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{{battle
{{battle
| image=[[File:Abe Papakhian - I Beheld.jpg|300px]]
| image=[[File:Abe Papakhian - I Behold (colour).jpg|300px]]
| name= Siege of Barad-dûr
| name= Siege of Barad-dûr
| conflict= [[War of the Last Alliance]]
| conflict= [[War of the Last Alliance]]
| date= {{SA|3434}} - {{SA|3441}}
| date= {{SA|3434}} - {{SA|3441}}
| result=Last Alliance victory, disembodiment of [[Sauron]]
| result=[[Last Alliance]] victory, disembodiment of [[Sauron]]
| place= [[Barad-dûr]], [[Mount Doom]], [[Mordor]]
| place= [[Barad-dûr]], [[Mount Doom]], [[Mordor]]
| side1=[[Last Alliance of Elves and Men|Last Alliance forces]]
| side1=[[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]]
| side2=Forces of [[Sauron]]
| side2=Forces of [[Sauron]]
| commanders1=
| commanders1=
{{Gil-galad blazon|died}}
{{Gil-galad blazon|died}}
[[Image:Tree_icon2.jpg]] [[Elendil]]†
* [[Círdan]]
* [[Elrond]]
* [[Elendil]]†
* [[Isildur]]
* [[Isildur]]
* [[Anárion]]†
* [[Anárion]]†
* [[Thranduil]]
* [[Thranduil]]
* [[Durin IV]]
| commanders2= {{Sauron blazon}}
| commanders2= {{Sauron blazon}}
| forces1=Over 100,000 [[Elves]], [[Númenóreans|Men]], and [[Durin's Folk|Dwarves]]
| forces1=Great host of [[Dúnedain]]; [[Elves of Lindon]], [[Rivendell]], [[Elves of Mirkwood|Mirkwood]], and [[Galadhrim|Lothlórien]]; [[Dwarves of Khazad-dûm]]; beasts and birds
| forces2=10,000-20,000 [[Orcs]], [[Southrons]], [[Easterlings]]
| forces2=Smaller host of [[Orcs]], [[Men of Darkness|Evil Men]], some [[Dwarves]] of other Houses, and other evil creatures
| casual1=Heavy
| casual1=Severe
| casual2=Severe, nearly total
| casual2=Almost all slain
|}}
|}}


The '''Siege of Barad-dûr''' was the armed conflict that would end the [[Second Age]]. It was the direct result of the [[Battle of Dagorlad]], where passage into [[Mordor]] was won by the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men|Last Alliance]] at heavy cost.  
The '''Siege of Barad-dûr''' was the armed conflict that would end the [[War of the Last Alliance]] and the [[Second Age]]. It was the direct result of the [[Battle of Dagorlad]], where passage into [[Mordor]] was won by the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men|Last Alliance]] at a heavy cost.  


==The Siege==
== History ==
The Orcs that survived the slaughter at Dagorlad were surrounded in Barad-dûr, Sauron's dark stronghold. There, the forces of Gil-galad, Elendil and Thranduil laid siege to the tower, but could not breach its gates.  
===The Siege===
In {{SA|3434}} the Last Alliance entered [[Mordor]]. The Orcs that survived the slaughter at Dagorlad were surrounded in Barad-dûr, Sauron's dark stronghold. There, the forces of [[Gil-galad]], [[Elendil]] and [[Thranduil]] laid siege to the tower, but could not breach its gates.  


Sauron put together a strong defence with a seemingly unexhaustible supply of projectile and sorties, which inflicted heavy casualties on the Elves and Men. In [[Second Age 3440|S.A. 3440]], Anárion's helmet was crushed by a rock thrown down on him, and he died instantly.  
Sauron put together a strong defence with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of projectile and sorties throughout seven years, during which the Allies suffered heavy casualties. In {{SA|3440}}, Anárion's helmet was crushed by a thrown rock resulting in his death.


