Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Talk:War of Wrath

2007-10-13T20:34:49Z

24.36.78.71:

Question about numbers given in "war of the wrath"

Strengths: Morgoth--Hundreds of thousands or millions

Valar--millions?

If Fingolfin came with approx. 5000 or so (which seems a reasonable number) and his host was greater than Feanor's, and the majority of the Noldor came back to Middle-Earth. How many would've been left in Valinor? Perhaps a few thousand? It is implied that the Noldor outnumbered the Vanyar, so there would then have to be less than approx. ten thousand Vanyar.
Since it is stated rather clearly that Elves were not in the habit of having large numbers of children, (Feanor and his wife having seven children in six childbirths is a rare exception.) How would a few thousand Noldor left in Valinor and several thousand (maybe?) Vanyar multiply in only five-hundred years into "millions?"

If 2500 Noldor remained and there were 7500 Vanyar total, that leaves 10 000 total.

Approx. half would be female, but probably not all female Elves would wed and have children. If they had approx. 2.4-2.7 children on average each, how many children would each generation add? Elves being immortal would probably not have children in the same manner as Men, so five hundred years might allow for, what, five to seven generations of Elves? Even with these very rough numbers, it seems that it would take far longer for Elves to number anywhere near the "millions" given. Unless, of course, the original numbers for Fingolfin's and Feanor's hosts are way off--though they seem reasonable based on the only actual numbers quoted, that being Turgon's army of ten-thousand at the Nirnaeth.

Talk:War of Wrath

2007-10-13T20:33:52Z

24.36.78.71:

Question about numbers given in "war of the wrath"

Strengths: Morgoth--Hundreds of thousands or millions

Valar--millions?

If Fingolfin came with approx. 5000 or so (which seems a reasonable number) and his host was greater than Feanor's, and the majority of the Noldor came back to Middle-Earth. How many would've been left in Valinor? Perhaps a few thousand? It is implied that the Noldor outnumbered the Vanyar, so there would then have to be less than approx. ten thousand Vanyar.
Since it is stated rather clearly that Elves were not in the habit of having large numbers of children, (Feanor and his wife having seven children in six childbirths is a rare exception.) How would a few thousand Noldor left in Valinor and several thousand (maybe?) Vanyar multiply in only five-hundred years into "millions?"

In "The Silmarillion" it states that the Elves never knew the exact number of Maiar, however, millions seems far too large a number. Would it not seem more realistic that there were some thousands of Maiar spirits in total?

If 2500 Noldor remained and there were 7500 Vanyar total, that leaves 10 000 total.

Approx. half would be female, but probably not all female Elves would wed and have children. If they had approx. 2.4-2.7 children on average each, how many children would each generation add? Elves being immortal would probably not have children in the same manner as Men, so five hundred years might allow for, what, five to seven generations of Elves? Even with these very rough numbers, it seems that it would take far longer for Elves to number anywhere near the "millions" given. Unless, of course, the original numbers for Fingolfin's and Feanor's hosts are way off--though they seem reasonable based on the only actual numbers quoted, that being Turgon's army of ten-thousand at the Nirnaeth.

Talk:War of Wrath

2007-10-13T20:18:18Z

24.36.78.71:

Talk:War of Wrath

2007-10-13T20:17:15Z

24.36.78.71:

Nirnaeth Arnoediad

2007-10-13T19:51:28Z

24.36.78.71:

{| border="1" cellpadding="4" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; width: 300px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; clear: right; border:1px solid #aaaaaa; background-color:#F9EBD1;"
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background:#960018; color: #f9f9f9;"|'''Nírnaeth Arnoediad'''
|-
|colspan="2" style="font-size: 90%; text-align: center; padding:0;"|
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Conflict''': [[War of the Jewels]] (fifth battle of the [[Wars of Beleriand]])
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Date''': [[First Age 472|F.A. 472]]
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Place''': [[Anfauglith]]
|-
| colspan="2" |'''Outcome''': Decisive victory for Angband due to the [[Treachery of Men|betrayal of the Easterlings]]. Also caused a great depopulation of the warriors of the [[Noldor]] and [[House of Hador]] in [[Hithlum]]; led to the occupation of Hithlum and parts of [[Beleriand]] by [[Morgoth]]'s forces 
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background: #960018; color: #f9f9f9;"|Combatants
|-
|width="50%"| <center>
The [[Union of Maedhros]], consisting of an alliance of the [[Noldor]], [[Edain]], [[Easterlings]], and [[Dwarves]]
</center>
|width="50%"| <center>
[[Orcs|Orc]] armies, [[Glaurung]], [[Gothmog]]
</center>
|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background:#960018; color: #f9f9f9;"|Commanders
|-
|width="50%" | 
* [[Fingon]]†
* [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]]
* [[Sons of Fëanor]]
* [[Húrin Thalion]]
* [[Huor]]†
* [[Haldir of the Haladin|Haldir]]†
* [[Azaghâl|Azaghâl of Belegost]]†
* [[Bór]]†

