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{{War|
{{War
previous=[[War of Wrath]]|
|previous=[[Wars of Beleriand]]
next=[[War of the Last Alliance]]|
|next=[[War of the Last Alliance]]
image=|
|image=[[File:Peter Xavier Price - Celebrimbor's Death.jpg|300px]]
name=War of the Elves and Sauron|
|name=War of the Elves and Sauron
begin=1693 SA|
|begin={{SA|1693}}
end=1701 SA|
|end={{SA|1701}}
place=Eriador|
|place=[[Eriador]]
result=Sauron is defeated and is driven from Eriador|
|result=Victory for the [[Elves]] and allies
battles=[[Sack of Eregion]], [[First Siege of Imladris]], and [[The Battle of the Gwathló]]|
*[[Eregion]] destroyed
side1=Noldor and Sindarin Elves, Numenóreans, and Dwarves of Durin's folk|
*[[Sauron]] defeated and driven from Eriador
side2=Orcs, Evil Men, and other creatures of Sauron|
*Founding of [[Imladris]]
commanders1=[[Image:Gilgalad-forodrim_icon.gif]] [[Gil-galad]]
|battles=[[Sack of Eregion]], [[First Siege of Imladris]], [[Battle of the Gwathló]]
*[[Celebrimbor]]
|side1=[[Elves of Eregion]]<br />[[Elves of Lindon]]<br />[[Galadhrim|Elves of Lórinand]]<br />[[Númenor]]<br />[[Dwarves of Khazad-dum]]<br />
*[[Elrond]]
|side2=Forces of [[Sauron]]
*[[Ciryatur]]  
|commanders1=[[Gil-galad]]<br />[[Celebrimbor]]<br />[[Elrond]]<br />[[Celeborn]]<br />[[Amroth]]<br />[[Tar-Minastir]]<br />[[Ciryatur]] <br />[[Durin III]]<br />
*[[Durin III]]|
|commanders2=[[Sauron]]
commanders2=[[Image:Sauron_cold_eye_icon.jpg]] [[Sauron]]|
}}  
}}  
The '''War of the Elves and Sauron''' was a great war fought in the [[Second Age]].
The '''War of the Elves and Sauron''' was a great war fought in the [[Second Age]] between the forces of [[Sauron]] and the Elves in [[Eriador]] and their allies.


For many years the [[Númenóreans]] brought their ships into Lindon,  and they were welcomed. But when [[Gil-galad]] began to fear that Sauron would bring open war into Eriador, he sent messages to [[Númenor]]; and on the shores of Lindon the Númenóreans built  began to build up a force and supplies for war. When Sauron invaded Eriador in 1695, Gil-galad called Númenor for aid.  Then King [[Tar-Minastir]] sent out a great navy; but it was delayed, and did not reach the coasts until the year 1700.
==Background==
{{seealso|Rings of Power}}
During the Second Age, [[Sauron]] planned to corrupt the Elves and put them under his dominion. In his guise as [[Annatar]], he instructed the [[Elves of Eregion]] in the making of the [[Rings of Power]]. He returned to Mordor and then secretly constructed the [[One Ring]] of his own to enslave the bearers of the Rings.<ref name="Galadriel">{{UT|Concerning}}</ref> Unknown to him, the Elves had made [[Three Rings]] of their own, so that when Sauron took up his own Ring, they understood his intentions and his centuries of planning came to nothing.<ref name=rings>{{S|V}}</ref>


