Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Uruk-hai

2009-10-23T00:08:31Z

74.13.83.146: /* Appearance */

{{sources}}
{{race
|image=[[Image:John Howe - The Uruk-hai.jpg|250px]]
|name= Uruk-hai
|dominions=[[Isengard|Northern Rohan and Isengard]], [[Mordor]]
|languages=Various dialects of the [[Black Speech]], [[Westron]]
|height= 6' 4"
|length=
|skincolor= Probably sallow
|haircolor= Probably black
|feathers=
|distinctions= Elvish ears(?), Large build
|lifespan= Possibly eternal
|members= [[Uglúk]] Lurtz
}}
{{quote|...and others, too, came out of the forest. Great Orcs, who also bore the White Hand of [[Isengard]]: that kind is stronger and more fell than all the others.|[[Éomer]], ''[[The Riders of Rohan]]''}}

The '''Uruk-hai''' were a new breed of [[Orcs]] that appeared during the [[Third Age]].

==Appearance==
The Uruk-hai made up a large part of [[Saruman]]'s army, together with the [[Dunland|Dunlendings]] and other [[Men|human]] enemies of [[Rohan]], and similar large Orcs also served as the elite troops of [[Mordor]]. They were faster than normal Orcs and could travel during the day without being weakened. They were not only faster but smarter, stronger and larger, though some were still shorter than Men. There are suggestions that the Uruk-hai were the result of crossbreeding Orcs and [[Men]]. Certainly, other creatures in Saruman's armies, and under his command in the Shire, appear to have been hybrids, though these "half-orcs" were as tall as Men and are never described simply as Orcs, as the Uruk-hai frequently are. It is never explained exactly ''how'' Orcs were hybridized with humans,it was more probably that some form of alchemy used to infuse Orcs with human qualities. [[Treebeard]] openly wonders if they are Orcs that have been somehow "improved", or Men that were corrupted with Orc-like qualities, or if they were indeed a blending of Men and Orcs, an act which Treebeard considered to be "a black evil". Saruman's army of Uruk-hai fought against [[Kings of Rohan|King]] [[Théoden]] of Rohan and his people at [[Battle of the Hornburg|Helm's Deep]].

The race of uruks, described as "black orcs of great strength" first appeared about the year [[Third Age 2475|2475]] of the Third Age, when they conquered [[Ithilien]] and destroyed the city of [[Osgiliath]]. These were evidently of Sauron's breeding, but it is not clear whether or not these uruks should be regarded as identical with the Uruk-hai, who could be a further 'improvement' to the race achieved by Saruman.

The Orcs and Uruks in the service of [[Barad-dûr]], the folk of Mordor, used the symbol of the [[Eye of Sauron|Red Eye of Sauron]]. The Red Eye was also painted on their shields. At least one, a guard on the march with [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had a black knife with a long saw-edged blade, used by Pippin to cut through the ropes on his hands. These Uruks of Mordor referred to Sauron as the Great Eye, and [[Grishnákh]] was their captain. They were all long-armed and crook-legged, not as tall as the [[Isengard|Isengarder]] Uruks but larger than the [[Moria]] Orcs. They could see better in the dark than the Isengarders could.

The Uruk-hai of [[Saruman|Saruman the White]] used an S [[Cirth|elf-rune]] wrought in white metal on the front of their iron helms. It was clear this "S" stood for Saruman, because their shields had a small white hand (the symbol of Saruman) centered on a black field. [[Aragorn]] commented that their gear was not in the manner of other Orcs at all. Instead of curved scimitars, they used short, broad-bladed swords. Their great [[Bows|bows]] were made of yew wood, in length and shape as those of Men. They also appeared different physically: greater stature, swarthy, slant-eyed, thick legs and large hands. Although they did not like the light of the [[Sun]], they could withstand it better than other orcs. Saruman promised them man-flesh as a treat. He aided them with his wizardry as well: when Aragorn, [[Gimli]], and [[Legolas]] followed the party of Uruks who kidnapped Merry and Pippin, Saruman's will caused weariness of the heart for the pursuers and lent speed to the Orcs. [[Lurtz]] led the Uruk-hai of Isengard, and since they were the strongest he felt that he led the [[Hobbits|hobbit]] march as well, insisting on going back by way of Isengard. This was the group that slew [[Boromir (son of Denethor II)|Boromir]].

==Etymology==
The name Uruk-hai has the element ''Uruk'', which is a [[Black Speech]] word meaning ''Orc''. Many known languages have a word related to thus ([[Quenya]] ''[[orco]]'', [[Sindarin]] ''[[orch]]'', [[Westron]] ''[[orka]]'', [[Khuzdul]] ''[[rukhs]]'' and presumably [[Drúedain|Drúedainic]] ''[[gorgûn]]''). The element ''-hai'', also present in [[Olog-hai]] and [[Oghor-hai]], means "folk, people".

==Portrayal in adaptations==
In both [[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings]] and [[Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King]], Uruk-hai are portrayed identical as (and without distinction to) the [[Orcs]].

In [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]], Saruman appears to be the only one who created the Uruks. They are shown in the movie as being released from a kind of membrane in the mud deep under Isengard (special commentary on the DVD edition explained that they were trying to base the scene on a early description of Tolkien's that Orcs "worm their way out of the ground like maggots"). In the movies Uruk-hai are described as a crossbreed between Orcs and "goblin-men": this may be a dialogue error because in Tolkien's works "Orc" is a synonym for goblin. This description may however refer to humans corrupted by Goblins. These Uruks are sent after the Fellowship, and their leader is [[Lurtz]], a movie-only character.

His Uruks include Pikesmen, Swordsmen, Archers, and Berserkers.
The Berserkers are the shock troops. When they were first spawned a helmet filled with blood was placed on their heads, so that they were filled with a bloodlust for their enemies. They carry doubly-bent swords, and forgo any armor in lieu of agility, slaying foes left and right, completely devoid of fear and pain. Pikesmen, as the name suggests, carry long pikes, while archers carry crossbows. Swordsmen wield a straight iron sword, hooked at the tip, and deadly in an Uruk-hai's strong grip. They also use bladed shields, as seen in [[Amon Hen]] during [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]]'s fight against Lurtz.

The Uruks were also very efficient using siege equipment, and had been trained to use crossbows with deadly accuracy. The Uruks, like the lesser Orcs, seemed to not care of each other's presence, shown by the battering ram wielders at Helm's Deep, barging each other off of the thin bridge. The Uruks also hated the Orcs, believing they were a lesser being and often rioting, eg in the tower of Cirith Ungol when Shagrat and Gorbag argued over Frodo's vest of Mithril and starting a mass war within the tower. The Uruks seem also to be able to control natural urges than the Orcs, eg the Orcs demanding to eat the hobbits they had captured, while the Uruks were protective. It would seem the only way Orcs were better than Uruks is in treachery, lying and being devious. The Uruks are also not seen to ever ride a mount, possibly due to size, weight and build (the Wargs which attacked the Rohan migration were ridden by trained Orcs).

==See also==
* [[Olog-hai]]

[[Category:Races]]
[[category:orcs]]

Uruk-hai

2009-10-23T00:05:07Z

74.13.83.146:

{{sources}}
{{race
|image=[[Image:John Howe - The Uruk-hai.jpg|250px]]
|name= Uruk-hai
|dominions=[[Isengard|Northern Rohan and Isengard]], [[Mordor]]
|languages=Various dialects of the [[Black Speech]], [[Westron]]
|height= 6' 4"
|length=
|skincolor= Probably sallow
|haircolor= Probably black
|feathers=
|distinctions= Elvish ears(?), Large build
|lifespan= Possibly eternal
|members= [[Uglúk]] Lurtz
}}
{{quote|...and others, too, came out of the forest. Great Orcs, who also bore the White Hand of [[Isengard]]: that kind is stronger and more fell than all the others.|[[Éomer]], ''[[The Riders of Rohan]]''}}

The '''Uruk-hai''' were a new breed of [[Orcs]] that appeared during the [[Third Age]].

==Appearance==
The Uruk-hai made up a large part of [[Saruman]]'s army, together with the [[Dunland|Dunlendings]] and other [[Men|human]] enemies of [[Rohan]], and similar large Orcs also served as the elite troops of [[Mordor]]. They were faster than normal Orcs and could travel during the day without being weakened. They were not only faster but smarter, stronger and larger, though some were still shorter than Men. There are suggestions that the Uruk-hai were the result of crossbreeding Orcs and [[Men]]. Certainly, other creatures in Saruman's armies, and under his command in the Shire, appear to have been hybrids, though these "half-orcs" were as tall as Men and are never described simply as Orcs, as the Uruk-hai frequently are. It is never explained exactly ''how'' Orcs were hybridized with humans,it was more probably that some form of alchemy used to infuse Orcs with human qualities. [[Treebeard]] openly wonders if they are Orcs that have been somehow "improved", or Men that were corrupted with Orc-like qualities, or if they were indeed a blending of Men and Orcs, an act which Treebeard considered to be "a black evil". Saruman's army of Uruk-hai fought against [[Kings of Rohan|King]] [[Théoden]] of Rohan and his people at [[Battle of the Hornburg|Helm's Deep]].

The race of uruks, described as "black orcs of great strength" first appeared about the year [[Third Age 2475|2475]] of the Third Age, when they conquered [[Ithilien]] and destroyed the city of [[Osgiliath]]. These were evidently of Sauron's breeding, but it is not clear whether or not these uruks should be regarded as identical with the Uruk-hai, who could be a further 'improvement' to the race achieved by Saruman.

The Orcs and Uruks in the service of [[Barad-dûr]], the folk of Mordor, used the symbol of the [[Eye of Sauron|Red Eye of Sauron]]. The Red Eye was also painted on their shields. At least one, a guard on the march with [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had a black knife with a long saw-edged blade, used by Pippin to cut through the ropes on his hands. These Uruks of Mordor referred to Sauron as the Great Eye, and [[Grishnákh]] was their captain. They were all long-armed and crook-legged, not as tall as the [[Isengard|Isengarder]] Uruks but larger than the [[Moria]] Orcs. They could see better in the dark than the Isengarders could.

The Uruk-hai of [[Saruman|Saruman the White]] used an S [[Cirth|elf-rune]] wrought in white metal on the front of their iron helms. It was clear this "S" stood for Saruman, because their shields had a small white hand (the symbol of Saruman) centered on a black field. [[Aragorn]] commented that their gear was not in the manner of other Orcs at all. Instead of curved scimitars, they used short, broad-bladed swords. Their great [[Bows|bows]] were made of yew wood, in length and shape as those of Men. They also appeared different physically: greater stature, swarthy, slant-eyed, thick legs and large hands. Although they did not like the light of the [[Sun]], they could withstand it better than other orcs. Saruman promised them man-flesh as a treat. He aided them with his wizardry as well: when Aragorn, [[Gimli]], and [[Legolas]] followed the party of Uruks who kidnapped Merry and Pippin, Saruman's will caused weariness of the heart for the pursuers and lent speed to the Orcs. [[Lurtz] led the Uruk-hai of Isengard, and since they were the strongest he felt that he led the [[Hobbits|hobbit]] march as well, insisting on going back by way of Isengard. This was the group that slew [[Boromir (son of Denethor II)|Boromir]].

==Etymology==
The name Uruk-hai has the element ''Uruk'', which is a [[Black Speech]] word meaning ''Orc''. Many known languages have a word related to thus ([[Quenya]] ''[[orco]]'', [[Sindarin]] ''[[orch]]'', [[Westron]] ''[[orka]]'', [[Khuzdul]] ''[[rukhs]]'' and presumably [[Drúedain|Drúedainic]] ''[[gorgûn]]''). The element ''-hai'', also present in [[Olog-hai]] and [[Oghor-hai]], means "folk, people".

==Portrayal in adaptations==
In both [[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings]] and [[Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King]], Uruk-hai are portrayed identical as (and without distinction to) the [[Orcs]].

In [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]], Saruman appears to be the only one who created the Uruks. They are shown in the movie as being released from a kind of membrane in the mud deep under Isengard (special commentary on the DVD edition explained that they were trying to base the scene on a early description of Tolkien's that Orcs "worm their way out of the ground like maggots"). In the movies Uruk-hai are described as a crossbreed between Orcs and "goblin-men": this may be a dialogue error because in Tolkien's works "Orc" is a synonym for goblin. This description may however refer to humans corrupted by Goblins. These Uruks are sent after the Fellowship, and their leader is [[Lurtz]], a movie-only character.

His Uruks include Pikesmen, Swordsmen, Archers, and Berserkers.
The Berserkers are the shock troops. When they were first spawned a helmet filled with blood was placed on their heads, so that they were filled with a bloodlust for their enemies. They carry doubly-bent swords, and forgo any armor in lieu of agility, slaying foes left and right, completely devoid of fear and pain. Pikesmen, as the name suggests, carry long pikes, while archers carry crossbows. Swordsmen wield a straight iron sword, hooked at the tip, and deadly in an Uruk-hai's strong grip. They also use bladed shields, as seen in [[Amon Hen]] during [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]]'s fight against Lurtz.

The Uruks were also very efficient using siege equipment, and had been trained to use crossbows with deadly accuracy. The Uruks, like the lesser Orcs, seemed to not care of each other's presence, shown by the battering ram wielders at Helm's Deep, barging each other off of the thin bridge. The Uruks also hated the Orcs, believing they were a lesser being and often rioting, eg in the tower of Cirith Ungol when Shagrat and Gorbag argued over Frodo's vest of Mithril and starting a mass war within the tower. The Uruks seem also to be able to control natural urges than the Orcs, eg the Orcs demanding to eat the hobbits they had captured, while the Uruks were protective. It would seem the only way Orcs were better than Uruks is in treachery, lying and being devious. The Uruks are also not seen to ever ride a mount, possibly due to size, weight and build (the Wargs which attacked the Rohan migration were ridden by trained Orcs).

==See also==
* [[Olog-hai]]

[[Category:Races]]
[[category:orcs]]

Orcs

2009-10-22T23:57:43Z

74.13.83.146:

{{rewrite}}
{{race
| image=[[Image:John Howe - In Mordor.jpg|300px]]
| name= Orcs
| dominions=[[Mordor]], [[Angband]], [[Misty Mountains]], [[Mount Gundabad]], [[Angmar]], [[Utumno]]
| languages= [[Black Speech]]
| height= probably just above 5'
| length=
| skincolor= Sallow
| haircolor=
| feathers=
| distinctions= Short, sallow
| lifespan=
| members= [[Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul|Gothmog]], [[Othrond]], [[Azog]], [[Gorbag]]
|}}
'''Orcs''' were the footsoldiers of evil overlords - [[Morgoth]], [[Sauron]] and the [[Witch-king of Angmar]] - but also operated as a seperate faction throughout the Ages of [[Arda]].

==Appearance==

In Tolkien's writing, Orcs are described as humanoid, roughly human-sized, ugly and filthy. Although not dim-witted, they are portrayed as dull and miserable beings, who corrupt words (an insult to a philologist like Tolkien) and are only able to destroy, not to create. They have sour black blood.
Orcs are used as soldiers by both the greater and lesser villains of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' — [[Sauron]] and [[Saruman]].
In Tolkien's [[Sindarin]] language, "Orc" is ''orch'', plural ''yrch''. In his late, post-''Lord of the Rings'' writings (published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]])'', he preferred the spelling "Ork", evidently mainly to avoid the form ''Orcish'', which would be naturally pronounced with the c as /s/ instead of /k/. (In [[Languages|Tolkien's languages]] the letter ''c'' was always pronounced /k/.) It is also possible that the word is a Common Tongue Version of 'orch', the [[Sindarin]] word for Orc. The original sense of the word seems to be "bogey", "bogeyman", that is, something that provokes fear, as seen in the Quenya cognate ''urko'', pl. ''urqui''.

==History==
===Orgins and early Years===
The origin of Orcs is an open question. In Tolkien's writings, evil is not capable of independent creation, making it unlikely that the [[Valar|Vala]] [[Morgoth|Melkor]], who was obviously the first to produce them, could do that ''ex nihilo''.
In the ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' is mentioned that the Orcs were transformed from Elves — the purest form of life on [[Arda]] (the Earth) — by means of torture and mutilation; and this "theory" would then become the most popular.
There are hints in the ''[[The History of Middle-earth|History of Middle-earth]]'' series of books, (especially in ''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'' in the section "Myths Transformed"), that some Orc leaders, such as the First Age's [[Boldog]], or the [[Great Goblin]] encountered by [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] and the Dwarves, may in fact have been fallen [[Maiar]] which had taken Orc form

Later under Morgoth's lieutenant, [[Sauron]], it has been suggested that Men were cross-bred with the Orcs. This process was later repeated during the [[War of the Ring]], creating the fierce Orcs known as [[Uruk-hai]].

Yet other Orcs may have begun as animals of vaguely humanoid shapes, empowered by the will of the Dark Lord (first [[Morgoth]], later Sauron): this may explain the references to their "beaks and feathers" in Tolkien's writings.

: ''The Orcs were beasts of humanized shape (…).'' ('Morgoth's Ring', "Myths transformed", text VIII')

It is certain all Orcs were dependent on the Dark Lord in various ways: after their leader was defeated, the Orcs were confused and dismayed, and easily scattered by their enemies. In the millennia after Morgoth's defeat and banishment from Arda, they were without a leader they degenerated to small, quarrelsome tribes hiding in the [[Misty Mountains]]. Only when Sauron returned to power did they begin to reclaim some of their old power. The same happened after Sauron's defeat by the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]: only when Sauron returned as the Necromancer of [[Mirkwood]] did the Orcs become a real danger for Middle-earth again.

It is interesting to note that to an extent, Tolkien did not regard Orcs as evil in their own right, but only as tools of Melkor and Sauron.
He wrote once that "we were all orcs in the [[World War I|Great War]]", indicating perhaps that an orc for him was not an inherent build-up of personality, but rather a state of mind bound upon destruction.

[[Image:Warren Mahy-Orc Archer.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Orc by [[Warren Mahy]]]]
After their cration during the [[War for Sake of the Elves]], Orcs were used in every battle fought against Morgoth. Orcs were the primary force of [[Morgoth]] in the [[Siege of Utumno]]. Although most of them were killed, some survived and entered the lands of [[Beleriand]] during Morgoth's imprisonment in [[Valinor]].
When [[Morgoth]] returned to [[Angband]] he created new hordes of Orcs and invaded [[Beleriand]], where the [[First Battle of Beleriand]] took place. Orcs fought also in [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]].

===First Age===
Orcs appear in the [[First Age]] as the core force of [[Morgoth]]. Hundreds of thousands of Orcs were bred in [[Angband]] to participate in the [[Battles of Beleriand]], which lasted 587 years.

Orcs first appear in the [[First Age]] in the [[Battle of the Lammoth]], where they were defeated by [[Fingolfin]] and his [[Noldor]]. Orcs participated in battles such as the [[Dagor Aglareb]], [[Dagor Bragollach]], [[Nírnaeth Arnoediad]], [[Fall of the Falas]], and finally in the [[War of Wrath]], were they were almost extinguished.

===Second Age===
Orcs do not play a major role in the [[Second Age]], as [[Sauron]] dominated over [[Middle-earth]] for short periods. Even though, Orcs participated in the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]], in [[Second Age 1700|S.A.1700]]. Moreover, the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] started a war agains the [[Dwarves]], resulting in the [[First Sack of Gundabad]] ind its occupation by the Orcs. Finally, Orcs were the core force of [[Sauron]] during the [[War of the Last Alliance]], and fougth in great battles such as the [[Battle of Dagorlad]] and the [[Siege of Barad-dûr]].

===Third Age===
During the [[Third Age]], Orcs were the standard troops of the [[Witch-king of Angmar]] and [[Sauron]] (both in [[Mordor]] and in [[Dol Guldur]]).

In [[Angmar]], Orcs fought in the [[Angmar War]]. Years Later, they invaded [[Eriador]] under the leadership of the [[Necromancer]].

The [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]], one of the few independent Orcish societies, and their leader [[Azog]] started out the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], and after their defeat they retreated in their caves. They appeared again in [[Third Age 2941|T.A. 2941]], when the [[Battle of Five Armies]] took place.

The [[Orcs of Mordor]] fought in major battles during the [[War of the Ring]], such as the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], but the entire [[Mordor]] force was destroyed in the [[Battle of the Morannon]].

The Orcs in [[Dol Guldur]] remained in [[Mirkwood]] until the [[Fall of Dol Guldur]], one of the last battles of the War of the Ring.

===Fourth Age and beyond===
Although the entire force of [[Sauron]] was destroyed after the [[War of the Ring]], it is assumed that many Orcs continiued to live beneath the [[Misty Mountains]] and cause little trouble.

