Umbar: Difference between revisions
(Deleted the entry on the language of Umbar, because it was speculative and not supported by references to the canon and replaced it with the Information from the beginning of Appendix F of LOTR) |
(Deleted that Umbar is a "Mannish" name, because Appendix F does not say that it was a "Mannish" name, it only says that it was a name of forgotten origin. Moved the reference to Appendix F, because it says nothing about the Queny word Umbar (fate).) |
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==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
''Umbar'' is a | ''Umbar'' is a name of forgotten origin that was doubtless descended from the days before the ships of the Númenóreans sailed the sea.<ref>{{App|Men}}</ref>. Despite the coincidental similarity, it is not related to Quenya ''[[Umbar (word)|umbar]]''. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 14:35, 31 October 2020
| Umbar | |
|---|---|
| Haven | |
 | |
| "Umbar" by Turner Mohan | |
| General Information | |
| Other names | City of the Corsairs |
| Location | The coasts of Middle-earth, to the south of Gondor and west of Harad |
| Type | Haven |
| Description | Natural harbour of enclosing rock used as a seaport |
| People and History | |
| Inhabitants | Variously held by the Númenóreans, the Black Númenóreans, the Gondorians, the Corsairs and the Haradrim |
| Created | First fortified in S.A. 2280[1] |
| Events | Ar-Pharazôn captures Sauron Surprise Attack on Umbar Kin-Strife Corsair Wars |
| Gallery | Images of Umbar |
Umbar was a great haven to the far south of Gondor in Middle-earth.
Geography
Umbar was located south of the outflow of Anduin at the Bay of Belfalas in a convenient, useful natural haven. The great cape and land-locked firth formed the port. The natives called it "Umbar" and the Númenóreans who discovered it, adopted its name.
Umbar was the nearest to Gondor of the southern realms. It may ultimately have stretched all along Harnen as far as the Ephel Dúath up to the edge of Khand.[2]
History
Foundation and Númenórean Rule
Like the earlier New Haven in Enedwaith, and the later Pelargir on the Anduin, Umbar was one of the trading ports at the southern coast of Middle-earth, which became a base from which Númenórean influence spread over Middle-earth. In S.A. 2280 it was made into a great fortress as a reaction to the growing threat of Sauron[1] and became the strongest and most important.
During the dissension arising when the Shadow fell on Númenor, Umbar was the northernmost settlement of the King's Men; Sauron, after trying to break the waxing Númenórean grip by instigation, attempted to attack the Númenórean havens and forts, invaded their coastlands, but Umbar resisted.[3][4]
It was at Umbar that Ar-Pharazôn the Golden landed in S.A. 3261 to challenge Sauron and journeyed 7 days with banner and trumpet.[5] Umbar remained a symbol of Númenórean pride ever after.
While Sauron was in Númenor and the Shadow and dissidence became greater, Umbar was one of the fortresses and dwellings upon the coasts, inhabited by the King's Men and servants in Middle-earth to his will; these evil lords concentrated mostly to the south, far from the dominion of Gil-galad.[5] Umbar must have been an important point of deportation of slaves and taxes to Númenor.
After the Downfall of Númenor, Umbar remained in the hands of the Númenóreans, in essence a realm-in-exile alongside Arnor and Gondor. But unlike these others, Umbar had been used by the Black Númenóreans, who were not friendly to the Elves or to their fellow Faithful Númenórean survivors.
Two Black Númenórean lords, Herumor and Fuinur, were probably from Umbar, as at the end of Second Age they became very powerful amongst the Haradrim, a neighbouring people. No doubt, Númenóreans of Umbar were enlisted with Sauron in S.A. 3429. Their fate is unknown, but they likely shared Sauron's defeat at the hands of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.
The rulers of Umbar retained much influence over the Haradwaith well into Third Age. Other southern settlements were absorbed by the native cultures of Harad.[6]
Gondor's power, however, eclipsed that of Umbar as the Third Age progressed, and at one point, perhaps around the time of Tarannon Falastur, Umbar acknowledged the sway of Gondor.[7] Tarannon had a diplomatic marriage to Berúthiel, a Black Númenórean, perhaps from Umbar. During his reign, Tarannon extended the sway of Gondor along the southern shore-lands.
