The Rings of Power and Their Lords

by: Earl Reichert

or go diectly to the Timeline

In the Third age of Middle-earth, The Great Rings of Power and their Lords, are the main topic of stories and legends. Of how Isildur, Elendil's son and Heir to the lost Throne of Numenor, cut the One Ring from Saurons hand thus defeating and diminishing him. Of how He did not heed the advice of Elrond Half-Elven and many other voices of the Wise, to unmake the Ring and cast it into the fire from which it was made. 'This I will have as weregild for my father, and my brother's death' he had said. However he was waylaid by orcs upon the great river Anduin, and the Ring was lost for a long while.

In the meantime Middle-earth had peace for a long while, and Hobbits flourished and were granted their land in Eriador. Also the realm of Gondor rose to it's height. Elrond founded the haven of Rivendell, and it was a great place of widom and the last stronghold of the Eldar. For it was Elrond who kept the Ring of Gold, Vilya, set with a blue stone and mightiest of the 'Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky'. Galadriel, kinsman of The Great Gil-Gilad and mightiest of Eldar Women, having seen Valinor and the light of the Two Trees. She it was who kept Nenya, The Ring wrought of Mithril that bore a single white stone, and with her husband Celeborn, made the great realm of Lothlorian. In the end it was known that Gandalf the Grey, kept the Red Ring of Fire, Narya. At first the Ring had been entrusted to Cirdan, Lord of the Grey Havens, a Sindarin Elf of great power and lineage. But He surrendered it to Gandalf, for he knew where he came from and where he would return. 'Take now this Ring' he said, 'for thy labors and thy cares will be heavy, but in all it will support thee and defend thee from weariness. For this is the Ring of Fire, and herewith, maybe, thou shalt rekindle hearts to the valor of old in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores, guarding the Havens until the last ship sails. Then I shall await thee.'

The One Ring To Rule Them All. The One Ring remained at the bottom of the river Anduin for long ages. But because it was not unmade, the spirit of Sauron lived and begin to take shape again. He built a great fortress in Greenwood the Great, the fortress of Dol-Guldur. As his power grew so did the forrest with evil, it then was refered to as Mirkwood, and many terrible things began to dwell there. The Wise, including Gandalf , Elrond and Galadriel began to fear it was Sauron but made no move against it. Then the One Ring was found by a Hobbit-like creature named Deagol, who was fishing with his friend Smeagol on the river. Smeagol coveting the Ring, murdered Deagol and took it. His people, despising him, cast him out and he eventualy ended up in the Misty Mountains. Gollum, his people had named him, kept the One Ring for long ages, for the Ring extended his life.

There came a time when Bilbo, hobbit of the Shire, was on an adventure with Gandalf and the Dwarves, that he became lost inside the Misty Mountains. There he found the One Ring, and took it into the wide world. In Hobbiton, it remained safe for many years until it was passed on to Frodo, Bilbo's nephew and heir. Then war came at last and Sauron, driven from Dol-Gulur by the Wise, went back to Mordor and began to rise in power and wage war on Middle-earth, ever seeking for the One Ring into which he placed most of his power of old.

Frodo Baggins of the Shire, on the advice of Gandalf, took the One Ring to Rivendell. With the aid of Aragorn, decendant of Isildur, Samwise his servant and other friends he made the journey with almost the cost of his life. In Rivendell many councils were made and listened to, but in the end it was decided that the One Ring must be taken to Mount Doom, and plunged into the fires of it's making, thus destroying Saurons Power forever. Many things, good and bad, happened on that journey; Gandalf was lost, in Lothlorian they stayed awhile, but in the end, Frodo and Samwise alone carried the One Ring into Mordor. After long struggles and war accross all Middle-earth, the Ring was cast into Mount Doom and was unmade, thus Sauron was defeated forever. But the Task proved a heavy one for Frodo, he was injured beyond the help of the Mortal World. And when the One Ring perished, so did the power of the Three Elven Rings. And it came to pass that the great Elves of Middle-earth, finally weary of it, set sail on the Last Ship that Cirdan had spoken of. With them went Gandalf, for in the last days he was found again and revealed as a Lord with great power. Also went the Ring Bearers, Bilbo and Frodo, for they both carried the burden of the One Ring and were weary in heart and spirit. They passed into the Uttermost West, and when they did the Eldar of songs and legends, and The Lord of the Rings came to an end.