==Kinds of Orcs==

Tolkien loosely implies that there are actually several different breeds of Orcs, not simply in the wide variety in clans, but strains of Orc that were specifically bred for certain tasks.
:The Fellowship usually encounters the large soldier-Orcs bred for war, and sometimes the "snaga" variety which were more geared towards being laborers. However, a strong hint at the variety of Orc breeds is when Frodo and Sam are in Mordor, and realize that they are being followed by two Orcs, then hide to observe them. One of the Orcs is a normal soldier-Orc, but the other is described as a "Snuffler", a breed specifically geared towards being a tracker. This tracker-Orc was, compared to the soldier-Orc, physically unimposing, but had vastly overdeveloped sensory organs, particularly a single giant nostril. While physically weak compared to the soldier-Orc, the "snuffler" was able to skillfully kill the soldier-orc when they got into a disagreement.
*[[Snaga]]
*[[Orcs of Mordor]]
*[[Half-Orcs]]
*[[Uruk-hai]]
*[[Hobgoblins]] (perhaps same as Uruk-hai)

==Etymology==
Tolkien derived the word from [[Old English]] believing it refers to a kind of evil spirits<ref>{{HM|L}}, [[Letter 144]]</ref><ref>http://home.clara.net/andywrobertson/wolfemountains.html Unpublished letter to Gene Wolfe</ref> which in turn derives from Latin ''Orcus'' "Hades". He also thought it survives in the modern language for sea monsters<ref>''Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings''</ref> such as the Orca Whale

'''Orc''' is an [[Old English]] word that refers mainly to a kind of metal cup (from Latin ''Urceus'')<ref>Occurs twice in ''Beowulf''</ref>. However in a 11th century glossary, this entry was conflated with another entry which refers to evil giants such as ''þyrs'' and other monsters, also glossed in Latin as ''Orcus''. This merge of the two entries made many philologists of the previous centuries, like Tolkien, to believe that ''Orc'' was an actual Old English word that refers to any kind of evil creature from the underworld.<ref>Bosworth and Toller's "An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary" (1898), corrected in later editions</ref>

The word ''Orcnéas'' is once found only in ''[[Beowulf]]'' (lines 112-113) and is cited as an example of the word "Orc" in Old English text. Actually its meaning is not clear, and it is thought to refer to corpses (''néas'') from the Underworld.

However it is also mentioned that the word Orc is Anglo-Saxon for "Foreigner, Monster, Demon" and was used to refer to the Normans invading the Anglish in 1066<ref>"1066 The Battle for Middle Earth" 2009</ref>
===Orcs in Tolkien's languages===
Tolkien said that one of the reason of choosing "Orc" was the similarity with his fictional languages.<ref>{{HM|WJ}}, p. 391</ref> Indeed most [[Elvish]], [[Mannish]] and other words for Orc, are similar to the English word. For example:

*Elvish [[PQ]] [[root]]: [[URUK]] (said to refer to any "bogey" that scared the Elves)
*Mannish root: [[RUKU]]

*[[Quenya]]: ''[[orco]], [[urco]]''
*[[Sindarin]]: ''[[orch]]'' pl. ''yrch''
*[[Doriathrin]]: ''[[urch]]'' pl. ''urchin''
*[[Nandorin]]: ''[[urc]]'' pl. ''yrc''

*[[Adûnaic]]: ''[[urukh]]''
*[[Westron]]: ''[[orka]]''
*[[Orkish]]: ''[[uruk]]''

Some similarity can also be seen in:
*[[Drúedainic]]: ''[[gorgûn]]''
*[[Khuzdul]]: ''rukhs'' pl. ''[[rakhâs]]'' (radical R-Kh-S)

In the earliest versions of [[Qenya]], Tolkien had words such as "'''Ork (orq-)''' pl. '''Orqi''' and fem. "'''orqindi'''"

===Orcs and Goblins===
''Main article: [[Goblin]]''

In The Hobbit, Tolkien primarily used the word "goblin" for Orcs. In The Lord of the Rings, "Orc" is used predominantly, though there are several references to "goblins".

"[[Goblin]]" is an English word, where as "[[Orc]]" is Old English, the language used by Tolkien to represent Rohirric.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[Appendix F]]</ref> Thus, there is no difference between Orcs and Goblins, and the two names of different languages have much the same relationship as ''dog'' (English) and ''hund'' (German).

The original edition of the Hobbit and early drafts of The Lord of the Rings first used 'goblin' everywhere and used 'hobgoblin' for larger, more evil goblins: when goblins were replaced with Orcs Tolkien invented the term Uruk-hai for his more evil Orcs.

==Other Versions of the Lengendarium==
===Orgin===
According to the oldest "theory" proposed by Tolkien, Orcs were made of stone and slime through the sorcery of Morgoth. But, Tolkien later changed the legendarium so that Morgoth could no longer produce life on his own.

While Tolkien originally saw all Orcs as descended from tortured Elves, later comments of his indicate, according to [[Christopher Tolkien]] in ''Morgoth's Ring'' ("Myths Transformed, text X"), that he began to feel uncomfortable with the theory that orcs were descending from Elves. However, Tolkien died before he could complete his upheaval of the cosmology, and in the published version of ''The Silmarillion'', the Elf origin of Orcs was adopted. It does not appear that the elder Tolkien ever decided on a definitive answer.
==Controversy==
Tolkien's Orcs have ''allegedly'' been a subject of criticism of [[racism]]. Tolkien described Orcs as "squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes: in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types".<ref>[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Letter 210]]</ref> Another possible offensive theme present in orcs (though not necessarily racist), is the fact that when the orcs talk, they often use the same phrases and accents that the English working-class is known to use (citation needed).
==See Also==
*[[:Category:Images of Orcs|Images of Orcs]]
*[[Lifespan of Orcs]]
*[[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]]
*[[Glamhoth]]

{{references}}
[[de:Orks]]
[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Orcs]]

Dagor Bragollach

2009-10-22T23:49:20Z

74.13.83.146:

{{battle
| name=''Dagor Bragollach''
| image=[[Image:John Howe - Morgoth vs. Fingolfin.png|300px]]
| conflict=[[War of the Jewels]]
| date=[[First Age 455|F.A. 455]]
| place=Northern [[Beleriand]]/[[Anfauglith]]
| result=Victory for Morgoth, breaking of the [[Siege of Angband]], destruction of [[Dorthonion]], loss of key fortresses and passes
| side1=The [[Ñoldor]], The [[Edain]] (especially the [[House of Bëor]])
| side2=[[Orcs|Orc]] armies, [[Glaurung]], [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]]
| commanders1=
{{Fingolfin blazon|died}}
{{Maedhros blazon}}
{{Finrod blazon}}
* [[Angrod]] †
* [[Aegnor]] †
* [[Bregolas]] †
* [[Barahir son of Bregor|Barahir]]
* [[Hador Lórindol]] †
| commanders2=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]]
* [[Glaurung]]
| forces1=Forces besieging Angband, garrisons of several strongholds including [[Himring]], [[Barad Eithel]], [[Nargothrond]] and [[Tol Sirion]], Men of the House of Bëor and [[Dor-lómin]]
| forces2=[[Balrogs]], 800,000 [[Orcs]],[[Trolls]], other creatures
| casual1=Heavy for both Elves and Men, including the virtual destruction of the House of Bëor
| casual2=Unknown, but probably heavy
|}}{{Pronounce|Dagor Bragollach.mp3|Ardamir}}
The '''Dagor Bragollach''' ([[Sindarin]] for '''"Battle of Sudden Flame"''') was the fourth battle of the Wars of [[Beleriand]].

== The Battle Opens ==

It began when [[Morgoth]] broke the [[Siege of Angband]], which had held for four hundred years. On a winter's night, Morgoth sent out rivers of flame, consuming [[Ard-galen]], which was renamed [[Anfauglith]]. Many elves perished as they fled from these flames, from the fire and the smoke. His armies of [[Balrogs]] and [[Orcs]], led by [[Glaurung]] first of the [[Urulóki]], overran the highlands of [[Dorthonion]], and slew [[Angrod]] and [[Aegnor]]. [[Maglor]]'s horsemen were burnt alive on the plain of [[Lothlann]], and [[Maglor's Gap]] was taken, giving Morgoth an entry into Beleriand itself. Maglor retreated with heavy losses to [[Himring]], where he helped defend the city of [[Maedhros]].

== East Beleriand Overrun ==

The [[Pass of Aglon]] was also breached, and [[Celegorm]] and [[Curufin]] fled south of [[Doriath]] to [[Nargothrond]]. Morgoth's Orcs took the mountain forests of [[Mount Rerir]], and defiled [[Helevorn|Lake Helevorn]], scattering south through [[Thargelion]] into [[East Beleriand]]. [[Caranthir]] fled to [[Amon Ereb]], where he and [[Amrod]] built defenses. From there they slowly freed East Beleriand of the Orcs, while Maglor and Maedhros held the northern border.

[[Minas Tirith in Beleriand|Minas Tirith]] in the [[Pass of Sirion]] in the West under [[Orodreth of Nargothrond|Orodreth]] held, and Orodreth's brother and Lord [[Finrod Felagund]] came north from [[Nargothrond]] with a large army. However, they were ambushed by a large army of Morgoth's forces at the Fen of Serech. The Noldor now found themselves trapped, and Finrod would have been killed but for a sortie by [[Barahir son of Bregor|Barahir]], who descended from [[Dorthonion]] and rescued the [[Elves|Elven]] lord. It was this deed which later earned Barahir the ring of Finrod which would become known as the [[Ring of Barahir]].

Finrod and his folk fled south to Nargothrond, while Barahir continued defending Dorthonion. The mountain forts of the [[Ered Wethrin]] around [[Hithlum]] also held, although barely.

== The Battle Ends: Fingolfin's Duel ==
[[Image:Ted_Nasmith_-_Fingolfin's_Wrath.jpg|thumb|''Fingolfin's Wrath'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Thus the Siege was broken, the [[Sons of Fëanor]] scattered, and the forces of Morgoth roamed at will throughout the north.

When [[Fingolfin]], the High King of the Noldor, learned of the losses of so many Noldor, he rode in anger across the dust of Anfauglith and challenged Morgoth to single combat. At the doors of [[Angband]] itself, they fought a great duel. Fingolfin's sword, [[Ringil]], wounded Morgoth seven times. Yet, he was felled by Morgoth's hammer, Grond, and slain by Morgoth's mighty foot.

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Dagor Bragollach|Images of Dagor Bragollach]]

{{warsofbeleriand}}

[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[de:Dagor Bragollach]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:1a:guerres:dagor_bragollach]]
[[fi:Dagor Bragollach]]

Morgoth

2009-10-22T23:40:48Z

74.13.83.146: /* The War of Wrath */

{{evil infobox
| image=[[Image:Angel Falto - Morgoth.jpg|250px]]
| name=Morgoth
| othernames=See [[Morgoth#Names|names]]
| created=Before the [[Music of the Ainur]]
| years=c. [[Years of the Lamps 1|Y.L. 1]]-[[Years of the Lamps 1500|Y.L. 1500]], c. [[Years of the Lamps 3400|Y.L. 3400]]-[[Years of the Trees 1100|Y.T. 1100]], c. [[Years of the Trees 1500|Y.T. 1500]]-[[First Age 590|F.A. 590]]
| age=
| destroyed=Thrust into the [[Void]] [[First Age 590|F.A. 590]]
| realm=[[Utumno]], [[Angband]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Ainur]]
| appearance=As [[Dark Lord]], assumed tall, dark, terrible form
| accomplishments=Disrupted the [[Music of the Ainur|Music]], [[Arda Marred|corrupted]] [[Arda]], created [[Orcs]], destroyed the [[Two Trees]], stole the [[Silmarils]], took over [[Beleriand]], destroyed the [[Two Lamps]]
|}}
'''Morgoth''', also known as '''[[Melkor]]''', was the greatest of the [[Ainur]]. He fell from glory when he disrupted the [[Music of the Ainur]] and defied the will of [[Eru Ilúvatar]]. Morgoth corrupted many of the Ainur to his allegiance, fought the [[Valar]], and corrupted [[Arda]]. His theft of the [[Silmarils]] and [[Wars of Beleriand|wars]] against [[Elves]] and [[Men]] encompassed much of the history of the [[First Age]]. Eventually, Morgoth was bound in chains by the Valar and thrown into the [[Void]], leaving the permanent damage his evils had done, and his servant [[Sauron]], to trouble the world. One day, according to [[Final Battle|prophecy]], Morgoth will rise again and be destroyed in the [[Dagor Dagorath]] by [[Túrin Turambar]].

==History==
The first and most powerful of the [[Ainur]] that [[Ilúvatar]] created was a spirit known as Melkor. Because he wandered through the [[Void]] in an attempt to find and use the [[Flame Imperishable]], the source of [[Ilúvatar]]'s creative activity, Melkor developed ideas unlike those of the other Ainur. His feelings grew rebellious against his creator, for he wished to create sentient beings to inhabit the Void and was dissatisfied by the fact that Ilúvatar had not done so. However, Melkor could not find the Flame, for it was not in the Void, but with Ilúvatar.

===The Music of the Ainur===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Melkor Weaves Opposing Music.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Melkor weaves Opposing Music'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
When the Ainur [[Music of the Ainur|made music]], Melkor weaved his strange thoughts into his song. His song clashed against the Theme of Ilúvatar, disturbing the Ainur around him and causing some of them to attune their music to his. For a while the Theme of Ilúvatar and the discords of Melkor warred against one another. But Eru smiled, and sent forth a new theme. Most of the Ainur joined with it, but Melkor rebelliously opposed it even more violently. At last many of the Ainur stopped singing in dismay, and Melkor’s discords gained dominance. Eru sent out a third Theme against Melkor, sweeter and more beautiful than the others, and unquenchable. But though Melkor could not defeat it, still he opposed it. At last Eru halted the music completely with a single chord.

Eru then publicly rebuked Melkor, saying that all music found its source in himself, and thus Melkor could not create his own song or truly alter the Themes of Ilúvatar. Thus, though Melkor opposed Eru to his last breath, he only furthered the cause of Ilúvatar in new and wondrous ways. Melkor was shamed and angered by this judgment, but hid his feelings. When Eru showed the Ainur the product of their music, [[Eä]], Melkor was one of those who begged to enter [[Arda]], pretending to be willing to cultivate it and guide it for Ilúvatar’s glory. He actually wished to dominate Arda and its creatures, especially the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]. Nonetheless, he was allowed to enter Eä and come to Arda with the other [[Valar]]. Once there, Melkor declared to his colleagues that he was the master of Arda henceforth. [[Manwë]], his brother, did not understand his evil, but fearing that Melkor might try and disrupt their labors in Arda, called forth many more Ainur to protect them. Melkor departed to the remote regions of Eä, leaving the world in peace for a while.

===Wars of the Valar===
But Melkor took form, great and terrible, and attacked the Valar’s work in preparing the Earth. There was war, and though Melkor disrupted their work and destroyed much, a great spirit named [[Tulkas]] came to Arda from other regions of Eä to combat him. After Tulkas drove Melkor away, the Valar managed to complete Arda, and the world was established.

The Valar dwelt in a land called [[Almaren]], and raised up [[two lamps]] to light the young earth: [[Illuin]] and [[Ormal]]. Melkor, meanwhile, had attracted the attention and even in a few cases admiration from the [[Maiar]], the lesser spirits of [[Arda]]. Melkor had many spies among them, and from them learned all that the Valar did, and bided his time. As the Valar sat down to a feast at the completion of their labors, Melkor gathered together those loyal to him, and looking down on the beautiful Arda was filled with hatred. Tulkas was wedded to [[Nessa]] at that feast, and she danced before the Valar. Tulkas fell asleep, and that is when Melkor struck.

Melkor with his host passed over the [[Walls of Night]] and returned to Arda once more. Without the watchfulness of Tulkas, the Valar were unaware of his coming, and he began to delve in the depths of the earth, making a fortress called [[Utumno]] beneath the mountains in the dimness of Illuin. The [[Spring of Arda]] became blighted as evil flowed out of the fortress. Death and illness took the green things of Arda, and animals fought and killed one another, while flies brooded in massive numbers. The Valar knew then that Melkor was at work, and sought his hiding place.

But Melkor struck the first blow. He destroyed the Two Lamps, and caused the world to be filled with flowing fire and surging water. The symmetry of Arda was broken. And in the darkness and confusion Melkor escaped, returning to Utumno. Though together the Valar were stronger than Melkor, they could not punish him at that time, for they needed their strength to keep the world from collapsing into ruin. The Spring of Arda had ended in turmoil.

===Dominance of Middle-earth===
With Almaren destroyed, the Valar departed to a new continent across the [[Belegaer|sea]], [[Aman]], and built [[Valinor]]. They also established new sources of light, the [[Two Trees]], to light the world. Melkor, meanwhile, wandered across the face of [[Middle-earth]], in various guises, but armed with cold and fire. Some of the Valar were unwilling to forsake Middle-earth, however; [[Ulmo]] and [[Yavanna]], particularly. Also [[Oromë]] would ride in Middle-earth, killing the terrors of Melkor, who began to fear that the Valar might rise up against him in wrath.

Melkor brooded in the north, breeding great monsters, attended by his Maiar-servants later known as [[Balrogs]]. He also created another fortress and armory called [[Angband]], in the northwest of Middle Earth, to resist any Valarin attacks. He placed his greatest servant, [[Sauron]], in control of that stronghold. Melkor, by wandering about, also learned of the awakening of the first of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]], the [[Elves]]. He instilled fear in them, and slew or captured many of them. Some of those he captured, it is believed, may have been transformed into [[Orcs]] by torture and breeding.

===Time in Valinor===
The Valar were not long, however, in discovering the Elves. Fearing that they would be destroyed or corrupted by Melkor, Manwë decided that Ilúvatar wished them to recover Middle-earth at all costs. They laid [[Siege of Utumno|siege to Utumno]], and eventually destroyed it after a great battle during which the face of Middle-earth was transformed. Melkor was captured and chained with the chain [[Angainor]], but Sauron escaped. Melkor was imprisoned in the halls of [[Mandos]], and remained there for three ages, plotting revenge.

At the end of his time, Melkor was presented to his brother Manwë. Melkor, swallowing his pride with thoughts of vengeance, prostrated himself before the throne of Manwë, begging for pardon. Manwë granted him thus, though [[Ulmo]] and [[Tulkas]] were displeased with this judgement. Yet the Valar would not let him leave their sight, and he stayed in [[Valmar]]. Before long, he began to exert his corrupting influence on the Elves, especially the [[Noldor]]. For the [[Vanyar]] did not trust him, and the [[Teleri]] he thought too weak for his designs, but the Noldor were curious, and eager to learn what he could teach them.

===Revenge against the Valar===
[[Image:John Howe - Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees'' by [[John Howe]]]]
In time Melkor found his greatest adversary and yet greatest tool in the form of [[Fëanor]], the eldest son of [[Finwë]], [[High King of the Noldor]]. Fëanor was the creator of the [[Silmarils]], which Melkor lusted after. As Melkor subtly spread lies and half-truths about the Valar and the Coming of [[Men]] in the form of rumors, Fëanor was greatly influenced, though he hated Melkor himself and had no idea that he was their source. His new ideas of wide lands and realms to rule touched the heart of Fëanor, and the hearts of many other Noldor. They began to murmur against the Valar, and the peace of Valinor was disturbed. Fëanor soon stirred up trouble, and while on trial before the Valar it was revealed that Melkor was at the bottom of the murmurings and troubles. Tulkas left straightaway to deal with him, but found Melkor gone. He had escaped.

Melkor was not seen for a while, but then appeared at [[Formenos]] to Fëanor, tempting him with words of friendship, and an offer of vengeance against the Valar whom Fëanor perceived had wronged him. Fëanor wavered, but Melkor pressed his advantage too much. He touched a chord about the Silmarils, and Fëanor, seeing his designs and lust for the jewels, cursed and rejected him. Melkor departed in anger, and went south past the mountain of [[Hyarmentir]], to the shadowed valley of [[Avathar]] where there dwelt [[Ungoliant]], a mysterious dark spirit in spider-form once his servant, but who had disowned him after his failure. After some time he convinced her to dismiss her fears with the offer of rich rewards, and she wove a cloak of shadow about them both.

Then Melkor and Ungoliant attacked while there was festival in [[Valmar]]. Melkor drained the [[Two Trees]] with his lance, and Ungoliant drank the blood. Then she drank dry the [[Wells of Varda]], and the two fled north to [[Formenos]], leaving the land once more in darkness and confusion. At Formenos Melkor slew [[Finwë]] and ravished the treasury of Fëanor, including the [[Silmarils]]. Then he passed over the icy [[Helcaraxë]], entering once more into [[Middle-earth]]. He was soon back in [[Angband]]. He had struck swiftly and surely. But Fëanor cursed him, naming him [[Morgoth]], and by that name he was known ever after to the Eldar.

===Return to Beleriand===
Once in safety, Ungoliant turned on her partner, demanding the jewels of Fëanor. The spider had grown in size and strength, and Morgoth feared her suddenly. He reluctantly parted with each of the beautiful gems, and Ungoliant devoured them. But Morgoth refused to give up the Silmarils, though she tortured him. His screams went out to [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]] and the [[balrogs]], and they rescued him from her clutches, driving Ungoliant away with their whips. So Morgoth returned to Angband.

