Dark Lord
The Dark Lord, the Dark Power or the Great Enemy were names given to the two great enemies of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, Morgoth the fallen Vala, and Sauron, a Maia.
History
When Morgoth ruled in Utumno, he took the form of a dark lord, tall and terrible. Thereafter, before approaching Ungoliant after escaping from the Valar's service, he took the same form, in which he would remain for ever.[1] Once in Angband, he forged an Iron Crown and proclaimed himself "King of the World".[2] He will, though, be often called Dark Lord since then.[3] In the Third Age, Tom Bombadil will remember him with this title.
In the Second Age, his servant Sauron followed his steps. He first tried to subdue the Free Peoples with the Rings of Power, disguised as Annatar, but after being discovered, he began conquering Middle-earth with militar power, also taking pretentious titles like "Lord of the Earth". Then he became known as the Dark Lord and Enemy by those who perceived his shadow.[4]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Darkening of Valinor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", entry "Dark Lord"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