The Tale of Years;

Year:
2 Isildur plants a seedling of the White Tree in Minas Anor. He delivers the South-kingdom to Meneldil
...Disaster of the Gladden Fields; Isildur and his three elder sons sre slain
3 Ohtar brings shards of Narsil to Imladris.
10 Valandil becomes King of Arnor.
100 Elrond weds daughter of Celeborn.
139 Birth of Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Elrond.
241 Birth of Arwen Undomiel.
420 King Ostoher rebuilds Minas Anor.
490 First invasion of Easterlings.
500 Romendacil I defeats the Easterlings.
541 Romendacil slain in battle.
830 Falastur begins the line of the Ship-kings of Gondor.
861 Death of Earendur, and division of Arnor.
933 King Earnil I takes Umbar, which becomes a fortress of Gondor.
936 Earnil lost at sea.
1015 King Ciryandil slain in battle.
1050 Hyarmendacil conquers the Harad. Gondor reaches the height of power. About this time a shadow
.........falls on Greenwood, and men begin to call it Mirkwood. The Periannath are first mentioned in
.........records, with the coming of the harfoots to Eriador.
1100 The Wise (the Istari and the chief Eldar) discover that an evil power has made a stronghold at
.........Dol Guldur. It is thought to be one of the Nazgul.
1149 Reign of Atanatar Alcarin begins.
1150 The Fallohides enter Eriador. The Stoors come over the Redhorn Pass and move to angle, or to Dunland.
1300 Evil things begin to multiply again. Orcs increase in the Misty Mountains and attack the Dwarves.
........The Nazgul reappear. The chief of these comes north to Angmar. The Periannath migrate westward
........many settle in Bree.
1356 King argeleb I slain in battle with Rhudaur. About this time the Stoors leave Angle, and some return to Wilderland.
1409 The Witch-king of Angmar invades Arnor. King Arveleg I slain. Fornost and Tyrn Gorthad are
.........defended. The Tower of Amon Sul is destroyed.
1432 King Valacar of Gondor dies, and the civil war of the Kin-strife begins.
1437 Burning of Osgiliath and loss of the palantir. Eldacar flees to Rhovanion; his son Orendil is murdered.
1447 Eldacar returns and drives out the usurper Castamir. Battle of the Crossings of Erui. Seige of Pelegir.
1448 Rebels escape and sieze Umbar.
1540 King Aldamir slain in war with the Harad and Corsairs of Umbar.
1551 Hyarmendacil II defeats the Men of Harad.
1601 Many Periannath migrate from Bree, and are granted land beyond Baranduin by Argeleb II.
1630 They are joined by Stoors coming up from Dunland.
1634 Corsairs ravage Pelargir and slay King Minardil.
1636 The Great Plague devastates Gondor. Death of King Telemnar and his children. The White Tree
.........dies in Minas Anor. The plague spreads north and west, and many parts of Eriador become desolate.
.........Beyond the Baranduin the Periannath survive, but suffer great loss.
1640 King Tarondor removes the King's House to Minas Anor, and plants a seedling of the White Tree.
.........Osgiliath begins to fall into ruin. Mordor is left unguarded.
1810 King Telumehtar Umbardaci retakes Umbar and drives out the Corsairs.
1851 The attacks of the Wainriders upon Gondor begin.
1856 Gondor loses its eastern territories, and Narmacil II falls in battle.
1899 King Calimehtar defeats the Wainriders in Dagorlad.
1900 Calimehtar Builds the White Tower in Minas Anor.
1940 Gondor and Arnor renew communications and form an alliance. Arvedui weds Firiel daughter
.........of Ondoher of Gondor.
1944 Ondoher falls in battle. Earnil defeats the enemy in South Ithilien. He then wins the Battle of the Camp,
