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The northwest regions of Middle-earth
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War of the Ring
The decisive conflict at the end of the Third Age
The great conflict at the end of the Third Age, named for the One Ring and the importance this had in the final outcome. The war was fought between the Free (a loose alliance of peoples led by the Wise) and Sauron the Dark Lord, with Saruman as a third power based in Orthanc.
Sauron at all times held the military advantage in the War, due to his overwhelming forces; not only Orcs and Trolls, but Men of Harad and the East. His main immediate object was the overthrow of Gondor, his near neighbour and the strongest of his enemies. He had such forces at his command, though, that he was able to fight the war on many fronts, also attacking Dale, Erebor and the Wood-elves in the far north, and Lórien from his secondary stronghold at Dol Guldur. If the outcome of the War had depended on military strength, there can be no doubt that Sauron would ultimately have been victorious.
Saruman had claimed alliance with both the Wise and the Dark Lord, but was ultimately fighting for his own ends. In alliance with the Dunlendings, and having Orcs at his own command, his objective was the defeat of Rohan. Until late in the War, he held the advantage, defeating Rohan twice at the Battles of the Fords of Isen. He had not considered the Ents of Fangorn in his plans, however, and when they were roused to anger at his actions, they brought about his downfall.
The policy of the Wise was based around the Quest of Mount Doom; a company of nine under the leadership of Gandalf travelled from Rivendell with the One Ring, with the hope of reaching Orodruin in Mordor and there destroying it. Because the Ring held much of Sauron's native power, they realised that in unmaking it, they would also defeat its creator. Against all hope, the Quest was achieved: the One Ring was unmade, and Sauron defeated.
The War did not end with the defeat of Sauron, for Saruman fled northward after the capture of Orthanc, and established himself in the Shire, bending the Hobbits to his will by threat of violence and the persuasive power of his voice. The return of Frodo Baggins and his companions led to a rebellion by the Shire-hobbits, in which Saruman was killed by his servant, Gríma Wormtongue.
Although Sauron and Saruman were both defeated, the Wise did not achieve total victory. With the destruction of the One Ring, the Three Rings that had maintained the realms of the Elves in Middle-earth lost their power, and the last of the High Elves began to leave Middle-earth for the Undying Lands.
See also...
Adelard Took, Adrahil, Aglarond, Ainur, Aldburg, Alfrida of the Yale, Aman, Amon Lhaw, Anborn, Ancient West, Anfalas, Angbor, Angelimir, Angmar, Anor-stone, [See the full list...]Aragorn Elessar, Archet, Arod, Arwen Evenstar, Asëa aranion, Ash Mountains, Athrad Angren, Bagshot Row, Banks Family, Bardings, Barley, Barrel-rider, Barrow-downs, Base Master of Treachery, Battle Gardens, Battle of Dale, Battle of Fornost, Battle of Greenfields, Battle of the Hornburg, Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Beacons of Gondor, Bergil, Berhael, Berilac Brandybuck, Better Smials, Big Bosses, Bill Ferny, Black Captain, Black Chasm, Black Númenóreans, Black Stone, Blade that was Broken, Bofur, Bonfire Glade, Book of the Stewards, Boromir, Bosco Boffin, Bounders, Brand, Bree-hobbits, Bree-landers, Bridge Inn, Bridge of Nimrodel, Bridge of Stonebows, Brockenbores, Bucca of the Marish, Buckland Gate, Bucklebury Ferry, Buffo Boffin, Bunce Family, Butterbur Family, Bywater Pool, Cair Andros, Calembel, Captain of Despair, Captain of the Host of the West, Captain of the Hosts, Captain of the Kings Household, Captains of the West, Cardolan, Carl Nibs Cotton, Causeway Forts, Cave-trolls, Caverns of Helms Deep, Celebrían, Chestnuts, Chieftain of the Dúnedain, Chieftain of the Ringwraiths, Chronology of the Westlands, Circle of Isengard, Cirith Dúath, City Gate, City of Gondor, City of the Corsairs, City of the Men of Gondor, Cock-robin, Common Room, Companions of the Ring, Company of the Ring, Cormallen, Cottar, Cotton Family, Counsellor of the North-kingdom, Court of the Fountain, Crebain, Cross-roads, Dark Days, Dark Door, Dark Elves, Dark Mountains, Dark Throne, Dead City, Dead Men, Dead Tree, Deadmens Dike, Deeping-coomb, Deeping-road, Denethor I, Denethor II, Deputy Mayor, Derufin, Dervorin, Desolation