Corsair wars: Difference between revisions

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| image=[[Image:Angus McBride - Corsairs.gif|300px]]
| image=[[Image:Angus McBride - Corsairs.gif|300px]]
| name=Corsair Wars
| name=Corsair Wars
| place=Umbar, Pelargir, South Gondor, coastal waters
| place=[[Umbar]], [[Pelargir]], [[South Gondor]], coastal waters
| result=Victory for Gondor, destruction of the Corsair state
| result=Victory for Gondor, destruction of the Corsair state
| battles=[[Siege of Pelargir]], [[Harad/Umbar Battles]], [[Battle of Pelargir]], [[Surprise Attack on Umbar]], [[First Fall of Umbar]], [[Second Fall of Umbar]]
| battles=[[Siege of Pelargir]], [[Harad]]/Umbar Battles, Battle of Pelargir, [[Surprise Attack on Umbar]], First Fall of Umbar, Second Fall of Umbar
| begin={{TA|1447}}
| begin={{TA|1447}}
| end={{TA|3019}}
| end={{TA|3019}}
| side1=Gondorian land and naval forces
| side1=[[Gondorians]]
| side2=Naval and land forces of Umbar
| side2=[[Corsairs of Umbar]]
| commanders1=
| commanders1=
* [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]]{{clear}}
* [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]]
* [[Ecthelion I]]{{clear}}
* [[Ecthelion I]]
* [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]]{{clear}}
* [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]]
* [[Aldamir]] †
* [[Aldamir]] †
* [[Minardil]] †  
* [[Minardil]] †  
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| commanders2=  
| commanders2=  
{{Sauron blazon}}
{{Sauron blazon}}
* [[Captain of Umbar]]
* [[Captain of Umbar]]
| strength1=Unknown number of sailors and soldiers
| strength1=Unknown number of sailors and soldiers
| strength2=Unknown number of sailors and soldiers
| strength2=Unknown number of sailors and soldiers
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== Historical Background ==
== Historical Background ==


The fortress haven of [[Umbar]] was founded by Númenórean colonists during the Second Age, during the peak of Númenorean power.  When [[Ar-Pharazôn|Ar-Pharazôn the Golden]] landed in Middle Earth to challenge the power of Sauron, he landed at this heavily fortified port city.  After the [[Downfall of Númenor]], these colonists continued to be influenced by Sauron, and showed great antipathy to the exile Kingdoms founded by the [[Faithful|Faithful of Númenor]], [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]].  They became known forever afterward as the [[Black Númenóreans]], battling Gondor by land and sea. It is likely that Umbar was conquered for Gondor under one of the Ship-Kings, possibly by [[Tarannon Falastur]]. During the reign of [[Earnil I]] and his son, [[Ciryandil]], the Haradrim constantly laid siege to Umbar and in {{TA|1015}}, Ciryandil himself was slain defending it. This caused his son to conquer [[Harad]] and eventually take the name [[Hyarmendacil I]].
The fortress haven of [[Umbar]] was founded by Númenórean colonists during the Second Age, during the peak of Númenorean power.  When [[Ar-Pharazôn|Ar-Pharazôn the Golden]] landed in Middle Earth to challenge the power of Sauron, he landed at this heavily fortified port city.  After the [[Downfall of Númenor]], these colonists continued to be influenced by Sauron, and showed great antipathy to the exile Kingdoms founded by the [[Faithful|Faithful of Númenor]], [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]].  They became known forever afterwards as the [[Black Númenóreans]], battling Gondor by land and sea. It is likely that Umbar was conquered for Gondor under one of the Ship-Kings, possibly by [[Tarannon Falastur]]. During the reign of [[Earnil I]] and his son, [[Ciryandil]], the Haradrim constantly laid siege to Umbar and in {{TA|1015}}, Ciryandil himself was slain defending it. This caused his son to conquer [[Harad]] and eventually take the name [[Hyarmendacil I]].