........ and drives the Wainriders into the Dead Marshes. Arvedui claims the crown of Gondor.
1945 Earnil II recieves the crown.
1974 End of the North-kingdom. The Witch-king overruns Arthedain and takes Fornost.
1975 Arvedui drowned in the Bay of Forochel. The palantiri of Annuminas and Amon Sul are lost.
.........Earnur brings a fleet to Lindon. The Witch-king defeated at the Battle of Fornost, and pursued
.........to the Ettenmoors. he vanishes from the north.
1976 Aranarth takes the title of Chieftain of the Dunedain. The heirlooms of Arnor are given into the keeping of Elrond.
1977 Frungor leads the Eotheod into the North.
1979 Bucca of the Marish becomes first Thain of the Shire.
1980 The Witch-king comes to Mordor and there gathers the Nazgul. A Balrog appears in Moria, and slays Durin IV.
1981 Nain I slain. The dwarves flee from Moria. Many of the Silvan Elves of Lorien flee south.
.........Amroth and Nimrodel are lost.
1999 Thrain I comes to Erebor and founds a dwarf-kingdom 'under the Mountain'.
2000 The Nazgul issue from Mordor and besiege Minas Ithil.
2002 Fall of Minas Ithil, afterwards known as Minas Morgul. The palantir is captured.
2043 Earnur becomes King of Gondor. He is challenged by the Witch-king.
2050 The challenge is renewed. Earnur rides to Minas Morgul and is lost. Mardil becomes the first ruling Steward.
2060 The power of Dol Guldur grows. The wise fear that it may be Sauron taking shape again.
2063 Gandalf goes to Dol Guldur. Sauron retreats and hides in the east. The Watchful Peace begins.
.........The Nazgul remain quiet in Minas Morgul.
2210 Thorin I leaves Erebor, and goes north to the Grey Mountains, where most of Durin's Folk are now gathering.
2340 Isumbras I becomes thirteenth Thain, and first of the Took line. The Oldbucks occupy the Buckland.
2460 The Watchful Peace ends. Sauron returns with increased strength to Dol Guldur.
2463 The White Council is formed. About this time Deagol the Stoor finds the One Ring, and is murdered
.........by Smeagol.
2470 About this time Smeagol-Gollum hides in the Misty Mountains.
2475 Attack on Gondor renewed. Osgiliath finally ruined, and it's stone-bridge broken.
2480 Orcs begin to make secret strongholds in the Misty Mountains so as to bar all the passes into Eriador.
.........Sauron begins to people Moria with his creatures.
2509 Celebrian, jouneying to Lorien, is waylaid in the Redhorn Pass, and recieves a poisoned wound.
2510 Celebrian departs over Sea. Orcs and Easterlings overrun Calenardhon. Eorl the Young wins the
.........victory of the Field of Celebrant. The Rohirrim settle in Calenardhon.
2545 Eorl falls in battle of the Wold.
2569 Brego son of Eorl completes the Golden Hall.
2570 Baldor son of Brego enters the Forbidden Door and is lost. About this time Dragons reappear in the far
.........North and begin to afflict the Dwarves.
2589 Dain I slain by a dragon.
2590 Thror returns to Erebor. Gror his brother goes to the Iron Hills.
2670 Tobold plants 'pipe-weed' in the Southfarthing.
2683 Isengrim II becomes tenth Thain and begins the excavation of the Great Smials.
2698 Ecthelion I rebuilds the White Tower in Minas Tirith.
2740 Orcs renew thier invasion of Eriador.
2747 Bandobras Took defeats an Orc-band in the Northfarthing.
2758 Rohan attacked from the west and east and overrun. Gondor attacked by fleets of Corsairs.
.........Helm of Rohan takes refuge in Helm's Deep. Wulf siezes Edoras. The Long Winter Follows.