===Wars of Beleriand===
Morgoth rebuilt the fortress there, and learned of the Elves who had remained in Middle-earth. [[Elu Thingol]] and the [[Sindar]] dwelt in the woodland kingdom of [[Doriath]], while [[Círdan]] and the [[Teleri]] lived at the [[Falas]] and [[Denethor of the Nandor|Denethor]] and the [[Nandor]] camped in [[Ossiriand]]. Morgoth made war on Thingol, surrounding Doriath and cutting Thingol off from Círdan. But Thingol was able to contact Denethor for help, and the Nandor joined with the Sindar to fight the [[Orcs]] between [[Aros]] and [[Gelion]]. Caught between the two armies, the Orcs of Morgoth were utterly defeated in the [[First Battle]]. Fleeing north they were intercepted and further demolished by the [[Naugrim]]. The Orcs attacking Círdan were more successful – pushing the Teleri to the very edge of the sea.

====Dagor-nuin-Giliath====
Morgoth was confronted by further challenges when Fëanor landed in Middle-earth. They set up at [[Mithrim]], but Morgoth [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath|attacked them]] quickly, hoping to dislodge them before they settled in too much and became a threat. But the Elves were just come out of [[Aman]], and they had the light of that country in their eyes. The Orcs dreaded them, and were swept before them like chaff before wind. Fëanor pursued them even nigh to the [[Thangorodrim]] and the gates of [[Angband]], but Morgoth sent out Gothmog and his balrogs. Fëanor was killed, but the balrogs were driven back. The Falas were freed, and though Morgoth had practically lost [[Beleriand]] outside of the [[Ered Engrin]], he was comforted in the fact that Fëanor was dead.

====Dagor Aglareb====
Yet [[Fingolfin]] came next, with his sons and the sons of [[Finarfin]]. They marched even to the gates of Angband, and yet could not go farther. As the Elves began to build (or rebuild) their kingdoms in Middle-earth, Morgoth waited sixty years before he struck again. It was the [[Dagor Aglareb]], the “Glorious Battle”, called such because it was a great victory for the Elves. Fingolfin and [[Maedhros]], eldest son of Fëanor, combined their strength and repelled Morgoth. They then set up the [[Siege of Angband]], which was designed to keep Morgoth holed up in his fortress.

====Dagor Bragollach and Fingolfin====
[[Image:John Howe - Morgoth vs. Fingolfin.png|thumb|right|300px|''Morgoth vs. Fingolfin'' by [[John Howe]]]]Though Morgoth was not as helpless as he appeared, he remained dormant and hidden until [[First Age 455|455]]. Then he surged forth suddenly, taking the slackened besiegers by surprise. Flames covered the formerly green [[Ard-galen]] (causing the battle to be known as the [[Dagor Bragollach]]), and several Noldor-lords fell in the succeeding combat. Much of Beleriand was overrun and [[Dorthonion]] was taken, as were northern [[Sirion]] and [[Maglor's Gap]]. In a single stroke Morgoth had broken the Siege of Angband, but the victory was not as complete as he would have preferred. [[Himring]] and [[Hithlum]] had held against him. King [[Fingolfin]] was dismayed and enraged by the defeat, and went to Angband. There he challenged Morgoth to single combat. Morgoth dared not refuse, for fear of showing himself a coward in front of his servants. With [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Grond]], the Hammer of the Underworld, he fought Fingolfin long. The Elf-lord gave him seven wounds, but at last was struck down. As Morgoth placed his foot on Fingolfin to crush him, Fingolfin struck one last time, and Morgoth’s blood filled the pools made by his hammer. Morgoth could not desecrate the body, for [[Thorondor]] flew into his face and escaped with the body.

====The Quest for the Silmaril====
For some time after that the world lay in watchful discomfort. The southern part of [[Beleriand]] was, for the most part, free from Morgoth’s direct wrath. There arose two in [[Doriath]], [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] of [[House of Bëor|Bëor’s House]] and [[Lúthien Tinúviel]], Thingol’s daughter. These two lovers embarked on the [[Quest for the Silmaril]], in the process removing [[Sauron]] from [[Tol-in-Gaurhoth]] and entering Angband in disguise. Morgoth lusted after Lúthien when she stood exposed in his presence, but she danced for him and lured him to sleep with her magic robes. One of the Silmarils was stolen from his crown, and Morgoth bore only two until the [[War of Wrath]].

====Nirnaeth Arnoediad====
Some time after, in [[First Age 471|471]], [[Maedhros]] made a great [[Union of Maedhros|alliance]] with the [[Naugrim]], [[Edain]], and other [[Noldor]]. They marched to challenge Morgoth, clearing Beleriand of his scattered forces. But Morgoth through his spies anticipated their actions, and met them with his allies the [[Easterlings]] in a huge battle in which he prevailed, and many princes and rulers of Men, Elves, and Dwarves fell. Thus the battle was named ''[[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]'', “Battle of Unnumbered Tears”. Morgoth’s victory was almost complete, as he razed [[Hithlum]], the [[Falas]], the [[March of Maedhros]], as well as [[Nargothrond]] in [[First Age 495|495]]. But [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]], King of [[Gondolin]], escaped by the valiant actions of the [[House of Hador]], the last of the [[Edain]] in the north. The survivors had all gone down to the [[Isle of Balar]] and the [[Mouths of the Sirion]].

===The Curse of Morgoth===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Morgoth Punishes Húrin.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Morgoth Punishes [[Húrin]]'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Morgoth took [[Húrin]], who had been captured during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and set him in the high places of Thangorodrim, to watch his family, whom Morgoth cursed. Upon the death of [[Túrin Turambar]] and [[Nienor]], Húrin’s children, Morgoth released Húrin to further his cause.

===The Fall of Gondolin===
Some time later, by the aid of [[Maeglin]], a traitor-elf, Morgoth discovered and laid siege to [[Gondolin]]. [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]] King, the last male heir of Fingolfin’s house, was killed during the siege. Morgoth’s victory in the north was now complete, though he had lost [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]] his captain and many other leaders in the battle. Also, a small remnant including [[Tuor]] and [[Idril]] escaped the destruction of the city, bearing their son [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]].

===The War of Wrath===
This was to be Morgoth’s doom, for some years later, Eärendil sailed to [[Valinor]] seeking the pardon of the [[Valar]]. This he earned, and the Valar advanced across [[Belegaer]] with a mighty host. Morgoth loosed all his demons and defenses against them, but could not stop their might. His dragons fell to the [[Eagles]], and [[Ancalagon]] was brought down by Eärendil himself from his ship, [[Vingilot]]. Morgoth was seized in his fortress Angband, the Silmarils were removed from his crown, and he was bound once more. This time, however, he was ejected from Arda and cast into the [[Void]]. But though he had been vanquished, Arda was forever marred, and there was one still at large to carry on his evil legacy, if to a far lesser degree: his greatest servant, the fallen Maia [[Sauron]].

==The Future==
Morgoth remains in the Void, unable to return to Arda as long as the Valar maintain their power over it. Nevertheless, according to the [[Second Prophecy of Mandos]], Morgoth will come back and attack Arda. He will fight a great battle, called the [[Dagor Dagorath]], against the Valar and their allies, but will ultimately be slain by [[Túrin Turambar]], the Man he cursed. By finally defeating Morgoth, Túrin will avenge not only himself, but all members of the race of Men, since Morgoth seduced them long ago.

==Legacy==
Morgoth's will was suffused into the matter of Arda, so in a sense he is never truly gone. Arda was [[Arda Marred|marred]] by him so deeply that only Eru could fully repair the damage. Those who wished to follow in Morgoth's footsteps, such as Sauron, found that by using his residual influence, they could easily corrupt races they wished to dominate.

==Characteristics==
[[Image:James Stirzaker - Melkor and the Silmarils.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Melkor and the Silmarils'' by [[James Stirzaker]]]]Morgoth had taken a form great and terrible, and was eventually unable to leave it. Traditionally he was covered head to foot in armor, though this is not specifically stated by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]. He received many scars and wounds over the ages: his hands were burned forever when he touched the Silmarils, Fingolfin wounded him seven times during their battle as well as a wound the foot that caused him ever after to limp, Thorondor scarred his face with his talons.

Morgoth wielded [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Grond]] in battle, a weapon he presumably forged himself in [[Angband]] (unless Sauron or Gothmog had held it safe after the [[Siege of Utumno]]). He also had great mental and physical power, at least in the earlier days, greater than any of the other [[Valar]].

==Names==
* ''Morgoth'' (''[[Bauglir]]'') – [[Q.]] “The Dark Enemy” (“The Constrainer”), given him by [[Fëanor]]
* ''Melkor'' – [[Q.]] “He who arises in might”
* ''Dark King (of Angband)'' – given him by [[Men]]
* ''[[Dark Lord]]''
* ''[[Belegur]]([[Belegurth|th]])'' – [[S.]] “Great Death”
* ''Lord of the Dark''
* ''Dark Hunter'' – Given him by the fearful early [[Elves]] before they met [[Oromë]]
* ''[[mbelekôro]]'' – [[C.E.]] Unknown meaning
* ''Great Enemy''
* ''Black Foe''
* ''Master of the fates of Arda'' - used by him when speaking to [[Húrin]]
* ''[[Elder King]]'' - used when speaking to [[Húrin]]
* ''Melko, Belcha, Melegor, Meleko'' – Earlier names Tolkien used but abandoned

==Minions==
* [[Sauron]] – Greatest of his servants, later to become [[Lord of the Rings]], perished with the [[One Ring]]
* [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]], [[Lord of Balrogs]] – killed by [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]] during the [[Fall of Gondolin]]
* [[Glaurung]] – [[Father of Dragons]], killed by [[Túrin Turambar|Túrin]]
* [[Ancalagon]] – Greatest of the [[Winged Dragons]], slain by [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
* [[Othrond]] – (noncanon) [[Orc]]-general during the Fall of Gondolin, killed by [[Tuor]]
* [[Lungorthin]] - (noncanon) A Balrog, Master of the Guard of Angband

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Morgoth|Images of Morgoth]]

[[Category:Valar]]
[[de:Morgoth]]

Morgoth

2009-10-10T01:27:18Z

74.13.83.146:

{{evil infobox
| image=[[Image:Angel Falto - Morgoth.jpg|250px]]
| name=Morgoth
| othernames=See [[Morgoth#Names|names]]
| created=Before the [[Music of the Ainur]]
| years=c. [[Years of the Lamps 1|Y.L. 1]]-[[Years of the Lamps 1500|Y.L. 1500]], c. [[Years of the Lamps 3400|Y.L. 3400]]-[[Years of the Trees 1100|Y.T. 1100]], c. [[Years of the Trees 1500|Y.T. 1500]]-[[First Age 590|F.A. 590]]
| age=
| destroyed=Thrust into the [[Void]] [[First Age 590|F.A. 590]]
| realm=[[Utumno]], [[Angband]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Ainur]]
| appearance=As [[Dark Lord]], assumed tall, dark, terrible form
| accomplishments=Disrupted the [[Music of the Ainur|Music]], [[Arda Marred|corrupted]] [[Arda]], created [[Orcs]], destroyed the [[Two Trees]], stole the [[Silmarils]], took over [[Beleriand]], destroyed the [[Two Lamps]]
|}}
'''Morgoth''', also known as '''[[Melkor]]''', was the greatest of the [[Ainur]]. He fell from glory when he disrupted the [[Music of the Ainur]] and defied the will of [[Eru Ilúvatar]]. Morgoth corrupted many of the Ainur to his allegiance, fought the [[Valar]], and corrupted [[Arda]]. His theft of the [[Silmarils]] and [[Wars of Beleriand|wars]] against [[Elves]] and [[Men]] encompassed much of the history of the [[First Age]]. Eventually, Morgoth was bound in chains by the Valar and thrown into the [[Void]], leaving the permanent damage his evils had done, and his servant [[Sauron]], to trouble the world. One day, according to [[Final Battle|prophecy]], Morgoth will rise again and be destroyed in the [[Dagor Dagorath]] by [[Túrin Turambar]].

==History==
The first and most powerful of the [[Ainur]] that [[Ilúvatar]] created was a spirit known as Melkor. Because he wandered through the [[Void]] in an attempt to find and use the [[Flame Imperishable]], the source of [[Ilúvatar]]'s creative activity, Melkor developed ideas unlike those of the other Ainur. His feelings grew rebellious against his creator, for he wished to create sentient beings to inhabit the Void and was dissatisfied by the fact that Ilúvatar had not done so. However, Melkor could not find the Flame, for it was not in the Void, but with Ilúvatar.

===The Music of the Ainur===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Melkor Weaves Opposing Music.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Melkor weaves Opposing Music'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
When the Ainur [[Music of the Ainur|made music]], Melkor weaved his strange thoughts into his song. His song clashed against the Theme of Ilúvatar, disturbing the Ainur around him and causing some of them to attune their music to his. For a while the Theme of Ilúvatar and the discords of Melkor warred against one another. But Eru smiled, and sent forth a new theme. Most of the Ainur joined with it, but Melkor rebelliously opposed it even more violently. At last many of the Ainur stopped singing in dismay, and Melkor’s discords gained dominance. Eru sent out a third Theme against Melkor, sweeter and more beautiful than the others, and unquenchable. But though Melkor could not defeat it, still he opposed it. At last Eru halted the music completely with a single chord.

Eru then publicly rebuked Melkor, saying that all music found its source in himself, and thus Melkor could not create his own song or truly alter the Themes of Ilúvatar. Thus, though Melkor opposed Eru to his last breath, he only furthered the cause of Ilúvatar in new and wondrous ways. Melkor was shamed and angered by this judgment, but hid his feelings. When Eru showed the Ainur the product of their music, [[Eä]], Melkor was one of those who begged to enter [[Arda]], pretending to be willing to cultivate it and guide it for Ilúvatar’s glory. He actually wished to dominate Arda and its creatures, especially the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]. Nonetheless, he was allowed to enter Eä and come to Arda with the other [[Valar]]. Once there, Melkor declared to his colleagues that he was the master of Arda henceforth. [[Manwë]], his brother, did not understand his evil, but fearing that Melkor might try and disrupt their labors in Arda, called forth many more Ainur to protect them. Melkor departed to the remote regions of Eä, leaving the world in peace for a while.

===Wars of the Valar===
But Melkor took form, great and terrible, and attacked the Valar’s work in preparing the Earth. There was war, and though Melkor disrupted their work and destroyed much, a great spirit named [[Tulkas]] came to Arda from other regions of Eä to combat him. After Tulkas drove Melkor away, the Valar managed to complete Arda, and the world was established.

The Valar dwelt in a land called [[Almaren]], and raised up [[two lamps]] to light the young earth: [[Illuin]] and [[Ormal]]. Melkor, meanwhile, had attracted the attention and even in a few cases admiration from the [[Maiar]], the lesser spirits of [[Arda]]. Melkor had many spies among them, and from them learned all that the Valar did, and bided his time. As the Valar sat down to a feast at the completion of their labors, Melkor gathered together those loyal to him, and looking down on the beautiful Arda was filled with hatred. Tulkas was wedded to [[Nessa]] at that feast, and she danced before the Valar. Tulkas fell asleep, and that is when Melkor struck.

Melkor with his host passed over the [[Walls of Night]] and returned to Arda once more. Without the watchfulness of Tulkas, the Valar were unaware of his coming, and he began to delve in the depths of the earth, making a fortress called [[Utumno]] beneath the mountains in the dimness of Illuin. The [[Spring of Arda]] became blighted as evil flowed out of the fortress. Death and illness took the green things of Arda, and animals fought and killed one another, while flies brooded in massive numbers. The Valar knew then that Melkor was at work, and sought his hiding place.

But Melkor struck the first blow. He destroyed the Two Lamps, and caused the world to be filled with flowing fire and surging water. The symmetry of Arda was broken. And in the darkness and confusion Melkor escaped, returning to Utumno. Though together the Valar were stronger than Melkor, they could not punish him at that time, for they needed their strength to keep the world from collapsing into ruin. The Spring of Arda had ended in turmoil.

===Dominance of Middle-earth===
With Almaren destroyed, the Valar departed to a new continent across the [[Belegaer|sea]], [[Aman]], and built [[Valinor]]. They also established new sources of light, the [[Two Trees]], to light the world. Melkor, meanwhile, wandered across the face of [[Middle-earth]], in various guises, but armed with cold and fire. Some of the Valar were unwilling to forsake Middle-earth, however; [[Ulmo]] and [[Yavanna]], particularly. Also [[Oromë]] would ride in Middle-earth, killing the terrors of Melkor, who began to fear that the Valar might rise up against him in wrath.

Melkor brooded in the north, breeding great monsters, attended by his Maiar-servants later known as [[Balrogs]]. He also created another fortress and armory called [[Angband]], in the northwest of Middle Earth, to resist any Valarin attacks. He placed his greatest servant, [[Sauron]], in control of that stronghold. Melkor, by wandering about, also learned of the awakening of the first of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]], the [[Elves]]. He instilled fear in them, and slew or captured many of them. Some of those he captured, it is believed, may have been transformed into [[Orcs]] by torture and breeding.

===Time in Valinor===
The Valar were not long, however, in discovering the Elves. Fearing that they would be destroyed or corrupted by Melkor, Manwë decided that Ilúvatar wished them to recover Middle-earth at all costs. They laid [[Siege of Utumno|siege to Utumno]], and eventually destroyed it after a great battle during which the face of Middle-earth was transformed. Melkor was captured and chained with the chain [[Angainor]], but Sauron escaped. Melkor was imprisoned in the halls of [[Mandos]], and remained there for three ages, plotting revenge.

At the end of his time, Melkor was presented to his brother Manwë. Melkor, swallowing his pride with thoughts of vengeance, prostrated himself before the throne of Manwë, begging for pardon. Manwë granted him thus, though [[Ulmo]] and [[Tulkas]] were displeased with this judgement. Yet the Valar would not let him leave their sight, and he stayed in [[Valmar]]. Before long, he began to exert his corrupting influence on the Elves, especially the [[Noldor]]. For the [[Vanyar]] did not trust him, and the [[Teleri]] he thought too weak for his designs, but the Noldor were curious, and eager to learn what he could teach them.

===Revenge against the Valar===
[[Image:John Howe - Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees'' by [[John Howe]]]]
In time Melkor found his greatest adversary and yet greatest tool in the form of [[Fëanor]], the eldest son of [[Finwë]], [[High King of the Noldor]]. Fëanor was the creator of the [[Silmarils]], which Melkor lusted after. As Melkor subtly spread lies and half-truths about the Valar and the Coming of [[Men]] in the form of rumors, Fëanor was greatly influenced, though he hated Melkor himself and had no idea that he was their source. His new ideas of wide lands and realms to rule touched the heart of Fëanor, and the hearts of many other Noldor. They began to murmur against the Valar, and the peace of Valinor was disturbed. Fëanor soon stirred up trouble, and while on trial before the Valar it was revealed that Melkor was at the bottom of the murmurings and troubles. Tulkas left straightaway to deal with him, but found Melkor gone. He had escaped.

Melkor was not seen for a while, but then appeared at [[Formenos]] to Fëanor, tempting him with words of friendship, and an offer of vengeance against the Valar whom Fëanor perceived had wronged him. Fëanor wavered, but Melkor pressed his advantage too much. He touched a chord about the Silmarils, and Fëanor, seeing his designs and lust for the jewels, cursed and rejected him. Melkor departed in anger, and went south past the mountain of [[Hyarmentir]], to the shadowed valley of [[Avathar]] where there dwelt [[Ungoliant]], a mysterious dark spirit in spider-form once his servant, but who had disowned him after his failure. After some time he convinced her to dismiss her fears with the offer of rich rewards, and she wove a cloak of shadow about them both.

Then Melkor and Ungoliant attacked while there was festival in [[Valmar]]. Melkor drained the [[Two Trees]] with his lance, and Ungoliant drank the blood. Then she drank dry the [[Wells of Varda]], and the two fled north to [[Formenos]], leaving the land once more in darkness and confusion. At Formenos Melkor slew [[Finwë]] and ravished the treasury of Fëanor, including the [[Silmarils]]. Then he passed over the icy [[Helcaraxë]], entering once more into [[Middle-earth]]. He was soon back in [[Angband]]. He had struck swiftly and surely. But Fëanor cursed him, naming him [[Morgoth]], and by that name he was known ever after to the Eldar.

===Return to Beleriand===
Once in safety, Ungoliant turned on her partner, demanding the jewels of Fëanor. The spider had grown in size and strength, and Morgoth feared her suddenly. He reluctantly parted with each of the beautiful gems, and Ungoliant devoured them. But Morgoth refused to give up the Silmarils, though she tortured him. His screams went out to [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]] and the [[balrogs]], and they rescued him from her clutches, driving Ungoliant away with their whips. So Morgoth returned to Angband.

===Wars of Beleriand===
Morgoth rebuilt the fortress there, and learned of the Elves who had remained in Middle-earth. [[Elu Thingol]] and the [[Sindar]] dwelt in the woodland kingdom of [[Doriath]], while [[Círdan]] and the [[Teleri]] lived at the [[Falas]] and [[Denethor of the Nandor|Denethor]] and the [[Nandor]] camped in [[Ossiriand]]. Morgoth made war on Thingol, surrounding Doriath and cutting Thingol off from Círdan. But Thingol was able to contact Denethor for help, and the Nandor joined with the Sindar to fight the [[Orcs]] between [[Aros]] and [[Gelion]]. Caught between the two armies, the Orcs of Morgoth were utterly defeated in the [[First Battle]]. Fleeing north they were intercepted and further demolished by the [[Naugrim]]. The Orcs attacking Círdan were more successful – pushing the Teleri to the very edge of the sea.