|width="50%" | 
* [[Gothmog%2C_Lord_of_Balrogs|Gothmog]]
* [[Glaurung]]
* [[Ulfang the Black]]†

|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background:#960018; color: #f9f9f9"|Strength
|-
|width="50%" | 
Many of the Noldor and [[Edain]]: most of the warriors of [[Dor-lómin]], ten thousand Elves of [[Gondolin]] under Turgon, a company of Elves from [[Nargothrond]], a group of the [[people of Haleth]] from [[Brethil]]; and many Dwarves of Belegost and the Easterling [[House of Bór]]

|width="50%" | 
Multiple hosts consisting of [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], and [[trolls]]; supplemented by the traitor [[Easterlings]]

|-
!colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background:#960018; color: #f9f9f9"|Casualties
|-
|width="50%" | 
Huge, a crippling blow to those opposing [[Morgoth]]. All Men of Dor-lómin except Húrin slain; many leaders and their men were either slain or barely escaped. Large numbers taken captive

|width="50%" | 
Sizable, particularly in early points of the battle, but ultimately a small percentage of the total hosts committed

|}

The '''Nírnaeth Arnoediad''' or '''Battle of Unnumbered Tears''' was the disastrous Fifth Battle in the [[Wars of Beleriand]]. Its name was taken from the first words of the [[Doom of Mandos]]: "Tears unnumbered ye shall shed...".

In the year 473 of the [[Years of the Sun]] in the [[First Age]], [[Maedhros]] decided that taking the offense against [[Angband]] might help the [[Noldor]] regain their former lands. In the almost two decades since their defeat in the [[Dagor Bragollach]], the Noldor had lost control over the entire north of Beleriand, and were for the most part reduced to refugees dwelling in [[Hithlum]] and [[Nargothrond]]. [[Gondolin]] was shut and unknown.

Under the [[Union of Maedhros]] all the [[Elves]] of Beleriand, as well as the [[Edain]], [[Dwarves]], and the newly arrived [[Easterlings]] were invited to combine in arms and fight Morgoth. The Union first cleared Beleriand and Dorthonion from the Orcs, and then gathered to assault [[Thangorodrim]].

The plan was for Maedhros's host to attack and draw out the army of Angband, after which Fingon's host would attack from the [[Ered Wethrin]], taking the offensive in the west.

Under Maedhros in the east were gathered the remainder of the [[sons of Fëanor]], the Elves and Men of [[Himring]] under Maedhros and [[Bór]], and the men of Amon Ereb under [[Caranthir]] and [[Ulfang]].

Under Fingon in the west were gathered the Elves and Men of [[Hithlum]], the Elves of the [[Falas]], the [[Haladin]] of Brethil and the companies sent from [[Nargothrond]] and the two elves of [[Doriath]], [[Beleg Cúthalion|Beleg]] and [[Mablung]].

Because of the evil deeds of [[Celegorm]] and [[Curufin]], two of Maedhros's brothers, Nargothrond would send only a small company of elves under [[Gwindor]]. From Doriath, where [[Thingol]] had sworn never to support any son of Fëanor, came only [[Mablung]] and [[Beleg]], who did not wish to remain behind. However, [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]] unexpectedly came forth with over ten thousand elves from [[Gondolin]], doubling the force of the west.

But Morgoth through his spies had learned of the battle plan, and his spy Ulfang, who proved to be a traitor, delayed Maedhros. Meanwhile a small force of Orcs went forth from Angband, provoking the western host. Within sight of the Ered Wethrin, Gwindor's brother ''Gelmir'', captured during the Dagor Bragollach, was brought forth, and brutally slain. Enraged, Gwindor broke ranks, and with him most of Fingon's troops as well as a part of Turgon's host. Their rage was so great that they nearly destroyed the western Orc host and foiled Morgoth's plans.

It is said that Morgoth trembled as Gwindor's company pounded at his gates. They burst through, and slew the guards on the steps of Angband. But then, they were surrounded by hidden forces, and all were slain or taken. From hidden gates around Angband thousands of Orcs erupted, driving back the host of Fingon from the walls. The elven army was driven back with great slaughter. Many Haladin fell in the rearguard.

Turgon, who had withheld his host from the reckless charge, now came upon the orc host. The phalanx of Turgon broke through the Angband lines, and met with the guard of Fingon. The meeting of the two brothers was glad.

Finally Maedhros arrived, but before he could meet with Fingon and Turgon [[Glaurung]] the dragon and [[Gothmog]] lord of [[Balrogs]] met him. Still they may have won, but Uldor, son of Ulfang and a traitor, turned ranks and attacked Maedhros in the rear, while more of his kin came down from the mountains and attacked. The eastern host was scattered, and only the valour of the [[Dwarves]] of [[Belegost]] helped them escape, as their lord '''Azaghâl''' and his forces held off [[Glaurung]], allowing the sons of Fëanor to escape into Ossiriand.

