded the entire Calenardhon to the Éothéod. There, Eorl founded the Kingdom of Rohan in TA 2510, and both realms vowed to protect each other during times of need. The loss of Calenardhon reduced Gondor’s territory by almost half of its former size.

The War of the Ring

Boromir and Faramir told their father Denethor, who was the Ruling Steward of Gondor, about the same dream they both had. Denethor new the Imladris mentioned was the Elven name of Rivendell. He sent Boromir to Rivendell to get answers about this dream. During the Council of Elrond in Rivendell, Boromir learned that the hobbit Frodo had in his possession Sauron’s One-Ring.

The Council decided that it was too dangerous and that their only option was to destroy it in Mount Doom, where he forged it. They formed a Fellowship of Nine representing the free peoples of Middle-earth that would journey with Frodo to Mordor. Boromir and Aragorn were from the race of Men, Legolas from the Elves, Gimli from the Dwarves, and Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin from the Hobbits. The Wizard Gandalf the Grey was to lead them.

Much later, Faramir discovered Boromir’s body placed on a boat while it was floating on the Anduin, and it looked like orcs killed him. He and his father have heard his horn blowing faraway only a few days earlier. After Saruman’s defeat in Helm’s Deep and Isengard, Gandalf rode on Shadowfax bearing Pippin, and they arrived in Minas Tirith. He wanted to seek an audience with Denethor. In the citadel at the top of the city, they saw Denethor deeply disturbed by the death of his son Boromir. Denethor had already sent an errand-rider that gave a Red Arrow to King Théoden. The Red Arrow was a token invoking the Oath of Eorl that bound Rohan to come to Gondor’s aid.

The forces of Sauron were mobilizing and would soon lay siege to Minas Tirith. Théoden had mustered the Rohirrim and were on their way to Gondor. Faramir arrived in Minas Tirith and reported to both Gandalf and Denethor that he had a chance encounter with Frodo and Sam. He learned about their mission and that Boromir tried to take the One-Ring from Frodo. He let them go after giving them supplies because he understood the importance of the task they were trying to accomplish. Denethor openly wished it was Boromir who was still alive instead of Faramir because Boromir would’ve taken the Ring and brought it back to Minas Tirith. In anger, he gave Faramir the impossible task of holding Osgiliath.

In Osgiliath, Faramir and his men were overwhelmed by the Witch-King and his army. Faramir was gravely wounded by a poison arrow while helping his men escape. Luckily, his Uncle and Gandalf came to help them and brought him back to the Capital. Soon after, Minas Tirith was under siege from Sauron’s legions. Denethor lost all hope when he looked into the Palantir, and it showed the Ring-bearer captured. He ordered a pyre built so that he can burn himself and his son alive. Pippin tried to dissuade Denethor but couldn’t get him to stop.

The hobbit quickly searched for Gandalf, who came with Beregond and managed to pull Faramir from the pyre. Denethor then proceeded to burn himself alive. Outside the city on the Pelennor Fields, Sauron’s forces were winning and were soon able to breach the main gates. Gandalf saw the Lord of the Nazgûl enter the gates, seeming to gloat at his impending victory. Then they heard horns in the distance. The Rohirrim led by Théoden had arrived just in time and helped reverse the tide of the battle in their favor.

Théoden paid the price of victory with his own life when the Witch-King attacked him. However, his niece Éowyn slew the Lord of the Nazgûl. After their triumph in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, their combined forces marched to the Black Gates of Mordor for one final battle against Sauron himself. Frodo, with Sam’s help, brought the Ring to Mount Doom. Gollum fell with the Ring into the Cracks of Doom after he bit Frodo’s Finger off. With the Ring gone, Sauron was destroyed once and for all.

The Fourth Age

Aragorn was crowned in a field near Minas Tirith and took on the name King Elessar. Thus Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, and last heir in the line of Isildur became the first King of Gondor and Arnor in the Fourth Age.​