The Return of the King

1. Foundation of the Grey Havens, and of Lindon.

32. The Edain reach Númenor.

c. 40. Many Dwarves leaving their old cities in Ered Luin go to Moria and swell its numbers.

442. Death of Elros Tar-Minyatur.

c. 500. Sauron begins to stir again in Middle-earth.

548. Birth in Númenor of Silmariën.

600. The first ships of the Númenoreans appear off the coasts.

750. Eregion founded by the Noldor.

c. 1000. Sauron, alarmed by the growing power of the Númenoreans, chooses Mordor as a land to make into a stronghold. He begins the building of Barad-dûr.

1075. Tar-Ancalimë becomes the first Ruling Queen of Númenor.

1200. Sauron endeavours to seduce the Eldar. Gil-galad refuses to treat with him; but the smiths of Eregion are won over. The Númenoreans begin to make permanent havens.

c. 1500. The Elven-smiths instructed by Sauron reach the height of their skill. They begin the forging of the Rings of Power.

c. 1590. The Three Rings are completed in Eregion.

c. 1600. Sauron forges the One Ring in Orodruin. He completes the Barad-dûr. Celebrimbor perceives the designs of Sauron.

1693. War of the Elves and Sauron begins. The Three Rings are hidden.

1695. Sauron's forces invade Eriador. Gil-galad sends Elrond to Eregion.

1697. Eregion laid waste. Death of Celebrimbor. The gates of Moria are shut. Elrond retreats with remnant of the Noldor and founds the refuge of Imladris.

1699. Sauron overruns Eriador.

1700. Tar-Minastir sends a great navy from Númenor to Lindon. Sauron is defeated.

1701. Sauron is driven out of Eriador. The Westlands have peace for a long while.

c. 1800. From about this time onward the Númenoreans begin to establish dominions on the coasts. Sauron extends his power eastwards. The shadow falls on Númenor.

2251. Tar-Atanamir takes the sceptre. Rebellion and division of the Númenoreans begins. About this time the Nazgûl or Ringwraiths, slaves of the Nine Rings, first appear.

2280. Umbar is made into a great fortress of Númenor.

2350. Pelargir is built. It becomes the chief haven of the Faithful Númenoreans.

2899. Ar-Adûnakhôr takes the sceptre.

3175. Repentance of Tar-Palantír. Civil war in Númenor.

3255. Ar-Pharazôn the Golden seizes the sceptre.

3261. Ar-Pharazôn sets sail and lands at Umbar.

3262. Sauron is taken as prisoner to Númenor; 3262-3310 Sauron seduces the King and corrupts the Númenoreans.

3310. Ar-Pharazôn begins the building of the Great Armament.

3319. Ar-Pharazôn assails Valinor. Downfall of Númenor. Elendil and his sons escape.

3320. Foundations of the Realms in Exile: Arnor and Gondor. The Stones are divided (II, 54). Sauron returns to Mordor.

3429. Sauron attacks Gondor, takes Minas Ithil and burns the White Tree. Isildur escapes down Anduin and goes to Elendil in the North. Anárion defends Minas Anor and Osgiliath.

3430. The Last Alliance of Elves and Men is formed.

3431. Gil-galad and Elendil march east to Imladris.

3434. The host of the Alliance crosses the Misty Mountains. Battle of Dagorlad and defeat of Sauron. Siege of Barad-dûr begins.

3440. Anárion slain.

3441. Sauron overthrown by Elendil and Gil-galad, who perish. Isildur takes the One Ring. Sauron passes away and the Ringwraiths go into the shadows. The Second Age ends.

The Third Age

These were the fading years of the Eldar. For long they were at peace wielding the Three Rings while Sauron slept and the One Ring was lost; but they attempted nothing new, living in memory of the past. The Dwarves hid themselves in deep places, guarding their hoards; but when evil began to stir again and dragons reappeared, one by one their ancient treasures were plundered, and they became a wandering people. Moria for long remained secure, but its numbers dwindled until many of its vast mansions became dark and empty. The wisdom and the life-span of the Númenoreans also waned as they became mingled with lesser Men.

When maybe a thousand years had passed, and the first shadow had fallen on Greenwood the Great, the Istari or Wizards appeared in Middle-earth. It was afterwards said that they came out of the Far West and were messengers sent to contest the power of Sauron, and to unite all those who had the will to resist him; but they were forbidden to match his power with power, or to seek to dominate Elves or Men by force and fear.

They came therefore in the shape of Men, though they were never young and aged only slowly, and they had many powers of mind and hand. They revealed their 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.