Umbar as part of Gondor
in T.A. 933 Gondor's King Eärnil I captured Umbar in a Surprise Attack after a siege by sea and land, although this was "at great cost." It became a great harbour and fortress of the power of Gondor. Ironically, it was outside Umbar where Eärnil with his ships and men perished in a great storm (T.A. 936).[8][9]
For the following 500 years, Umbar was an important Gondorian city: not only as a major sea-port, but as the site of the submission of Sauron to Ar-Pharazôn, and so served as a proud reminder of the might of the Dúnedain of old.[10]
Many Black Númenóreans had fled Umbar from the assault of T.A. 933 to their subjects; 82 years later, in a vain attempt to recapture it, they came up with great power against the stronghold and Ciryandil is killed during that siege.[9][8] This great power availed the Men Of Harad little, however, for despite investing and besieging the fortress of Umbar for 35 years, they failed to take it, as its supply was easily maintained "because of the sea-power of Gondor." In T.A. 1050, the late King Ciryandil's son Ciryaher defeated the Haradrim force by sending troops by land, crossing Harnen.[9] All land south of Belfalas up to Harnen and the borders of Near Harad and coast-lands up to Umbar belonged to Gondor.
It was during this occupation when the Gondorians built a monument to Ar-Pharazôn on the highest hill above the Haven: a great white pillar crowned with a globe of crystal which shone as a star with the rays of the Sun or Moon.
Umbar and the southern provinces experienced a rebellion during the civil war of Gondor (T.A. 1437-T.A. 1447); together with the people of Pelargir, Umbar supported the usurper Castamir. When the war had ended, Castamir's sons and their supporters left Pelargir and established themselves at Umbar; from that point on, Umbar remained an enemy of the King.[9]
Corsairs of Umbar
Since T.A. 1448, the fleets of the secessionists established under the descendants of Castamir became known as the '"Corsairs of Umbar"', an independent realm; thus Gondor lost both its southern province and its naval power and came in constant war against the line of Castamir. Within two following centuries, Umbar attacked Gondorian ships and raided its coast at every opportunity, threatening the coastlands and all traffic on the sea and contested the possession of Harondor.[10]
Umbar would welcome exiles from Gondor who were suspected for treason or conspiring against the King.[9] Umbar would also take to its side and absorb tributaries to Gondor in Harad.[10] In T.A. 1540, King Aldamir fought with the rebelling kings of Harad.[10]. The latter were defeated by his son Hyarmendacil II years later.[8]
In T.A. 1634, Castamir's great-grandsons Angamaitë and Sangahyando raided Pelargir, from Umbar, killing King Minardil; his heir Telemnar prepared a fleet against Umbar[10] but could not retaliate as the kingdom was ravaged by the Great Plague of T.A. 1636.[9]
Vengeance, if not swift, was certainly devastating; by 78 years later the Corsairs raided as far as Anfalas, and Minardil's great-grand nephew Telumehtar punished them. In an attack he destroyed the fortress and haven of the Corsairs and drove them out, killing Castamir's last descendants and retook Umbar. After this victory he renamed himself Umbardacil[9][8] but left Umbar unsettled and ruined, apparently with a protective garrison.[source?]
In the meantime, the Haradrim were "engaged in wars and feuds of their own" and Gondor was threatened by the Wainriders' empire from Rhûn.[11] Umbar still fell when enemies invaded Gondor from the east and south in T.A. 1944, preventing Gondor to use it to support its forces from the sea. However Eärnil's Southern Army vanquished the invaders.