====Dagor-nuin-Giliath====
Morgoth was confronted by further challenges when Fëanor landed in Middle-earth. They set up at [[Mithrim]], but Morgoth [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath|attacked them]] quickly, hoping to dislodge them before they settled in too much and became a threat. But the Elves were just come out of [[Aman]], and they had the light of that country in their eyes. The Orcs dreaded them, and were swept before them like chaff before wind. Fëanor pursued them even nigh to the [[Thangorodrim]] and the gates of [[Angband]], but Morgoth sent out Gothmog and his balrogs. Fëanor was killed, but the balrogs were driven back. The Falas were freed, and though Morgoth had practically lost [[Beleriand]] outside of the [[Ered Engrin]], he was comforted in the fact that Fëanor was dead.

====Dagor Aglareb====
Yet [[Fingolfin]] came next, with his sons and the sons of [[Finarfin]]. They marched even to the gates of Angband, and yet could not go farther. As the Elves began to build (or rebuild) their kingdoms in Middle-earth, Morgoth waited sixty years before he struck again. It was the [[Dagor Aglareb]], the “Glorious Battle”, called such because it was a great victory for the Elves. Fingolfin and [[Maedhros]], eldest son of Fëanor, combined their strength and repelled Morgoth. They then set up the [[Siege of Angband]], which was designed to keep Morgoth holed up in his fortress.

====Dagor Bragollach and Fingolfin====
[[Image:John Howe - Morgoth vs. Fingolfin.png|thumb|right|300px|''Morgoth vs. Fingolfin'' by [[John Howe]]]]Though Morgoth was not as helpless as he appeared, he remained dormant and hidden until [[First Age 455|455]]. Then he surged forth suddenly, taking the slackened besiegers by surprise. Flames covered the formerly green [[Ard-galen]] (causing the battle to be known as the [[Dagor Bragollach]]), and several Noldor-lords fell in the succeeding combat. Much of Beleriand was overrun and [[Dorthonion]] was taken, as were northern [[Sirion]] and [[Maglor's Gap]]. In a single stroke Morgoth had broken the Siege of Angband, but the victory was not as complete as he would have preferred. [[Himring]] and [[Hithlum]] had held against him. King [[Fingolfin]] was dismayed and enraged by the defeat, and went to Angband. There he challenged Morgoth to single combat. Morgoth dared not refuse, for fear of showing himself a coward in front of his servants. With [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Grond]], the Hammer of the Underworld, he fought Fingolfin long. The Elf-lord gave him seven wounds, but at last was struck down. As Morgoth placed his foot on Fingolfin to crush him, Fingolfin struck one last time, and Morgoth’s blood filled the pools made by his hammer. Morgoth could not desecrate the body, for [[Thorondor]] flew into his face and escaped with the body.

====The Quest for the Silmaril====
For some time after that the world lay in watchful discomfort. The southern part of [[Beleriand]] was, for the most part, free from Morgoth’s direct wrath. There arose two in [[Doriath]], [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] of [[House of Bëor|Bëor’s House]] and [[Lúthien Tinúviel]], Thingol’s daughter. These two lovers embarked on the [[Quest for the Silmaril]], in the process removing [[Sauron]] from [[Tol-in-Gaurhoth]] and entering Angband in disguise. Morgoth lusted after Lúthien when she stood exposed in his presence, but she danced for him and lured him to sleep with her magic robes. One of the Silmarils was stolen from his crown, and Morgoth bore only two until the [[War of Wrath]].

====Nirnaeth Arnoediad====
Some time after, in [[First Age 471|471]], [[Maedhros]] made a great [[Union of Maedhros|alliance]] with the [[Naugrim]], [[Edain]], and other [[Noldor]]. They marched to challenge Morgoth, clearing Beleriand of his scattered forces. But Morgoth through his spies anticipated their actions, and met them with his allies the [[Easterlings]] in a huge battle in which he prevailed, and many princes and rulers of Men, Elves, and Dwarves fell. Thus the battle was named ''[[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]'', “Battle of Unnumbered Tears”. Morgoth’s victory was almost complete, as he razed [[Hithlum]], the [[Falas]], the [[March of Maedhros]], as well as [[Nargothrond]] in [[First Age 495|495]]. But [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]], King of [[Gondolin]], escaped by the valiant actions of the [[House of Hador]], the last of the [[Edain]] in the north. The survivors had all gone down to the [[Isle of Balar]] and the [[Mouths of the Sirion]].

===The Curse of Morgoth===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Morgoth Punishes Húrin.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Morgoth Punishes [[Húrin]]'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Morgoth took [[Húrin]], who had been captured during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and set him in the high places of Thangorodrim, to watch his family, whom Morgoth cursed. Upon the death of [[Túrin Turambar]] and [[Nienor]], Húrin’s children, Morgoth released Húrin to further his cause.

===The Fall of Gondolin===
Some time later, by the aid of [[Maeglin]], a traitor-elf, Morgoth discovered and laid siege to [[Gondolin]]. [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]] King, the last male heir of Fingolfin’s house, was killed during the siege. Morgoth’s victory in the north was now complete, though he had lost [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]] his captain and many other leaders in the battle. Also, a small remnant including [[Tuor]] and [[Idril]] escaped the destruction of the city, bearing their son [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]].

===The War of Wrath===
This was to be Morgoth’s doom, for some years later, Eärendil sailed to [[Valinor]] seeking the pardon of the [[Valar]]. This he earned, and the Valar advanced across [[Belegaer]] with a mighty host. Morgoth loosed all his demons and defenses against them, but could not stop their might. His dragons fell to the [[Eagles]], and [[Ancalagon]] was brought down by Eärendil himself from his ship, [[Vingilot]]. Morgoth was seized in his fortress Angband, the Silmarils were removed from his crown, and he was bound once more. This time, however, he was ejected from Arda and cast into the [[Void]]. But though he had been vanquished, Arda was forever marred, and there was one still at large to carry on his evil legacy, if to a lesser degree: his greatest servant, the fallen Maia [[Sauron]].

==The Future==
Morgoth remains in the Void, unable to return to Arda as long as the Valar maintain their power over it. Nevertheless, according to the [[Second Prophecy of Mandos]], Morgoth will come back and attack Arda. He will fight a great battle, called the [[Dagor Dagorath]], against the Valar and their allies, but will ultimately be slain by [[Túrin Turambar]], the Man he cursed. By finally defeating Morgoth, Túrin will avenge not only himself, but all members of the race of Men, since Morgoth seduced them long ago.

==Legacy==
Morgoth's will was suffused into the matter of Arda, so in a sense he is never truly gone. Arda was [[Arda Marred|marred]] by him so deeply that only Eru could fully repair the damage. Those who wished to follow in Morgoth's footsteps, such as Sauron, found that by using his residual influence, they could easily corrupt races they wished to dominate.

==Characteristics==
[[Image:James Stirzaker - Melkor and the Silmarils.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Melkor and the Silmarils'' by [[James Stirzaker]]]]Morgoth had taken a form great and terrible, and was eventually unable to leave it. Traditionally he was covered head to foot in armor, though this is not specifically stated by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]. He received many scars and wounds over the ages: his hands were burned forever when he touched the Silmarils, Fingolfin wounded him seven times during their battle as well as a wound the foot that caused him ever after to limp, Thorondor scarred his face with his talons.

Morgoth wielded [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Grond]] in battle, a weapon he presumably forged himself in [[Angband]] (unless Sauron or Gothmog had held it safe after the [[Siege of Utumno]]). He also had great mental and physical power, at least in the earlier days, greater than any of the other [[Valar]].

==Names==
* ''Morgoth'' (''[[Bauglir]]'') – [[Q.]] “The Dark Enemy” (“The Constrainer”), given him by [[Fëanor]]
* ''Melkor'' – [[Q.]] “He who arises in might”
* ''Dark King (of Angband)'' – given him by [[Men]]
* ''[[Dark Lord]]''
* ''[[Belegur]]([[Belegurth|th]])'' – [[S.]] “Great Death”
* ''Lord of the Dark''
* ''Dark Hunter'' – Given him by the fearful early [[Elves]] before they met [[Oromë]]
* ''[[mbelekôro]]'' – [[C.E.]] Unknown meaning
* ''Great Enemy''
* ''Black Foe''
* ''Master of the fates of Arda'' - used by him when speaking to [[Húrin]]
* ''[[Elder King]]'' - used when speaking to [[Húrin]]
* ''Melko, Belcha, Melegor, Meleko'' – Earlier names Tolkien used but abandoned

==Minions==
* [[Sauron]] – Greatest of his servants, later to become [[Lord of the Rings]], perished with the [[One Ring]]
* [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]], [[Lord of Balrogs]] – killed by [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]] during the [[Fall of Gondolin]]
* [[Glaurung]] – [[Father of Dragons]], killed by [[Túrin Turambar|Túrin]]
* [[Ancalagon]] – Greatest of the [[Winged Dragons]], slain by [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
* [[Othrond]] – (noncanon) [[Orc]]-general during the Fall of Gondolin, killed by [[Tuor]]
* [[Lungorthin]] - (noncanon) A Balrog, Master of the Guard of Angband

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Morgoth|Images of Morgoth]]

[[Category:Valar]]
[[de:Morgoth]]

Morgoth

2009-10-10T01:26:28Z

74.13.83.146:

{{evil infobox
| image=[[Image:Angel Falto - Morgoth.jpg|250px]]
| name=Morgoth
| othernames=See [[Morgoth#Names|names]]
| created=Before the [[Music of the Ainur]]
| years=c. [[Years of the Lamps 1|Y.L. 1]]-[[Years of the Lamps 1500|Y.L. 1500]], c. [[Years of the Lamps 3400|Y.L. 3400]]-[[Years of the Trees 1100|Y.T. 1100]], c. [[Years of the Trees 1500|Y.T. 1500]]-[[First Age 590|F.A. 590]]
| age=
| destroyed=Thrust into the [[Void]] [[First Age 590|F.A. 590]]
| realm=[[Utumno]], [[Angband]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Ainur]]
| appearance=As [[Dark Lord]], assumed tall, dark, terrible form
| accomplishments=Disrupted the [[Music of the Ainur|Music]], [[Arda Marred|corrupted]] [[Arda]], created [[Orcs]], destroyed the [[Two Trees]], stole the [[Silmarils]], took over [[Beleriand]], destroyed the [[Great Lamps]]
|}}
'''Morgoth''', also known as '''[[Melkor]]''', was the greatest of the [[Ainur]]. He fell from glory when he disrupted the [[Music of the Ainur]] and defied the will of [[Eru Ilúvatar]]. Morgoth corrupted many of the Ainur to his allegiance, fought the [[Valar]], and corrupted [[Arda]]. His theft of the [[Silmarils]] and [[Wars of Beleriand|wars]] against [[Elves]] and [[Men]] encompassed much of the history of the [[First Age]]. Eventually, Morgoth was bound in chains by the Valar and thrown into the [[Void]], leaving the permanent damage his evils had done, and his servant [[Sauron]], to trouble the world. One day, according to [[Final Battle|prophecy]], Morgoth will rise again and be destroyed in the [[Dagor Dagorath]] by [[Túrin Turambar]].

==History==
The first and most powerful of the [[Ainur]] that [[Ilúvatar]] created was a spirit known as Melkor. Because he wandered through the [[Void]] in an attempt to find and use the [[Flame Imperishable]], the source of [[Ilúvatar]]'s creative activity, Melkor developed ideas unlike those of the other Ainur. His feelings grew rebellious against his creator, for he wished to create sentient beings to inhabit the Void and was dissatisfied by the fact that Ilúvatar had not done so. However, Melkor could not find the Flame, for it was not in the Void, but with Ilúvatar.

===The Music of the Ainur===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Melkor Weaves Opposing Music.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Melkor weaves Opposing Music'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
When the Ainur [[Music of the Ainur|made music]], Melkor weaved his strange thoughts into his song. His song clashed against the Theme of Ilúvatar, disturbing the Ainur around him and causing some of them to attune their music to his. For a while the Theme of Ilúvatar and the discords of Melkor warred against one another. But Eru smiled, and sent forth a new theme. Most of the Ainur joined with it, but Melkor rebelliously opposed it even more violently. At last many of the Ainur stopped singing in dismay, and Melkor’s discords gained dominance. Eru sent out a third Theme against Melkor, sweeter and more beautiful than the others, and unquenchable. But though Melkor could not defeat it, still he opposed it. At last Eru halted the music completely with a single chord.

Eru then publicly rebuked Melkor, saying that all music found its source in himself, and thus Melkor could not create his own song or truly alter the Themes of Ilúvatar. Thus, though Melkor opposed Eru to his last breath, he only furthered the cause of Ilúvatar in new and wondrous ways. Melkor was shamed and angered by this judgment, but hid his feelings. When Eru showed the Ainur the product of their music, [[Eä]], Melkor was one of those who begged to enter [[Arda]], pretending to be willing to cultivate it and guide it for Ilúvatar’s glory. He actually wished to dominate Arda and its creatures, especially the [[Children of Ilúvatar]]. Nonetheless, he was allowed to enter Eä and come to Arda with the other [[Valar]]. Once there, Melkor declared to his colleagues that he was the master of Arda henceforth. [[Manwë]], his brother, did not understand his evil, but fearing that Melkor might try and disrupt their labors in Arda, called forth many more Ainur to protect them. Melkor departed to the remote regions of Eä, leaving the world in peace for a while.

===Wars of the Valar===
But Melkor took form, great and terrible, and attacked the Valar’s work in preparing the Earth. There was war, and though Melkor disrupted their work and destroyed much, a great spirit named [[Tulkas]] came to Arda from other regions of Eä to combat him. After Tulkas drove Melkor away, the Valar managed to complete Arda, and the world was established.

The Valar dwelt in a land called [[Almaren]], and raised up [[two lamps]] to light the young earth: [[Illuin]] and [[Ormal]]. Melkor, meanwhile, had attracted the attention and even in a few cases admiration from the [[Maiar]], the lesser spirits of [[Arda]]. Melkor had many spies among them, and from them learned all that the Valar did, and bided his time. As the Valar sat down to a feast at the completion of their labors, Melkor gathered together those loyal to him, and looking down on the beautiful Arda was filled with hatred. Tulkas was wedded to [[Nessa]] at that feast, and she danced before the Valar. Tulkas fell asleep, and that is when Melkor struck.

Melkor with his host passed over the [[Walls of Night]] and returned to Arda once more. Without the watchfulness of Tulkas, the Valar were unaware of his coming, and he began to delve in the depths of the earth, making a fortress called [[Utumno]] beneath the mountains in the dimness of Illuin. The [[Spring of Arda]] became blighted as evil flowed out of the fortress. Death and illness took the green things of Arda, and animals fought and killed one another, while flies brooded in massive numbers. The Valar knew then that Melkor was at work, and sought his hiding place.

But Melkor struck the first blow. He destroyed the Two Lamps, and caused the world to be filled with flowing fire and surging water. The symmetry of Arda was broken. And in the darkness and confusion Melkor escaped, returning to Utumno. Though together the Valar were stronger than Melkor, they could not punish him at that time, for they needed their strength to keep the world from collapsing into ruin. The Spring of Arda had ended in turmoil.

===Dominance of Middle-earth===
With Almaren destroyed, the Valar departed to a new continent across the [[Belegaer|sea]], [[Aman]], and built [[Valinor]]. They also established new sources of light, the [[Two Trees]], to light the world. Melkor, meanwhile, wandered across the face of [[Middle-earth]], in various guises, but armed with cold and fire. Some of the Valar were unwilling to forsake Middle-earth, however; [[Ulmo]] and [[Yavanna]], particularly. Also [[Oromë]] would ride in Middle-earth, killing the terrors of Melkor, who began to fear that the Valar might rise up against him in wrath.

Melkor brooded in the north, breeding great monsters, attended by his Maiar-servants later known as [[Balrogs]]. He also created another fortress and armory called [[Angband]], in the northwest of Middle Earth, to resist any Valarin attacks. He placed his greatest servant, [[Sauron]], in control of that stronghold. Melkor, by wandering about, also learned of the awakening of the first of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]], the [[Elves]]. He instilled fear in them, and slew or captured many of them. Some of those he captured, it is believed, may have been transformed into [[Orcs]] by torture and breeding.

===Time in Valinor===
The Valar were not long, however, in discovering the Elves. Fearing that they would be destroyed or corrupted by Melkor, Manwë decided that Ilúvatar wished them to recover Middle-earth at all costs. They laid [[Siege of Utumno|siege to Utumno]], and eventually destroyed it after a great battle during which the face of Middle-earth was transformed. Melkor was captured and chained with the chain [[Angainor]], but Sauron escaped. Melkor was imprisoned in the halls of [[Mandos]], and remained there for three ages, plotting revenge.

At the end of his time, Melkor was presented to his brother Manwë. Melkor, swallowing his pride with thoughts of vengeance, prostrated himself before the throne of Manwë, begging for pardon. Manwë granted him thus, though [[Ulmo]] and [[Tulkas]] were displeased with this judgement. Yet the Valar would not let him leave their sight, and he stayed in [[Valmar]]. Before long, he began to exert his corrupting influence on the Elves, especially the [[Noldor]]. For the [[Vanyar]] did not trust him, and the [[Teleri]] he thought too weak for his designs, but the Noldor were curious, and eager to learn what he could teach them.

===Revenge against the Valar===
[[Image:John Howe - Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees'' by [[John Howe]]]]
In time Melkor found his greatest adversary and yet greatest tool in the form of [[Fëanor]], the eldest son of [[Finwë]], [[High King of the Noldor]]. Fëanor was the creator of the [[Silmarils]], which Melkor lusted after. As Melkor subtly spread lies and half-truths about the Valar and the Coming of [[Men]] in the form of rumors, Fëanor was greatly influenced, though he hated Melkor himself and had no idea that he was their source. His new ideas of wide lands and realms to rule touched the heart of Fëanor, and the hearts of many other Noldor. They began to murmur against the Valar, and the peace of Valinor was disturbed. Fëanor soon stirred up trouble, and while on trial before the Valar it was revealed that Melkor was at the bottom of the murmurings and troubles. Tulkas left straightaway to deal with him, but found Melkor gone. He had escaped.

Melkor was not seen for a while, but then appeared at [[Formenos]] to Fëanor, tempting him with words of friendship, and an offer of vengeance against the Valar whom Fëanor perceived had wronged him. Fëanor wavered, but Melkor pressed his advantage too much. He touched a chord about the Silmarils, and Fëanor, seeing his designs and lust for the jewels, cursed and rejected him. Melkor departed in anger, and went south past the mountain of [[Hyarmentir]], to the shadowed valley of [[Avathar]] where there dwelt [[Ungoliant]], a mysterious dark spirit in spider-form once his servant, but who had disowned him after his failure. After some time he convinced her to dismiss her fears with the offer of rich rewards, and she wove a cloak of shadow about them both.

Then Melkor and Ungoliant attacked while there was festival in [[Valmar]]. Melkor drained the [[Two Trees]] with his lance, and Ungoliant drank the blood. Then she drank dry the [[Wells of Varda]], and the two fled north to [[Formenos]], leaving the land once more in darkness and confusion. At Formenos Melkor slew [[Finwë]] and ravished the treasury of Fëanor, including the [[Silmarils]]. Then he passed over the icy [[Helcaraxë]], entering once more into [[Middle-earth]]. He was soon back in [[Angband]]. He had struck swiftly and surely. But Fëanor cursed him, naming him [[Morgoth]], and by that name he was known ever after to the Eldar.

===Return to Beleriand===
Once in safety, Ungoliant turned on her partner, demanding the jewels of Fëanor. The spider had grown in size and strength, and Morgoth feared her suddenly. He reluctantly parted with each of the beautiful gems, and Ungoliant devoured them. But Morgoth refused to give up the Silmarils, though she tortured him. His screams went out to [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]] and the [[balrogs]], and they rescued him from her clutches, driving Ungoliant away with their whips. So Morgoth returned to Angband.

===Wars of Beleriand===
Morgoth rebuilt the fortress there, and learned of the Elves who had remained in Middle-earth. [[Elu Thingol]] and the [[Sindar]] dwelt in the woodland kingdom of [[Doriath]], while [[Círdan]] and the [[Teleri]] lived at the [[Falas]] and [[Denethor of the Nandor|Denethor]] and the [[Nandor]] camped in [[Ossiriand]]. Morgoth made war on Thingol, surrounding Doriath and cutting Thingol off from Círdan. But Thingol was able to contact Denethor for help, and the Nandor joined with the Sindar to fight the [[Orcs]] between [[Aros]] and [[Gelion]]. Caught between the two armies, the Orcs of Morgoth were utterly defeated in the [[First Battle]]. Fleeing north they were intercepted and further demolished by the [[Naugrim]]. The Orcs attacking Círdan were more successful – pushing the Teleri to the very edge of the sea.