Azaghâl and his army fought with fierce iron masks on, and they were able to resist the fire far better than any Elf or Man. Then Glaurung trampled Azaghâl beneath his feet, but Azaghâl ran a dagger through Glaurung's stomach, and the dragon fled in pain, screaming. With him fled many of the host of Morgoth. In a solemn ceremony the Dwarves picked up their fallen leader, forgetting about the battle, and they marched him home, in a great procession. Their wrath was so great that none troubled them.

All this had not helped the western host, who were attacked by many Orcs under Gothmog. Fingon fell under his might, and [[Húrin]] begged Turgon to retreat to Gondolin. [[Huor]] and Húrin and the remaining Men of [[Dor-lómin]] formed a living wall across the [[Fen of Serech]], buying time for Turgon to escape with most of the surviving Elves of the north. The Men of Dor-lómin were all slain, until Huor fell when his eye was pierced by a poisoned arrow, and his brother Húrin was captured alive when he was pinned under a mountain of slain Orcs and Trolls.

Morgoth's victory was near complete, as he had destroyed all the people of Hithlum and had scattered the sons of Fëanor away from Himring. Morgoth's Orcs razed all of [[Beleriand]] except for [[Doriath]], which was still protected by the Girdle of [[Melian]], and sacked the havens of the [[Falas]].

Morgoth betrayed his servants the [[Easterlings]], trapping them in [[Hithlum]] under penalty of death, and denied them the fertile lands of [[Beleriand]]. Still Morgoth knew fear, for Turgon, now High King of the Ñoldor after the death of Fingon in the battle, had survived, and his city Gondolin was still unknown to Morgoth.

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Nirnaeth Arnoediad|Images of Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]

{{warsofbeleriand}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]

Witch-king

2007-09-13T20:06:51Z

24.36.78.71: /* The Second and Third Ages */

{{cleanup}}
{{royalty infobox
| image=[[Image:Melissa Hitchcock - The Black Captain.jpg|300px]]
| name=The Witch-king
| othernames=(true name unknown) the Black Captain, Chief of the Nine
| birth=Unknown, possibly sometime in [[Númenor]]
| rule=[[Third Age 1300]]-[[TA 1975]]
| death=[[Third Age 3019]]
| age= Unknown; over 3000 years
| realms=[[Angmar]]
| gender=Male (presumably; is referred to as "he")
| race=[[Men]] (unknown beyond that)
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
|}}
The '''Witch-king of Angmar''' was the chief of the [[Ringwraiths]] of [[Middle-earth]].

The Witch-king was originally a human king. In the [[Second Age]], he was given one of nine [[Rings of Power]] to help rule over his realm. He and eight others were already in the service of [[Sauron]], the [[Dark Lord]] of [[Mordor]]. The Rings gave them incredible power, which they used to further their own ambitions, but eventually the Rings completely corrupted them and turned them into the ghostly, undead [[Nazgûl]].

==The Second and Third Ages==
The first sighting of the Nazgûl in [[Middle-earth]] was reported in 2251 of the Second Age. For the next 1200 years, the '''Lord of the Nazgûl''' would serve Sauron as his second in command. He fought in the war against the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] between 3434 and 3441 of the Second Age. It was in 3441 that Sauron was defeated by [[Isildur]] and the nine Nazgûl disappeared from Middle-Earth.

One thousand years into the [[Third Age]], Sauron took a new form as the [[Sauron|Necromancer]], and founded the fortress of [[Dol Guldur]] in southern [[Mirkwood]] in 1050 of the Third Age. This signaled the return of the Nine Nazgûl to Middle-earth.

The Lord of the Nazgûl reappeared in 1300 of the Third Age in the north near the lost realm of [[Arnor]]. There he founded the kingdom of [[Angmar]]. It is after the formation of Angmar and several conflicts with the [[Dúnedain]] of the North that the Lord of the Nazgul received the title of Witch-king, Lord of Angmar.

He then began his open war campaign with the three divided kingdoms of Arnor ([[Arthedain]], [[Rhudaur]] , and [[Cardolan]]). In 1409 of the Third Age, the Witch-king invaded the kingdom of Rhudaur and Cardolan and eventually destroyed both kingdoms. Soon, the only resistance against the Witch-king's forces was the western kingdom of Arthedain. The Witch-king continued his war for hundreds of years. In 1636, the Witch-king sent [[Barrow-wights|wights]] to the [[Barrow-downs]] in Cardolan in order to prevent the rebirth of the kingdom. The Witch-king claimed ultimate victory in the north in 1974 of the Third Age, when his forces captured [[Fornost Erain]], the capital of Arthedain. With its capture, the final kingdom collapsed, and with it, the last remnants of the lost realm of Arnor were destroyed.

