Fall of Fornost

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 19:42, 16 May 2015 by 74.129.76.107 (talk) (Removed unsourced edits.)
"Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
"I shan't call it the end, till we've cleared up the mess." — Sam
This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
Fall of Fornost
Conflict: War of Angmar
Date: T.A. 1974
Place: Fornost Erain
Outcome: Decisive Angmar victory
Combatants

Men, Elves, Hobbits

Angmar

Commanders

Arvedui

Witch-king

The Fall of Fornost was an event that resulted from the defeat of the forces of Arnor, and the taking of their capital city of Fornost by the Witch-king of Angmar and his armies.

History

Prelude

By the year T.A. 1974 things were looking very grim for the Dúnedain of Arnor. The Great Plague three hundred years previously had killed most of the people of Cardolan which later fell to the Witch-king. And even with the aid of Elves and Hobbits most of the now diminished and totally demoralized people of Arnor were now waiting to make their final stand at Fornost, capital city of Arthedain.

Opposing Forces

For the forces of Eriador exact numbers are not known, but it can be estimated that at the most ten thousand Men of Arnor were present at the city. Along with likely several thousand Elves of Lindon, Rivendell, Lothlórien, and five hundred Hobbits archers from the Shire.

For the forces of Angmar it can be estimated that there was at least forty thousand or at the most sixty thousand Orcs, Trolls, Evil Men, Wolves, and all other manner of evil creatures.

The Battle

Not much is known of the battle, and it is simply stated that the Witch-king overran Fornost and the King was driven into the North Downs. The Witch-king's forces occupied Fornost and pillaged it.

Aftermath

With Arthedain in his hands, the Witch-king had conquered all of Arnor. Arvedui perished in the Icebay of Forochel when a ship sent to rescue him sank in a storm. The Witch-king took the throne in the king's palace, until a year later in T.A. 1975 when the forces of Eriador had regrouped with newly arrived reinforcements from Gondor. In the Battle of Fornost his army was destroyed, and he himself fled east over the Misty Mountains.

Fornost was not resettled after the war. It became a deserted place, feared by the men of Bree, who called it Deadmen's Dike. Not until a thousand years later after the War of the Ring under King Elessar was it refounded.

References