== Early Years ==
=== Early Years ===


In the aftermath of the [[Kin-strife]], the great civil conflict between [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]] and the usurper [[Castamir]], Castamir's sons fled to Umbar.  There they established a breakaway government in opposition to Gondor, and continued to clash with Gondor for centuries to come.
In the aftermath of the [[Kin-strife]], the great civil conflict between [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]] and the usurper [[Castamir]], Castamir's sons fled to Umbar.  There they established a breakaway government in opposition to Gondor and continued to clash with Gondor for centuries to come.


== Pelargir Battles ==
=== Conflicts ===


In {{TA|1551}}, [[Hyarmendacil II]] conquered Harad when his father, [[Aldamir]], was slain in a skirmish with the Corsairs. However, Umbar held out against Hyarmendacil's attacks, but suffered greviously.  
Since {{TA|1448}}, the fleets of the secessionists established under the descendants of Castamir became known as the '"[[Corsairs of Umbar]]"', an independent realm; thus Gondor lost both its southern province and its naval power and came in constant war against the line of Castamir. Within two following centuries, Umbar attacked Gondorian ships and raided its coast at every opportunity, threatening the coastlands and all traffic on the sea and contested the possession of [[Harondor]].


In {{TA|1634}} the Corsair learnt that King Minardil, son of Hyarmendacil, was holidaying in the port city of Pelargir.
Umbar would welcome exiles from Gondor who were suspected for treason or conspiring against the King. Umbar would also take to its side and absorb tributaries to Gondor in Harad.<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}</ref> In {{TA|1540}}, King [[Aldamir]] fought with the rebelling kings of Harad.<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}</ref> The latter were defeated by his son [[Hyarmendacil II]] [[Third Age 1551|years later]].<ref>{{App|B2}}</ref>


The Corsairs staged a surprise attack, and Minardil was slain before he could organise a proper defence of the port. The Corsairs then made a sudden withdrawal.
In {{TA|1634}}, Castamir's great-grandsons [[Angamaitë]] and [[Sangahyando]] raided [[Pelargir]], from Umbar, killing King [[Minardil]]; his heir [[Telemnar]] prepared a fleet against Umbar<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}</ref> but could not retaliate as the kingdom was ravaged by the [[Great Plague]] of {{TA|1636}}.<ref name="annals">{{App|Gondor}}</ref>


Unfortunately for Gondor, Pelargir remained a prime target for the Corsairs throughout the rest of the Third Age and by the time of the War of the Ring, the city was a shadow of its former glory.
Vengeance, if not swift, was certainly devastating; by [[Third Age 1810|78 years later]] the Corsairs raided as far as [[Anfalas]], and Minardil's great-grandnephew [[Telumehtar]] punished them. In an attack he destroyed the fortress and haven of the Corsairs and drove them out, killing Castamir's last descendants. After this victory, he renamed himself [[Umbardacil]]<ref name="annals">{{App|Gondor}}</ref> but left Umbar unsettled and ruined, apparently with a protective garrison.  


== Siege of Umbar ==
In the meantime, the Haradrim were "engaged in wars and feuds of their own" and Gondor was threatened by the [[Wainriders]]' empire from [[Rhûn]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> Umbar still fell when enemies invaded Gondor from the east and south in {{TA|1944}}, preventing Gondor to use it to support its forces from the sea. However [[Eärnil II|Eärnil]]'s [[Southern Army]] vanquished the invaders.


The Siege of Umbar may refer to several different events in history, when Umbar constantly changed hands between Gondor, and the Corsairs with their Haradrim allies.  
Umbar had been reclaimed by the Haradrim, rebuilt and occupied and for the rest of the [[Third Age]]. It became a home for a new generation of 'Corsairs of Umbar', who must have been closely related to the Haradrim, if not even merely Southrons themselves. These new Corsairs were cruel slavers who often raided the coasts of [[Belfalas]] and [[Anfalas]] in Gondor: in {{TA|2746}}, for example, [[Amrothos]], the 15th Prince of [[Dol Amroth]] fell defending [[Dor-en-Ernil]] against them.


