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{{cleanup}}{{unnamed}}
{{battle
{{battle
| name=Fall of Fornost
| name=Fall of Fornost
| image=
| image=
| conflict=War of Angmar
| conflict=[[Angmar War]]
| date=[[Third Age 1974|T.A. 1974]]
| date={{TA|1974}}
| place=[[Fornost Erain]]
| place=[[Fornost Erain]]
| result=Decisive Angmar victory
| result=Decisive Angmar victory
| side1=Men, Elves, Hobbits
| side1=Men, Elves, Hobbits
| side2=Angmar
| side2=Angmar
| commanders1=King Arvedui
| commanders1=[[Arvedui]]
| commanders2=Witch-king
| commanders2=[[Witch-king]]
| forces1=Est. 2-10,000 Men of Arnor, several thousand Elves from, Lindon, Rivendell, and Lothlórien, and 500 Hobbit archers
| forces1=
| forces2=Est. 10-40,000 Orcs, Trolls, Evil Men from Rhudaur and elsewhere, Wolves, other evil creatures
| forces2=
| casual1=Est. Hundreds or even thousands of Men and Elves, along with all 500 Hobbits
| casual1=
| casual2=Est. Thousands
| casual2=
|}}
}}
The '''Fall of Fornost''' was an event that resulted from the defeat of the forces of [[Arnor]], and the taking of their capital city of [[Fornost Erain]] by the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]] and his armies.


== History ==
=== Prelude ===


The '''Fall of Fornost''' was an event that resulted from the defeat of the forces of [[Arnor]], and the taking of their capitol city of [[Fornost]] by the [[Witch-king of Angmar]] and his armies.
By the year {{TA|1974}} things were looking very grim for the Dúnedain of Arnor.  The [[Great Plague]] three hundred years previously had killed most of the people of [[Cardolan]] which later fell to the Witch-king.  And even with the aid of [[Elves]] and [[Hobbits]] most of the now diminished and totally demoralized people of Arnor were now waiting to make their final stand at Fornost, capital city of [[Arthedain]].<ref>{{App|A1iii}}</ref>


== Leading Up to the Siege ==
=== Opposing Forces ===


By the year [[Third Age 1974]] things were looking very grim for the Dúnedain of Arnor.  The [[Great Plague]] three hundred years previously had killed most of the people of [[Cardolan]] which later fell to the Witch King.  And even with the aid of [[Elves]] and [[Hobbits]] most of the now diminished and totally demoralized people of Arnor were now waiting to make their final stand at Fornost, capitol city of [[Arthedain]].  
For the forces of [[Eriador]] exact numbers are not known, but it can be estimated that at the most ten thousand [[Men of Arnor]] were present at the city, along with possibly several thousand Elves of [[Lindon]], [[Rivendell]], [[Lothlórien]], and five hundred Hobbits archers from [[the Shire]].  


== Opposing Forces ==
The forces of [[Angmar]] can be estimated as between forty and sixty thousand [[Orcs]], [[Trolls]], Evil Men, Wolves, and all other manner of evil creatures.


For the forces of [[Eriador]] exact numbers are not known, but it can be estimated that at the most ten thousand [[Men of Arnor]] were present at the city.  Along with likely several thousand Elves of [[Lindon]], [[Rivendell]], [[Lothlórien]], and five hundred Hobbits archers from [[the Shire]].
=== The Battle ===


For the forces of [[Angmar]] it can be estimated that there was at least twenty thousand or at the most forty thousand [[Orcs]], Trolls, Evil Men, Wolves, and all other manner of evil creatures.
Not much is known of the battle, and it is simply stated that the Witch-king overran Fornost and the King was driven into the North Downs. The Witch-king's forces occupied Fornost and pillaged it. <ref>{{App|A1iii}}</ref>


