It is the end of the Second Age.
The Last Alliance has laid seige to the fortress of Barad-dur for the past seven years.
Finally, the Dark Lord Sauron comes forth, where he fights hand to hand against Gil-galad,
the High King of the Noldor and Elendil, the High King of Gondor and Arnor.
Sauron kills both Elendil and Gil-galad in this fight, but in the process is thrown down
himself as well.
With Sauron defeated, Isildur cuts the ring from Sauron’s body, claiming it as his own
in recompense for his slain father and brother.
His body defeated and his ring taken, the spirit of Sauron leaves his physical form.
This dark malice flees to the far East, where he would slowly regain his power over the
next 1000 years, awaiting the day when he can return to Middle-earth and take vengeance
on the line of Isildur.
Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover Sauron’s life and travels during the Third Age.
Concerned about the idea of Sauron regaining his power, the Valar send five Maiar to Middle-earth
- the wizards - who were tasked with aiding the Free Peoples against the dark lord.
While his defeat against the Last Alliance would release his subjects like many of the
Easterlings from his direct rule, the lands would fall into chaos and civil war.
No doubt Sauron hiding in the East didnt help the situation.
Around 1050 TA, a shadow comes to the forest of Greenwood.
It would settle at the former capital of the elves of Greenwood called Amon Lanc.
With this dark presence dwelling in Amon Lanc, it would come to be known as the hill of sorcery
- Dol Guldur, and this entity would be known as the Necromancer.
For 250 years, Sauron’s power and presence would grow.
Not only does this evil grow in the south of Mirkwood, but it leads other signs of growing
evil throughout Middle-earth.
The Orcs of the Misty Mountains become more bold against their enemies.
The dragons of the North attack the dwarves, likely consuming many of the dwarven rings
of power during this time.
The Nazgul return, with the Witch-King founding the kingdom of Angmar.
In 1635, a Great Plague inflicts much of Middle-earth.
It is described as a pestilence brought by an evil wind from the east.
This plague, likely brought about by Sauron himself, devastates the areas of Rhovanion,
Gondor, Rhun, and southern Eriador.
Due to the enormous loss of life, Gondor is forced to retreat inward, abandoning the fortresses
which guarded Mordor, thus opening the door for the Nazgul to return.
At this time, the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor realize that the enemies they are facing are
being coordinated by a single force and agree to work together.
However, as we’ve covered in our Angmar Wars video, the Kingdom of Arnor would fall
into ruin and decay at the hands of the Witch-King.
While Angmar would be destroyed by a combined force of elves and Gondorians in 1975, Arnor,
now kingless and decimated, is abandoned - it’s legacy carried on only in its ancient monuments,
the rangers of the north, and the line of Isildur.
Five years later, a balrog is awakened in Moria, leading to the death of king Durin
VI and the dwarves exile from Khazad-dum.
After being driven out of Eriador, the Lord of the Nazgul returns to Mordor and in 2050,
he causes the disappearance and likely death of the Last King of Gondor.
(2060) At this point, everything has gone pretty well for Sauron.
Arnor is no more, dragons and balrogs have weakened the dwarves, and Gondor now has no king.
However, Sauron’s power has grown to a point that the Wise take notice and in 2063 Gandalf
enters the fortress of Dol Guldur.
Still appearing as a mysterious shadow, and not ready to declare himself openly, Sauron
flees before Gandalf can determine his true identity.
As he is wont to do, he returns to the East, once again corrupting the Easterlings from
within, playing on old allegiances not only to himself, but to Morgoth.
For nearly 400 years, Sauron would work in the East, building alliances for his eventual war.
This period is known as the watchful peace.
The shadow in Mirkwood is lessened, with only the second in command of the Nazgul - Khamul
the Easterling - stationed in Dol Guldur.
The other 8 remain in Minas Morgul, preparing for their master’s return.
In 2460, he would indeed return to Middle-earth - now with an army awaiting his command in the East.
He returns to Dol Guldur.
Three years later, the One Ring is found by one of the Stoor Hobbits in the Anduin River, not far away.
At this point, sensing the danger growing once again, the wise form the White Council,
though for centuries, Saruman as its leader would prevent the council from moving against
the presence in Dol Guldur.
