Sauron’s attack on the Numenor fortress at the coasts of Middle earth
After the first ringwraiths or the nazguls appeared on Middle-Earth, Sauron believed that he has corrupted and tempted enough men so he could resume attacks onto the Numenorians. Sauron would start to attack the Numenor ports and strongholds located on the coasts of Middle Earth.
Miriel
Miriel or Tar- Miriel was the rightful heir as the daughter of the 24th King of Numenor Tar-Palantir. Tar- Palantir was the only king that tried to restore the Numenor religion of worshiping the Valars and resume friendship with the elves, the Eldars since the 14th King of Numenor Tar-Ancalimon.
However aft er the death of Tar-Palantir, Miriel’s cousin Ar-Pharazon would marry Miriel and take the throne of Numenor and Ar-Pharazon became the new king of Numenor.
Ar-Pharazon’s Throne as the 25th King of Numenor
Pharazon or Ar-Pharazon would become the last king of Numenor. Ar-Pharazon was a great friend with Amandil the father of Elendil. Ar-Pharazon served in the military of Numenor where he would fight in battles against Sauron.
Ar-Pahrazon would later climb up the ranks and became the commander of the Numenor army on Middle Earth. During his deployment to Middle-Earth, Ar-Parhazon would gain great fortune and wealth.
After Ar-Pharazon heard of his father’s death, Ar-Pharazon returned to Middle Earth and he became the Leader of the King’s Men, that were the people against the Valars and refused diplomacy with the elves.
The people of Numenor favored Ar-Pharazon as he was generous with his fortune that he gained from Middle Earth.
After the death of Tar-Palantir, Ar-Pharazon would marry Tar-Palantir’s daughter Miriel by force who was Ar-Pharazon’s cousin as well and would take the place as the king of Numenor against the old tradition of the heir of the kingship of Numenor. Ar-Pharazon would be called Ar-Pharazon the Gold for his generous share of gold and wealth.
Amandil, father of Elendil
Amandil was the leader of the Faithful, however was a long friend with Ar-Pharazon. Amandil was also a very skilled warrior respected for his wisdom and power.
Amandil despite being one of the Faithful that sought to worship the Valars and keep friendship with the elves would become a council member of Ar-Pharazon when Ar-Pharazon became king. Amandil was also the father of Elendil, the ancestor of Aragorn and the founder of the kingdom of Gondor and Arnor.
Birth of Elendil, Isildur and Anarion
Elendil was the son of Amandil and would later become known as the King of all the Dunedain. Elendil is considered the greatest hero of Middle Earth during the Second Ages. Elendil was the father of Isildur and Anarion where all three of them were born before Ar-Pharazon married Miriel and became the 25th king of Numenor.
Sauron’s Declaration as King of All Men
Sauron became very confident on his conquest of Middle-Earth after he successfully corrupted the men by the Rings of Power transforming powerful lords into his slave and servants the Nazguls. Among these Nazgul, ringwraiths were even Numenoreans that Sauron defiled.
Sauron also knew that the Numenorians started to resist worshiping the Valars and refuse the elves and Sauron grew confident that he would soon conquer Middle Earth as Sauron was confident that he could even corrupt the Numenorians.
Sauron declared himself titles such as King of Men and Lord of the Earth already because of his confidence.
Ar-Pharazon’s landing on Umbar and the Surrender of Sauron
Ar-Pharazon became furious of Sauron’s arrogance and called up the arms of Numenor and prepare a full-scale assault on Sauron to show off the might of Numenor. Ar-Pharazon assembled a great army of Numenor to conquer Mordor and take down Sauron and landed them on the ports of Umbar.
Ar-Pharazon’s Numenor forces were easily able to takedown Sauron and his minions. Yet Sauron realizes that he cannot defeat Numenor’s military by force but Sauron also makes an evil plot to defile the Numenorians.
Sauron would take a humble form and would call himself Zigur the wizard and instead of resistance, Sauron would bend his knees in front of Ar-Pharazon and surrendered.
Ar-Pharazon was proud as he was able to take down the mighty Sauron that once almost may have been successful in driving off the elves off from Middle Earth. Ar-Pharazon would take Sauron who declares himself Zigur as a prisoner to Numenor.
Sauron’s plot to corrupt Numenor
Sauron was captured as a prisoner to Numenor, however Sauron had a different master plan while Sauron did realize that he couldn’t defeat the army of Numenor with his forces of Mordor. Sauron would beg for mercy and call himself Zigur instead of Sauron.
Sauron would show magic that would benefit Ar-Pharazon and Numenor at first and Sauron would slowly start to tempt the loss of faith in the Valars for his benefit.
Eventually Sauron’s cunning words and deception made him the councilor of the king Ar-Pharazon. Sauron planned to corrupt Numenor and use the might of Numenor against the Valars.
Worship of Melkor in Numenor
Sauron not only started to council Ar-Pharazon but even publicly announced speeches to the people of Numenor of the hypocrite of the Valars and the injustice they’ve caused to humans.
Sauron started to denounce Eru or Iluvatar the God of the Arda as well and started to praise Melkor the former master of Sauron.
Sauron would praise Melkor as the True giver of Freedom that could release humans from death which Sauron referred as a curse rather than the Gift of Iluvatar.
As the majority of the Numenorians supported the King’s Men which was the political opinion of cut off with the elves and resistance against the Valars, majority of Numenor started to worship Melkor instead of the Valars and Iluvatar.
Burning of Nimloth the White Tree of Numenor
The White Tree Nimloth was a gift by the elves as a symbol of friendship between the Edain humans who were the ancestors of the Numenorians and the elves.
Sauron urged Ar-Pharazon to cut the White Tree to show the will of Numenor that they shall not serve the Valars no more and offer it as tribute to Melkor. Ar-Pharazon refused Sauron despite all he listened to all the other cunning lies of Sauron because of the old prophecy of the perish of Numenor when Nimloth was harmed.
However among the Faithful, Isildur, the son of Elendil was shocked of the news that Nimloth might be harmed and Isildur secretly steals a fruit of the White Tree Nimloth. Eventually Ar-Pharazon decided to cut down the White Tree Nimloth and burnt it in the Temple of Melkor.
Isildur would take great care of the fruit of the White Tree Nimloth as it would later become the First White Tree of Gondor which shall become the symbol for Gondor as well.
Temple of Melkor in Numenor
By the deception of Sauron, Ar-Pharazon even constructed a temple in Armenelos, the capital of Numenor.
Only the few Numenorians that remained as the Faithful knew that this was all the evil plot of Sauron, however Sauron tempted Ar-Pharazon to harass the Faithful that worshipped the Valars and Iluvatar as an evil cult and demanded the excommunication of the Faithful.
Even Ar-Pharazon’s old friend Amandil was kicked off from the council because he was a Faithful.
Some of the Faithful were caught as human sacrifice for the worship of Melkor in the Temple and burned alive by the frenzy of the King’s Men and Ar-Pharazon. The downfall of Numenor was imminent.