.........Great suffering and loss of life in Rohan and Eriador. Gandalf comes to the aid of the Shire-folk.
2759 Death of Helm. Frealaf drives out Wulf, and begins second line of Kings of the Mark.
.........Saruman takes up his abode in Isengard.
2770 Smaug the Dragon decends on Erebor. Dale destroyed. Thror escapes with Thrain II and Thorin II.
2790 Thror slain by orcs in Moria. The Dwarves gather for a war of vengence. Birth of Gerotinous,
.........later known as the Old Took.
2793 The War of the Dwarves and Orcs begins.
2799 Battle of Nanduhirion before the East-gate of Moria. Dain Ironfoot returns to the Iron Hills. Thrain II
.........and his son Thorin wander westwards. They settle in the South of Ered Luin beyond the Shire (2802).
2800-64 Orcs from the North trouble Rohan. King Walda slain by them (2861).
2841 Thrain II sets out to revisit Erebor, but is pursued by the servants of Sauron.
2845 Thrain the Dwarf is imprisoned in Dol Guldur; the last of the Seven Rings is taken from him.
2850 Gandalf again enters Dol Guldur, and discovers that its master is indeed Sauron, who is gathering
.........all the Rings and seeking news for the One, and of Isildur's Heir. He finds Thrain and recieves
.........the key of Erebor. Thrain dies in Dol Guldur.
2851 The White Council meets. Gandalf urges an attack on Dol Guldur. Saruman overrules him. Saruman
.........begins to search near the Galdden Fields.
2852 Belecthor II of Gondor dies. The White Tree dies, and no seedling can be found. The dead tree is left standing.
2885 Stirred up by emissaries of Sauron the Haradrim cross the Poros and attack Gondor. The sons of
.........Folcwine of Rohan are slain in the sevice of Gondor.
2890 Bilbo born in the Shire.
2901 Most of the inhabitants of Ithilien desert it owing to the attacks of Uruks of Mordor. The secret
.........refuge of Henneth Annun is built.
2907 Birth of Gilraen mother of Aragorn II.
2911 The Fell Winter. The Baranduin and other rivers are frozen. White Wolves invade eriador from the North.
2912 Great floods devastate the Enedwaith and Minhiriath. Tharbad is ruined and deserted.
2920 Death of the Old Took.
2929 Arathorn son of Arador of the Dunedain weds Gilraen.
2930 Arador slain by Trolls. Birth of Denethor II son of Ecthelion II in Minas Tirith.
2931 Aragorn son of Arathorn II born on March 1st.
2933 Arathorn II slain. Gilraen takes Aragorn to Imladris. Elrond recieves him as foster-son and gives him
.........the name Estel (Hope); his ancestry is concealed.
2939 Sauman discovers that Sauron's servants are searching the Anduin near Gladden Fields, and that
.........Sauron therefore has learned of Isildur's end. He is alarmed but says nothing to the council.
2941 Thorin Oakenshield and Gandalf visit Bilbo in the Shire. Bilbo meets Smeagol-Gollum and finds
.........the One Ring. The White Council meets; Saruman agrees to attack Dol Guldur, since he now wishes
.........to prevent Sauron from searching the River. Sauron having made his plans abandons Dol Guldur.
.........The Battle of the Five Armies in Dale. Death of Thorin II. Bard of Esgaroth slays Smaug. Dain
.........of the Iron Hills becomes King under the mountain.
2942 Bilbo returns to the Shire with the Ring. Sauron returns in secret to Mordor.
2944 Bard rebuilds Dale and becomes King. Gollum leaves the Mountains and begins his search for
.........the "Thief" of the Ring.
2948 Theoden son of Thengel, King of Rohan, born.
2949 Gandalf and Balin visit Bilbo in the Shire.
2950 Finduilas, daughter of Adrahil of Dol Amroth, born.