At this time, Sauron’s goals are simple - gather as many Rings of Power as he can
- including the One Ring, and destroy the line of Isildur - which he had not forgotten,
and still harbored a deep hatred for.
Once again, we see Sauron’s influence as evil forces begin to move throughout Middle-earth.
In the south,Uruk-hai come from Mordor and briefly take control of Ithilien from Gondor.
Five years later, the orcs of the Misty Mountains have made themselves strongholds within the
mountains to prevent passage from the east to the west.
With Moria having been abandoned by the dwarves due to the balrog centuries earlier, Sauron
sends orcs and trolls to live in the former dwarven realm.
Around this time, a clan of Easterlings under the sway of Sauron amasses east of Mirkwood
and begins raiding the areas of the forest and the vales of Anduin.
This force, known as the Balchoth, attacks the Gondorian realms of Calenardhon in 2510.
A group of men living in the north of Middle-earth would ride to Gondor’s aid, however.
As the Eotheod make their way south, it is likely Sauron would have moved against them
in some way, but Galadriel sends out a mist to cover their passing by Dol Guldur.
They come to the Battle of the Field of Celebrant where the Balchoth are defeated.
As a reward, they are given the lands of Calenardhon, which becomes known as the kingdom of Rohan.
While this development is not ideal for Sauron, his plans march on.
In 2845, Sauron’s forces capture King Thrain II, the father of Thorin Oakenshield.
The dwarf is imprisoned in Dol Guldur, and Sauron claims one of the coveted rings of
power from him.
Five years later, Gandalf makes his way to Dol Guldur, seeking to investigate the Necromancer once again.
He meets the dying dwarf and his long thought fear is confirmed - the Necromancer is Sauron.
Despite Gandalf’s urging, Saruman once again overrules him and the White Council does not
move against Sauron.
The wizard hopes that as Sauron’s power grows, he will be able to decipher where Sauron
is searching for the One Ring.
In time, Sauron learns of Isildur’s death at the Gladden Fields and his servants begin
searching the area.
In the south, agents of Sauron influence the Haradrim to attack Gondor, while the Uruk-hai
once again attack the lands of Ithilien - weakening one of Sauron’s most hated enemies.
At this point, Sauron is finding success in both the north and the south.
Gondor is in conflict with Mordor and Harad, the orcs of the Misty Mountains and Gundabad
have created strongholds dividing east from west, all the while Sauron’s own power grows in Dol Guldur.
Gandalf sees these pieces of the board moving but also sees an even more terrible threat
- the dragon Smaug now controls Erebor and if he were to ally with Sauron, the north
of Middle-earth - including Rivendell and Lorien - would surely fall.
At which point, Sauron could crush Gondor and Rohan between his northern and southern forces.
This threat leads Gandalf to implement a plan to move against both Smaug and Sauron simultaneously.
In a stroke of fortune, Saurman in 2939 discovers that Sauron has been searching the Gladden
Fields for the One Ring, and finally concedes to attack Dol Guldur.
As Smaug is slain by Bard the Bowman, the White Council drives Sauron from Dol Guldur.
Not only is Sauron driven from Mirkwood, but the armies of orcs from Gundabad and the Misty
Mountains are decimated in the Battle of the Five Armies.
The dwarves reclaim Erebor, Dale flourishes under King Bard, and Sauron’s plans for
his northern campaign are ruined.
A year later, Sauron returns to Mordor and from 2951-2953, the fortress of Barad-dur is rebuilt.
Sauron is now ready to move against Middle-earth and declares himself openly once more.
Through Sauron, a phenomenon known as the Shadow of Mordor emanates from the lands,
causing despair and sickness among the Gondorians.
It is this shadow that would claim the life of Finduilas - the wife of Denethor and mother
of Boromir and Faramir in 2988.
Rather than being directly involved in the coming war himself, Sauron would largely act
through devices like this shadow, his servants or through one of the palantiri.
This palantir, taken from the former Minas Ithil when the Nazgul conquered it, allows
Sauron to not only communicate with other seeing stones, but with his great power glimpse
places throughout the world.
In the aftermath of his wife’s death, Denethor begins using the Anor-stone.
Seeing this, Sauron attempts to bend the Anor-stone to his will, but is unsuccessful.
Around 3000, Saruman begins using the Orthanc-stone.
Once again, Sauron attempts to bend the user to his will, but this time is successful.
