Arnor, the Northern Kingdom (Part II)

by Revan

We continue our “trip” to the Chronicles of the Northern Arnor

HISTORY OF ARNOR – DECLINE

1. The realms are split

After Isildur’s fall and the disaster of the Gladden Fields, Arnor began its slow decline. Valandil was very young when his father Isildur died,
so he remained in Rivendell under the care of Elrond until he turned 21. In the year 10, he became the King of Arnor. Valandil did not claim the title of High King of both Gondor and Arnor. Instead, Gondor continued to be ruled by the heirs of Anárion while Arnor was ruled by the heirs of Isildur, and the two kingdoms became separated.

2. The civil war

After Valandil, Arnor had seven other Kings. The most important of them were Arantar and Eärendur. Eärendur was the last king to rule all of Arnor. He had three sons and after his death they all claimed the title of High King. So Arnor was shaken by civil war between the three sons of Eärendur and the Kingdom was divided into three separate kingdoms: Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur:

The Kingdom of Arthedain: Arthedain was ruled by Eärendur’s eldest son Amlaith. As the elder son he was supposed to be the real King of Arnor, but his brothers never accepted that. Amlaith moved the capital to Fornost, and he brought the Palantír of Annúminas there with him. Annúminas became deserted over time and the city fell into ruin. Amlaith was succeeded as King of Arthedain by his son Beleg, who was followed by Mallor, Celepharn, Celebrindor, and Malvegil. Of the three kingdoms, Arthedain was supposed to continue Arnor.

The Kingdom of Cardolan: This kingdom was ruled by one of Eärendur’s youngest sons whose name is unknown. The borders of Cardolan extended from the river Baranduin (Brandywine) to the west, the river Mitheithel (Hoarwell) to the east and the river Gwathló
(Greyflood) to the east and south. Its northern border was the Great East Road, but Cardolan also claimed the Arthedain-controlled Weather Hills,
which contained the Tower of Amon-Sûl (Weathertop) and its valuable Palantír. The capital of Cardolan was Tyrn Gorthad (the Barrow-downs).

The Kingdom of Rhudaur: Rhudaur was the smallest of the kingdoms. It shared a long border with Cardolan along the Great East Road, and with Arthedain along the line of the Weather Hills. The land between the rivers Hoarwell and Loudwater was also considered part of Rhudaur.

3. The Witch-Realm of Angmar and its purpose

In the year 1300 T.A. the Leader of the Nazgûl established the realm of Angmar north-east of Arnor and made the stronghold of Carn Dûm his realm’s capital. Angmar was located around the Mountains of Angmar at the far northern end of the Misty Mountains. The realm extended east and west of the mountains. The Dúnedain of Arnor didn’t notice him at first. The mountains of Angmar were already considered a dangerous place because of the many Orcs and evil criminals living there.

It was obvious that the Nazgûl was there to destroy the Northern Kingdom. His arrival there was part of Sauron’s plan. After Mordor’s defeat by the Last Alliance, Sauron and his Nazgûl servants were in hiding for a long period of time. But Sauron’s plan for the capture of Middle Earth had already begun. The Witch Realm of Angmar was his first step. It is sure that Sauron sent the Witch-King there. Not only did he want to destroy the Northern Kingdom, but he also wanted to draw attention away from Mordor and the Fortress of Dol Guldur (where he was hiding) to the far North.

Sauron also chose the perfect time to send his servant. It is certain that Angmar would have been defeated easily if the Kingdom of Arnor was united. But now there were three different kingdoms and a civil war between them.

4. The War between Arnor and Angmar

When the Witch-King arrived in the mountains of Angmar, the Kingdom of Rhudaur was ruled by a lord of the Hill-men. The line of Isildur had died out there. Not only that but Rhudaur wanted to claim the Palantír in the Tower of Amon-Sûl on Weathertop, particularly since Arthedain already had the two other palantíri, resulting in a continuous conflict between the two regions.

The Nazgûl Lord offered his help and the King of Rhudaur formed an alliance with the Witch-king of Angmar against Arthedain. In 1356 they launched an attack on the Weather Hills. King Argeleb built fortifications and defended the hills, but he was killed in battle. This was the first fight of the War. As a result of this first conflict the Tower of Amon Sûl would soon be destroyed. That happenned several years later, in T.A. 1409. The fortress was destroyed but the top is still surrounded by a ring of stones, remnants of the old walls. Fortunately for the Dúnedain the Palantír of Amon Sûl was moved to Fornost.

In those dark times for Arnor, Arveleg succeeded his father Argeleb as King of Arthedain and formed an alliance with Cardolan. For many years Arthedain and Cardolan continued to defend the Northern Kingdom.

In 1636, the Great Plague came north to Arnor. Many people in Cardolan died, and the Dúnedain there were wiped out entirely. Arthedain was not as badly affected by the Plague, and the line of Isildur continued there. Eventually the Witch-King attacked and destroyed Cardolan. Tyrn Gorthad, the capital of Cardolan, was captured. The tombs in the Barrow-downs in Cardolan were occupied by evil spirits called Barrow-wights from Angmar and Rhudaur. Fortunately some of the surviving Dúnedain of Cardolan took refuge in the Old Forest and held out against the enemy. With Cardolan and Rhudaur captured and Arthedain pretty weak, the Witch-King was already the ruler of two-thirds of Arnor’s territory.

In the year 1973 the Witch-King started his preparations for a full assault against Arthedain. Atherdain’s King Arvedui sent a message to Eärnil in Gondor for help. Alas Gondor’s help did not arrive in time. The Witch-King of Angmar captured Fornost in 1974. That was the end of Arthedain and Arnor. Arvedui with the 2 palantíri of Annúminas and Amon Sûl tried to escape, but his ship was sunk by a great blizzard. Arvedui and his men were killed and the two palantíri they had with them were lost.

Eventually the help from Gondor came. Eärnur son of Eärnil led the Dúnedain and the Elves of Lindon against Angmar. In the year 1975 at the Battle of Fornost, the Witch-king’s forces were defeated, and the Orcs and Men in his service were slain or driven out of Eriador. Glorfindel and Eärnur cut off the Witch-King’s retreat and Angmar’s capital Carn Dûm fell. However, the Witch-King managed to escape and went to Mordor.

NEXT: FALL OF ARNOR : Causes & Consequences