King of Men
King of Men was a title claimed by two of Arda's major tyrants: Sauron, the great subversive power-hungry Maia, and Ar-Pharazôn, the power-hungry last King of Númenor.
History
During the Black Years, when his empire encompassed large parts of Middle-earth, Sauron styled himself as the "King of Men",[1] demanding god-like deference from his great following among Men;[2] and attacked the cities of the Númenóreans, which were located close to the coasts of Middle-earth and announced that he would drive the Númenóreans into the sea. This incensed Ar-Pharazôn who decided to force Sauron to become his vassal by force and to claim the title King of Men for himself.[1]
Ar-Pharazôn sailed with a great armada to Middle-earth, set up a camp with his mighty army and sent envoys to Sauron demanding him to come and to swear fealty to him. When Sauron realized that he could not prevail be force, he decided to use manipulation and came and swore featly to Ar-Pharazôn. Ar-Pharazôn took Sauron with him back to Númenor as a hostage, but Sauron managed to gain the trust of Ar-Pharazôn and to become the closest counsellor of the king. Ultimately Sauron succeeded in convincing Ar-Pharazôn who feared death that breaking the Ban of the Valar and living in Aman would grant him immortality. When a Númenórean armada saild to Aman and an army landed the Valar asked Ilúvatar to intervene and the island of Númenor sank below the waves, the armada fell into an abyss and their army was buried under collapsing hills in Aman.[1]