====Dagor-nuin-Giliath====
Morgoth was confronted by further challenges when Fëanor landed in Middle-earth. They set up at [[Mithrim]], but Morgoth [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath|attacked them]] quickly, hoping to dislodge them before they settled in too much and became a threat. But the Elves were just come out of [[Aman]], and they had the light of that country in their eyes. The Orcs dreaded them, and were swept before them like chaff before wind. Fëanor pursued them even nigh to the [[Thangorodrim]] and the gates of [[Angband]], but Morgoth sent out Gothmog and his balrogs. Fëanor was killed, but the balrogs were driven back. The Falas were freed, and though Morgoth had practically lost [[Beleriand]] outside of the [[Ered Engrin]], he was comforted in the fact that Fëanor was dead.

====Dagor Aglareb====
Yet [[Fingolfin]] came next, with his sons and the sons of [[Finarfin]]. They marched even to the gates of Angband, and yet could not go farther. As the Elves began to build (or rebuild) their kingdoms in Middle-earth, Morgoth waited sixty years before he struck again. It was the [[Dagor Aglareb]], the “Glorious Battle”, called such because it was a great victory for the Elves. Fingolfin and [[Maedhros]], eldest son of Fëanor, combined their strength and repelled Morgoth. They then set up the [[Siege of Angband]], which was designed to keep Morgoth holed up in his fortress.

====Dagor Bragollach and Fingolfin====
[[Image:John Howe - Morgoth vs. Fingolfin.png|thumb|right|300px|''Morgoth vs. Fingolfin'' by [[John Howe]]]]Though Morgoth was not as helpless as he appeared, he remained dormant and hidden until [[First Age 455|455]]. Then he surged forth suddenly, taking the slackened besiegers by surprise. Flames covered the formerly green [[Ard-galen]] (causing the battle to be known as the [[Dagor Bragollach]]), and several Noldor-lords fell in the succeeding combat. Much of Beleriand was overrun and [[Dorthonion]] was taken, as were northern [[Sirion]] and [[Maglor's Gap]]. In a single stroke Morgoth had broken the Siege of Angband, but the victory was not as complete as he would have preferred. [[Himring]] and [[Hithlum]] had held against him. King [[Fingolfin]] was dismayed and enraged by the defeat, and went to Angband. There he challenged Morgoth to single combat. Morgoth dared not refuse, for fear of showing himself a coward in front of his servants. With [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Grond]], the Hammer of the Underworld, he fought Fingolfin long. The Elf-lord gave him seven wounds, but at last was struck down. As Morgoth placed his foot on Fingolfin to crush him, Fingolfin struck one last time, and Morgoth’s blood filled the pools made by his hammer. Morgoth could not desecrate the body, for [[Thorondor]] flew into his face and escaped with the body.

====The Quest for the Silmaril====
For some time after that the world lay in watchful discomfort. The southern part of [[Beleriand]] was, for the most part, free from Morgoth’s direct wrath. There arose two in [[Doriath]], [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] of [[House of Bëor|Bëor’s House]] and [[Lúthien Tinúviel]], Thingol’s daughter. These two lovers embarked on the [[Quest for the Silmaril]], in the process removing [[Sauron]] from [[Tol-in-Gaurhoth]] and entering Angband in disguise. Morgoth lusted after Lúthien when she stood exposed in his presence, but she danced for him and lured him to sleep with her magic robes. One of the Silmarils was stolen from his crown, and Morgoth bore only two until the [[War of Wrath]].

====Nirnaeth Arnoediad====
Some time after, in [[First Age 471|471]], [[Maedhros]] made a great [[Union of Maedhros|alliance]] with the [[Naugrim]], [[Edain]], and other [[Noldor]]. They marched to challenge Morgoth, clearing Beleriand of his scattered forces. But Morgoth through his spies anticipated their actions, and met them with his allies the [[Easterlings]] in a huge battle in which he prevailed, and many princes and rulers of Men, Elves, and Dwarves fell. Thus the battle was named ''[[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]'', “Battle of Unnumbered Tears”. Morgoth’s victory was almost complete, as he razed [[Hithlum]], the [[Falas]], the [[March of Maedhros]], as well as [[Nargothrond]] in [[First Age 495|495]]. But [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]], King of [[Gondolin]], escaped by the valiant actions of the [[House of Hador]], the last of the [[Edain]] in the north. The survivors had all gone down to the [[Isle of Balar]] and the [[Mouths of the Sirion]].

===The Curse of Morgoth===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Morgoth Punishes Húrin.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Morgoth Punishes [[Húrin]]'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Morgoth took [[Húrin]], who had been captured during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and set him in the high places of Thangorodrim, to watch his family, whom Morgoth cursed. Upon the death of [[Túrin Turambar]] and [[Nienor]], Húrin’s children, Morgoth released Húrin to further his cause.

===The Fall of Gondolin===
Some time later, by the aid of [[Maeglin]], a traitor-elf, Morgoth discovered and laid siege to [[Gondolin]]. [[Turgon the Wise|Turgon]] King, the last male heir of Fingolfin’s house, was killed during the siege. Morgoth’s victory in the north was now complete, though he had lost [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]] his captain and many other leaders in the battle. Also, a small remnant including [[Tuor]] and [[Idril]] escaped the destruction of the city, bearing their son [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]].

===The War of Wrath===
This was to be Morgoth’s doom, for some years later, Eärendil sailed to [[Valinor]] seeking the pardon of the [[Valar]]. This he earned, and the Valar advanced across [[Belegaer]] with a mighty host. Morgoth loosed all his demons and defenses against them, but could not stop their might. His dragons fell to the [[Eagles]], and [[Ancalagon]] was brought down by Eärendil himself from his ship, [[Vingilot]]. Morgoth was seized in his fortress Angband, the Silmarils were removed from his crown, and he was bound once more. This time, however, he was ejected from Arda and cast into the [[Void]]. But though he had been vanquished, Arda was forever marred, and there was one still at large to carry on his evil legacy, if to a lesser degree: his greatest servant, the fallen Maia [[Sauron]].

==The Future==
Morgoth remains in the Void, unable to return to Arda as long as the Valar maintain their power over it. Nevertheless, according to the [[Second Prophecy of Mandos]], Morgoth will come back and attack Arda. He will fight a great battle, called the [[Dagor Dagorath]], against the Valar and their allies, but will ultimately be slain by [[Túrin Turambar]], the Man he cursed. By finally defeating Morgoth, Túrin will avenge not only himself, but all members of the race of Men, since Morgoth seduced them long ago.

==Legacy==
Morgoth's will was suffused into the matter of Arda, so in a sense he is never truly gone. Arda was [[Arda Marred|marred]] by him so deeply that only Eru could fully repair the damage. Those who wished to follow in Morgoth's footsteps, such as Sauron, found that by using his residual influence, they could easily corrupt races they wished to dominate.

==Characteristics==
[[Image:James Stirzaker - Melkor and the Silmarils.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Melkor and the Silmarils'' by [[James Stirzaker]]]]Morgoth had taken a form great and terrible, and was eventually unable to leave it. Traditionally he was covered head to foot in armor, though this is not specifically stated by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]. He received many scars and wounds over the ages: his hands were burned forever when he touched the Silmarils, Fingolfin wounded him seven times during their battle as well as a wound the foot that caused him ever after to limp, Thorondor scarred his face with his talons.

Morgoth wielded [[Grond (Hammer of the Underworld)|Grond]] in battle, a weapon he presumably forged himself in [[Angband]] (unless Sauron or Gothmog had held it safe after the [[Siege of Utumno]]). He also had great mental and physical power, at least in the earlier days, greater than any of the other [[Valar]].

==Names==
* ''Morgoth'' (''[[Bauglir]]'') – [[Q.]] “The Dark Enemy” (“The Constrainer”), given him by [[Fëanor]]
* ''Melkor'' – [[Q.]] “He who arises in might”
* ''Dark King (of Angband)'' – given him by [[Men]]
* ''[[Dark Lord]]''
* ''[[Belegur]]([[Belegurth|th]])'' – [[S.]] “Great Death”
* ''Lord of the Dark''
* ''Dark Hunter'' – Given him by the fearful early [[Elves]] before they met [[Oromë]]
* ''[[mbelekôro]]'' – [[C.E.]] Unknown meaning
* ''Great Enemy''
* ''Black Foe''
* ''Master of the fates of Arda'' - used by him when speaking to [[Húrin]]
* ''[[Elder King]]'' - used when speaking to [[Húrin]]
* ''Melko, Belcha, Melegor, Meleko'' – Earlier names Tolkien used but abandoned

==Minions==
* [[Sauron]] – Greatest of his servants, later to become [[Lord of the Rings]], perished with the [[One Ring]]
* [[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]], [[Lord of Balrogs]] – killed by [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]] during the [[Fall of Gondolin]]
* [[Glaurung]] – [[Father of Dragons]], killed by [[Túrin Turambar|Túrin]]
* [[Ancalagon]] – Greatest of the [[Winged Dragons]], slain by [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
* [[Othrond]] – (noncanon) [[Orc]]-general during the Fall of Gondolin, killed by [[Tuor]]
* [[Lungorthin]] - (noncanon) A Balrog, Master of the Guard of Angband

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Morgoth|Images of Morgoth]]

[[Category:Valar]]
[[de:Morgoth]]

Uruk-hai

2009-10-08T01:03:32Z

74.13.83.146:

{{sources}}
{{race
|image=[[Image:John Howe - The Uruk-hai.jpg|250px]]
|name= Uruk-hai
|dominions=[[Isengard|Northern Rohan and Isengard]], [[Mordor]]
|languages=Various dialects of the [[Black Speech]], [[Westron]]
|height= 6'5
|length=
|skincolor= Probably sallow
|haircolor= Probably black
|feathers=
|distinctions= Elvish ears(?), Large build
|lifespan= Possibly eternal
|members= [[Uglúk]]
}}
{{quote|...and others, too, came out of the forest. Great Orcs, who also bore the White Hand of [[Isengard]]: that kind is stronger and more fell than all the others.|[[Éomer]], ''[[The Riders of Rohan]]''}}

The '''Uruk-hai''' were a new breed of [[Orcs]] that appeared during the [[Third Age]].

==Appearance==
The Uruk-hai made up a large part of [[Saruman]]'s army, together with the [[Dunland|Dunlendings]] and other [[Men|human]] enemies of [[Rohan]], and similar large Orcs also served as the elite troops of [[Mordor]]. They were faster than normal Orcs and could travel during the day without being weakened. They were not only faster but smarter, stronger and larger, though some were still shorter than Men. There are suggestions that the Uruk-hai were the result of crossbreeding Orcs and [[Men]]. Certainly, other creatures in Saruman's armies, and under his command in the Shire, appear to have been hybrids, though these "half-orcs" were as tall as Men and are never described simply as Orcs, as the Uruk-hai frequently are. It is never explained exactly ''how'' Orcs were hybridized with humans, either through directly raping human women or (more probably) some form of alchemy used to infuse Orcs with human qualities. [[Treebeard]] openly wonders if they are Orcs that have been somehow "improved", or Men that were corrupted with Orc-like qualities, or if they were indeed a blending of Men and Orcs, an act which Treebeard considered to be "a black evil". Saruman's army of Uruk-hai fought against [[Kings of Rohan|King]] [[Théoden]] of Rohan and his people at [[Battle of the Hornburg|Helm's Deep]].

The race of uruks, described as "black orcs of great strength" first appeared about the year [[Third Age 2475|2475]] of the Third Age, when they conquered [[Ithilien]] and destroyed the city of [[Osgiliath]]. These were evidently of Sauron's breeding, but it is not clear whether or not these uruks should be regarded as identical with the Uruk-hai, who could be a further 'improvement' to the race achieved by Saruman.

The Orcs and Uruks in the service of [[Barad-dûr]], the folk of Mordor, used the symbol of the [[Eye of Sauron|Red Eye of Sauron]]. The Red Eye was also painted on their shields. At least one, a guard on the march with [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], had a black knife with a long saw-edged blade, used by Pippin to cut through the ropes on his hands. These Uruks of Mordor referred to Sauron as the Great Eye, and [[Grishnákh]] was their captain. They were all long-armed and crook-legged, not as tall as the [[Isengard|Isengarder]] Uruks but larger than the [[Moria]] Orcs. They could see better in the dark than the Isengarders could.

The Uruk-hai of [[Saruman|Saruman the White]] used an S [[Cirth|elf-rune]] wrought in white metal on the front of their iron helms. It was clear this "S" stood for Saruman, because their shields had a small white hand (the symbol of Saruman) centered on a black field. [[Aragorn]] commented that their gear was not in the manner of other Orcs at all. Instead of curved scimitars, they used short, broad-bladed swords. Their great [[Bows|bows]] were made of yew wood, in length and shape as those of Men. They also appeared different physically: greater stature, swarthy, slant-eyed, thick legs and large hands. Although they did not like the light of the [[Sun]], they could withstand it better than other orcs. Saruman promised them man-flesh as a treat. He aided them with his wizardry as well: when Aragorn, [[Gimli]], and [[Legolas]] followed the party of Uruks who kidnapped Merry and Pippin, Saruman's will caused weariness of the heart for the pursuers and lent speed to the Orcs. [[Uglúk]] led the Uruk-hai of Isengard, and since they were the strongest he felt that he led the [[Hobbits|hobbit]] march as well, insisting on going back by way of Isengard. This was the group that slew [[Boromir (son of Denethor II)|Boromir]].

==Etymology==
The name Uruk-hai has the element ''Uruk'', which is a [[Black Speech]] word meaning ''Orc''. Many known languages have a word related to thus ([[Quenya]] ''[[orco]]'', [[Sindarin]] ''[[orch]]'', [[Westron]] ''[[orka]]'', [[Khuzdul]] ''[[rukhs]]'' and presumably [[Drúedain|Drúedainic]] ''[[gorgûn]]''). The element ''-hai'', also present in [[Olog-hai]] and [[Oghor-hai]], means "folk, people".

==Portrayal in adaptations==
In both [[Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings]] and [[Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King]], Uruk-hai are portrayed identical as (and without distinction to) the [[Orcs]].

In [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]], Saruman appears to be the only one who created the Uruks. They are shown in the movie as being released from a kind of membrane in the mud deep under Isengard (special commentary on the DVD edition explained that they were trying to base the scene on a early description of Tolkien's that Orcs "worm their way out of the ground like maggots"). In the movies Uruk-hai are described as a crossbreed between Orcs and "goblin-men": this may be a dialogue error because in Tolkien's works "Orc" is a synonym for goblin. This description may however refer to humans corrupted by Goblins. These Uruks are sent after the Fellowship, and their leader is [[Lurtz]], a movie-only character.

His Uruks include Pikesmen, Swordsmen, Archers, and Berserkers.
The Berserkers are the shock troops. When they were first spawned a helmet filled with blood was placed on their heads, so that they were filled with a bloodlust for their enemies. They carry doubly-bent swords, and forgo any armor in lieu of agility, slaying foes left and right, completely devoid of fear and pain. Pikesmen, as the name suggests, carry long pikes, while archers carry crossbows. Swordsmen wield a straight iron sword, hooked at the tip, and deadly in an Uruk-hai's strong grip. They also use bladed shields, as seen in [[Amon Hen]] during [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]]'s fight against Lurtz.

The Uruks were also very efficient using siege equipment, and had been trained to use crossbows with deadly accuracy. The Uruks, like the lesser Orcs, seemed to not care of each other's presence, shown by the battering ram wielders at Helm's Deep, barging each other off of the thin bridge. The Uruks also hated the Orcs, believing they were a lesser being and often rioting, eg in the tower of Cirith Ungol when Shagrat and Gorbag argued over Frodo's vest of Mithril and starting a mass war within the tower. The Uruks seem also to be able to control natural urges than the Orcs, eg the Orcs demanding to eat the hobbits they had captured, while the Uruks were protective. It would seem the only way Orcs were better than Uruks is in treachery, lying and being devious. The Uruks are also not seen to ever ride a mount, possibly due to size, weight and build (the Wargs which attacked the Rohan migration were ridden by trained Orcs).

==See also==
* [[Olog-hai]]

[[Category:Races]]
[[category:orcs]]

Battle of the Pelennor Fields

2009-10-08T00:41:42Z

74.13.83.146: /* Prelude */

{{cleanup}}{{sources}}
{{battle|
image=[[Image:Perkan Pickman - The Battle of the Pelennor Fields.jpg|300px]]|
name=Battle of Pelennor Fields|
conflict=[[War of the Ring]]|
date=March 15, 3019 T.A.|
place=[[Minas Tirith (Gondor)|Minas Tirith]] and fields of [[Pelennor]], [[Gondor]]|
result= Victory of Gondor and Rohan|
side1=[[Gondor]], [[Rohan]]|
side2= [[Mordor]], [[Harad]], [[Rhûn]], [[Khand]]|
commanders1=*[[Denethor II|Denethor]] †
*[[Gandalf]]
*[[Forlong]] †
*[[Imrahil]]
*[[Théoden]] †
*[[Aragorn II|Aragorn]]
*[[Éomer]]|
commanders2=*The [[Witch-king of Angmar]] †
*[[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]]
|forces1=In [[Minas Tirith]]: Minas Tirith Garrison and Northern Army of Gondor (strength unknown) supported by small southern contingent (<2800). 6000 Rohirrim cavalry arriving from the north at dawn, later reinforced by an unknown number of Men of Southern Gondor under Aragorn arriving from the south (possibly 2-4,000)|
forces2= 250,000. Forces consisting of [[Orcs]], [[Trolls]], [[Wargs]],[[Oliphaunts]], the [[Nazgûl]], 18,000 [[Haradrim]], and thousands of [[Easterlings]] (Men of Rhûn, Variags of Khand, etc.)|
casual1=
2000 [[Rohirrim]], 2-3500 overall number unknown; see article|
casual2=
Complete destruction of attacking force
}}{{wotr}}
'''Battle of Pelennor Fields''' was the greatest battle of the [[War of the Ring]], and indeed the largest of the entire [[Third Age]].

==History==
===Prelude===
After the fall of [[Osgiliath]] there was no longer a barrier against the forces of [[Mordor]], which moved on the [[Pelennor Fields]] before the city on [[March 15]], [[Third Age 3019]] as the [[Great Darkness]] blotted out the sun.

Mordor's troops consisted of more than 30,000 [[Easterlings]] and [[Haradrim]],{{fact}} numerous [[mûmakil|oliphaunts]], and hundreds of thousands of [[Orcs]]; The defenders' numbers were considerably less despite the addition of about 2,800 men from southern [[Gondor]] in the days before the battle.

===Battle===
The attackers used catapults not only to attack the city, through bombardment and flames, but also to fire the heads of slain men from Osgiliath and other places Mordor's armies had passed through into it.{{fact}} Later on, the great battering ram [[Grond (battering-ram)|Grond]] (named after [[Morgoth]]'s weapon from the First Age) was put into action.

Before dawn Grond was used to break the city's main gate, and the [[Witch-king of Angmar|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. Mordor's strategy for keeping Rohan out of the battle had failed twice, both through the defeat at Helm's Deep and the blockade in Anorien. So the Witch-king was forced to ride out and attack them instead of fighting Gandalf and destroying the city.

King Théoden's charge drove the Mordor forces from the northern half of the field, and charging the Haradrim cavalry he slew the Southron chieftain, the [[Black Serpent]], and cut down his standardbearer.

When the Witch-king's fell beast attacked King [[Théoden]] of Rohan, the king's horse [[Snowmane]] lost control, and was hit by an arrow. Snowmane fell with the king atop him, and the horse landed on him, which proved fatal. The warrior [[Dernhelm]], defending the king's body, slew the fell beast and challenged its rider. The Witch-king mocked him, telling him that no living man might slay him, but the [[hobbits|Hobbit]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] (Merry) wounded him with a sword that had been forged centuries before during the war between [[Arnor]] and [[Angmar]] and which contained spells against the Witch-king. The spells finally found their target, for the Witch-king was distracted and possibly seriously weakened. He was then slain by Dernhelm, now revealed as Théoden's niece [[Éowyn]] and thus no ''man'' at all. The [[Black Breath]] caused both Merry and Éowyn to become gravely ill, and they were sent to the [[Houses of Healing]] in the city. Command of the Rohirrim then passed to Théoden's nephew and heir, Third Marshall Éomer.

At the same time, [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]], son of [[Denethor II|Denethor]], Steward of Gondor, was also gravely wounded. Despairing at the visions of defeat that [[Sauron]] had sent him via his ''[[palantíri|palantír]]'', and believing Faramir to be beyond aid, Denethor prepared to burn himself and his son upon a funeral pyre. Only the intervention of [[Peregrin Took]] and Gandalf saved Faramir, but Denethor immolated himself before they could prevent him.