By that time all of Eriador fell under Sauron's control, save only besieged Imladris, and he reached the line of the river [[Lhûn]]. He had sent for more forces, which were coming from the south-east, and were in [[Enedwaith]] at the crossing of [[Tharbad]],  which was only lightly held.  Gil-galad and the Númenóreans were holding the Lhûn in a desperate attempt to defend the [[Grey Havens]], when finally the great army of [[Tar-Minastir]] arrived; and Sauron's host was heavily driven back. The fleets' admiral [[Ciryatur]] sent part of his ships to make a landing farther south.
==History==
[[Sauron]] was driven away south-east after a great slaughter at [[Sarn Ford]]; and though strengthened by his force at Tharbad he suddenly found a host of Númenóreans to his rear, for Ciryatur's detachment of ships landed at the mouth of the [[Gwathló]], where there was the small harbor of [[Lond Daer | Vinyalondë]].  
What he could not control by subtlety, Sauron resolved to destroy by force, and so began the War of the Elves and Sauron. In {{SA|1695}}<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}</ref> Sauron's vast armies emerged from [[Mordor]] and invaded Eriador passing through [[Calenardhon]] and turning north to Eregion.<ref name="Galadriel"/>
[[File:Kimberly - Celebrimbor.jpg|left|200px|thumb|''Celebrimbor'' by [[:Category:Images by Kimberly|Kimberly]]]]
When news of the invasion arrived to [[Gil-galad]] he sent a force commanded by [[Elrond]] from [[Lindon]] to reinforce Eregion as well as word to [[Númenor]] for aid.<ref name="Galadriel"/> Elrond's forces were held back by Sauron's greater host and Eregion was devastated. In {{SA|1697}}, [[Ost-in-Edhil]] fell, with [[Celebrimbor]] himself leading a last desperate defence on the steps of the [[House of the Mírdain]]. He was taken captive by the [[Orcs]] and Dark Lord demanded that the Rings of Power be turned over to him as well as the Three Rings. Later Celebrimbor was shot through with Orc-arrows, and by some accounts, Sauron used Celebrimbor's body as a banner as he turned to face Elrond's host.<ref name="Galadriel"/>


Sauron gathered up the Rings of Power that remained, except for the Three Rings, which had been sent far from Eregion at the beginning of the war and laid waste the land of Eregion, bringing an end to its people. The surviving Elves of Eregion seem to have scattered, as there are various accounts of their fates. Some fled northward to join Elrond's host, and that host was itself forced into retreat; some of these Elves of Eregion settled at [[Imladris]] when Elrond founded it shortly afterwards.<ref name="Galadriel"/> They were joined there by others of their kind who had escaped into the [[Rhovanion|Wild]], and only later found their way to safety. Many of these people seem to have later abandoned [[Middle-earth]] and sailed into the [[West]].<ref name="Galadriel"/>


== Battle of the Gwathló ==
Other survivors escaped into [[Khazad-dûm]] and were granted passage by their friends the [[Dwarves]], coming eventually through the [[Misty Mountains|Mountains]] to the woodlands that would long afterwards be called [[Lórien]]. The [[Dwarves of Khazad-dûm]] indeed did more than simply allow the Elves to pass through their mansions; they went out against Sauron's armies along with a force of [[Galadhrim]] under [[Amroth]]. It was through their aid that the beleaguered Elrond was able to escape into the north and thus save many of the Elves of Eregion. Once the Dwarves returned to Khazad-dûm, the [[Doors of Durin]] were shut and remained so until the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] came there thousands of years later.<ref name="Galadriel"/>


In this battle Sauron was utterly routed and narrowly escaped himself.  The remnants of his army were assailed in eastern [[Calenardhon]], and with only a bodyguard he fled to what was later called [[Dagorlad]], where broken and humiliated he returned to Mordor, and vowed vengeance against Númenór.  The host that was besieging Imladris was caught between [[Elrond]] and [[Gil-galad]], and totally destroyed.  [[Eriador]] was cleansed of enemies but lay largely in ruins.
Over the next six years, Sauron's armies overran [[Eriador]], and they moved west aiming to take Lindon and claim one of the Three Rings. Just as Sauron's victory looked secure, a great navy appeared in the north, carrying the forces of [[Númenor]] sent by [[Tar-Minastir|King Tar-Minastir]]. The [[Númenóreans]] put Sauron's armies to rout, and forced them back out of the [[Westlands]].<ref name="SA"/> So Eriador was saved, but Celebrimbor's kingdom of Eregion had been wiped out, and a great many of the Rings of Power had fallen into the hands of Sauron.