2951 Sauron declares himself openly and gathers power in Mordor. He begins the rebuilding of Barad-Dur.
.........Gollum turns toward Mordor. Sauron sends three of the Nazgul to reoccupy Dol Guldur. Elrond
.........reveals to 'Estel' his true name and ancestry, and delivers to him the shards or Narsil. Arwen,
.........newly returned from Lorien, meets Aragorn in the woods of Imlidris. Aragorn goes out into the Wild.
2953 Last meeting of the White Council. They debate the Rings. Saruman feigns that he has discovered
.........that the One Ring has passed down Anduin to the Sea. Saruman withdraws to Isengard, which he
.........takes as his own, and fortifies it. Being jelous and afraid of Gandalf he sets spies to watch all his
.........movements; and notes his interest in the Shire. He soon begins to keep agents in Bree and South-farthing.
2954 Mount Doom bursts into flame again. The last inhabitants of Ithilien flee over Anduin.
2956 Aragorn meets Gandalf and their friendship begins.
2957-80 Aragorn undertakes his great journeys and errantries. He serves in disguise both Thengel of Rohan
.........and Ecthelion II of Gondor.
2968 Birth of Frodo.
2976 Denethor weds Finduilas of Dol Amroth.
2977 Bain son of Bard becomes King of Dale.
2978 Birth of Boromir son of Denethor II.
2980 Aragorn enters Lorien, and there meets again Arwen Undomiel. Aragorn gives her the ring of Barahir,
.........and they plight their troth upon the hill of Cerin Amroth. About this time Gollum reaches the confines
.........of Mordor and becomes acquainted with Shelob. Theoden becomes King of Rohan.
2983 Faramir son of Denethor born. Birth of Samwise.
2984 Death of Ecthelion II. Denethor II becomes Steward of Gondor.
2988 Finduilas dies young.
2989 Balin leaves Erebor and enters Moria.
2991 Eomer Eomund's son born in Rohan.
2994 Balin Perishes, and the dwarf-colony is destroyed.
2995 Eowyn sister of Eomer born.
3000 The shadow of Mordor lengthens. Saruman dares to use the palantir of Orthanc, but becomes ensnared
.........by Sauron, who has the Ithil Stone. He becomes a traitor to the Council. His spies report that the
.........Shire is being closely guarded by the Rangers.
3001 Bilbo's farewell feast. Gandalf suspects his ring to be the One Ring.The guard on the Shire is doubled.
.........Gandalf seeks news of Gollum and calls on the help of Aragorn.
3002 Bilbo becomes the guest of Elrond, and settles in Rivendell.
3004 Gandalf visits Frodo in the Shire, and does so at intervals during the next four years.
3007 Brand son of Bain becomes King in Dale. Death of Gilraen.
3008 In the autumn Gandalf pays his last visit to Frodo.
3009 Gandalf and Aragorn renew their hunt for Gollum at intervals during the next eight years, searching
.........in the vales of Anduin, Mirkwood, and Rhovanion to the confines of Mordor. At some time during
.........these years Gollum himself ventured into Mordor, and was captured by Sauron. Elrond sends for
.........Arwen, and she returns to Imladris; the mountains and all lands eastward are becoming dangerous.
3017 Gollum is released from Mordor. He is taken by Aragorn in the Dead Marshes, and brought to
.........Thranduil in Mirkwood. Gandalf visits Minas Tirith and reads the scroll of Isildur.

Henceforth the deeds of the Third Age have been described in full within the pages of the
Lord of the Rings Trillogy.

[Home] [First Age] [Second Age] [Third Age]
[Maps] [Pictures] [The Author] [Webrings] [Links] [Guestbook] [Awards]