The Witch-king gladly took his seat of power in the newly captured [[Fornost]]. But his glory did not last long, for in 1975, general [[Eärnur]] of [[Gondor]] landed at the harbors of [[Mithlond]], leading an army of Gondorians. His army was joined by the Elves of [[Lindon]] and the remnant of the northern [[Dúnedain]] and marched on the Witch-king.

They did not meet the Witch-king at Fornost, but on the plains west of it toward [[Lake Evendim]], home of the ancient kings of Arnor, [[Annúminas]]. The battle would forever be known as the [[Battle of Fornost]]. Earnur's army was later joined in the mists of battle by [[Glorfindel]] leading an Elven army from [[Lorien]] and [[Rivendell]]. The combined forces of Elves and Men brought utter defeat to the Witch-king and his forces. After the battle, the Witch-king fled south to Mordor and his kingdom of Angmar without an able leader, was destroyed. It was when the Witch-king fled and Earnur attempted to follow that Glorfindel stopped him and made his famous prophecy,
:''"Do not pursue him! He will not return to these lands. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of Man shall he fall."''
The Witch-king finally returned to Mordor in the year 1980 of the Third Age.

When the Witch-king returned, his wrath of defeat still burned within. In 2000, the Witch-king lead the Nazgûl on a siege of [[Minas Ithil]]. They finally captured it in 2002, in the name of Sauron and renamed it Minas Morgul, the Tower of Black Sorcery. It was at Minas Morgul that the Witch-king made his stronghold, giving him the title of Lord of Morgul.

No more than twelve years after the siege of Minas Ithil, [[Osgiliath]] was next in the Witch-king's line of sight. He led hordes of [[Orcs]] and [[Haradrim]] against the city. The city had already been devastated centuries before by plague and civil war, and the Witch-king's forces ruined what remained of the city and destroyed the great bridge linking the east and west banks of the [[Anduin]] river. This was a devastating blow to the morale of Gondor.

In 2043, King [[Eärnil II]] of Gondor passed away and his son, the Witch-king's old enemy, Eärnur inherited the throne. Upon his coronation, the Witch-king challenged him to combat, but Eärnur was restrained by the Steward, Mardil. However, seven years later in 2050, the Witch-king again challenged him, this time he would not be restrained. Eärnur rode out of [[Minas Tirith]] to meet the Witch-king in Minas Morgul. He entered the city's gates and was never seen again, thus ending the reign of the Gondorian Kings and causing the beginning of the ruling [[Stewards of Gondor]].

In 2941, the Necromancer was finally expelled from Dol Guldur when [[Gandalf]] confirmed that he truly was Sauron in disguise. Sauron returned to Mordor. He began the reconstruction of his dark tower, [[Barad-dûr]], in 2951 and sent three Ringwraiths to re-capture Dol Guldur. And in 3018, with the capture of [[Gollum]], Sauron learned the location of the Ring from Gollum. Sauron sent forth the Witch-king and the other Nazgul disguised as [[Black Riders]] to fetch his Ring.

The [[War of the Ring]] had begun.

==The War of the Ring and Downfall==
The Witch-king and the other eight Nazgûl rode swiftly from Mordor to the lands of the Shire. They continued to search for "Baggins" until they tracked him to [[Buckland]]. The Nine Riders raided Buckland but could not find the Ring.

The Witch-king led four other Nazgûl to [[Weathertop]] where they discovered [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn|Strider]], and the other [[hobbit]]s. The Ringwraiths attacked the party and the Witch-king wounded Frodo with a [[Morgul blade]]. Though successfully driven off by [[Aragorn|Strider]], Frodo's wound threatened to turn him into a wraith like the Nazgûl. [[Elrond]] of [[Rivendell]] sent [[Glorfindel]] ([[Arwen]] in the film) to guide Frodo to Rivendell where Elrond could heal his wound. Glorfindel's race to Rivendell lured the Ringwraiths into the [[Bruinen]]. Here, Elrond and Gandalf the Grey released a great flood in the form of horses made out of water. This flood killed the horses of the Ringwraiths and sent them back to their master in Mordor, buying the [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] time to plan an attack.

With their return to Mordor, Sauron bestowed the Nazgûl with [[Fell beasts]], great winged beasts as their new mounts. Sauron used the lesser eight Nazgûl for reconnaissance work and the occasional shock troop. The Witch-king, however, returned to Minas Morgul and reassumed the role of commander of Sauron's forces. He then began battles to capture Osgiliath.

The final [[Battle of Osgiliath|battle for Osgiliath]] was fought on March 13, 3019 of the Third Age against [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]]'s rangers. Faramir's forces could not hold the Orc hordes under the control of [[Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul|Gothmog]]. Faramir pulled his forces back to [[Minas Tirith]] assailed by flying Nazgûl, losing nearly all of his forces in the retreat. Faramir was returned to Minas Tirith gravely wounded. With Gondor's defeat at Osgiliath, nothing stood in the way of Sauron's ambitions of destroying Minas Tirith and the Free People's hopes.