== References ==
Given the devastation of Eregion, it was decided that Imladris should become the new Elvish stronghold in eastern Eriador. In recognition of his efforts, Gil-galad bestowed the ring [[Vilya]] upon Elrond at this time and made him his vice-regent.<ref name="Galadriel"/>
 
* ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "''The Tale of Years (Appendix B)''"


{{references}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the Second Age]]
[[Category:Conflicts of the Second Age]]
[[Category:Wars and Battles]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Revision as of 20:37, 17 August 2020

"...It is a long tale..." — Aragorn
This article or section needs expansion and/or modification. Please help the wiki by expanding it.
Previous war: Wars of Beleriand
Next war: War of the Last Alliance
War of the Elves and Sauron
Peter Xavier Price - Celebrimbor's Death.jpg
Beginning: S.A. 1693End: S.A. 1701
Place: Eriador
Outcome: Victory for the Elves and allies
Major battles: Sack of Eregion, First Siege of Imladris, Battle of the Gwathló
Combatants

Elves of Eregion
Elves of Lindon
Elves of Lórinand
Númenor
Dwarves of Khazad-dum

Forces of Sauron

Commanders

Gil-galad
Celebrimbor
Elrond
Celeborn
Amroth
Tar-Minastir
Ciryatur
Durin III

Sauron

The War of the Elves and Sauron was a great war fought in the Second Age between the forces of Sauron and the Elves in Eriador and their allies.

Background

See also: Rings of Power

During the Second Age, Sauron planned to corrupt the Elves and put them under his dominion. In his guise as Annatar, he instructed the Elves of Eregion in the making of the Rings of Power. He returned to Mordor and then secretly constructed the One Ring of his own to enslave the bearers of the Rings.[1] Unknown to him, the Elves had made Three Rings of their own, so that when Sauron took up his own Ring, they understood his intentions and his centuries of planning came to nothing.[2]

History

What he could not control by subtlety, Sauron resolved to destroy by force, and so began the War of the Elves and Sauron. In S.A. 1695[3] Sauron's vast armies emerged from Mordor and invaded Eriador passing through Calenardhon and turning north to Eregion.[1]

Celebrimbor by Kimberly

When news of the invasion arrived to Gil-galad he sent a force commanded by Elrond from Lindon to reinforce Eregion as well as word to Númenor for aid.[1] Elrond's forces were held back by Sauron's greater host and Eregion was devastated. In S.A. 1697, Ost-in-Edhil fell, with Celebrimbor himself leading a last desperate defence on the steps of the House of the Mírdain. He was taken captive by the Orcs and Dark Lord demanded that the Rings of Power be turned over to him as well as the Three Rings. Later Celebrimbor was shot through with Orc-arrows, and by some accounts, Sauron used Celebrimbor's body as a banner as he turned to face Elrond's host.[1]

Sauron gathered up the Rings of Power that remained, except for the Three Rings, which had been sent far from Eregion at the beginning of the war and laid waste the land of Eregion, bringing an end to its people. The surviving Elves of Eregion seem to have scattered, as there are various accounts of their fates. Some fled northward to join Elrond's host, and that host was itself forced into retreat; some of these Elves of Eregion settled at Imladris when Elrond founded it shortly afterwards.[1] They were joined there by others of their kind who had escaped into the Wild, and only later found their way to safety. Many of these people seem to have later abandoned Middle-earth and sailed into the West.[1]

Other survivors escaped into Khazad-dûm and were granted passage by their friends the Dwarves, coming eventually through the Mountains to the woodlands that would long afterwards be called Lórien. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm indeed did more than simply allow the Elves to pass through their mansions; they went out against Sauron's armies along with a force of Galadhrim under Amroth. It was through their aid that the beleaguered Elrond was able to escape into the north and thus save many of the Elves of Eregion. Once the Dwarves returned to Khazad-dûm, the Doors of Durin were shut and remained so until the Fellowship of the Ring came there thousands of years later.[1]

Over the next six years, Sauron's armies overran Eriador, and they moved west aiming to take Lindon and claim one of the Three Rings. Just as Sauron's victory looked secure, a great navy appeared in the north, carrying the forces of Númenor sent by King Tar-Minastir. The Númenóreans put Sauron's armies to rout, and forced them back out of the Westlands.[3] So Eriador was saved, but Celebrimbor's kingdom of Eregion had been wiped out, and a great many of the Rings of Power had fallen into the hands of Sauron.

Given the devastation of Eregion, it was decided that Imladris should become the new Elvish stronghold in eastern Eriador. In recognition of his efforts, Gil-galad bestowed the ring Vilya upon Elrond at this time and made him his vice-regent.[1]

References