Year
|
Events
|
1 |
Foundation of Lindon, ruled by High
King Gil-galad, and of Mithlond, ruled by Cirdan Shipwright. |
32 |
The Edain, led by Elros, establishes
Númenor on the island Elenna that was given to them by the Valar. |
500 |
Sauron, deeming the time is right,
begins his evil schemes again by attempting to seduce the Elves, knowing they have the
greatest skills and talents. |
700 |
The Noldor, led by Galadriel and
Celeborn, settle in Eregion, seeking the friendship with the great dwarven city
Khazad-dûm and to trade with mithril, which both races account as the most valuable
metal. Eregion means Land of Holly, which is the most beloved tree of the elves. |
750 |
The Noldor begin building
Ost-in-Edhil, the chief city of Eregion. Celebrimbor, seeking to excel his grandfather
Fëanor, founds The Gwaith-i-Mírdain, People of the Jewel-smiths whose purpose is to ever
seek more knowledge and improve their crafts. |
1000 |
Sauron, fearing the power of the
Númenoreans, begins building the Barad-dûr in Mordor, a secure place with mountain
surrounding the borders, thus easy to defend from his chief enemies, the Elves and
Númenoreans who come to the shores of Middle-earth. |
1200 |
Sauron under the name of Annatar
begins teaching the smiths of Eregion, especially in the making of Rings, but has no luck
in seducing Gil-galad, who refuses to have any dealings with him. Gil-galad sends warnings
to Eregion, but they are not heeded since the elves there welcome the teachings of Sauron. |
1375 |
Galadriel leaves Eregion and dwells
in Loth-lórien, because the Gwaith-i-Mírdain revolts against her and Celeborn’s
rule. Celebrimbor becomes Lord of Eregion. Celeborn, not wishing to take the route through
Khazad-dûm to Lórien stays in Eregion. . |
1500 |
The Gwaith-i-Mirdain begins forging
the Rings of Power. Under Sauron’s instructions they make the sixteen Rings, which he
hopes will put the elves under his dominion. |
1590 |
Celebrimbor forges in secret his
masterwork, the Three Rings. |
1600 |
Sauron forges the One Ring and places
it on his finger. The elves find out, remove their rings so Sauron can not gain control of
them and hide the Rings to prevent Sauron from using them on others. Sauron completes the
Barad-dûr. |
1601 |
Celebrimbor takes the Three Rings and
travels to Lórien to seek the advice of Galadriel. She counsels that the Rings should be
dispersed and hidden far from Eregion, where Sauron believes them to be. Celebrimbor gives
Nenya to her; he then travels to Lindon and delivers Vilya and Narya to Gil-galad, who
later gives Narya to his foster-father Círdan. |
1695 |
Sauron marches into Eriador from
Calenardhon, seeking the Rings of Power and beginning the war between him and elves. As
the vanguard of Sauron’s army approaches Eregion, Celeborn leads a sortie out of
Ost-in-Edhil and is successful in driving it back. But when Sauron’s main host
arrives, Celeborn is overrun and retreats, but he is cut off from returning to Eregion. So
he retreats north and meets up with an army sent from Lindon by Gil-galad and commanded by
Elrond. |
1697 |
Eregion is overrun and Ost-in-Edhil
falls. Celebrimbor is captured on the very steps to the great house of the
Gwaith-i-Mírdain and tortured into telling where the Nine and the Seven is hidden, but
refuses to reveal the location of the Three. Sauron nevertheless guesses their
whereabouts. He marches north-west and meets Elrond and Celeborn, who leads the survivors
from Eregion. They would have been overwhelmed except Sauron is attacked in the rear by a
force issuing from Moria (this was a force of Dwarves accompanied by Elves of Lorien led
by Amroth). Sauron turns and drives the Dwarves back into Moria, but the Gates are shut
and he can not enter. Allowed time to move, Elrond retreats north to Imladris with
Celeborn. |
1699 |
Sauron advances north-west to assail
Lindon, but is forced to leave a strong detachment to besiege Elrond in Imladris. Sauron
is thus in control of Eriador, and reaches the River Lhun. |
1700 |
Tar-Minastir, King of Númenor, sends
a great armada to the aid of Gil-galad which crushes Sauron’s forces. The year after,
Sauron is driven out of Eriador and the war ends in favor of the Elves, though with
grievous losses. |
2250 |
The Nazgul appear for the first time. |
3262 |
Sauron is taken as prisoner and led
to Númenor, where he corrupts them into worshipping him as a god and defying the Ban of
the Valar. |
3319 |
Númenor sinks, but Elendil and his
sons survives and the year after founds the Númenorean realms-in-exile, Arnor and Gondor.
They split the Palantírs up, Elendil having three and his sons two each. Elendil puts one
palantír in Annuminas, Arnor’s capital, one at the watchtower Amon Sûl, and the
last at Emyn Beraid, where it looks west across the Sea. The Gondor stones are placed at
Osgilliath, Minas Anor, Minas Ithil and Orthanc, an observatory. Sauron, who lost his fair
shape in the downfall, returns to Mordor in the guise of a great, black warrior. |
3429 |
Sauron, knowing that the realm of
Gondor is the greatest threat, lying next to his own land Mordor, attacks and conquers
Minas Ithil, where he burns the White Tree. Anarion defends Osgilliath and Minas Anor,
whereas Isildur, escaping Minas Ithil with the Palantír and a sapling of the White Tree,
travels north up the Anduin to seek aid from his father. |
3430 |
The Last Alliance is formed, between
Elendil, High King of Arnor and Gondor, and Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor, knowing
that Sauron can only be defeated if they join forces. |
3431 |
The Last Alliance assembles their
armies in Imladris, with Gil-galad and Elendil as the supreme commanders. Cirdan of
Mithlond, Amroth of Lorien and Oropher of Mirkwood also join the Alliance. |
3434 |
The armies of the Alliance crosses
the Misty Mountains and meets the forces of Sauron at what is to be known as Dagorlad, the
Battle Plain. The Alliance triumphs and marches into Mordor, laying siege to Barad-dûr. |
3440 |
Anarion is killed by a rock, thrown
from the tower which crushes his helmet. |
3441 |
Sauron makes a desperate attempt to
break the siege and engages personally in battle. Although he manages to kill Gil-galad
and Elendil, Isildur slays him and cuts the Ring from his finger. End of the Second Age. |
