Ithilien

Ithilien is on the Mordor border of the eastern Middle Earth. Garden of Gondor was its name under the Gondor Kingdom. Also, it was in the far eastern domain of Gondor. Location wise, Ithilien was in the middle of the Ephel Duath and the Anduin River. The Morgulduin stream divides this region into the north and the south. Minas Ithil is the sole, known city of the land. Ithilien was once populated and helped neighboring townships. The Emyn Arnen hills were paramount. However, other surrounding communities were unknown. In Sauron's re-empowerment, the place became abandoned, particularly mid-Mordor and Gondor.

The Second Era had a wealthy region known as Ithilien. This was in the Second Age towards the Third Age. The land was lush with greens during Gondor's mightiest. The abandonment of Mordor happened during this period. History tells that its main important city was Minas Ithil. There were important infrastructures at that time. There were concrete gorges and bridges. This included the construction of a king's statue along a crossroads. When Mordor took over in T.A. 2002, Minas Morgul became its name. With the fear of Ringwraiths taking over, people headed immediately to Anduin. People described as rough and tough entered Ithilien. This happened in the conflict-free era (also known as the Watchful Peace age). The land was at peace but soon, the Uruks of Mordor wrecked the place so bad. Despite Boromir I throwing them back to the Morgul Vale, chaos did not stop. The Watchful Peace soon ended.

Many hundred years passed. The Orcs and Haradrim tried to attack Ithilien to a great extent. Four centuries later, the situation became worse than expected. The rest of the Ithilien populace fled to Anduin. Gondor had no other choice. He left. However, there were still some lookouts from the Stewards of Gondor. They worked undercover in places such as Henneth Anmin. After over fifty years, Mount Doom was on fire one day. In a panic, the rest of the population had no option but to go to Anduin. However, the Rangers stayed. [1] The main purpose was to annoy Sauron's domestic workers. In the journey, Gollum leads the path from Ithilien to Cirith Ungol towards Mordor. He was with Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins. The two feel light as they set foot in Ithilien.

Soon, they meet Faramir. By this time, the Hobbits spend overnight in Henneth Annun. The place served as their sanctuary. Gollum was catching fish down the falls along with the Forbidden Pool. Frodo entices him to go to him. This prompts the Rangers to catch him. It seemed like Frodo played him false. In The Lord of the Rings, this place was rich with abundant nature. Typically with a stand of trees. It was also described that Ephel Duath served as a border from the eastern part.

The same is true over the northern part but with Emyn Muil. At this time, Ithilien was full of aromatic plants. These seemed to be traces of people from a peaceful era. One night, Samwise makes a fire in the woods. Because of this, the Rangers of Ithilien now have a sign. They have reason to capture the hobbits. Faramir, Steward Denethor II's child, serves as their head. He leads around 300 rangers. Bringing them to Henneth Annun, they become eyewitnesses to war with the Southrons. This includes an Oliphaunt whilst in the North Road. Faramir allows them to flee, although knowing they are not Sauron allies.

Soon, King Elessar proclaimed Faramir Ithilien's prince and lord of Emyn Amen. This was after what happened during the War of the Ring. That time, Emyn Amen was Steward Faramir's official home. Before this, it was the ancestral house of Gondor's Stewards. In the Fourth Age, Princes of Ithilien [2] ruled the area. The first two were Faramir and Eowyn (Ithilien's White Lady). Faramir was successful in taking away Morgul Vale's wickedness. Thus, there was a possibility of inhabiting Minas Ithil once again. There was a sense of freedom. There was hope in rebuilding Eastern Gondor, thanks to the elves. The Elves of Mirkwood made their group. Legolas accommodated them until they moved on to the sea. The majority of the Elves went to Valinor in the year 120 after Elessar died. It was a short-lived colony of only a hundred years.

Steward Turin II established Henneth Annun when Ithilien became isolated. The situation was the effect of the invasion of the Mordor orcs in T. A. 2901. The place serves as a shelter for a long time. It is also known as the Window of the Sunset (Sindarin). It has a cavern made to existence by the flowing stream going through the falls. The men of Gondor made it look like it came from higher ground. They closed the passageway but left an entry. This was at the edge of a bottomless pool below the falls. Steward Denethor II's son, Faramir, made this his headquarters in the War of the Ring. This also became the detention cell of Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee. A mountain range is amidst Ithilien. They called this Emyn Arnen. [3] In Sindarin, Emyn means "hills" while Arnen means an element. Geographically, it was in the southern part of Osgiliath. Minas Tirith was next to it and Anduin was just adjacent. A river was around this.

It was near Anduin, the Great River. In Sindarin, the name signifies "Hills Beside the Water". The Stewards of Gondor lineage started here. This has become the residence for the Numeronean royals. The time came when Gondor's King Minardil chose Hurin to be a Steward. As a rule, Hurin's successors were the only ones chosen to be stewards by rulers. People knew them as House of Hurin fellows. Stewardship became like a dynasty. Later on, Prince Faramir led the mountain range. He also became King Elessar's Steward. The window of the Sunset and Window of the West were names associated with Henneth Annun. The names are Sindarin translations.

In Sindarin, Ithilien implies "Moon-land".

1. ^The Rangers of Ithilien.
2. ^Prince of Ithilien.
3. ^Emyn Arnen.