Haradrim rule
During the following centuries, evils befell Gondor and Umbar was neglected, allowing the Haradrim to reclaim it,[9] who rebuilt and occupied and for the rest of the Third Age. It became a home for a new generation of 'Corsairs of Umbar', who must have been closely related to the Haradrim, if not even merely Southrons themselves. These new Corsairs were cruel slavers who often raided the coasts of Belfalas and Anfalas in Gondor: in T.A. 2746, for example, Amrothos, the 15th Prince of Dol Amroth fell defending Dor-en-Ernil against them.
In T.A. 2758, Umbar joined a massive co-ordinated attack with the Men of the Harad and even of Dunland against Gondor and the new realm of Rohan.[9] In T.A. 2885, Umbar supported the Haradrim who claimed Harondor, although this had long "been a debatable land between the Corsairs and the Kings", and when Sauron declared himself openly in T.A. 2951, Umbar declared its allegiance to him, and the great monument commemorating Ar-Pharazôn's triumph at Umbar was thrown down.
Umbar's fleet was largely destroyed 29 years later, when Thorongil (Aragorn Elessar, as it later turned out) in the service of the Steward of Gondor Ecthelion II led a taskforce south and burned them, killing the Captain of the Haven in the process.
War of the Ring
During the War of the Ring, Umbar had not fully recovered from this, but could still send 50 "great ships" and a number of smaller vessels "beyond count" to raid the coastlands of Gondor, and draw off major forces from the defence of Minas Tirith. They were once again defeated by Aragorn, and the Army of the Dead. With the Fall of Barad-dûr, Umbar, weakened and defeated, finally lost its sovereignty and submitted to the crown of King Elessar.
Culture
Politics and rule
While the Faithful boasted the ethnic purity of the line of their rulers (to the amount of resulting even in a Kin-strife), Umbar allowed their race to swiftly dwindle and merge with the Pre-Númenóreans.[9]
No "King of Umbar" is mentioned to rise, though the Black Númenóreans, who, regarding the Heirs of Elendil as usurpers, certainly considered themselves the representatives of the last legal King of Númenor. One can suppose as a possible explanation that they considered themselves something akin to the temporary Stewards of Gondor, ruling in the true King's absence, until Ar-Pharazôn would return from the West to restore his evil kingdom.[2] It is notable that all four known rulers of Umbar come in pairs, suggesting that perhaps Umbar was traditionally ruled by a duumvirate.
Language
In the course of the Third Age Westron was adopted by nearly all Men that lived within the borders of the old kingdom of Gondor all along the coasts from Umbar northward and inland to the western Ephel Dúath. At the time of the War of the Ring Westron was still the native tongue in this area.[12][13]
Other versions of the legendarium
Umbar appeared on the bottom edge of the maps found in earlier editions of The Lord of the Rings, but it is absent from modern editions, which regrettably map a slightly smaller area of Middle-earth.
Etymology
Umbar is a name of forgotten origin that was doubtless descended from the days before the ships of the Númenóreans sailed the sea.[14]. Despite the coincidental similarity, it is not related to Quenya umbar.
See also
Portrayal in adaptations
1987-96: Middle-earth Role Playing:
- The Umbar: Haven of the Corsairs campaign module contains a detailed map of the region of Umbar, a map of the city of Umbar, the history, the population, the ecology and economy of Umbar and floor plans for castles in the region of Umbar
- The Southern Gondor: The Land realm module contains information about the history, geography, flora and fauna, inhabitants, politics and power, warcraft and ship types of Umbar.
- The Southern Gondor: The People peoples module contains detailed information about the history and population of Umbar.
- The Kin-strife campaign module contains detailed information about the city of Umbar (including a map of the city) and the region of Umbar during the time of the Kin-strife and three adventures that take place in the city of Umbar.
- The Pirates of Pelargir adventure module contains a map of a part of Harondor and a part of the region of Umbar, a map of the southern shore of the mouth of the river Harnen and three adventures that take place at sea and in and around the moonstone fortress.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Fr_Umbar.html
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VI. The Tale of Years of the Second Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Istari"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Window on the West"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age" Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ta" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "X. Of Dwarves and Men", "Notes", #59
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of Men"
External links