A year later, however, Sauron went out with a sortie himself, and broke the leaguer. He came to [[Mount Doom]], where the two kings, Gil-galad and Elendil, fought with him. [[Narsil]], Elendil's sword, broke in two beneath him as he fell. Gil-galad was burned by the heat. But Sauron also fell, and [[Isildur]] cut [[The One Ring]] from his finger with what was left of Narsil. As Gil-galad's heralds [[Círdan]] and [[Elrond]] came up, they advised Isildur to destroy the Ring by throwing it in the fires of Mount Doom. But Isildur said: 
[[Second Age 3441|A year later]], however, Sauron went out with a sortie himself and broke the leaguer. He came to [[Mount Doom]], where the two kings, Gil-galad and Elendil, fought with him in single combat. Sauron struck down Elendil, and his sword [[Narsil]] broke in two beneath him as he fell. [[Gil-galad]]'s face was scorched by the heat of Sauron's hand, killing him. Nonetheless, Sauron was wounded in the fight with the two kings, and as he let his guard down, Isildur took up the broken hilt of his father's blade and hewed off Sauron's ring finger, defeating him.
<blockquote>''This I will have as weregild for my father's death, and my brother's. Was it not I who dealt the Enemy his death-blow?''<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup></blockquote>


==Consequences==
=== Aftermath ===
The battle marked the (temporary) passing of Sauron, and the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Gondor prospered, and built fortresses on all the entrances to Mordor: the [[Morannon]], [[Durthang]] and the [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]].
The battle marked the (temporary) passing of Sauron and the beginning of the [[Third Age]]. Gil-galad's heralds [[Círdan]] and [[Elrond]] advised Isildur to destroy the Ring by throwing it in the fires of Mount Doom. But instead, Isildur replied: ''This I will have as weregild for my father's death, and my brother's. Was it not I who dealt the Enemy his death-blow?''<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref>


Relations between Elves and Men worsened due to the deaths of Gil-Galad and Elendil, and also Isildur's taking of the ring. The Last Alliance as it came to be known, would be the last time Elves would go to open war in Middle Earth ever again. The relationship between Men and Elves wouldn't be as close as they were in the first and second ages and never wholly repaired because the Elves were leaving Middle-Earth for Aman.
Gondor prospered, and built fortresses on all the entrances to Mordor: the [[Morannon]], [[Durthang]] and the [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]]. Isildur wrote an account of the battle, describing his father and Gil-galad's duel with Sauron in detail and the lengthy siege itself.


Isildur remained in [[Minas Tirith]] some time<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>. When he did return North, he and his sons were [[Battle of the Gladden Fields|ambushed]]<sup>[[#References|3]]</sup>. The Ring was lost in the tumult.  
With the death of Gil-galad, the [[Noldor]] were without a King as he left no heir. Elrond and Círdan returned to [[Lindon]]. Relations between Elves and Men worsened due to the deaths of Gil-galad and Elendil, and also Isildur's taking of the ring. The Last Alliance as it came to be known, would be the last time Elves would go to open war in Middle-earth ever again. The relationship between Men and Elves wouldn't be as close as they were in the first and second ages and never wholly repaired because the Elves were leaving Middle-earth for Aman.


With the death of Gil-galad, the [[Noldor]] were without a King as he left no heir. Elrond and Círdan returned to [[Lindon]].  
Over the course of the war, which ended with the Siege of Barad-dûr in {{SA|3441}}, most of the Silvan army had been lost. Thranduil led the remaining third of his army back home to the Greenwood.<ref name="Silvan Princes">{{UT|6b}}</ref>


Since the Ring was not unmade, Sauron was not completely destroyed: his spirit was able to live on. In the Third Age, he reassumed physical shape, and regained most of his old realm and allies.
Isildur remained in [[Minas Tirith]] some time<ref>{{FR|II2}}</ref>. When he did return North, he and his sons were [[Disaster of the Gladden Fields|ambushed]]. The Ring was lost in the tumult.<ref>{{UT|Disaster}}</ref>


==Portrayal in adaptations==
Since the Ring was not unmade, Sauron was not completely destroyed: his spirit was able to live on. In the Third Age, he reassumed physical shape and regained most of his old realm and allies. Ever after Sauron hunted for the Ring, dispatching his servants across Middle-earth to locate it. The Ring would come to be known as [[Isildur's Bane]], as its corruption afflicted him.
In [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)]], the entire venture of the Last Alliance was combined into a short silhouette play, in which Isildur cut the Ring off Sauron's hand in battle, not when Sauron was already conquered.  