of Smaug, Dís, Dome of Osgiliath, Door of the Dead, Doorward of Théoden, Downfall of Barad-dûr, Drúath, Drúedain, Drúedain of Anórien, Drughu, Drúwaith Iaur, Duilin, Duinhir, Dúnedain of the 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Durin, Heir of Isildur, Helmingas, Herblore of the Shire, Heribald Bolger, Herugrim, Hidden Land, High Elves, High Hay, High King, High Nazgûl, High Pass, Hildeson, Hill of Erech, Hill of Hearing, Hill-trolls, Hob Hayward, Hobbit-names, Hobbiton Hill, Hobbitry-in-arms, Holfast Gardner, Holman Greenhand, Horn-call of Buckland, Horse-men, Horsebreeders, Horsemen of Rohan, Horses, Host of the West, Hound of Sauron, House of Elendil, House of Elros, House of the Stewards, House of the Stewards, Houses of the Dead, Huorns, Húrin the Tall, Imrahil, Incánus, Inn of Bree, Isembard Took, Isengard, Isengarders, Isildur, Isildurs Heir, Isumbras Took I, Ithil-stone, Ithryn Luin, Khamûl, Khazad-dûm, King of Durins Folk, King of Gondor, King of Khazad-dûm, King of Rohan, King of the Dead, King of the Mark of the Riders, King of the Mountains, King of the Nine Riders, King of the Rohirrim, King of the Second Line, King of the Silvan Elves, King of the Southern Realm, King under the Mountain, Kingdom of Dáin, Kingdoms of the Dúnedain, Kings Company, Kings Host, Kings Norbury, Kûd-dûkan, Lady of Rivendell, Lady of the Shield-arm, Lady of the Wood, Lagduf, Lake Núrnen, Land of the Prince, Largo Baggins, Last Bridge, Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings, Last-king, Later Ages, Legolas Greenleaf, Lieutenant of Morgul, Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dûr, Lily Baggins, Line of Anárion, Linhir, Little Folk, Living Creatures, Lockholes, Long Cleeve, Long Hom, Longbeards, Lord of Barad-dûr, Lord of Dol Amroth, Lord of Gondor, Lord of Harrowdale, Lord of Isengard, Lord of Lamedon, Lord of Lossarnach, Lord of the Black Land, Lord of the City, Lord of the Dark Tower, Lord of the Fields of Rohan, Lord of the Nazgûl, Lord of the Tower of Guard, Lord of the White Tower, Lord Steward, Lords of the West, Lost Isle, Lost Realm, Lothíriel, Lugbúrz, Maggot Family, Mallor, Malva Headstrong, Mansion of the Khazâd, Many Colours, Marshal of the East-mark, Marshal of the Mark, Master of Fangorns Wood, Master of the Grey Havens, Master-ring, Masterful, Mat Heathertoes, Mayor of Michel Delving, Mearas, Meduseld, Men of Darkness, Men of Dunland, Men of the Ancient Houses, Men of the Anfalas, Men of the Mountains, Men of the West, Men out of the South, Menelya, Mentha Brandybuck, Merethrond, Merimac Brandybuck, Mering Stream, Merry Gamgee, Messenger of Mordor, Min-Rimmon, Mistress of Magic, Misty Mountains, Monendei, Moontower, Mordor, Morgul-host, Morgul-king, Morgul-lord, Mornan, Morthond Vale, Mosco Burrows, Mountains of Shadow, Mouth of Sauron, Mrs. Lily Cotton (née Lily Brown), Muster of Edoras, Muster of Rohan, Muster of the East-mark, Muster of the West-mark, Muster of Westfold, Naked Hill, Nameless Pass, Narchost, Narsil, Narya, Nazgûl of Dol Guldur, New Reckoning, New Row, Nîn-in-Eilph, Nine Ringwraiths, Norbury of the Kings, Nori, North March, North-gate, North-South Road, Northern Sceptre, Númenórean Realms, Nurn, Oath of Cirion, Old Ent, Old Gamgee, Old Gondor, Old Grange, 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Strider, Sutherland, Swan-knights, Swertings, Sword Reforged, Sword that was Broken, Tale of Aragorn and Arwen, Tarlangs Neck, Ted Sandyman, Teeth of Mordor, Thain of the Shire, The Boss, The Causeway, The Courts, The Darkness, The Dead, The East, The Eyrie, The Fat, The Floating Log, The Fool, The Great, The Magnificent, The Mountain, The Númenórean, The Red, The Ring, The Rock, The Rules, The Seer, The Ship and the Silver Swan, The Tombs, The Towers, The Towers, The Tree, The Watch, The White, Third Company of the Citadel, Third Marshal of the Riddermark, Thorin III Stonehelm, Thrimidge, Tighfield, Togo Goodbody, Tolman Tom Cotton, senior, Tom Bombadil, Tom Pickthorn, Tosto Boffin, Tower of Ecthelion, Tower of Orthanc, Tower of the Setting Sun, Tower-gate, Towers of Gondor, Town Hole, Translations from the Elvish, Travellers, Treegarth of Orthanc, Turgon, Two Kingdoms, Tyrn Gorthad, Udûn, Uffo Boffin, Underharrow, Underhill Family, Underking, Undertowers, Upbourn, Úrui, Valley of 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About this entry:
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- This entry is complete
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