Meanwhile, the battle turned against the Rohirrim. The Southrons charged with their Mûmakil and wherever they went horses went wild with fear or were trampled underfoot, and the forces of Mordor rallied around them like islands of defense that the Rohirrim cavalry could not overtake. Éomer, grim after the death of Théoden but shocked by the unexpected (seeming) death of his sister Éowyn, the last living member of his family, flew into a [[berserker]] rage and charged his cavalry headlong into the larger enemy forces. So great was the wrath of the outnumbered Rohirrim at the death of their King that they broke through the superior Mordor forces, hammering deep wedges into the Mordor legions' front lines. However, this soon turned against Éomer: his cavalry had pierced the Enemy front lines so quickly that his company was now cut off from the other two, and surrounded between Mordor's front lines and their reserves. Fighting their way to the docks near the Harlond south of the city, Éomer desperately circled up his men on a hill and prepared to fight to the death, when he saw enemy reinforcements sailing up the River [[Anduin]], and let out a defiant cry at his approaching end.
[[Image:Anke Eissmann - The Black Serpent founders.jpg|right|thumb|300px|''The Black Serpent founders'' by [[Anke Eissmann]]]]
One of the visions that Denethor had seen was of a fleet of enemy ships with black sails arriving at the landings to the south of the Pelennor in the Rammas, but what he had not seen was that they were actually manned by [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] and other [[Rangers of the North]], [[Gimli]], [[Legolas]], [[Elladan]], [[Elrohir]] and many reinforcements from southern fiefdoms of Gondor. As Aragorn's army drove north a great part of Mordor's forces were pinned between Aragorn and Eomer's cavalry, and were "caught between the hammer and the anvil". Aragorn's army then linked with Eomer's, and with their aid the tide of battle was finally turned, and a brief respite was won until the [[Last Battle]] before the [[Morannon|Black Gate]].

=== Aftermath ===

There is no clearly stated final death toll for the Battle of Pelennor Fields. There is a definite figure for the cavalry of the Rohirrim that came to Gondor's defence; it consisted of 6,000 riders, and a full 2,000 were killed in the battle, including Théoden. Of the 5 to 6 thousand Gondorian defenders of Minas Tirith, and the large relief force of Gondor's southern provinces led by Aragorn, no definite figure remains. Two days after the battle, Aragorn led an army out to attack the Black Gate that consisted of 7,000 men (When he reached the Black Gate he had less than 6,000); 2,000 Rohirrim and 5,000 Gondorians. The size of Aragorn's relief force may have been over 5,000 or as little as 1,000, it is never stated. However, even a conservative estimate would place total Gondorian losses at 3,000, and more probably 5,000.

As for enemy losses, again, the size of Sauron's great army is not definitely known. There were at the very least 60,000, and this is almost surely an overconservative estimation. In [[Peter Jackson]]'s movie adaptation, the enemy numbered over 200,000, and this may be accurate with the number present in the text. It is known that there were some 18,000 [[Haradrim]]. (The Rohirrim, consisting of 6,000 riders, were "thrice outnumbered by the Haradrim alone".) The Enemy's army was utterly destroyed on the field: all War [[Mûmakil]] were killed, the Lord of the Nazgûl was slain, numerous Trolls, and perhaps all of the Orcs (which composed the majority of the army) were killed, those that retreated drowning in the River Anduin. Many Easterlings and Haradrim proudly fought to the death when the tide turned, even as the Orcs were cowardly running away, with few escaping to send news of the power and wrath of Gondor to lands east and south.

Although a great and almost miraculous victory, at the subsequent Last Debate, Gandalf counseled that militarily, Sauron would still defeat them. The Free Peoples had managed to destroy an army outnumbering them at least 10 to 1, but lost almost a third of their own forces. Sauron had suffered a defeat, but he still had other legions and the force that attacked Minas Tirith, while substantial, was but a fraction of his total strength. Rohan and Gondor had been able to secure their flanks, eliminating the threat of Isengard and the Corsairs on the southern coasts, but Gandalf counseled that even with all of their forces concentrated in the main front near Minas Tirith, it would simply be enduring wave after wave of siege like a sandcastle being worn down by the ocean. Thus, it was agreed that it was impossible to achieve a conventional military victory through strength of arms, and instead to risk all on a last throw of the dice by Aragorn leading a diversionary attack on the Black Gate, to aid Frodo's passage in Mordor.

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''2003: ''[[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King]]'':'''
:The battle is the major centrepiece of the last film, although some of the events described above are simplified or altered for cinematic purposes. Importance is given to the charge of the Mûmakil, the death of Théoden and the Witch-king's demise at the hands of Eowyn.

:The battle begins with Sauron's forces marching on city and firing a volley of severed heads over the walls (as in the book). Initially, both Sauron's army and the defenders of Minas Tirith exchange fire by way of catapults and trebuchets. The flying Ringwraiths then descend from the skies, spreading fear throughout the city and destroying many catapults. Seeing Mordor's overwhelming army, Denethor despairs and Gandalf assumes command of the defenders. He helps them hold out until Théoden and over six thousand Rohirrim arrive, decimating the invading orcs. However, Sauron's reserves soon arrive with several Oliphaunts, commanded by the Haradrim, who turn the tide against the Rohirrim. Fortunately, Aragorn arrives with the Army of the Dead (see [[Paths of the Dead]]), who crush Sauron's forces. This is an alteration from the book, in which the Dead depart after they defeat the Corsairs and liberate Pelargir, after which Gondor's Southern Army is now free to rally to Aragorn. Peter Jackson likely wanted to make the Army of the Dead more of a focus in the story, giving them greater impact in the overall scheme of events and, thus, giving greater significance to Aragorn's decision to take the Paths of the Dead, as well as his trials therein. In the theatrical cut of the film, the scenes at Pelargir are cut entirely. The filmmakers felt that tension would be better maintained by not letting the audience know whether or not Aragorn was successful in recruiting the Dead Army. The Pelargir scenes were restored for the extended cut of the movie.

{{references}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]
[[de:Schlacht auf dem Pelennor]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:3a:guerres:bataille_des_champs_du_pelennor]]
[[fi:Pelennorin kenttien taistelu]]

Battle of the Pelennor Fields

2009-10-08T00:39:37Z

74.13.83.146:

{{cleanup}}{{sources}}
{{battle|
image=[[Image:Perkan Pickman - The Battle of the Pelennor Fields.jpg|300px]]|
name=Battle of Pelennor Fields|
conflict=[[War of the Ring]]|
date=March 15, 3019 T.A.|
place=[[Minas Tirith (Gondor)|Minas Tirith]] and fields of [[Pelennor]], [[Gondor]]|
result= Victory of Gondor and Rohan|
side1=[[Gondor]], [[Rohan]]|
side2= [[Mordor]], [[Harad]], [[Rhûn]], [[Khand]]|
commanders1=*[[Denethor II|Denethor]] †
*[[Gandalf]]
*[[Forlong]] †
*[[Imrahil]]
*[[Théoden]] †
*[[Aragorn II|Aragorn]]
*[[Éomer]]|
commanders2=*The [[Witch-king of Angmar]] †
*[[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]]
|forces1=In [[Minas Tirith]]: Minas Tirith Garrison and Northern Army of Gondor (strength unknown) supported by small southern contingent (<2800). 6000 Rohirrim cavalry arriving from the north at dawn, later reinforced by an unknown number of Men of Southern Gondor under Aragorn arriving from the south (possibly 2-4,000)|
forces2= 250,000. Forces consisting of [[Orcs]], [[Trolls]], [[Wargs]],[[Oliphaunts]], the [[Nazgûl]], 18,000 [[Haradrim]], and thousands of [[Easterlings]] (Men of Rhûn, Variags of Khand, etc.)|
casual1=
2000 [[Rohirrim]], 2-3500 overall number unknown; see article|
casual2=
Complete destruction of attacking force
}}{{wotr}}
'''Battle of Pelennor Fields''' was the greatest battle of the [[War of the Ring]], and indeed the largest of the entire [[Third Age]].

==History==
===Prelude===
After the fall of [[Osgiliath]] there was no longer a barrier against the forces of [[Mordor]], which moved on the [[Pelennor Fields]] before the city on [[March 15]], [[Third Age 3019]] as the [[Great Darkness]] blotted out the sun.

Mordor's troops consisted of more than 30,000 [[Easterlings]] and [[Haradrim]],{{fact}} numerous [[mûmakil|oliphaunts]], and tens of thousands of [[Orcs]]; The defenders' numbers were considerably less despite the addition of about 2,800 men from southern [[Gondor]] in the days before the battle.

===Battle===
The attackers used catapults not only to attack the city, through bombardment and flames, but also to fire the heads of slain men from Osgiliath and other places Mordor's armies had passed through into it.{{fact}} Later on, the great battering ram [[Grond (battering-ram)|Grond]] (named after [[Morgoth]]'s weapon from the First Age) was put into action.

Before dawn Grond was used to break the city's main gate, and the [[Witch-king of Angmar|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. Mordor's strategy for keeping Rohan out of the battle had failed twice, both through the defeat at Helm's Deep and the blockade in Anorien. So the Witch-king was forced to ride out and attack them instead of fighting Gandalf and destroying the city.

King Théoden's charge drove the Mordor forces from the northern half of the field, and charging the Haradrim cavalry he slew the Southron chieftain, the [[Black Serpent]], and cut down his standardbearer.

When the Witch-king's fell beast attacked King [[Théoden]] of Rohan, the king's horse [[Snowmane]] lost control, and was hit by an arrow. Snowmane fell with the king atop him, and the horse landed on him, which proved fatal. The warrior [[Dernhelm]], defending the king's body, slew the fell beast and challenged its rider. The Witch-king mocked him, telling him that no living man might slay him, but the [[hobbits|Hobbit]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] (Merry) wounded him with a sword that had been forged centuries before during the war between [[Arnor]] and [[Angmar]] and which contained spells against the Witch-king. The spells finally found their target, for the Witch-king was distracted and possibly seriously weakened. He was then slain by Dernhelm, now revealed as Théoden's niece [[Éowyn]] and thus no ''man'' at all. The [[Black Breath]] caused both Merry and Éowyn to become gravely ill, and they were sent to the [[Houses of Healing]] in the city. Command of the Rohirrim then passed to Théoden's nephew and heir, Third Marshall Éomer.

At the same time, [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]], son of [[Denethor II|Denethor]], Steward of Gondor, was also gravely wounded. Despairing at the visions of defeat that [[Sauron]] had sent him via his ''[[palantíri|palantír]]'', and believing Faramir to be beyond aid, Denethor prepared to burn himself and his son upon a funeral pyre. Only the intervention of [[Peregrin Took]] and Gandalf saved Faramir, but Denethor immolated himself before they could prevent him.

Meanwhile, the battle turned against the Rohirrim. The Southrons charged with their Mûmakil and wherever they went horses went wild with fear or were trampled underfoot, and the forces of Mordor rallied around them like islands of defense that the Rohirrim cavalry could not overtake. Éomer, grim after the death of Théoden but shocked by the unexpected (seeming) death of his sister Éowyn, the last living member of his family, flew into a [[berserker]] rage and charged his cavalry headlong into the larger enemy forces. So great was the wrath of the outnumbered Rohirrim at the death of their King that they broke through the superior Mordor forces, hammering deep wedges into the Mordor legions' front lines. However, this soon turned against Éomer: his cavalry had pierced the Enemy front lines so quickly that his company was now cut off from the other two, and surrounded between Mordor's front lines and their reserves. Fighting their way to the docks near the Harlond south of the city, Éomer desperately circled up his men on a hill and prepared to fight to the death, when he saw enemy reinforcements sailing up the River [[Anduin]], and let out a defiant cry at his approaching end.
[[Image:Anke Eissmann - The Black Serpent founders.jpg|right|thumb|300px|''The Black Serpent founders'' by [[Anke Eissmann]]]]
One of the visions that Denethor had seen was of a fleet of enemy ships with black sails arriving at the landings to the south of the Pelennor in the Rammas, but what he had not seen was that they were actually manned by [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] and other [[Rangers of the North]], [[Gimli]], [[Legolas]], [[Elladan]], [[Elrohir]] and many reinforcements from southern fiefdoms of Gondor. As Aragorn's army drove north a great part of Mordor's forces were pinned between Aragorn and Eomer's cavalry, and were "caught between the hammer and the anvil". Aragorn's army then linked with Eomer's, and with their aid the tide of battle was finally turned, and a brief respite was won until the [[Last Battle]] before the [[Morannon|Black Gate]].

=== Aftermath ===

There is no clearly stated final death toll for the Battle of Pelennor Fields. There is a definite figure for the cavalry of the Rohirrim that came to Gondor's defence; it consisted of 6,000 riders, and a full 2,000 were killed in the battle, including Théoden. Of the 5 to 6 thousand Gondorian defenders of Minas Tirith, and the large relief force of Gondor's southern provinces led by Aragorn, no definite figure remains. Two days after the battle, Aragorn led an army out to attack the Black Gate that consisted of 7,000 men (When he reached the Black Gate he had less than 6,000); 2,000 Rohirrim and 5,000 Gondorians. The size of Aragorn's relief force may have been over 5,000 or as little as 1,000, it is never stated. However, even a conservative estimate would place total Gondorian losses at 3,000, and more probably 5,000.

As for enemy losses, again, the size of Sauron's great army is not definitely known. There were at the very least 60,000, and this is almost surely an overconservative estimation. In [[Peter Jackson]]'s movie adaptation, the enemy numbered over 200,000, and this may be accurate with the number present in the text. It is known that there were some 18,000 [[Haradrim]]. (The Rohirrim, consisting of 6,000 riders, were "thrice outnumbered by the Haradrim alone".) The Enemy's army was utterly destroyed on the field: all War [[Mûmakil]] were killed, the Lord of the Nazgûl was slain, numerous Trolls, and perhaps all of the Orcs (which composed the majority of the army) were killed, those that retreated drowning in the River Anduin. Many Easterlings and Haradrim proudly fought to the death when the tide turned, even as the Orcs were cowardly running away, with few escaping to send news of the power and wrath of Gondor to lands east and south.

Although a great and almost miraculous victory, at the subsequent Last Debate, Gandalf counseled that militarily, Sauron would still defeat them. The Free Peoples had managed to destroy an army outnumbering them at least 10 to 1, but lost almost a third of their own forces. Sauron had suffered a defeat, but he still had other legions and the force that attacked Minas Tirith, while substantial, was but a fraction of his total strength. Rohan and Gondor had been able to secure their flanks, eliminating the threat of Isengard and the Corsairs on the southern coasts, but Gandalf counseled that even with all of their forces concentrated in the main front near Minas Tirith, it would simply be enduring wave after wave of siege like a sandcastle being worn down by the ocean. Thus, it was agreed that it was impossible to achieve a conventional military victory through strength of arms, and instead to risk all on a last throw of the dice by Aragorn leading a diversionary attack on the Black Gate, to aid Frodo's passage in Mordor.

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''2003: ''[[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King]]'':'''
:The battle is the major centrepiece of the last film, although some of the events described above are simplified or altered for cinematic purposes. Importance is given to the charge of the Mûmakil, the death of Théoden and the Witch-king's demise at the hands of Eowyn.

:The battle begins with Sauron's forces marching on city and firing a volley of severed heads over the walls (as in the book). Initially, both Sauron's army and the defenders of Minas Tirith exchange fire by way of catapults and trebuchets. The flying Ringwraiths then descend from the skies, spreading fear throughout the city and destroying many catapults. Seeing Mordor's overwhelming army, Denethor despairs and Gandalf assumes command of the defenders. He helps them hold out until Théoden and over six thousand Rohirrim arrive, decimating the invading orcs. However, Sauron's reserves soon arrive with several Oliphaunts, commanded by the Haradrim, who turn the tide against the Rohirrim. Fortunately, Aragorn arrives with the Army of the Dead (see [[Paths of the Dead]]), who crush Sauron's forces. This is an alteration from the book, in which the Dead depart after they defeat the Corsairs and liberate Pelargir, after which Gondor's Southern Army is now free to rally to Aragorn. Peter Jackson likely wanted to make the Army of the Dead more of a focus in the story, giving them greater impact in the overall scheme of events and, thus, giving greater significance to Aragorn's decision to take the Paths of the Dead, as well as his trials therein. In the theatrical cut of the film, the scenes at Pelargir are cut entirely. The filmmakers felt that tension would be better maintained by not letting the audience know whether or not Aragorn was successful in recruiting the Dead Army. The Pelargir scenes were restored for the extended cut of the movie.

{{references}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]
[[de:Schlacht auf dem Pelennor]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:3a:guerres:bataille_des_champs_du_pelennor]]
[[fi:Pelennorin kenttien taistelu]]

Gothmog (balrog)

2009-10-08T00:16:19Z

74.13.83.146:

{{disambig-two|the Balrog of the First Age|the Lieutenant of Morgul|[[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)]]}}
{{evil infobox
| image=[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Fingon and Gothmog.jpg|250px]]
| name=Gothmog
| othernames=Lord of [[Balrogs]]
| created=Before the [[Music of the Ainur]]
| years=
| age=
| destroyed=[[First Age 510|F.A. 510]], [[Fall of Gondolin]]
| realm=[[Angband]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Balrogs]] ([[Maiar]])
| appearance=40 feet tall, bearing black axe and whip
| accomplishments=Slew two [[High King of the Noldor|High Kings of the Noldor]], victorious in the [[Nírnaeth Arnoediad]]
|}}
'''Gothmog''' was the Lord of [[Balrogs]] and the [[High-captain of Angband]], one of the chief servants of the Dark Lord [[Morgoth]] with a rank equal to that of [[Sauron]]. While he was not as powerful as the Dark Lords, he surpassed them in brute strength and possibly strategy.
==History==

Gothmog was apparently one of the [[Maiar]] that followed [[Melkor]] to exile, and because of either his brilliant mind or because of his ability to assume an immensely powerful physical form, he was made the Lord of Balrogs.

At the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]] he mortally wounded [[Fëanor]], but called a retreat upon the approach of the [[Sons of Fëanor]] with a sizable force. He next appears in the texts at the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], where he is also named high-captain of [[Angband]], again inferring his power and status as essentially Morgoth's right-hand Balrog ([[Sauron]], another spirit, playing a more domestic than front-line role for his master). There at the Nirnaeth he slew [[Fingon]], thus allowing him to boast of having slain two of the five [[High Kings of the Noldor]]. He also captured [[Húrin Thalion]] there.

He was again displayed as Morgoth's front-line commander as he played an active role in the [[Fall of Gondolin]]. According to the (albeit uncanonical) text, he piled his iron siege equipment against the [[North Gate of Gondolin|gate]] until it broke from sheer pressure. According to the same text he also took a front-line position against [[Rog]], turning the tide in that part of the battle. More confirmed canonically, he beat down [[Tuor]] in single combat, but the elf-lord [[Ecthelion of the Fountain]], who was badly wounded, rose and stood over him. Ecthelion stood no chance against the Lord of Balrogs, and lost his sword in the brief struggle. But then Ecthelion leaped forward, and stabbed Gothmog in the breast with the spike atop his helm. They both fell into the [[Fountain of the King]], where Gothmog, if not already killed by the spike, drowned with his opponent.{{Pronounce|Gothmog.mp3|Ardamir}}

==Other versions of the Legendarium==

In the earliest version of his mythology (''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]''), Tolkien describes Gothmog as a son of Morgoth and the ogress Fluithuin, but the idea of the children of [[Valar]] was abandoned in later writings.

In one of Tolkien's early Middle-earth writings, ''[[Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', "Lungorthin, Lord of Balrogs" is mentioned. It is not, however, certain if it was another name for Gothmog, or it simply meant "a Balrog lord". According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the latter is more probable, as the name Gothmog was mentioned in the earliest Middle-earth writings, as well as the final version of Tolkien's mythology.

{{maiar}}

[[Category:Balrogs]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[de:Gothmog (Balrog)]]
[[fi:Gothmog (balrog)]]

Siege of Utumno

2009-10-07T20:04:04Z

74.13.83.146:

{{expansion}}

{{battle
| name=Siege of Utumno
| image=[[Image:Roger Garland - Melkor chained.jpg|300px]]
| conflict=[[War for Sake of the Elves]]
| date=[[Valian Year 1092|VY 1092]]-[[Valian Year 1099|VY 1099]]
| place=[[Utumno]], North of Aman
| result= Decisive victory for Valarian forces
| side1= Valar and Maiar of [[Valinor]]
| side2= Forces of [[Melkor]]
| commanders1=[[Image:FirstdawnoftheSun_Taniquetil_cropped-TNasmith.jpg|35px]] [[Oromë]]
* [[Tulkas]]
| commanders2=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
{{Sauron blazon}}
| forces1= Valarian forces of Aman
| forces2= 2,000,000 +
| casual1= Unknown, most likely severe.
| casual2= Near total
|}}

The '''Siege of Utumno''' was a great battle between [[Morgoth]] and the [[Valar]]. The forces of the Valar were easily able to storm the black fortress. They drove Melkor into the depths of [[Utumno]]. Eventually Utumno was captured and leveled, and Melkor was taken to the [[Halls of Mandos]], bound by the great chain [[Angainor]]. He was taken back to Valinor for judgment before Manwë.

[[Category:Wars and Battles]]
[[Category:Sieges]]
[[Category:Conflicts of the Elder Days]]

War of Wrath

2009-10-07T19:56:03Z

74.13.83.146: /* The Great Battle */

{{expansion}}
{{sources}}

{{battle
| name=War of Wrath
| image=[[Image:Perkan_Pickman_-_War_of_Wrath.jpg|350px]]
| conflict=[[War of Wrath]]
| date=c. [[First Age 545|F.A. 545]] - [[First Age 587|587]]
| place=[[Beleriand]]
| result=Decisive victory for the [[Host of the Valar]], Drowning of [[Beleriand]], Expulsion of [[Morgoth]] from Arda
| side1=[[Morgoth]] and his minions, including [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], and [[Dragons]]
| side2=The [[Host of the Valar]], including the [[Vanyar]] and [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
| commanders1=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Ancalagon]] †
| commanders2=
{{Eärendil blazon}}
{{Finarfin blazon}}
* [[Eönwë]]
* [[Thorondor]]
| forces1= At least 1,300,000
| forces2= At least 700,000
| casual1=Virtually entire force
| casual2=Unknown, but most likely severe.
|}}

The '''War of Wrath''', or the '''Great Battle''', was the final [[Wars of Beleriand|battle]] against [[Morgoth]] at the end of the [[First Age]], and one of the greatest battles ever fought in all of [[Middle-earth]].