Saruman goes from being one of his biggest threats, to one that would aid him greatly
during the coming war - though, as we will see, he remains a threat for treachery.
Nine years later, Gollum makes his way to Mordor in his pursuit of Bilbo and of news
regarding the One Ring.
He is captured by Sauron’s forces, interrogated, and tortured for the following 8 years, before
he is finally released in January 3017.
It is worth noting at this point a major misconception regarding Sauron’s form.
In the Peter Jackson films, Sauron is famously a giant lidless eye of flame.
However, in truth, Sauron at this time, and likely even earlier in Dol Guldur, had a physical form.
Gollum would later tell Sam and Frodo,
So this begs the question - what is the Eye of Sauron that is mentioned in the books.
While Sauron no doubt had physical eyes - as Frodo describes a piercing eye rimmed with
fire at the mirror of Galadriel and on the slopes of Mount Doom, it is not that his entire
being is a giant eye.
Rather, the Eye of Sauron is most notably the symbol which his forces display on their
weaponry, standing for his unrelenting vigilance and perception toward his enemies, which is
no doubt aided with his use of the palantir.
Now that we’ve covered his form, let’s get back to Sauron’s actions.
After Gollum is released in 3017, he is captured by Aragorn and taken to the Elves of Mirkwood.
Sauron, who had hoped Gollum’s release would lead to The One Ring being revealed to him,
is concerned by this development.
On June 20, 3018, he sends his forces to attack Osgiliath, not only to test Gondor’s strength,
but to cover his sending out of the Nazgul to search for the ring.
The nazgul’s secrecy is a success, but the strength of Gondor is greater than Sauron had hoped.
His forces are driven back to Mordor, where he spends the following months amassing his
army in preparation for a massive assault on Gondor.
On this same day, in the north, he sends a group of orcs from Dol Guldur to attack Mirkwood,
allowing Gollum to escape.
By September 3018, Sauron has learned that Boromir, son of the Steward has left Minas
Tirith, that Gandalf has been captured by Saruman, and that Saruman has been working
against him by thwarting Sauron’s spies.
He sends messengers to the Nazgul, ordering them to make haste for Isengard.
The Ringwraiths would discover enough clues to lead them to the Shire, and they would
pursue the ringbearer to the borders of Rivendell.
Soon after, Sauron learns that Aragorn, the heir of Isildur has joined the Fellowship of the Ring.
This leads Sauron to proceed at a quicker pace than intended with readying his forces.
When Pippin and Aragorn look into the Orthanc-stone following Saruman’s defeat at Helm’s Deep,
Sauron incorrectly assumes that Aragorn now possesses the One Ring.
Once again rushing to act, he sends the Witch-King and a great army to Minas Tirith.
Around the same time of the Battle of Pelennor Fields, he sends a large group of Easterlings
to attack the northern realm of Dale.
The Battle of Dale and the resulting siege, would begin on March 14, and would last until
the 27th - two days after the ring is destroyed, when the forces of Sauron lose hope and are
driven out by the armies of the dwarves and men.
As we know, in the south, things wouldn’t go much better for Sauron.
His army is defeated at Pelennor Fields and his greatest servant is killed by Merry and Eowyn.
Despite this defeat, he has managed to weaken the armies of Gondor and Rohan while he maintains
enough armies in Mordor to defeat them.
However, Gandalf once again forces Sauron into hasty action.
The wizard advises Aragorn, Eomer, and the lords of the west to march on Mordor itself.
As this smaller army of free peoples marches to the Black Gate, Sauron’s piercing gaze
concentrates on the heir of Isildur rather than on his own lands, where two hobbits draw
closer and closer to Mount Doom.
As Sauron is poised to wipe out the army of men, and finally end the line of Isildur,
Frodo puts on the One Ring.
In this moment, Sauron sees the hobbit and his location and realizes he has been tricked.
He orders the remaining Nazgul to make all haste to the mountain.
However, Gollum would intervene and in his celebration at taking the ring back from Frodo,
slips and falls into the fires below.
Thus, Sauron’s power is unmade.
His physical form is destroyed.
His spirit rises above the lands of Mordor like a black cloud, but in that moment, a
powerful wind from the West blows the cloud away.
Sauron, now permanently and completely defeated, could do nothing but follow his former master
into the Timeless Void, never to rise again.