The first time Umbar was involved with the wars between Gondor and Harad was when one of the Ship-Kings conquered it from the Haradrim and Black Numenoreans who resided there. At this point, Harondor was still under Gondorian control so it can be assumed that perhaps Umbar was connected by land to Gondor, and not just a port outpost surrounded by enemies.
In {{TA|2758}}, Umbar joined a massive co-ordinated attack with the Men of the Harad and even of [[Dunland]] against Gondor and the new realm of [[Rohan]].<ref name="annals">{{App|Gondor}}</ref> In {{TA|2885}}, Umbar supported the Haradrim who claimed Harondor, although this had long "been a debatable land between the Corsairs and the Kings", and when Sauron declared himself openly in {{TA|2951}}, Umbar declared its allegiance to him, and the great monument commemorating Ar-Pharazôn's triumph at Umbar was thrown down.  


The wars with Harad never ceased and in {{TA|1015}} the Haradrim staged an assault on Umbar and King Ciryandil was slain defendings its walls. Although the port was not taken, it effected the Gondorian populace and above all else, Ciryaher, Ciryandil's son. 35 years later, King Ciryaher not only lifted the Siege of Umbar, but conquered a huge portion of Near Harad, crushing the power of the Haradrim.
Umbar's fleet was largely destroyed 29 years later, when [[Thorongil]] ([[Aragorn]] Elessar, as it later turned out) in the service of the [[Steward of Gondor]] [[Ecthelion II]] led a taskforce south and burned them, killing the [[Captain of the Haven]] in the process.


For the next four hundred years, Umbar was to remain in Gondorian control until after the Kin Strife, when the Sons of Castimir fled Pelagir and seized Umbar for their own. This proved to be the start of Gondor's rapid decline.
===War of the Ring===


Aldamir, son of Eldacar, still holding a grudge against Castimir and his sons for the murder of his brother in th burning of Osgilliath, assaulted Umbar and was slain in the process, but the Corsairs victory was soon avenged when Vinyarion, Aldamir's son, conquered Harad and laid siege to Umbar.
During the [[War of the Ring]], Umbar had not fully recovered from [[Surprise Attack on Umbar|surprise attack]]the , but could still send 50 "great ships" and a number of smaller vessels "beyond count" to raid the coastlands of Gondor and draw off major forces from the defence of Minas Tirith. They were once again defeated by Aragorn, and the [[Oathbreakers|Army of the Dead]]. With the Fall of [[Barad-dûr]], Umbar weakened and defeated, finally lost its sovereignty and submitted to the crown of King Elessar.
 
But Gondor's temporary territorial claims in the south were soon reversed when the Gondorian siege of Umbar was lifted and the Corsairs raided Pelagir, killing King Minardil in the process.
 
Following the destruction of the Plague, both sides were temporarily weakened, but Telumehtar of Gondor struck first and conquered Umbar for Gondor, the last descendants of Castimir perished in the process.
 
It never states when the Corsairs reconquered Umbar, but it is likely that it fell back to the Corsairs sometime during the reigns of the next few Kings, when Gondor itself was nearly toppled by Wainriders.
 
== War of the Ring ==
 
 
 
== Aftermath ==
 
 
 
== References ==


{{references}}


[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]][[Category:Wars]]
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]][[Category:Wars]]

Revision as of 00:09, 15 February 2019

This article describes a concept which is mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's works, but was never given a definite name.
Previous war: Kin-strife
Next war: War of the Ring
Corsair Wars
Angus McBride - Corsairs.gif
Beginning: T.A. 1447End: T.A. 3019
Place: Umbar, Pelargir, South Gondor, coastal waters
Outcome: Victory for Gondor, destruction of the Corsair state
Major battles: Siege of Pelargir, Harad/Umbar Battles, Battle of Pelargir, Surprise Attack on Umbar, First Fall of Umbar, Second Fall of Umbar
Combatants

Gondorians

Corsairs of Umbar

Commanders

Template:Sauron blazon

The Corsair Wars were a long, predominately naval struggle between Kings and Stewards of Gondor and a series of renegade rebel forces based at Umbar and Pelargir.