On March 14, Orcs, Haradrim, and Easterling forces numbering over 200,000 marched on the gates of Minas Tirith. Sauron had bestowed the Witch-king with newfound strength, making his might the greatest it ever had been. Equipped with new armor, he rode in, leading the army to the gates. Before dawn on the 15th, the great battering-ram [[Grond]] was used to break the city's main gate, and the Witch-king rode into the city unchallenged, save by Gandalf. Before Gandalf's strength was put to the test, however, the cock crowed and the horns of [[Rohan]] were heard as around 6,000 of their riders joined the battle. This forced the Witch-king to ride out to face this new threat.

The Witch-king mounted his fell beast and began slaughtering the Rohirrim. [[Théoden]] attempted to rally his troops to form a resistance against him. The Witch-king responded by personally intervening in the fray involving the Rohirric King. Flying on the back of his fell beast, he drove upon Théoden. The advancing Rohirrim's horses panicked as his beast attacked. Théoden's horse, [[Snowmane]], became frightened and was struck by an arrow and fell upon its master.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Éowyn and the Nazgûl.jpg|thumb|left|300px|''Éowyn and the Witch-King'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]As the Witch-king hovered over Théoden, [[Éowyn]] and the hobbit [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] stood in his way. Éowyn challenged the Witch-king with the words:
:''"Begone, foul [[Dwimmerlaik|dwimmerlaik]], lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!"''
:''"Come not between the Nazgul and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shrivelled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye."''
:''"Do what you will, but I will hinder it, if I may."''
:''"Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!"''
:''"But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Eomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him."''
Éowyn slew his fell beast in a single strike. The Witch-king arose filled with malice and attacked. Though a powerful warrior, Éowyn was no match for the Witch-king's might. With a single strike of his mace, he shattered her shield and broke her left arm.

As he towered over her, preparing to deliver the final blow, Merry rushed behind him and plunged his [[Dagger of Westernesse|enchanted dagger]] into the back of Witch-king's knee. Éowyn took the opportunity to strike. As he fell to his knees, Éowyn rose. She then thrust her sword into the face of the Witch-king, causing him to wither and pass away from this world.

The prophecy of [[Glorfindel]] so many centuries before had finally come to pass. For not by the hands of a "man" had he fallen, but by those of a woman and a hobbit. With his death, the turn of the battle had changed and ultimately the outcome. No more than ten days later, Sauron himself was finally destroyed when the [[One Ring]] was finally cast back into the fires of [[Mount Doom]].

==Early Life==

The Witch-king's true name is never given, and therefore among [[Tolkien fandom|Tolkien fans]], the Witch-king is often simply called ''Angmar'', after the name of the realm he founded and led. Many fans also identify him as one of the three [[Black Númenóreans]] Tolkien stated had become Nazgûl, or possibly [[Isilmo]], a Númenórean prince and father of Tar-Minastir. In the now defunct [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game, he was named ''Er-Murazor'', a Númenórean prince, though this is strictly [[Canon|non-canonical]] and does not appear outside of the role playing material. It is also a popular belief among some fans, that the Witch-king was not dead as Éowyn had not an enchanted sword, and cite the passage that says that his wail was not heard again ''In this age of the earth''. But other Tolkien scholars say that although the Witch-king's return at an unspecified time in the future is possible, another possible solution is that Merry's stroke destroyed the Witch-king's invulnerability allowing Éowyn' non-magic blade to end his existence forever. Also, because of the perishing of the [[One Ring]], the nine other rings which kept the Nazgûl would probably have lost their power.

==Roots in Norse mythology==
An undead witch-king named Þráinn appears in ''[[Hrómundar saga Gripssonar]]''. It is probable that this was Tolkien's source of inspiration.

== Movie Adaptation ==
[[Image:Witch-king from PJ's LotR - Armored.jpeg|thumb|right|150px|The Witch-king in [[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King]]]]
In [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]], the Lord of the Nazgûl is only named the [[Witch-King of Angmar]] in the third installment, ''[[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King|The Return of the King]]''. In that film, there is no mention of [[Glorfindel]]'s prophecy; there is only a claim among the enemy that "no man can kill" the Witch-King. Like the other Nazgûl, he is depicted as a humanoid figure shrouded in a hooded black robe; his only distinguishing feature is a mask-like spiked helmet with a huge mouth. His first mention is when [[Gandalf]] tells [[Pippin]] while in Minas Tirith that the Dark Lord has not yet revealed his greatest servant: the Witch-king, the one that "stabbed Frodo on Weathertop". This is a curious statement, as Weathertop was not named in the first movie, and confusion would probably have resulted had there not been a flashback.