== Prelude ==
500 years into the First Age, Morgoth had become mighty in Middle-earth, not least because of the strife among the [[Noldor]]. The mariner [[Eärendil]], wearing the [[Silmarils|Silmaril]] on his brow, came to [[Valinor]], the first with mortal blood to set foot there, and begged the [[Valar]] to help the enslaved [[Elves]] and [[Men]] of Middle-earth.

The Valar were moved by Eärendil's plea, and along with the [[Vanyar]] and Noldor that were in Valinor, riding in the ships of the [[Teleri]], came to Middle-earth in a mighty host. They marched across [[Beleriand]], and met the forces of Morgoth in the plains of [[Anfauglith]].

== The Great Battle ==
The Valar and the Elves destroyed the [[Balrogs]], all save a few who fled and hid themselves, and the armies of the [[Orcs]] perished like straw in a great fire. While the [[Three Houses of the Edain]] fought with the Valar, many other Men fought against them and perished. Facing defeat, Morgoth released his ultimate weapon, the winged [[Dragons]], which had never been seen before, and drove the Valar back. The leader of these dragons was the powerful [[Ancalagon|Ancalagon the Black]].

Then [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]] came with his sky-ship [[Vingilótë|Vingilot]], along with the [[Eagles]], and they fought the dragons, in the end slaying Ancalagon, the mightiest of the dragon horde, who broke the towers of [[Thangorodrim]] in his fall.

Morgoth was captured hiding in the deepest dungeon of Angband and bound with his old chain Angainor; the two Silmarils still in his possession were taken by the Maia [[Eönwë]] and guarded (whence they were later stolen by [[Maedhros]] and [[Maglor]]). In the end the Valar thrust him "through the [[Door of Night]], beyond the [[Walls of the World]], into the [[The Void|Timeless Void]]", where he remains until the [[Last Battle]] and the Day of Doom. Only then shall he be utterly destroyed.
[[Image:Doors_of_Night.jpg|left|200px|thumb|left|"The Doors of Night" by [[John Howe]].]]

== Aftermath ==
The wreckage of the war was immense; most of the land west of the [[Ered Luin]] was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves. Most of the Elves went to the West, while others went East. The Valar raised up the island of [[Númenor]] in the Western Sea as a new home for the [[Edain]].

{{warsofbeleriand}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[Category:Wars and Battles]]

War of Wrath

2009-10-07T19:55:42Z

74.13.83.146: /* The Great Battle */

{{expansion}}
{{sources}}

{{battle
| name=War of Wrath
| image=[[Image:Perkan_Pickman_-_War_of_Wrath.jpg|350px]]
| conflict=[[War of Wrath]]
| date=c. [[First Age 545|F.A. 545]] - [[First Age 587|587]]
| place=[[Beleriand]]
| result=Decisive victory for the [[Host of the Valar]], Drowning of [[Beleriand]], Expulsion of [[Morgoth]] from Arda
| side1=[[Morgoth]] and his minions, including [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], and [[Dragons]]
| side2=The [[Host of the Valar]], including the [[Vanyar]] and [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
| commanders1=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Ancalagon]] †
| commanders2=
{{Eärendil blazon}}
{{Finarfin blazon}}
* [[Eönwë]]
* [[Thorondor]]
| forces1= At least 1,300,000
| forces2= At least 700,000
| casual1=Virtually entire force
| casual2=Unknown, but most likely severe.
|}}

The '''War of Wrath''', or the '''Great Battle''', was the final [[Wars of Beleriand|battle]] against [[Morgoth]] at the end of the [[First Age]], and one of the greatest battles ever fought in all of [[Middle-earth]].

== Prelude ==
500 years into the First Age, Morgoth had become mighty in Middle-earth, not least because of the strife among the [[Noldor]]. The mariner [[Eärendil]], wearing the [[Silmarils|Silmaril]] on his brow, came to [[Valinor]], the first with mortal blood to set foot there, and begged the [[Valar]] to help the enslaved [[Elves]] and [[Men]] of Middle-earth.

The Valar were moved by Eärendil's plea, and along with the [[Vanyar]] and Noldor that were in Valinor, riding in the ships of the [[Teleri]], came to Middle-earth in a mighty host. They marched across [[Beleriand]], and met the forces of Morgoth in the plains of [[Anfauglith]].

== The Great Battle ==
The Valar and the Elves destroyed the [[Balrogs]], all save a few who fled and hid themselves, and the armies of the[[Orcs]] perished like straw in a great fire. While the [[Three Houses of the Edain]] fought with the Valar, many other Men fought against them and perished. Facing defeat, Morgoth released his ultimate weapon, the winged [[Dragons]], which had never been seen before, and drove the Valar back. The leader of these dragons was the powerful [[Ancalagon|Ancalagon the Black]].

Then [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]] came with his sky-ship [[Vingilótë|Vingilot]], along with the [[Eagles]], and they fought the dragons, in the end slaying Ancalagon, the mightiest of the dragon horde, who broke the towers of [[Thangorodrim]] in his fall.

Morgoth was captured hiding in the deepest dungeon of Angband and bound with his old chain Angainor; the two Silmarils still in his possession were taken by the Maia [[Eönwë]] and guarded (whence they were later stolen by [[Maedhros]] and [[Maglor]]). In the end the Valar thrust him "through the [[Door of Night]], beyond the [[Walls of the World]], into the [[The Void|Timeless Void]]", where he remains until the [[Last Battle]] and the Day of Doom. Only then shall he be utterly destroyed.
[[Image:Doors_of_Night.jpg|left|200px|thumb|left|"The Doors of Night" by [[John Howe]].]]

== Aftermath ==
The wreckage of the war was immense; most of the land west of the [[Ered Luin]] was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves. Most of the Elves went to the West, while others went East. The Valar raised up the island of [[Númenor]] in the Western Sea as a new home for the [[Edain]].

{{warsofbeleriand}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[Category:Wars and Battles]]

War of Wrath

2009-10-07T19:51:52Z

74.13.83.146:

{{expansion}}
{{sources}}

{{battle
| name=War of Wrath
| image=[[Image:Perkan_Pickman_-_War_of_Wrath.jpg|350px]]
| conflict=[[War of Wrath]]
| date=c. [[First Age 545|F.A. 545]] - [[First Age 587|587]]
| place=[[Beleriand]]
| result=Decisive victory for the [[Host of the Valar]], Drowning of [[Beleriand]], Expulsion of [[Morgoth]] from Arda
| side1=[[Morgoth]] and his minions, including [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], and [[Dragons]]
| side2=The [[Host of the Valar]], including the [[Vanyar]] and [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
| commanders1=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Ancalagon]] †
| commanders2=
{{Eärendil blazon}}
{{Finarfin blazon}}
* [[Eönwë]]
* [[Thorondor]]
| forces1= At least 1,300,000
| forces2= At least 700,000
| casual1=Virtually entire force
| casual2=Unknown, but most likely severe.
|}}

The '''War of Wrath''', or the '''Great Battle''', was the final [[Wars of Beleriand|battle]] against [[Morgoth]] at the end of the [[First Age]], and one of the greatest battles ever fought in all of [[Middle-earth]].

== Prelude ==
500 years into the First Age, Morgoth had become mighty in Middle-earth, not least because of the strife among the [[Noldor]]. The mariner [[Eärendil]], wearing the [[Silmarils|Silmaril]] on his brow, came to [[Valinor]], the first with mortal blood to set foot there, and begged the [[Valar]] to help the enslaved [[Elves]] and [[Men]] of Middle-earth.

The Valar were moved by Eärendil's plea, and along with the [[Vanyar]] and Noldor that were in Valinor, riding in the ships of the [[Teleri]], came to Middle-earth in a mighty host. They marched across [[Beleriand]], and met the forces of Morgoth in the plains of [[Anfauglith]].

== The Great Battle ==
The Valar and the Elves destroyed the [[Balrogs]], all save a few who fled and hid themselves, and the armies of [[Orcs]] likewise. While the [[Three Houses of the Edain]] fought with the Valar, many other Men fought against them and perished. Facing defeat, Morgoth released his ultimate weapon, the winged [[Dragons]], which had never been seen before, and drove the Valar back. The leader of these dragons was the powerful [[Ancalagon|Ancalagon the Black]].

Then [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]] came with his sky-ship [[Vingilótë|Vingilot]], along with the [[Eagles]], and they fought the dragons, in the end slaying Ancalagon, the mightiest of the dragon horde, who broke the towers of [[Thangorodrim]] in his fall.

Morgoth was captured hiding in the deepest dungeon of Angband and bound with his old chain Angainor; the two Silmarils still in his possession were taken by the Maia [[Eönwë]] and guarded (whence they were later stolen by [[Maedhros]] and [[Maglor]]). In the end the Valar thrust him "through the [[Door of Night]], beyond the [[Walls of the World]], into the [[The Void|Timeless Void]]", where he remains until the [[Last Battle]] and the Day of Doom. Only then shall he be utterly destroyed.
[[Image:Doors_of_Night.jpg|left|200px|thumb|left|"The Doors of Night" by [[John Howe]].]]

== Aftermath ==
The wreckage of the war was immense; most of the land west of the [[Ered Luin]] was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves. Most of the Elves went to the West, while others went East. The Valar raised up the island of [[Númenor]] in the Western Sea as a new home for the [[Edain]].

{{warsofbeleriand}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[Category:Wars and Battles]]

War of Wrath

2009-10-07T19:50:28Z

74.13.83.146:

{{expansion}}
{{sources}}

{{battle
| name=War of Wrath
| image=[[Image:Perkan_Pickman_-_War_of_Wrath.jpg|350px]]
| conflict=[[War of Wrath]]
| date=c. [[First Age 545|F.A. 545]] - [[First Age 587|587]]
| place=[[Beleriand]]
| result=Decisive victory for the [[Host of the Valar]], Drowning of [[Beleriand]], Expulsion of [[Morgoth]] from Arda
| side1=[[Morgoth]] and his minions, including [[Balrogs]], [[Orcs]], and [[Dragons]]
| side2=The [[Host of the Valar]], including the [[Vanyar]] and [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]]
| commanders1=
{{Morgoth blazon}}
* [[Ancalagon]] †
| commanders2=
{{Eärendil blazon}}
{{Finarfin blazon}}
* [[Eönwë]]
* [[Thorondor]]
| forces1=Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions
| forces2=Hundreds of thousands
| casual1=Virtually entire force
| casual2=Unknown, but most likely severe.
|}}

The '''War of Wrath''', or the '''Great Battle''', was the final [[Wars of Beleriand|battle]] against [[Morgoth]] at the end of the [[First Age]], and one of the greatest battles ever fought in all of [[Middle-earth]].

== Prelude ==
500 years into the First Age, Morgoth had become mighty in Middle-earth, not least because of the strife among the [[Noldor]]. The mariner [[Eärendil]], wearing the [[Silmarils|Silmaril]] on his brow, came to [[Valinor]], the first with mortal blood to set foot there, and begged the [[Valar]] to help the enslaved [[Elves]] and [[Men]] of Middle-earth.

The Valar were moved by Eärendil's plea, and along with the [[Vanyar]] and Noldor that were in Valinor, riding in the ships of the [[Teleri]], came to Middle-earth in a mighty host. They marched across [[Beleriand]], and met the forces of Morgoth in the plains of [[Anfauglith]].

== The Great Battle ==
The Valar and the Elves destroyed the [[Balrogs]], all save a few who fled and hid themselves, and the armies of [[Orcs]] likewise. While the [[Three Houses of the Edain]] fought with the Valar, many other Men fought against them and perished. Facing defeat, Morgoth released his ultimate weapon, the winged [[Dragons]], which had never been seen before, and drove the Valar back. The leader of these dragons was the powerful [[Ancalagon|Ancalagon the Black]].

Then [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]] came with his sky-ship [[Vingilótë|Vingilot]], along with the [[Eagles]], and they fought the dragons, in the end slaying Ancalagon, the mightiest of the dragon horde, who broke the towers of [[Thangorodrim]] in his fall.

Morgoth was captured hiding in the deepest dungeon of Angband and bound with his old chain Angainor; the two Silmarils still in his possession were taken by the Maia [[Eönwë]] and guarded (whence they were later stolen by [[Maedhros]] and [[Maglor]]). In the end the Valar thrust him "through the [[Door of Night]], beyond the [[Walls of the World]], into the [[The Void|Timeless Void]]", where he remains until the [[Last Battle]] and the Day of Doom. Only then shall he be utterly destroyed.
[[Image:Doors_of_Night.jpg|left|200px|thumb|left|"The Doors of Night" by [[John Howe]].]]

== Aftermath ==
The wreckage of the war was immense; most of the land west of the [[Ered Luin]] was laid waste and soon after sank beneath the waves. Most of the Elves went to the West, while others went East. The Valar raised up the island of [[Númenor]] in the Western Sea as a new home for the [[Edain]].

{{warsofbeleriand}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the First Age]]
[[Category:Wars and Battles]]

Sauron

2009-10-07T19:45:48Z

74.13.83.146:

{{expansion}}{{sources}}
{{evil infobox
| image=[[]]
| name=Sauron
| othernames= Mairon, [[Annatar]], [[Necromancer]]
| created=Before the [[Music of the Ainur]]
| years=c. [[Second Age 500|S.A. 500]]-[[Second Age 3441|S.A. 3441]], c. [[Third Age 1000|T.A. 1000]]-[[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]]
| age=
| destroyed=[[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]]
| realm=[[Tol Sirion]], [[Dol Guldur]], [[Mordor]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Maiar]]
| appearance=Took bat form, wolf form, fair form. Confined to monstrous appearance after [[Downfall of Númenor]]
| accomplishments=Deceived the [[Elves]] into forging [[Rings of Power]], made the [[One Ring]], corrupted [[Númenor]], seduced [[Saruman]], nearly took over [[Middle-earth]]
|}}
'''Sauron''' was the Chief Lieutenant of [[Morgoth]], who after his fall became another Dark Lord, and ultimately walked down the same ruinous path to oblivion. Sauron was the chief enemy in the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age]].

==History==
=== First Age ===
In origin, Sauron was a [[Maiar|Maia]] known as ''Mairon''. In the earliest of days he was among people of [[Aulë]], the Smith the ruling powers of the world. However, Mairon was soon ensnared by Melkor (the [[Morgoth]]), who wished to rule and order all Arda. Mairon was renamed Sauron served Morgoth faithfully, and even in later days, after Morgoth was defeated and locked outside the confines of the world, Sauron encouraged and coerced [[Men]] to worship Morgoth as a God. However, while Morgoth wanted to either control or destroy the very matter of [[Arda]] itself, Sauron's desire was to dominate the minds and wills of its creatures. It was in this that Sauron was perhaps more practical than his master Morgoth.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Huan Subdues Sauron.jpg|thumb|left|''Huan Subdues Sauron'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
During the [[First Age]], the [[Noldor]]in [[Elves]] left the [[Blessed Realm]] of [[Valinor]] in the [[West|Utter West]] (against the counsel of the Valar) in order to wage war on Morgoth, who had stolen the precious [[Silmarils]]. In that war, Sauron served as Morgoth's chief lieutenant, surpassing all others in rank. Known as '''''Gorthaur the Cruel''''', Sauron at that time was a master of illusions and changes of form, and [[Werewolves]] were his servants, chief among them [[Draugluin]], Sire of Werewolves, and [[Thuringwethil]], his vampire herald. When Morgoth left [[Angband]] to corrupt the newly awakened [[Men]], Sauron directed the War against the [[Elves]]. He conquered the Elvish isle of [[Tol Sirion]], so that it became known as ''Tol-in-Gaurhoth'', the Isle of Werewolves.

Ten years later, [[Finrod Felagund]], the king of [[Nargothrond]] and former lord of [[Tol Sirion]], died protecting [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] in captivity there; soon afterwards, [[Lúthien]] and [[Huan]] the Wolfhound defeated Sauron in that place and rescued Beren from the dungeons. After his resounding defeat by Lúthien, Sauron played little part in the events of the First Age (possibly hiding from Morgoth), and after his master was defeated and cast out by the Valar, Sauron repented and pled for mercy. But he was unwilling to return to the Utter West for judgment, and so he fled and hid.

=== Second Age ===
[[Image:Annatar.jpg|thumb|left|''Annatar'' as envisioned by [[Weta]] from [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]]]]
After lying hidden and dormant for about one thousand years, Sauron put on a fair visage in the [[Second Age]]. Calling himself '''''Annatar''''', the Lord of Gifts, he befriended the Elvish smiths of [[Eregion]], and counseled them in arts and magic. Not all the Elves trusted him, particularly Lady [[Galadriel]] and [[Gil-galad]], High King of the Ñoldor, but few listened to them. The Elves forged [[Rings of Power]], but in secret Sauron forged the [[One Ring]] in [[Mount Doom]] to rule the other rings, investing most of his own power into the Ring as he forged it.

In this time Sauron became known as the [[Dark Lord]] of [[Mordor]]. He raised [[Barad-dûr]], the Dark Tower, near Mount Doom; constructed the [[Black Gate]] of Mordor to prevent invasion; corrupted nine mortal Men with Rings of Power and turned them into the [[Nazgûl]] (Ringwraiths), his chief servants; and raised massive armies of [[Orcs]], [[Trolls]], and Men, chiefly [[Easterlings]] and [[Southrons]].

Sauron's power reached its zenith 700 years after Mordor's creation, in the 17th century of the Second Age. Immediately after Sauron created the One Ring, Celebrimbor and the other Ring-bearers realized his treachery went to war with him. The [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] was a bloody conflict which destroyed Eregion and devastated much of Eriador. Celebrimbor was slain and his body impaled on a spike paraded at the head of Sauron's legions. The Elves were pushed back almost to the Blue Mountains, while their Dwarf allies (who had also rejected Sauron) retreated behind the walls of [[Moria]] where Sauron could not assail them. Sauron was master of almost all of Middle-earth beyond the coasts, but the Numenoreans responded to the Elves' call for aid and sent a relief force. The combined armies rallied and were able to defeat Sauron's armies in Eriador after heavy fighting, and the Dark Lord fled back to Mordor with little more than his own bodyguard.

Nonetheless, while Sauron's subsequent power never quiet matched the height it had during the War with the elves, many of his most powerful enemies' homelands had been devastated. ''Relative'' to his enemies, Sauron's empire was actually in a stronger position than it used to be. His empire continued to expand to dominate barbarian Men to the far south and east. Throughout this, Sauron remained faithful in his old allegiance, building temples to the worship of Morgoth, where human sacrifice was practiced. Because of this, towards the end of the Second Age, Sauron assumed the titles of '''Lord of the Earth''' and '''King of Men'''.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Forging of the One.jpg|thumb|''The Forging of the One'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
This offended the Númenóreans, the powerful Men descended from the line of Beren and Lúthien, who lived on the island of Númenor in the sea between Middle-earth and Valinor. The proud Númenóreans came to Middle-earth with great force of arms, and Sauron's forces fled. Realizing he could not defeat the Numenoreans with military strength, Sauron allowed himself to be taken as a hostage to Númenor by King [[Ar-Pharazôn]]. There, he quickly grew from captive to advisor and was known as '''Tar-Mairon'''; he converted many Númenóreans to the worship of Morgoth, and raised a great temple in which he performed human sacrifices. Finally, he convinced the king to rebel against the Valar and attack Valinor itself. [[Eru]], the supreme god, then directly intervened: Númenor was drowned under the sea, and the great navy of Númenor was destroyed. Sauron was diminished in the flood of Númenor, and fled back to Mordor, where he slowly rebuilt his strength during the time known as the [[Dark Years]].

From this point on he was unable to assume a fair shape, and ruled now through terror and force. A few faithful Númenóreans were saved from the flood, and they founded [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]] in Middle-earth. These faithful Men, led by [[Elendil]] and his sons, allied with the Elven-king, Gil-galad, and together fought Sauron and, after a long war, defeated him, although both Elendil and Gil-galad were killed. [[Isildur]], son of Elendil, cut the One Ring from Sauron's finger and claimed it. Later, the Ring betrayed him and was lost for more than two thousand years.

=== Third Age ===
In the [[Third Age]], Sauron rose yet again, at first in a stronghold called [[Dol Guldur]], the Hill of Sorcery, in southern [[Mirkwood]]. There he was known as the '''''[[Necromancer]]''''', and the Elves did not recognize him at first. [[Gandalf]] the [[Wizards|Wizard]] stole into Dol Guldur and discovered the truth; eventually the [[White Council]] of Wizards and Elves put forth their might and drove Sauron out. But the White Council was led by [[Saruman]], who wanted the Ring for himself, and for this reason, he did not want to attack Dol Guldur. When Gandalf insisted on an attack again, the White Council did attack. Unfortunately, this time Sauron was already prepared for an attack and escaped to Mordor, rebuilding and fortifying his fortress Barad-Dûr. He now fortified Mordor and prepared for war against Gondor and the Elves, using his new ally Saruman to defeat Rohan.

