Fourth Age: Difference between revisions

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The '''Fourth Age''' began after [[Sauron]] was finally defeated, when his [[The One Ring|Ruling Ring]] was destroyed, and the [[Keepers of the Three Rings]] left Middle-earth for the [[Valinor|Uttermost West]].   
The '''Fourth Age''' began after [[Sauron]] was finally defeated, when his [[The One Ring|Ruling Ring]] was destroyed, and the [[Keepers of the Three Rings]] left Middle-earth for the [[Valinor|Uttermost West]].   
==Starting of the Fourth Age==
==Starting of the Fourth Age==
The [[Third Age]] was held to have ended when the Three Rings passed away in September, {{TA|3021}}, but in the records of [[Gondor]] Fo.A. 1 began on [[25 March]] {{TA|3021|n}}.<ref>{{App|A1}}</ref> This means a difference of 1420 years with the [[Shire Reckoning]].
The [[Third Age]] was held to have ended when the Three Rings passed away in September, {{TA|3021}}.


In the [[Shire]] however, the Fourth Age 1 was called {{SR|1422}}<ref>{{App|D}}</ref>, implying a difference of 1421 years and a continuation of {{FoA|1}} after {{TA|3021}}, intead of being the same.<ref>The discrepancy is noted in the [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/f/fourthage.html Encyclopedia of Arda]</ref>
In the records of [[Gondor]] Fo.A. 1 began on [[25 March]] {{TA|3021|n}}.<ref>{{App|A1}}</ref> This means a difference of 1420 years with the [[Shire Reckoning]].
 
In the [[Shire]] however, the Fourth Age 1 was called {{SR|1422}}<ref>{{App|D}}</ref>, implying a difference of 1421 years and a continuation of {{FoA|1}} after {{TA|3021|n}}, intead of being the same.<ref>The discrepancy is noted in the [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/f/fourthage.html Encyclopedia of Arda]</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 12:01, 27 June 2012

History of Arda
Before the Creation
Before the Ages
Days before days
Years of the Trees (up to Y.T. 1050)
Ages of the Children of Ilúvatar
First Age (begins in Y.T. 1050
and overlaps with the Years of the Trees
up to Y.T. 1500
)
- Years of the Sun begin in F.A. 1
Second Age
- Arda made round in S.A. 3319
Third Age
Fourth Age
Later Ages (up to present day)
End of Arda
Timeline of Arda
(See: Round World version of the Silmarillion
for a later conception of Tolkien's cosmology)

The Fourth Age began after Sauron was finally defeated, when his Ruling Ring was destroyed, and the Keepers of the Three Rings left Middle-earth for the Uttermost West.

Starting of the Fourth Age

The Third Age was held to have ended when the Three Rings passed away in September, T.A. 3021.

In the records of Gondor Fo.A. 1 began on 25 March 3021.[1] This means a difference of 1420 years with the Shire Reckoning.

In the Shire however, the Fourth Age 1 was called S.R. 1422[2], implying a difference of 1421 years and a continuation of Fo.A. 1 after 3021, intead of being the same.[3]

History

There is no information on more than the first few centuries of this age, so it is not known when it ended, if it ever did.

This age was (presumably) marked by the recovery of the Númenorean kingdoms in exile (Arnor and Gondor), the final ascent of Men and the total waning of the Elves.

Further future?

Tolkien said that he thought the distance between the end of the Third Age and the 20th century A.D. was about 6000 years, and that in 1958 it should have been around the end of the Fifth Age if the Fourth and Fifth Ages were about the same length as the Second and Third Ages. He said, however, in a letter written in 1958 that he believed the Ages had quickened and that it was about the end of the Sixth Age/beginning of the Seventh.[4]

For a complete list of events during the Fourth Age, see the Timeline.

References