During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], the Witch-King's army uses the ram Grond to break through the city gates early in the battle (after the failure of a lesser ram), and the Witch-King is not present to confront Gandalf as he is in the book. The confrontation takes place later, as Pippin and Gandalf race to the tombs to save [[Faramir]], and the Witch-King intercepts them. Unlike the book version, this meeting decisively favors the Witch-King, who breaks Gandalf's staff and throws the wizard to the ground before leaving to deal with the arrival of the [[Rohirrim]]. Gandalf's face shows obvious fear in this scene, in comparison to the resolution (for "victory or death") in the books.

The Witch-King's destruction on the battlefield occurs with less dialogue than in the book, and the weapons used to destroy him are both mundane: Merry's sword is not a [[Daggers of Westernesse|dagger]] from the [[Barrow-downs]], but rather the Rohirric sword that Théoden had as a child.

==See Also==

* [[:Category:Images of the Witch-king]]
* [[Ringwraiths]]

[[Category:Nazgûl]]

Witch-king

2007-09-13T20:05:05Z

24.36.78.71: /* The Second and Third Ages */

{{cleanup}}
{{royalty infobox
| image=[[Image:Melissa Hitchcock - The Black Captain.jpg|300px]]
| name=The Witch-king
| othernames=(true name unknown) the Black Captain, Chief of the Nine
| birth=Unknown, possibly sometime in [[Númenor]]
| rule=[[Third Age 1300]]-[[TA 1975]]
| death=[[Third Age 3019]]
| age= Unknown; over 3000 years
| realms=[[Angmar]]
| gender=Male (presumably; is referred to as "he")
| race=[[Men]] (unknown beyond that)
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
|}}
The '''Witch-king of Angmar''' was the chief of the [[Ringwraiths]] of [[Middle-earth]].

The Witch-king was originally a human king. In the [[Second Age]], he was given one of nine [[Rings of Power]] to help rule over his realm. He and eight others were already in the service of [[Sauron]], the [[Dark Lord]] of [[Mordor]]. The Rings gave them incredible power, which they used to further their own ambitions, but eventually the Rings completely corrupted them and turned them into the ghostly, undead [[Nazgûl]].

==The Second and Third Ages==
The first sighting of the Nazgûl in [[Middle-earth]] was reported in 2251 of the Second Age. For the next 1200 years, the '''Lord of the Nazgûl''' would serve Sauron as his second in command. He fought in the war against the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] between 3434 and 3441 of the Second Age. It was in 3441 that Sauron was defeated by [[Isildur]] and the nine Nazgûl disappeared from Middle-Earth.

One thousand years into the [[Third Age]], Sauron took a new form as the [[Sauron|Necromancer]], and founded the fortress of [[Dol Guldur]] in southern [[Mirkwood]] in 1050 of the Third Age. This signaled the return of the Nine Nazgûl to Middle-earth.

The Lord of the Nazgûl reappeared in 1300 of the Third Age in the north near the lost realm of [[Arnor]]. There he founded the kingdom of [[Angmar]]. It is after the formation of Angmar and several conflicts with the [[Dúnedain]] of the North that the Lord of the Nazgul received the title of Witch-king, Lord of Angmar.

He then began his open war campaign with the three divided kingdoms of Arnor ([[Arthedain]], [[Rhudaur]] , and [[Cardolan]]). In 1409 of the Third Age, the Witch-king invaded the kingdom of Rhudaur and Cardolan and eventually destroyed both kingdoms. Soon, the only resistance against the Witch-king's forces was the western kingdom of Arthedain. The Witch-king continued his war for hundreds of years. In 1636, the Witch-king sent [[Barrow-wights|wights]] to the [[Barrow-downs]] in Cardolan in order to prevent the rebirth of the kingdom. The Witch-king claimed ultimate victory in the north in 1974 of the Third Age, when his forces captured [[Fornost Erain]], the capital of Arthedain. With its capture, the final kingdom collapsed, and with it, the last remnants of the lost realm of Arnor were destroyed.

The Witch-king gladly took his seat of power in the newly captured [[Fornost]]. But his glory did not last long, for in 1975, general [[Eärnur]] of [[Gondor]] landed at the harbors of [[Mithlond]], leading an army of Gondorians. His army was joined by the Elves of [[Lindon]] and the remnant of the northern [[Dúnedain]] and marched on the Witch-king.

They did not meet the Witch-king at Fornost, but on the plains west of it toward [[Lake Evendim]], home of the ancient kings of Arnor, [[Annúminas]]. The battle would forever be known as the [[Battle of Fornost]]. Earnur's army was later joined in the mists of battle by [[Glorfindel]] and his Elven army from [[Lorien]]. The combined forces of Elves and Men brought utter defeat to the Witch-king and his forces. After the battle, the Witch-king fled south to Mordor and his kingdom of Angmar without an able leader, was destroyed. It was when the Witch-king fled and Earnur attempted to follow that Glorfindel stopped him and made his famous prophecy,
:''"Do not pursue him! He will not return to these lands. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of Man shall he fall."''
The Witch-king finally returned to Mordor in the year 1980 of the Third Age.

