The Return of the King

by J. R. R. Tolkien

  true names to few,54 but used such names as were given to them. The two highest of this order (of whom it is said there were five) were called by the Eldar Curunír, 'the Man of Skill', and Mithrandir, 'the Grey Pilgrim', but by Men in the North Saruman and Gandalf. Curunír journeyed often into the East, but dwelt at last in Isengard. Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West, and never made for himself any lasting abode.

  Throughout the Third Age the guardianship of the Three Rings was known only to those who possessed them. But at the end it became known that they had been held at first by the three greatest of the Eldar: Gil-galad, Galadriel and Círdan. Gil-galad before he died gave his ring to Elrond; Círdan later surrendered his to Mithrandir. For Círdan saw further and deeper than any other in Middle-earth, and he welcomed Mithrandir at the Grey Havens, knowing whence he came and whither he would return.

  'Take this ring, Master,' he said, 'for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.'

  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 are slain.

  3. Ohtar brings the shards of Narsil to Imladris.

  10. Valandil becomes King of Arnor.

  109. Elrond weds Celebrían, daughter of Celeborn.

  130. Birth of Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Elrond.

  241. Birth of Arwen Undómiel.

  420. King Ostoher rebuilds Minas Anor.

  490. First invasion of Easterlings.

  500. Rómendacil I defeats the Easterlings.

  541. Rómendacil slain in battle.

  830. Falastur begins the line of Ship-kings of Gondor.

  861. Death of Eärendur, and division of Arnor.

  933. King Eärnil I takes Umbar, which becomes a fortress of Gondor.

  936. Eärnil lost at sea.

  1015. King Ciryandil slain in the siege of Umbar.

  1050. Hyarmendacil conquers the Harad. Gondor reaches the height of its 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.

  c. 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 Nazgûl.

  1149. Reign of Atanatar Alcarin begins.

  c. 1150. The Fallohides enter Eriador. The Stoors come over the Redhorn Pass and move to the Angle, or to Dunland.

  c. 1300. Evil things begin to multiply again. Orcs increase in the Misty Mountains and attack the Dwarves. The Nazgûl reappear. The chief of these comes north to Angmar. The Periannath migrate westward; many settle at Bree.

  1356. King Argeleb I slain in battle with Rhudaur. About this time the Stoors leave the Angle, and some return to Wilderland.

  1409. The Witch-king of Angmar invades Arnor. King Arvaleg I slain. Fornost and Tyrn Gorthad are defended. The Tower of Amon Sûl destroyed.

  1432. King Valacar of Gondor dies, and the civil war of the Kin-strife begins.

  1437. Burning of Osgiliath and loss of the palantír. Eldacar flees to Rhovanion; his son Ornendil is murdered.

  1447. Eldacar returns and drives out the usurper Castamir. Battle of the Crossings of Erui. Siege of Pelargir.

  1448. Rebels escape and seize 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.

  c. 1630. They are joined by Stoors coming up from Dunland.

  1634. The 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 Umbardacil 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 on Dagorlad.

  1900. Calimehtar builds the White Tower in Minas Anor.

  1940. Gondor and Arnor renew communications and form an alliance. Arvedui weds Fíriel daughter of Ondoher of Gondor.

  1944. Ondoher falls in battle. Eärnil defeats the enemy in South Ithilien. He then wins the Battle of the Camp, and drives Wainriders into the Dead Marshes. Arvedui claims the crown of Gondor.

  1945. Eärnil II receives the crown.

  1974. End of the North-kingdom. The Witch-king over-runs Arthedain and takes Fornost.

  1975. Arvedui drowned in the Bay of Forochel. The palantíri of Annúminas and Amon Sûl are lost. Eärnur 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 Dúnedain. The heirlooms of Arnor are given into the keeping of Elrond.

  1977. Frumgar leads the Éothéod 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 Nazgûl. A Balrog appears in Moria, and slays Durin VI.

  1981. Náin I slain. The Dwarves flee from Moria. Many of the Silvan Elves of Lórien flee south. Amroth and Nimrodel are lost.

  1999. Thráin I comes to Erebor and founds a dwarf-kingdom 'under the Mountain'.

  2000. The Nazgûl issue from Mordor and besiege Minas Ithil.

  2002. Fall of Minas Ithil, afterwards known as Minas Morgul. The palantír is captured.

  2043. Eärnur becomes King of Gondor. He is challenged by the Witch-king.

  2050. The challenge is renewed. Eärnur 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 Nazgûl remain quiet in Minas Morgul.

  2210. Thorin I leaves Erebor, and goes north to the Grey Mountains, where most of the remnants 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 Déagol the Stoor finds the One Ring, and is murdered by Sméagol.

  2470. About this time Sméagol-Gollum hides in the Misty Mountains.

  2475. Attack on Gondor renewed. Osgiliath finally ruined, and its stone-bridge broken.

  c. 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. Celebrían, journeying to Lórien, is waylaid in the Redhorn Pass, and receives a poisoned wound.

  2510. Celebrían 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 in 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 t
he Dwarves.