== The Battle ==
=== Aftermath ===


Not much detail is known about what happened, but we know that the forces of Angmar were the decisive victors, and that most of the forces of Eriador were driven west over the River [[Lhûn]]. While King [[Arvedui]] and some of his guard held out north of Fornost, among the [[North Downs]], they could not hold this position for long.  When it became untenable, Arvedui fled northwest.
With Arthedain in his hands, the Witch-king had conquered all of Arnor. Arvedui perished in the [[Icebay of Forochel]] when a ship sent to rescue him sank in a storm. The Witch-king took the throne in the king's palace, until a year later in {{TA|1975}} when the forces of Eriador had regrouped with newly arrived reinforcements from [[Gondor]]. In the [[Battle of Fornost]] his army was destroyed, and he himself fled east over the [[Misty Mountains]]. <ref>{{App|A1iii}}</ref>


== Aftermath ==
Fornost was not resettled after the war.  It became a deserted place, feared by the men of [[Bree]], who called it Deadmen's Dike.  Not until a thousand years later after the [[War of the Ring]] under King [[Aragorn|Elessar]] was it refounded. <ref>{{App|B5}}</ref>


With Arthedain in his hands, the Witch King had conquered all of Arnor. Arvedui perished in the [[Bay of Forochel]] when a ship sent to rescue him sank in a storm. The Witch King took the throne in the king's palace, until a year later in [[Third Age 1975|T.A. 1975]] when the forces of Eriador had regrouped with newly arrived reinforcements from [[Gondor]]. In the [[Battle of Fornost]] his army was destroyed, and he himself fled east over the [[Misty Mountains]].
{{references}}
Fornost was not resettled after the war.  It became a deserted place, feared by the men of [[Bree]], who called it Deadman's Dike.  Not until a thousand years later after the [[War of the Ring]] under King [[Aragorn II|Elessar]] was it refounded.
[[Category:Arnor]]
 
[[Category:Conflicts of the Angmar War]]
==Sources==
*[[Appendix A]]
 
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]

Latest revision as of 02:00, 1 February 2024

"I shan't call it the end, till we've cleared up the mess." — Sam
 This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
This article describes a concept which is mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's works, but was never given a definite name.
Fall of Fornost
Conflict: Angmar War
Date: T.A. 1974
Place: Fornost Erain
Outcome: Decisive Angmar victory
Combatants

Men, Elves, Hobbits

Angmar

Commanders

Arvedui

Witch-king

The Fall of Fornost was an event that resulted from the defeat of the forces of Arnor, and the taking of their capital city of Fornost Erain by the Witch-king of Angmar and his armies.

History[edit | edit source]

Prelude[edit | edit source]

By the year T.A. 1974 things were looking very grim for the Dúnedain of Arnor. The Great Plague three hundred years previously had killed most of the people of Cardolan which later fell to the Witch-king. And even with the aid of Elves and Hobbits most of the now diminished and totally demoralized people of Arnor were now waiting to make their final stand at Fornost, capital city of Arthedain.[1]

Opposing Forces[edit | edit source]

For the forces of Eriador exact numbers are not known, but it can be estimated that at the most ten thousand Men of Arnor were present at the city, along with possibly several thousand Elves of Lindon, Rivendell, Lothlórien, and five hundred Hobbits archers from the Shire.

The forces of Angmar can be estimated as between forty and sixty thousand Orcs, Trolls, Evil Men, Wolves, and all other manner of evil creatures.

The Battle[edit | edit source]

Not much is known of the battle, and it is simply stated that the Witch-king overran Fornost and the King was driven into the North Downs. The Witch-king's forces occupied Fornost and pillaged it. [2]

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

With Arthedain in his hands, the Witch-king had conquered all of Arnor. Arvedui perished in the Icebay of Forochel when a ship sent to rescue him sank in a storm. The Witch-king took the throne in the king's palace, until a year later in T.A. 1975 when the forces of Eriador had regrouped with newly arrived reinforcements from Gondor. In the Battle of Fornost his army was destroyed, and he himself fled east over the Misty Mountains. [3]

Fornost was not resettled after the war. It became a deserted place, feared by the men of Bree, who called it Deadmen's Dike. Not until a thousand years later after the War of the Ring under King Elessar was it refounded. [4]

References

  1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring"
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