Rise of evil in Dol Guldur
Sauron is still in seclusion, yet one of the nazguls have been uprising in Dol Guldur that was a fortress located in the south of Mirkwood.
Greenwood the Great started to corrupt already by the evil uprising by Sauron and Dol Guldur would become the assembly point of the dark creatures.
The Istari and the elves were aware that evil rose in Dol Guldur, however these forces of Dol Guldur were not yet strong enough that required action. The elves and the Istari had more serious business than arose in the north of Arnor.
Ancestors of Rohan, men of Rhovanion
The men of Rhovanion would migrate further south due to the evil dwelling in Mirkwood. Gondor was facing numerous wars against the Easterlings and the men of Rhovanion formed a strong alliance with Gondor to fight the Easterlings.
Gondor would befriend the men of Rhovanion and presented the lands east of the Anduin River to the king of the men of Rhovanion that were the ancestors of Rohan.
Argonath, Pillars of the Kings
Gondor would make the two gigantic rock pillars of their initial founders Isildur and Anarion at the Lake Nen Hithoel to mark the northern border of Gondor. Argonath marked the borders of Gondor and it was also referred to as the Gates of the Kings or the Gates of Gondor.
Located near the lake Nen Hithoel that led to the Anduin River was the hills of Emyn Muil were later on during the time point of Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Boromir would part from Frodo and Sam while the Uruk-hai of Saruman kidnap Merry and Pippin.
Marriage of Valacar from Gondor and Vidumavi, princess of Rhovanion
Valacar was sent to Rhovanion by his father the 19th king of Gondor to learn more from the northern men of Rhovanion. During Valacar’s stay with the men of Rhovanion, Valacar fell in love with Vidumavi, the princess of Rhovanion.
Valacar who was a descendant of Numenor thus a Dunedain that was stronger and lived longer than ordinary humans married an ordinary human Vidumavi from Rhovanion.
Valacar would later become the 20th king of Gondor and with his wife Vidumavi, his son Vinitharya would become the 21st king of Gondor Eldacar.
However, the marriage of a Dunedain and an ordinary human infuriated the Gondor royalty and nobles as they accused Valacar of defiling the pure blood of the Dunedain. This grudge and obsession maintaining pure-blood of the Dunedain lineage would later lead to the Kin-Strife of Gondor that would mark the downfall of Gondor from its prime.
Nazguls and the orcs rise
Sauron hasn’t recovered all his powers and yet Sauron remained silent as he didn’t want to alert his return. However, the shadows and darkness caused by Sauron would spread around Middle Earth and the orcs of the Misty Mountains would attack the dwarves of Khazad-dum.
Instead of their master Sauron who required more time to recover, the nazguls would take charge of matters to fulfill their master’s conquest of Middle Earth.
The Witch-King of Angmar and the construction of Angmar
At the northwest of the Misty Mountains, north of the Arnor that split into three kingdoms Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur, a Nazgul known as the Witch King of Angmar built the Realm of Angmar.
Still the Istari and the elves didn’t know that the Witch King of Angmar was the lord of the other 8 nazgul and the strongest Nazgul, ring wraith of the nine.
The Witch King of Angmar noticed that the nazguls and the dark armies of Sauron were still weak to fight against Gondor but noticed that the Northern Kingdom of the Dunedain was much easier to destroy.
The Witchking of Angmar would gather the dark armies of Sauron the trolls, evil humans, wargs, goblins and the orcs (technically in the Legendarium, goblin is equivalent as an orc)
Invasion of Angmar and the perish of Rhudaur
Evil lords and men of Rhudaur secretly made an alliance with Angmar and Angmar attacked the heavily fortified Amon Sul also known as Weathertop.
Amon Sul or the Weathertop was an important strategic point for the three Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur, the three kingdoms that descended from Arnor as there was a Palantir at Amon Sul.
The Palantir of Amon Sul was relocated to Fornost Erain or Fornost that was the capital of Arthedain. The towers of Amon Sul were destroyed and the ruins of Amon Sul also known as weather top would become the location where the Nazguls attacked Frodo, Samwise, Merry and Pippin.
The lands of Cardolan were also devastated by the dark creatures of Angmar. Rhudaur has fallen to Angmar because of the betrayal of the evil men of Rhudaur.
Despite the heavy losses, Arthedain was able to push back the invasion of Angmar by the reinforcements of Cirdan from Lindon and the Grey Havens. Elrond’s Rivendell and the elves of Lothlorien would also aid in holding the lines of the remnants of Arnor against Angmar.
Kin-strife of Gondor – Castamir’s usurpation of the king of Gondor, Gondor Civil War
When Eldacar, the half Dunedain and half blood of the men of Rhovanion became the 21st king of Gondor, Eldacar’s far cousin Castamir led a rebellion along with nobles of Gondor that supported the pure blood line of the Dunedain.
Castamir couldn’t accept Eldacar as the king of Gondor because of his lineage of her maternal side came from the men of Rhovanion.
The port cities Umbar and Pelargir were the main cities that especially supported Castamir. Castamir captured the capital of Gondor Osgiliath, however during the rebellion, the Palantir of Osgiliath the Osgiliath stone was burnt to ashes.
Eldacar fled to the north where he could receive help from the men of Rhovanion. Castamir usurped the crown of Gondor and became the 22nd king of Gondor.
Kin-strife of Gondor – Castamir’s usurpation of the king of Gondor
The cruelty of Castamir during his rebellion and his excessive affection towards the port cities led to severe unpopularity. Castamir executed Eldacar’s son and caused unnecessary destruction to seize the crown while trying to threaten the public to secure his crown.
Also, Castamir tried to move the capital of Gondor to Pelargir which displeased the traditional Dunedain houses as they believed the foundation of Gondor lies in Ithilien, Minas Ithil and Minas Anor.
Eldacar would gather loyal Dunedains from Gondr and his allies of the north men of Rhovanion as Eldacar was also a royal blood of Rhovanion to reclaim his throne.
Kin-strife of Gondor – Death of Castamir, Hostility between Umbar and Gondor
Castamir’s forces and Eldacar’s forces would meet at the crossings of Erui. Already the majority of Gondor started to support Eldacar due to the extreme policies of Castamir that infuriated the public of Gondor.
Gondor’s civil war at Battle of the Crossings of Erui was brutal and Gondor lost many of its forces at this battle. Eldacar eventually killed Castamir and the sons of Castamir and his forces would retreat to the port city of Pelargir.
Eldacar pursuit them, however the remnants of Castamir fled by sea and took over Umbar. Eldacar’s Gondor didn’t have enough naval power to pursuit the remaining supporters of Castamir and Gondor lost its territories and control of Harad and Umbar.
The descendants of Castamir would lead Umbar and the corsairs, pirates of Umbar by this grudge to attack Gondor. This started the long hatred between Gondor and Umbar.
Harad would also fall out of Gondor’s control where Umbar and Harad would also become strong allies of Sauron.
