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The '''Causeway Forts''' were the fortified twin towers, which made up the gate guarding the [[Causeway]] road from [[Osgiliath]] to [[Minas Tirith]]. At this point of the road, it ran through the [[Rammas Echor]] into the [[Pelennor Fields]].
{{location infobox
| name=Causeway Forts
| image=
| caption=
| pronun=
| othernames=Guard-towers
| location=North-eastern gate of the [[Rammas Echor]]
| type=Forts
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=[[Faramir's defence of Osgiliath]]
}}
The '''Causeway Forts'''<ref>{{RK|Siege}}, pp. 817-8</ref> or '''Guard-towers'''<ref name=Siege>{{RK|Siege}}, p. 807</ref> were two towers with battlements on each side of the north-eastern<ref name=MT>{{RK|MT}}, p. 750</ref> gate of the [[Rammas Echor]] from which a [[Causeway (Gondor)|Causeway]] ran over the flat land to the city of [[Osgiliath]].<ref name=UI>{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Causeway Forts'', p. 546</ref> On the inside of the Rammas Echor the road ran for four leagues (twelve miles)<ref>{{RK|Map}}</ref> over the [[Pelennor Fields]] to the [[Great Gate of Minas Tirith]].<ref name=MT/>


During the [[War of the Ring]], they were guarded by [[Faramir]] against the [[Witch-King]] but were easily overran.
== History ==
On [[10 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 10, p. 1093</ref> [[Beregond]], a member of the [[Guards of the Citadel]], returned to [[Minas Tirith]] from the Causeway Forts to which he had been sent from the city over the Pelennor Fields.<ref name=Siege/>


[[Category:Doors and Gates]]
On the following day, on [[11 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 11, p. 1093</ref> the [[Steward of Gondor]] [[Denethor]] sent his younger son [[Faramir]] to [[Faramir's defence of Osgiliath|defend]] the crossing over the river [[Anduin]] at Osgiliath against the [[Minas Morgul|Morgul]]-host to decimate the attackers before retreating back to Minas Tirith.
[[category:gondor]]
 
On [[12 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 12, p. 1093</ref> the attacking Morgul-host that was led by the [[Witch-king]] and outnumbered the defenders ten times managed to cross the Anduin on a large number of floats and barges that they had secretly built on the eastern side of Osgiliath so that Faramir retreated and rallied his men to the Causeway Forts.<ref>{{RK|Siege}}, p. 817</ref>
 
However, in the early hours of [[13 March]] {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 13, p. 1093</ref> the attackers wrecked the Causeway Forts and blasted breaches in the Rammas Echor. The defenders had to retreat over the Pelennor Fields to the Great Gate of Minas Tirith with Faramir leading the rearguard. When cavarly from [[Harad]] overtook the retreating men and caused them to rout, the entire remaining cavalry of Minas Tirith charged from the city, attacked the enemy forces and escorted the retreating men including Faramir, who had been shot with a dart during a fight with a mounted champion of Harad, back to the city. Only two thirds of the defenders including Faramir made it back to Minas Tirith.<ref>{{RK|Siege}}, pp. 818-20</ref>
 
== Other versions of the legendarium ==
In an earlier manuscript of what would later become the chapter [[The Siege of Gondor]] the Causeway Forts are called ''Bereth Ondrath''.<ref>{{WR|3|VI}}, note 16, p. 340</ref> Paul Strack suggests that ''Bereth Ondrath'' is a [[Noldorin]] name, which means "Towers of the Stone Road".<ref name=Eldamo>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-1796579815.html|articlename=N. ''Bereth Ondrath'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=03 May 2022}}</ref> It is likely a combination of the plural of ''[[barad]]'' ("tower"), the [[lenition|lenited]] form of ''[[gond]]'' ("stone") and ''[[rath]]'' ("course", "street").<ref name=Eldamo/><ref>{{webcite|author=Roman Rausch|articleurl=http://www.sindanoorie.net/art/RS_TI_WR_BeredOndrath.html|articlename=3.35 Bereth Ondrath|website=Sindanoorie|accessed=03 May 2022}}</ref>
 
{{References}}
[[Category:Doors and gates]]
[[category:Gondor]]
[[fi:Viertolinnake]]

Latest revision as of 19:10, 5 May 2023

Causeway Forts
Forts
General Information
Other namesGuard-towers
LocationNorth-eastern gate of the Rammas Echor
TypeForts
History
EventsFaramir's defence of Osgiliath

The Causeway Forts[1] or Guard-towers[2] were two towers with battlements on each side of the north-eastern[3] gate of the Rammas Echor from which a Causeway ran over the flat land to the city of Osgiliath.[4] On the inside of the Rammas Echor the road ran for four leagues (twelve miles)[5] over the Pelennor Fields to the Great Gate of Minas Tirith.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

On 10 March T.A. 3019,[6] Beregond, a member of the Guards of the Citadel, returned to Minas Tirith from the Causeway Forts to which he had been sent from the city over the Pelennor Fields.[2]

On the following day, on 11 March T.A. 3019,[7] the Steward of Gondor Denethor sent his younger son Faramir to defend the crossing over the river Anduin at Osgiliath against the Morgul-host to decimate the attackers before retreating back to Minas Tirith.

On 12 March T.A. 3019,[8] the attacking Morgul-host that was led by the Witch-king and outnumbered the defenders ten times managed to cross the Anduin on a large number of floats and barges that they had secretly built on the eastern side of Osgiliath so that Faramir retreated and rallied his men to the Causeway Forts.[9]

However, in the early hours of 13 March T.A. 3019,[10] the attackers wrecked the Causeway Forts and blasted breaches in the Rammas Echor. The defenders had to retreat over the Pelennor Fields to the Great Gate of Minas Tirith with Faramir leading the rearguard. When cavarly from Harad overtook the retreating men and caused them to rout, the entire remaining cavalry of Minas Tirith charged from the city, attacked the enemy forces and escorted the retreating men including Faramir, who had been shot with a dart during a fight with a mounted champion of Harad, back to the city. Only two thirds of the defenders including Faramir made it back to Minas Tirith.[11]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In an earlier manuscript of what would later become the chapter The Siege of Gondor the Causeway Forts are called Bereth Ondrath.[12] Paul Strack suggests that Bereth Ondrath is a Noldorin name, which means "Towers of the Stone Road".[13] It is likely a combination of the plural of barad ("tower"), the lenited form of gond ("stone") and rath ("course", "street").[13][14]

References

  1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor", pp. 817-8
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor", p. 807
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith", p. 750
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry Causeway Forts, p. 546
  5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor"
  6. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 10, p. 1093
  7. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 11, p. 1093
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 12, p. 1093
  9. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor", p. 817
  10. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 13, p. 1093
  11. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor", pp. 818-20
  12. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part Three: Minas Tirith", "VI. The Siege of Gondor", note 16, p. 340
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Paul Strack, "N. Bereth Ondrath loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 3 May 2022)
  14. ↑ Roman Rausch, "3.35 Bereth Ondrath", Sindanoorie (accessed 3 May 2022)
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