When the Witch-king returned, his wrath of defeat still burned within. In 2000, the Witch-king lead the Nazgûl on a siege of [[Minas Ithil]]. They finally captured it in 2002, in the name of Sauron and renamed it Minas Morgul, the Tower of Black Sorcery. It was at Minas Morgul that the Witch-king made his stronghold, giving him the title of Lord of Morgul.

No more than twelve years after the siege of Minas Ithil, [[Osgiliath]] was next in the Witch-king's line of sight. He led hordes of [[Orcs]] and [[Haradrim]] against the city. The city had already been devastated centuries before by plague and civil war, and the Witch-king's forces ruined what remained of the city and destroyed the great bridge linking the east and west banks of the [[Anduin]] river. This was a devastating blow to the morale of Gondor.

In 2043, King [[Eärnil II]] of Gondor passed away and his son, the Witch-king's old enemy, Eärnur inherited the throne. Upon his coronation, the Witch-king challenged him to combat, but Eärnur was restrained by the Steward, Mardil. However, seven years later in 2050, the Witch-king again challenged him, this time he would not be restrained. Eärnur rode out of [[Minas Tirith]] to meet the Witch-king in Minas Morgul. He entered the city's gates and was never seen again, thus ending the reign of the Gondorian Kings and causing the beginning of the ruling [[Stewards of Gondor]].

In 2941, the Necromancer was finally expelled from Dol Guldur when [[Gandalf]] confirmed that he truly was Sauron in disguise. Sauron returned to Mordor. He began the reconstruction of his dark tower, [[Barad-dûr]], in 2951 and sent three Ringwraiths to re-capture Dol Guldur. And in 3018, with the capture of [[Gollum]], Sauron learned the location of the Ring from Gollum. Sauron sent forth the Witch-king and the other Nazgul disguised as [[Black Riders]] to fetch his Ring.

The [[War of the Ring]] had begun.

==The War of the Ring and Downfall==
The Witch-king and the other eight Nazgûl rode swiftly from Mordor to the lands of the Shire. They continued to search for "Baggins" until they tracked him to [[Buckland]]. The Nine Riders raided Buckland but could not find the Ring.

The Witch-king led four other Nazgûl to [[Weathertop]] where they discovered [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], [[Aragorn|Strider]], and the other [[hobbit]]s. The Ringwraiths attacked the party and the Witch-king wounded Frodo with a [[Morgul blade]]. Though successfully driven off by [[Aragorn|Strider]], Frodo's wound threatened to turn him into a wraith like the Nazgûl. [[Elrond]] of [[Rivendell]] sent [[Glorfindel]] ([[Arwen]] in the film) to guide Frodo to Rivendell where Elrond could heal his wound. Glorfindel's race to Rivendell lured the Ringwraiths into the [[Bruinen]]. Here, Elrond and Gandalf the Grey released a great flood in the form of horses made out of water. This flood killed the horses of the Ringwraiths and sent them back to their master in Mordor, buying the [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] time to plan an attack.

With their return to Mordor, Sauron bestowed the Nazgûl with [[Fell beasts]], great winged beasts as their new mounts. Sauron used the lesser eight Nazgûl for reconnaissance work and the occasional shock troop. The Witch-king, however, returned to Minas Morgul and reassumed the role of commander of Sauron's forces. He then began battles to capture Osgiliath.

The final [[Battle of Osgiliath|battle for Osgiliath]] was fought on March 13, 3019 of the Third Age against [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]]'s rangers. Faramir's forces could not hold the Orc hordes under the control of [[Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul|Gothmog]]. Faramir pulled his forces back to [[Minas Tirith]] assailed by flying Nazgûl, losing nearly all of his forces in the retreat. Faramir was returned to Minas Tirith gravely wounded. With Gondor's defeat at Osgiliath, nothing stood in the way of Sauron's ambitions of destroying Minas Tirith and the Free People's hopes.

On March 14, Orcs, Haradrim, and Easterling forces numbering over 200,000 marched on the gates of Minas Tirith. Sauron had bestowed the Witch-king with newfound strength, making his might the greatest it ever had been. Equipped with new armor, he rode in, leading the army to the gates. Before dawn on the 15th, the great battering-ram [[Grond]] was used to break the city's main gate, and the Witch-king rode into the city unchallenged, save by Gandalf. Before Gandalf's strength was put to the test, however, the cock crowed and the horns of [[Rohan]] were heard as around 6,000 of their riders joined the battle. This forced the Witch-king to ride out to face this new threat.