Sauron bred immense armies of Orcs and allies with which enslaved Men from the east and south. He adopted the symbol of a lidless eye, and he was able at that time to send out his will over Middle-earth, so that the [[Eye of Sauron]] was a symbol of power and fear.

After torturing Gollum, he learned that the One Ring had been found by [[Bilbo Baggins]]. He sent his deadliest servants, the [[Nazgûl]], to the [[Shire]], only to find that both Bilbo and his nephew, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], had departed. Unbeknownst to Sauron, Frodo had, at the behest of Gandalf, joined the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] on a quest to destroy the Ring. He rallied his vast armies to conquer the resistance's strongholds, and sent the Ringwraiths to find and kill Frodo. At about this time, he also learned that [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]], Isildur's heir, had also joined the Fellowship, and was rallying armies to defeat his.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Shadow of Sauron.jpg|thumb|220px|left|''The Shadow of Sauron'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
When Saruman's army was defeated at [[Isengard]], Aragorn used the Palantir of [[Orthanc]] to reveal himself to Sauron. Sauron made the premature conclusion that Aragorn had the Ring, and sent an army commanded by his strongest servant, the Witch-King of Angmar, to overthrow [[Minas Tirith (Gondor)|Minas Tirith]]. This battle would become known as the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]].

Although Sauron lost the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the free forces of the West were greatly weakened, and Sauron still had sufficent armies in reserve to ensure military victory. He was outwitted, however, by the strategy of Gandalf, who urged the captains of the [[Free peoples]] to march against Sauron, thus diverting the Dark Lord's eye from the real threat of Frodo, the Ring Bearer, who was nearing the end of his quest to destroy the One Ring.

Frodo, however, failed at the last moment, unable to resist the power of the Ring at the place of its birth. But Gollum inadvertently saved him by recovering the Ring in a desperate attempt to possess it, and then falling with it into the fire. Thus Sauron's power was unmade, and his corporeal power in Middle-earth came to an end. His spirit towered above Mordor like a black cloud, but was blown away by a [[Manwë|powerful wind]] from the [[Aman|West]]. Sauron was now permanently crippled, never to rise again. Saruman would suffer a similar fate.

==Etymology ==
[[Image:Timo Vihola - Sauron.jpg|thumb|right|''Sauron'' by [[Timo Vihola]]]]
In some of Tolkien's notes from the 1950's, it is said that Sauron's original name was '''Mairon''', "the admirable", "but this was altered after he was suborned by Melkor. But he continued to call himself Mairon the Admirable, or Tar-mairon 'King Excellent', until after Númenors downfall." ([[Parma Eldalamberon]] 17, 183)

''Sauron'' (originally '''''Thauron''''') is [[Quenya]], and can be translated as ''the Abhorred'' or ''the Abomination''. It is pronounced "sour-on" (''sour'' as in not sweet), or in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA IPA] as: {{IPA|/'sɑʊron/}}. In [[Sindarin]] he is called ''Gorthaur'' and also he was known as the [[Necromancer]], ''the Abhorred Dread'' and the '''Nameless Enemy''', which is hardly accurate (but perhaps an effort to lessen his psychological impact), whereas Morgoth is the Dark Enemy. The Dúnedain call him '''Sauron the Deceiver''' due to his role in the downfall of Númenor and the Forging of the Rings of Power. His two most common titles, the Dark Lord of Mordor and the ''Lord of the Rings'', appear only a few times in the books. His other titles were similar to Morgoth's.

== Other Versions of the Legendarium ==
Prior to the publication of ''The Silmarillion'' Sauron's origins and true identity were unclear to those without full access to Tolkien's notes. In early editions of the ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth|Guide to Middle Earth]]'', Sauron is described as "probably of the Eldar elves."

Since the earliest versions of the ''Silmarillion'' legendarium as detailed in [[the History of Middle-earth]] series, Sauron has undergone many changes. The prototype of this character was '''[[Tevildo]]''', lord of the cats, who played the role later taken by Sauron in the earliest version of the story of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]] in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'', the '''[[Tale of Tinúviel]]'''. Tevildo later (but still in the ''Book of Lost Tales'' period) was transformed into '''[[Thû]]''', the Necromancer. The name was then changed to '''Gorthû''', '''Sûr''', and finally to Sauron. ''Gorthû'', in the form ''Gorthaur'' remained in ''The Silmarillion''.

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
==See also==
*'''[[:Category:Images of Sauron|Images of Sauron]]'''
*[[The Dark Lord Sauron polystone statue]]

{{references}}
*[[Akallabêth]]
*[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]

{{sequence
|prev=''none''
|next=[[Isildur]]
|list=[[Ring-bearer]]<br>c. [[Second Age 1600|S.A. 1600]] – [[Second Age 3441|3441]]}}{{maiar}}

[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]

[[de:Sauron]]
[[fi:Sauron]]

Sauron

2009-10-07T19:42:48Z

74.13.83.146:

{{expansion}}{{sources}}
{{evil infobox
| image=[[http://images.epilogue.net/users/timovihola/sauron.jpg]]
| name=Sauron
| othernames= Mairon, [[Annatar]], [[Necromancer]]
| created=Before the [[Music of the Ainur]]
| years=c. [[Second Age 500|S.A. 500]]-[[Second Age 3441|S.A. 3441]], c. [[Third Age 1000|T.A. 1000]]-[[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]]
| age=
| destroyed=[[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]]
| realm=[[Tol Sirion]], [[Dol Guldur]], [[Mordor]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Maiar]]
| appearance=Took bat form, wolf form, fair form. Confined to monstrous appearance after [[Downfall of Númenor]]
| accomplishments=Deceived the [[Elves]] into forging [[Rings of Power]], made the [[One Ring]], corrupted [[Númenor]], seduced [[Saruman]], nearly took over [[Middle-earth]]
|}}
'''Sauron''' was the Chief Lieutenant of [[Morgoth]], who after his fall became another Dark Lord, and ultimately walked down the same ruinous path to oblivion. Sauron was the chief enemy in the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age]].

==History==
=== First Age ===
In origin, Sauron was a [[Maiar|Maia]] known as ''Mairon''. In the earliest of days he was among people of [[Aulë]], the Smith the ruling powers of the world. However, Mairon was soon ensnared by Melkor (the [[Morgoth]]), who wished to rule and order all Arda. Mairon was renamed Sauron served Morgoth faithfully, and even in later days, after Morgoth was defeated and locked outside the confines of the world, Sauron encouraged and coerced [[Men]] to worship Morgoth as a God. However, while Morgoth wanted to either control or destroy the very matter of [[Arda]] itself, Sauron's desire was to dominate the minds and wills of its creatures. It was in this that Sauron was perhaps more practical than his master Morgoth.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Huan Subdues Sauron.jpg|thumb|left|''Huan Subdues Sauron'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
During the [[First Age]], the [[Noldor]]in [[Elves]] left the [[Blessed Realm]] of [[Valinor]] in the [[West|Utter West]] (against the counsel of the Valar) in order to wage war on Morgoth, who had stolen the precious [[Silmarils]]. In that war, Sauron served as Morgoth's chief lieutenant, surpassing all others in rank. Known as '''''Gorthaur the Cruel''''', Sauron at that time was a master of illusions and changes of form, and [[Werewolves]] were his servants, chief among them [[Draugluin]], Sire of Werewolves, and [[Thuringwethil]], his vampire herald. When Morgoth left [[Angband]] to corrupt the newly awakened [[Men]], Sauron directed the War against the [[Elves]]. He conquered the Elvish isle of [[Tol Sirion]], so that it became known as ''Tol-in-Gaurhoth'', the Isle of Werewolves.

Ten years later, [[Finrod Felagund]], the king of [[Nargothrond]] and former lord of [[Tol Sirion]], died protecting [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] in captivity there; soon afterwards, [[Lúthien]] and [[Huan]] the Wolfhound defeated Sauron in that place and rescued Beren from the dungeons. After his resounding defeat by Lúthien, Sauron played little part in the events of the First Age (possibly hiding from Morgoth), and after his master was defeated and cast out by the Valar, Sauron repented and pled for mercy. But he was unwilling to return to the Utter West for judgment, and so he fled and hid.

=== Second Age ===
[[Image:Annatar.jpg|thumb|left|''Annatar'' as envisioned by [[Weta]] from [[Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings]]]]
After lying hidden and dormant for about one thousand years, Sauron put on a fair visage in the [[Second Age]]. Calling himself '''''Annatar''''', the Lord of Gifts, he befriended the Elvish smiths of [[Eregion]], and counseled them in arts and magic. Not all the Elves trusted him, particularly Lady [[Galadriel]] and [[Gil-galad]], High King of the Ñoldor, but few listened to them. The Elves forged [[Rings of Power]], but in secret Sauron forged the [[One Ring]] in [[Mount Doom]] to rule the other rings, investing most of his own power into the Ring as he forged it.

In this time Sauron became known as the [[Dark Lord]] of [[Mordor]]. He raised [[Barad-dûr]], the Dark Tower, near Mount Doom; constructed the [[Black Gate]] of Mordor to prevent invasion; corrupted nine mortal Men with Rings of Power and turned them into the [[Nazgûl]] (Ringwraiths), his chief servants; and raised massive armies of [[Orcs]], [[Trolls]], and Men, chiefly [[Easterlings]] and [[Southrons]].

Sauron's power reached its zenith 700 years after Mordor's creation, in the 17th century of the Second Age. Immediately after Sauron created the One Ring, Celebrimbor and the other Ring-bearers realized his treachery went to war with him. The [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] was a bloody conflict which destroyed Eregion and devastated much of Eriador. Celebrimbor was slain and his body impaled on a spike paraded at the head of Sauron's legions. The Elves were pushed back almost to the Blue Mountains, while their Dwarf allies (who had also rejected Sauron) retreated behind the walls of [[Moria]] where Sauron could not assail them. Sauron was master of almost all of Middle-earth beyond the coasts, but the Numenoreans responded to the Elves' call for aid and sent a relief force. The combined armies rallied and were able to defeat Sauron's armies in Eriador after heavy fighting, and the Dark Lord fled back to Mordor with little more than his own bodyguard.

Nonetheless, while Sauron's subsequent power never quiet matched the height it had during the War with the elves, many of his most powerful enemies' homelands had been devastated. ''Relative'' to his enemies, Sauron's empire was actually in a stronger position than it used to be. His empire continued to expand to dominate barbarian Men to the far south and east. Throughout this, Sauron remained faithful in his old allegiance, building temples to the worship of Morgoth, where human sacrifice was practiced. Because of this, towards the end of the Second Age, Sauron assumed the titles of '''Lord of the Earth''' and '''King of Men'''.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Forging of the One.jpg|thumb|''The Forging of the One'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
This offended the Númenóreans, the powerful Men descended from the line of Beren and Lúthien, who lived on the island of Númenor in the sea between Middle-earth and Valinor. The proud Númenóreans came to Middle-earth with great force of arms, and Sauron's forces fled. Realizing he could not defeat the Numenoreans with military strength, Sauron allowed himself to be taken as a hostage to Númenor by King [[Ar-Pharazôn]]. There, he quickly grew from captive to advisor and was known as '''Tar-Mairon'''; he converted many Númenóreans to the worship of Morgoth, and raised a great temple in which he performed human sacrifices. Finally, he convinced the king to rebel against the Valar and attack Valinor itself. [[Eru]], the supreme god, then directly intervened: Númenor was drowned under the sea, and the great navy of Númenor was destroyed. Sauron was diminished in the flood of Númenor, and fled back to Mordor, where he slowly rebuilt his strength during the time known as the [[Dark Years]].

From this point on he was unable to assume a fair shape, and ruled now through terror and force. A few faithful Númenóreans were saved from the flood, and they founded [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]] in Middle-earth. These faithful Men, led by [[Elendil]] and his sons, allied with the Elven-king, Gil-galad, and together fought Sauron and, after a long war, defeated him, although both Elendil and Gil-galad were killed. [[Isildur]], son of Elendil, cut the One Ring from Sauron's finger and claimed it. Later, the Ring betrayed him and was lost for more than two thousand years.

=== Third Age ===
In the [[Third Age]], Sauron rose yet again, at first in a stronghold called [[Dol Guldur]], the Hill of Sorcery, in southern [[Mirkwood]]. There he was known as the '''''[[Necromancer]]''''', and the Elves did not recognize him at first. [[Gandalf]] the [[Wizards|Wizard]] stole into Dol Guldur and discovered the truth; eventually the [[White Council]] of Wizards and Elves put forth their might and drove Sauron out. But the White Council was led by [[Saruman]], who wanted the Ring for himself, and for this reason, he did not want to attack Dol Guldur. When Gandalf insisted on an attack again, the White Council did attack. Unfortunately, this time Sauron was already prepared for an attack and escaped to Mordor, rebuilding and fortifying his fortress Barad-Dûr. He now fortified Mordor and prepared for war against Gondor and the Elves, using his new ally Saruman to defeat Rohan.

Sauron bred immense armies of Orcs and allies with which enslaved Men from the east and south. He adopted the symbol of a lidless eye, and he was able at that time to send out his will over Middle-earth, so that the [[Eye of Sauron]] was a symbol of power and fear.

After torturing Gollum, he learned that the One Ring had been found by [[Bilbo Baggins]]. He sent his deadliest servants, the [[Nazgûl]], to the [[Shire]], only to find that both Bilbo and his nephew, [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], had departed. Unbeknownst to Sauron, Frodo had, at the behest of Gandalf, joined the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] on a quest to destroy the Ring. He rallied his vast armies to conquer the resistance's strongholds, and sent the Ringwraiths to find and kill Frodo. At about this time, he also learned that [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]], Isildur's heir, had also joined the Fellowship, and was rallying armies to defeat his.

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Shadow of Sauron.jpg|thumb|220px|left|''The Shadow of Sauron'', by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
When Saruman's army was defeated at [[Isengard]], Aragorn used the Palantir of [[Orthanc]] to reveal himself to Sauron. Sauron made the premature conclusion that Aragorn had the Ring, and sent an army commanded by his strongest servant, the Witch-King of Angmar, to overthrow [[Minas Tirith (Gondor)|Minas Tirith]]. This battle would become known as the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]].

Although Sauron lost the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the free forces of the West were greatly weakened, and Sauron still had sufficent armies in reserve to ensure military victory. He was outwitted, however, by the strategy of Gandalf, who urged the captains of the [[Free peoples]] to march against Sauron, thus diverting the Dark Lord's eye from the real threat of Frodo, the Ring Bearer, who was nearing the end of his quest to destroy the One Ring.

Frodo, however, failed at the last moment, unable to resist the power of the Ring at the place of its birth. But Gollum inadvertently saved him by recovering the Ring in a desperate attempt to possess it, and then falling with it into the fire. Thus Sauron's power was unmade, and his corporeal power in Middle-earth came to an end. His spirit towered above Mordor like a black cloud, but was blown away by a [[Manwë|powerful wind]] from the [[Aman|West]]. Sauron was now permanently crippled, never to rise again. Saruman would suffer a similar fate.

==Etymology ==
[[Image:Timo Vihola - Sauron.jpg|thumb|right|''Sauron'' by [[Timo Vihola]]]]
In some of Tolkien's notes from the 1950's, it is said that Sauron's original name was '''Mairon''', "the admirable", "but this was altered after he was suborned by Melkor. But he continued to call himself Mairon the Admirable, or Tar-mairon 'King Excellent', until after Númenors downfall." ([[Parma Eldalamberon]] 17, 183)

''Sauron'' (originally '''''Thauron''''') is [[Quenya]], and can be translated as ''the Abhorred'' or ''the Abomination''. It is pronounced "sour-on" (''sour'' as in not sweet), or in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA IPA] as: {{IPA|/'sɑʊron/}}. In [[Sindarin]] he is called ''Gorthaur'' and also he was known as the [[Necromancer]], ''the Abhorred Dread'' and the '''Nameless Enemy''', which is hardly accurate (but perhaps an effort to lessen his psychological impact), whereas Morgoth is the Dark Enemy. The Dúnedain call him '''Sauron the Deceiver''' due to his role in the downfall of Númenor and the Forging of the Rings of Power. His two most common titles, the Dark Lord of Mordor and the ''Lord of the Rings'', appear only a few times in the books. His other titles were similar to Morgoth's.

== Other Versions of the Legendarium ==
Prior to the publication of ''The Silmarillion'' Sauron's origins and true identity were unclear to those without full access to Tolkien's notes. In early editions of the ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth|Guide to Middle Earth]]'', Sauron is described as "probably of the Eldar elves."

Since the earliest versions of the ''Silmarillion'' legendarium as detailed in [[the History of Middle-earth]] series, Sauron has undergone many changes. The prototype of this character was '''[[Tevildo]]''', lord of the cats, who played the role later taken by Sauron in the earliest version of the story of [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] and [[Lúthien]] in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'', the '''[[Tale of Tinúviel]]'''. Tevildo later (but still in the ''Book of Lost Tales'' period) was transformed into '''[[Thû]]''', the Necromancer. The name was then changed to '''Gorthû''', '''Sûr''', and finally to Sauron. ''Gorthû'', in the form ''Gorthaur'' remained in ''The Silmarillion''.

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
==See also==
*'''[[:Category:Images of Sauron|Images of Sauron]]'''
*[[The Dark Lord Sauron polystone statue]]

{{references}}
*[[Akallabêth]]
*[[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]

{{sequence
|prev=''none''
|next=[[Isildur]]
|list=[[Ring-bearer]]<br>c. [[Second Age 1600|S.A. 1600]] – [[Second Age 3441|3441]]}}{{maiar}}

[[Category:Maiar]]
[[Category:Ring-bearers]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]

[[de:Sauron]]
[[fi:Sauron]]

Dagor Dagorath

2009-09-12T13:06:55Z

74.13.83.146: /* The Prophecy */

{{cleanup}}{{History of Arda}}

{{quote|[[Manwë]] will not descend from [[Taniquetil|the Mountain]] until the Dagor Dagorath, and the coming of the End, when [[Melkor]] returns.|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref name="Istari">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Tolkien]] (ed.), ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'', "[[The Istari]]"</ref>}}

The '''Final Battle''', also known as the '''Second Prophecy of Mandos''', but probably best as the '''Dagor Dagorath''' ([[Sindarin]], "Battle of all Battles"), is a apocalyptic event prophesized by [[Mandos]]. The account bears many similarities to – and may have been inspired by - the Norse legend of [[wikipedia:Ragnarøk|Ragnarøk]].

==The Prophecy==

According to the prophesy, included in both [[The Shaping of Middle-earth]] and in [[The Lost Road]], [[Melkor]] will discover how to break the [[Door of Night]], and will destroy the [[Sun]] and the [[Moon]]. For the love of these, [[Eärendil the Mariner|Eärendil]] will return from the sky and shall meet [[Tulkas]], [[Manwë]] (or [[Eönwë]] his herald) and [[Túrin Turambar]] on the plains of [[Valinor]]. All the Free Peoples of [[Middle-earth]] will participate in this final battle, [[Elves]], [[Men]], and [[Dwarves]] alike. Also in the Battle will be [[Ar-Pharazôn]] and the [[Númenóreans]] who broke the [[Ban of the Valar|Ban]] and landed at [[Aman]] in 3319 [[Second Age|SA]]. These Númenóreans of the [[Great Armament]] were not destroyed, but are imprisoned in the [[Caves of the Forgotten]], where they await the ending of the world. The role that they have to play in the Last Battle is unknown.

The forces of the [[Valar]] shall fight against [[Melkor]], who will have resurrected many of his old followers, including [[Sauron]]. [[Tulkas]] will wrestle with him, but it will be by the hand of Túrin that finally death and utter defeat will be dealt to Melkor. Túrin will run his black sword [[Gurthang]] (Iron of Death) through Melkor's dark heart, thus avenging the [[Children of Húrin]], and the [[Pelóri]] Mountains will be leveled. The [[Silmarils]] will be recovered from the Earth, and [[Fëanor]]'s spirit shall be released from the [[Halls of Mandos]] and he will surrender them to [[Yavanna]]. They will be broken and their Light will rekindle the [[Two Trees]]. With the flattening of the Pelóri, the light of the Trees will cover all of Arda. The battle will end and renew [[Arda]]'s existence: all the Elves shall awaken and the Powers will be young again. Also, according to Dwarven legends, they will help their maker [[Aulë]] recreate Arda in all its glory again.

Following this, there will be a Second [[Music of the Ainur]]. This song will sing into being a [[Arda Unmarred|new world]]. Men and Elves will sing with the Ainur. It is unknown what the fate of the old races, or of the old world, will be in the new one. Even the Ainur do not know anything of the second world or the Second Music. All the Ainur know is that the Second Music will be greater than the First Music.

==References==
<small><references/></small>
[[Category:Wars and Battles]]
[[de:Dagor Dagorath]]
[[fi:Dagor Dagorath]]