  2589. Dáin I slain by a Dragon.

  2590. Thrór returns to Erebor. Grór his brother goes to the Iron Hills.

  c. 2670. Tobold plants 'pipe-weed' in the Southfarthing.

  2683. Isengrim II becomes tenth Thain and begins the excavation of Great Smials.

  2698. Ecthelion I rebuilds the White Tower in Minas Tirith.

  2740. Orcs renew their invasions of Eriador.

  2747. Bandobras Took defeats an Orc-band in the Northfarthing.

  2758. Rohan attacked from west and east and overrun. Gondor attacked by fleets of the Corsairs. Helm of Rohan takes refuge in Helm's Deep. Wulf seizes Edoras.

  2758-9. The Long Winter follows. Great suffering and loss of life in Eriador and Rohan. Gandalf comes to the aid of the Shire-folk.

  2759. Death of Helm. Fréaláf drives out Wulf, and begins second line of Kings of the Mark. Saruman takes up his abode in Isengard.

  2770. Smaug the Dragon descends on Erebor. Dale destroyed. Thrór escapes with Thráin II and Thorin II.

  2790. Thrór slain by an Orc in Moria. The Dwarves gather for a war of vengeance. Birth of Gerontius, 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. Dáin Ironfoot returns to the Iron Hills. Thráin 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. Thráin II sets out to revisit Erebor, but is pursued by the servants of Sauron.

  2845. Thráin 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 for news of the One, and of Isildur's Heir. He finds Thráin and receives the key of Erebor. Thráin dies in Dol Guldur.

  2851. The White Council meets. Gandalf urges an attack on Dol Guldur. Saruman overrules him.55 Saruman begins to search near the Gladden 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 service of Gondor.

  2890. Bilbo born in the Shire.

  2901. Most of the remaining inhabitants of Ithilien desert it owing to the attacks of Uruks of Mordor. The secret refuge of Henneth Annûn 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 Enedwaith and Minhiriath. Tharbad is ruined and deserted.

  2920. Death of the Old Took.

  2929. Arathorn son of Arador of the Dúnedain 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 receives him as foster-son and gives him the name Estel (Hope); his ancestry is concealed.

  2939. Saruman 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 Sméagol-Gollum and finds the Ring. The White Council meets; Saruman agrees to an attack on 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. Dáin of the Iron Hills becomes King under the Mountain (Dáin II).

  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. Théoden 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-dûr. Gollum turns towards Mordor. Sauron sends three of the Nazgûl to reoccupy Dol Guldur. Elrond reveals to 'Estel' his true name and ancestry, and delivers to him the shards of Narsil. Arwen, newly returned from Lórien, meets Aragorn in the woods of Imladris. 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 jealous 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 the Southfarthing.

  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. As Thorongil 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 Lórien and there meets again Arwen Undómiel. 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. Théoden 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. Éomer Éomund's son born in Rohan.

  2994. Balin perishes, and the dwarf-colony is destroyed.

  2995. Éowyn sister of Éomer born.

  c. 3000. The shadow of Mordor lengthens. Saruman dares to use the palantír 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 for news of Gollum and calls on the help of Aragorn.

  3002. Bilbo becomes a 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.

  The Great Years

  3018.

  April

  12. Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.

  June

  20. Sauron attacks Osgiliath. About the same time Thranduil is attacked, and Gollum escapes.

  July

  4. Boromir sets out from Minas Tirith.

  10. Gandalf imprisoned in Orthanc.

  August

  All trace of Gollum is lost. It is thought that at about this time, being hunted both by the
Elves and Sauron's servants, he took refuge in Moria; but when he had at last discovered the way to the West-gate he could not get out

  September

  18. Gandalf escapes from Orthanc in the early hours. The Black Riders cross the Fords of Isen.

  19. Gandalf comes to Edoras as a beggar, and is refused admittance.

  20. Gandalf gains entrance to Edoras. Théoden commands him to go: 'Take any horse, only be gone ere tomorrow is old!'

  21. Gandalf meets Shadowfax, but the horse will not allow him to come near. He follows Shadowfax far over the fields.

  22. The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening; they drive off the guard of Rangers. Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax.

  23. Four Riders enter the Shire before dawn. The others pursue the Rangers eastward, and then return to watch the Greenway. A Black Rider comes to Hobbiton at nightfall. Frodo leaves Bag End. Gandalf having tamed Shadowfax rides from Rohan.

  24. Gandalf crosses the Isen.

  26. The Old Forest. Frodo comes to Bombadil.

  27. Gandalf crosses Greyflood. Second night with Bombadil.

  28. The Hobbits captured by a Barrow-wight. Gandalf reaches Sarn Ford.

  29. Frodo reaches Bree at night. Gandalf visits the Gaffer.

  30. Crickhollow and the Inn at Bree are raided in the early hours. Frodo leaves Bree. Gandalf comes to Crickhollow, and reaches Bree at night

  October

  1. Gandalf leaves Bree.

  3. He is attacked at night on Weathertop.

  6. The camp under Weathertop attacked at night Frodo wounded.

  9. Glorfindel leaves Rivendell.

  11. He drives the Riders off the Bridge of Mitheithel.