The Witch-king mounted his fell beast and began slaughtering the Rohirrim. [[Théoden]] attempted to rally his troops to form a resistance against him. The Witch-king responded by personally intervening in the fray involving the Rohirric King. Flying on the back of his fell beast, he drove upon Théoden. The advancing Rohirrim's horses panicked as his beast attacked. Théoden's horse, [[Snowmane]], became frightened and was struck by an arrow and fell upon its master.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Éowyn and the Nazgûl.jpg|thumb|left|300px|''Éowyn and the Witch-King'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]As the Witch-king hovered over Théoden, [[Éowyn]] and the hobbit [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] stood in his way. Éowyn challenged the Witch-king with the words:
:''"Begone, foul [[Dwimmerlaik|dwimmerlaik]], lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!"''
:''"Come not between the Nazgul and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shrivelled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye."''
:''"Do what you will, but I will hinder it, if I may."''
:''"Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!"''
:''"But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Eomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him."''
Éowyn slew his fell beast in a single strike. The Witch-king arose filled with malice and attacked. Though a powerful warrior, Éowyn was no match for the Witch-king's might. With a single strike of his mace, he shattered her shield and broke her left arm.

As he towered over her, preparing to deliver the final blow, Merry rushed behind him and plunged his [[Dagger of Westernesse|enchanted dagger]] into the back of Witch-king's knee. Éowyn took the opportunity to strike. As he fell to his knees, Éowyn rose. She then thrust her sword into the face of the Witch-king, causing him to wither and pass away from this world.

The prophecy of [[Glorfindel]] so many centuries before had finally come to pass. For not by the hands of a "man" had he fallen, but by those of a woman and a hobbit. With his death, the turn of the battle had changed and ultimately the outcome. No more than ten days later, Sauron himself was finally destroyed when the [[One Ring]] was finally cast back into the fires of [[Mount Doom]].

==Early Life==

The Witch-king's true name is never given, and therefore among [[Tolkien fandom|Tolkien fans]], the Witch-king is often simply called ''Angmar'', after the name of the realm he founded and led. Many fans also identify him as one of the three [[Black Númenóreans]] Tolkien stated had become Nazgûl, or possibly [[Isilmo]], a Númenórean prince and father of Tar-Minastir. In the now defunct [[Middle-earth Role Playing]] game, he was named ''Er-Murazor'', a Númenórean prince, though this is strictly [[Canon|non-canonical]] and does not appear outside of the role playing material. It is also a popular belief among some fans, that the Witch-king was not dead as Éowyn had not an enchanted sword, and cite the passage that says that his wail was not heard again ''In this age of the earth''. But other Tolkien scholars say that although the Witch-king's return at an unspecified time in the future is possible, another possible solution is that Merry's stroke destroyed the Witch-king's invulnerability allowing Éowyn' non-magic blade to end his existence forever. Also, because of the perishing of the [[One Ring]], the nine other rings which kept the Nazgûl would probably have lost their power.

==Roots in Norse mythology==
An undead witch-king named Þráinn appears in ''[[Hrómundar saga Gripssonar]]''. It is probable that this was Tolkien's source of inspiration.

== Movie Adaptation ==
[[Image:Witch-king from PJ's LotR - Armored.jpeg|thumb|right|150px|The Witch-king in [[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King]]]]
In [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]], the Lord of the Nazgûl is only named the [[Witch-King of Angmar]] in the third installment, ''[[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King|The Return of the King]]''. In that film, there is no mention of [[Glorfindel]]'s prophecy; there is only a claim among the enemy that "no man can kill" the Witch-King. Like the other Nazgûl, he is depicted as a humanoid figure shrouded in a hooded black robe; his only distinguishing feature is a mask-like spiked helmet with a huge mouth. His first mention is when [[Gandalf]] tells [[Pippin]] while in Minas Tirith that the Dark Lord has not yet revealed his greatest servant: the Witch-king, the one that "stabbed Frodo on Weathertop". This is a curious statement, as Weathertop was not named in the first movie, and confusion would probably have resulted had there not been a flashback.

During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], the Witch-King's army uses the ram Grond to break through the city gates early in the battle (after the failure of a lesser ram), and the Witch-King is not present to confront Gandalf as he is in the book. The confrontation takes place later, as Pippin and Gandalf race to the tombs to save [[Faramir]], and the Witch-King intercepts them. Unlike the book version, this meeting decisively favors the Witch-King, who breaks Gandalf's staff and throws the wizard to the ground before leaving to deal with the arrival of the [[Rohirrim]]. Gandalf's face shows obvious fear in this scene, in comparison to the resolution (for "victory or death") in the books.

The Witch-King's destruction on the battlefield occurs with less dialogue than in the book, and the weapons used to destroy him are both mundane: Merry's sword is not a [[Daggers of Westernesse|dagger]] from the [[Barrow-downs]], but rather the Rohirric sword that Théoden had as a child.

==See Also==

* [[:Category:Images of the Witch-king]]
* [[Ringwraiths]]

[[Category:Nazgûl]]