Historical Background

The fortress haven of Umbar was founded by Númenórean colonists during the Second Age, during the peak of Númenorean power. When Ar-Pharazôn the Golden landed in Middle Earth to challenge the power of Sauron, he landed at this heavily fortified port city. After the Downfall of Númenor, these colonists continued to be influenced by Sauron, and showed great antipathy to the exile Kingdoms founded by the Faithful of Númenor, Arnor and Gondor. They became known forever afterwards as the Black Númenóreans, battling Gondor by land and sea. It is likely that Umbar was conquered for Gondor under one of the Ship-Kings, possibly by Tarannon Falastur. During the reign of Earnil I and his son, Ciryandil, the Haradrim constantly laid siege to Umbar and in T.A. 1015, Ciryandil himself was slain defending it. This caused his son to conquer Harad and eventually take the name Hyarmendacil I.

Early Years

In the aftermath of the Kin-strife, the great civil conflict between Eldacar and the usurper Castamir, Castamir's sons fled to Umbar. There they established a breakaway government in opposition to Gondor and continued to clash with Gondor for centuries to come.

Conflicts

Since T.A. 1448, the fleets of the secessionists established under the descendants of Castamir became known as the '"Corsairs of Umbar"', an independent realm; thus Gondor lost both its southern province and its naval power and came in constant war against the line of Castamir. Within two following centuries, Umbar attacked Gondorian ships and raided its coast at every opportunity, threatening the coastlands and all traffic on the sea and contested the possession of Harondor.

Umbar would welcome exiles from Gondor who were suspected for treason or conspiring against the King. Umbar would also take to its side and absorb tributaries to Gondor in Harad.[1] In T.A. 1540, King Aldamir fought with the rebelling kings of Harad.[1] The latter were defeated by his son Hyarmendacil II years later.[2]

In T.A. 1634, Castamir's great-grandsons Angamaitë and Sangahyando raided Pelargir, from Umbar, killing King Minardil; his heir Telemnar prepared a fleet against Umbar[1] but could not retaliate as the kingdom was ravaged by the Great Plague of T.A. 1636.[3]

Vengeance, if not swift, was certainly devastating; by 78 years later the Corsairs raided as far as Anfalas, and Minardil's great-grandnephew Telumehtar punished them. In an attack he destroyed the fortress and haven of the Corsairs and drove them out, killing Castamir's last descendants. After this victory, he renamed himself Umbardacil[3] but left Umbar unsettled and ruined, apparently with a protective garrison.

In the meantime, the Haradrim were "engaged in wars and feuds of their own" and Gondor was threatened by the Wainriders' empire from Rhûn.[4] Umbar still fell when enemies invaded Gondor from the east and south in T.A. 1944, preventing Gondor to use it to support its forces from the sea. However Eärnil's Southern Army vanquished the invaders.

Umbar had been reclaimed by the Haradrim, rebuilt and occupied and for the rest of the Third Age. It became a home for a new generation of 'Corsairs of Umbar', who must have been closely related to the Haradrim, if not even merely Southrons themselves. These new Corsairs were cruel slavers who often raided the coasts of Belfalas and Anfalas in Gondor: in T.A. 2746, for example, Amrothos, the 15th Prince of Dol Amroth fell defending Dor-en-Ernil against them.

In T.A. 2758, Umbar joined a massive co-ordinated attack with the Men of the Harad and even of Dunland against Gondor and the new realm of Rohan.[3] In T.A. 2885, Umbar supported the Haradrim who claimed Harondor, although this had long "been a debatable land between the Corsairs and the Kings", and when Sauron declared himself openly in T.A. 2951, Umbar declared its allegiance to him, and the great monument commemorating Ar-Pharazôn's triumph at Umbar was thrown down.

Umbar's fleet was largely destroyed 29 years later, when Thorongil (Aragorn Elessar, as it later turned out) in the service of the Steward of Gondor Ecthelion II led a taskforce south and burned them, killing the Captain of the Haven in the process.

War of the Ring

During the War of the Ring, Umbar had not fully recovered from surprise attackthe , but could still send 50 "great ships" and a number of smaller vessels "beyond count" to raid the coastlands of Gondor and draw off major forces from the defence of Minas Tirith. They were once again defeated by Aragorn, and the Army of the Dead. With the Fall of Barad-dûr, Umbar weakened and defeated, finally lost its sovereignty and submitted to the crown of King Elessar.

References