The Return of the King

Throughout the Third Age the guardianship of the Three Rings was known only to those who possessed them. But at the end it became known that they had been held at first by the three greatest of the Eldar: Gil-galad, Galadriel and Círdan. Gil-galad before he died gave his ring to Elrond; Círdan later surrendered his to Mithrandir. For Círdan saw further and deeper than any other in Middle-earth, and he welcomed Mithrandir at the Grey Havens, knowing whence he came and whither he would return.

'Take this ring, Master,' he said, 'for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.'

2. Isildur plants a seedling of the White Tree in Minas Anor. He delivers the South-kingdom to Meneldil. Disaster of the Gladden Fields; Isildur and his three elder sons are slain.

3. Ohtar brings the shards of Narsil to Imladris.

10. Valandil becomes King of Arnor.

109. Elrond weds Celebrían, daughter of Celeborn.

130. Birth of Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Elrond.

241. Birth of Arwen Undómiel.

420. King Ostoher rebuilds Minas Anor.

490. First invasion of Easterlings.

500. Rómendacil I defeats the Easterlings.

541. Rómendacil slain in battle.

830. Falastur begins the line of Ship-kings of Gondor.

861. Death of Eärendur, and division of Arnor.

933. King Eärnil I takes Umbar, which becomes a fortress of Gondor.

936. Eärnil lost at sea.

1015. King Ciryandil slain in the siege of Umbar.

1050. Hyarmendacil conquers the Harad. Gondor reaches the height of its power. About this time a shadow falls on Greenwood, and men begin to call it Mirkwood. The Periannath are first mentioned in records, with the coming of the Harfoots to Eriador.

c. 1100. The Wise (the Istari and the chief Eldar) discover that an evil power has made a stronghold at Dol Guldur. It is thought to be one of the Nazgûl.

1149. Reign of Atanatar Alcarin begins.

c. 1150. The Fallohides enter Eriador. The Stoors come over the Redhorn Pass and move to the Angle, or to Dunland.

c. 1300. Evil things begin to multiply again. Orcs increase in the Misty Mountains and attack the Dwarves. The Nazgûl reappear. The chief of these comes north to Angmar. The Periannath migrate westward; many settle at Bree.

1356. King Argeleb I slain in battle with Rhudaur. About this time the Stoors leave the Angle, and some return to Wilderland.

1409. The Witch-king of Angmar invades Arnor. King Arvaleg I slain. Fornost and Tyrn Gorthad are defended. The Tower of Amon Sûl destroyed.

1432. King Valacar of Gondor dies, and the civil war of the Kin-strife begins.

1437. Burning of Osgiliath and loss of the palantír. Eldacar flees to Rhovanion; his son Ornendil is murdered.

1447. Eldacar returns and drives out the usurper Castamir. Battle of the Crossings of Erui. Siege of Pelargir.

1448. Rebels escape and seize Umbar.

1540. King Aldamir slain in war with the Harad and Corsairs of Umbar.

1551. Hyarmendacil II defeats the Men of Harad.

1601. Many Periannath migrate from Bree, and are granted land beyond Baranduin by Argeleb II.

c. 1630. They are joined by Stoors coming up from Dunland.

1634. The Corsairs ravage Pelargir and slay King Minardil.

1636. The Great Plague devastates Gondor. Death of King Telemnar and his children. The White Tree dies in Minas Anor. The plague spreads north and west, and many parts of Eriador become desolate. Beyond the Baranduin the Periannath survive, but suffer great loss.

1640. King Tarondor removes the King's House to Minas Anor, and plants a seedling of the White Tree. Osgiliath begins to fall into ruin. Mordor is left unguarded.

1810. King Telumehtar Umbardacil retakes Umbar and drives out the Corsairs.

1851. The attacks of the Wainriders upon Gondor begin.

1856. Gondor loses its eastern territories, and Narmacil II falls in battle.

1899. King Calimehtar defeats the Wainriders on Dagorlad.

1900. Calimehtar builds the White Tower in Minas Anor.

1940. Gondor and Arnor renew communications and form an alliance. Arvedui weds Fíriel daughter of Ondoher of Gondor.

1944. Ondoher falls in battle. Eärnil defeats the enemy in South Ithilien. He then wins the Battle of the Camp, and drives Wainriders into the Dead Marshes. Arvedui claims the crown of Gondor.

1945. Eärnil II receives the crown.

1974. End of the North-kingdom. The Witch-king over-runs Arthedain and takes Fornost.

1975. Arvedui drowned in the Bay of Forochel. The palantíri of Annúminas and Amon Sûl are lost. Eärnur brings a fleet to Lindon. The Witch-king defeated at the Battle of Fornost, and pursued to the Ettenmoors. He vanishes from the North.

1976. Aranarth takes the title of Chieftain of the Dúnedain. The heirlooms of Arnor are given into the keeping of Elrond.

1977. Frumgar leads the Éothéod into the North.

1979. Bucca of the Marish becomes first Thain of the Shire.