[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]] also compresses the Battle of Dagorlad, the Siege, and the final duel into one, and for convenience reasons, places them all at Mount Doom, in a prologue similar to that of Ralph Bakshi. The main perspective of the entire prologue, ''One Ring to rule them All'', lies with Elrond. The death of Gil-galad is not mentioned, Anárion is cut completely, and the deaths of Elendil and Sauron are rewritten.
{{references}}
After coming forth, Sauron wreaks havoc among the Elves and Men, and a blow from his mace throws Elendil against the mountainside, killing him. Isildur tries to take up Narsil, but it breaks as Sauron steps on it. In a desperate strike, Isildur slashes the Ring, and four fingers, from Sauron's hand. Sauron's body comes to nothing.
 
In a later scene, aptly named ''The Fate of the Ring'', Elrond tells [[Gandalf]] of the final debate with Isildur, inside Mount Doom. Círdan is not present, and Isildur refuses by simply saying "No".
 
==References==
* [[The Silmarillion]], [[Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age]]
* [[The Fellowship of the Ring]], [[The Council of Elrond]]
* [[Unfinished Tales]], [[The Disaster of the Gladden Fields]]
<references />


[[Category:Conflicts of the Second Age]]
[[Category:Conflicts of the Second Age]]

Revision as of 20:54, 12 May 2019

Siege of Barad-dûr
Abe Papakhian - I Behold (colour).jpg
Conflict: War of the Last Alliance
Date: S.A. 3434 - S.A. 3441
Place: Barad-dûr, Mount Doom, Mordor
Outcome: Last Alliance victory, disembodiment of Sauron
Combatants

Last Alliance of Elves and Men

Forces of Sauron

Commanders

Template:Gil-galad blazon

Template:Sauron blazon

Strength

Great host of Dúnedain; Elves of Lindon, Rivendell, Mirkwood, and Lothlórien; Dwarves of Khazad-dûm; beasts and birds

Smaller host of Orcs, Evil Men, some Dwarves of other Houses, and other evil creatures

Casualties

Severe

Almost all slain

The Siege of Barad-dûr was the armed conflict that would end the War of the Last Alliance and the Second Age. It was the direct result of the Battle of Dagorlad, where passage into Mordor was won by the Last Alliance at a heavy cost.

History

The Siege

In S.A. 3434 the Last Alliance entered Mordor. The Orcs that survived the slaughter at Dagorlad were surrounded in Barad-dûr, Sauron's dark stronghold. There, the forces of Gil-galad, Elendil and Thranduil laid siege to the tower, but could not breach its gates.

Sauron put together a strong defence with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of projectile and sorties throughout seven years, during which the Allies suffered heavy casualties. In S.A. 3440, Anárion's helmet was crushed by a thrown rock resulting in his death.

A year later, however, Sauron went out with a sortie himself and broke the leaguer. He came to Mount Doom, where the two kings, Gil-galad and Elendil, fought with him in single combat. Sauron struck down Elendil, and his sword Narsil broke in two beneath him as he fell. Gil-galad's face was scorched by the heat of Sauron's hand, killing him. Nonetheless, Sauron was wounded in the fight with the two kings, and as he let his guard down, Isildur took up the broken hilt of his father's blade and hewed off Sauron's ring finger, defeating him.

Aftermath

The battle marked the (temporary) passing of Sauron and the beginning of the Third Age. Gil-galad's heralds Círdan and Elrond advised Isildur to destroy the Ring by throwing it in the fires of Mount Doom. But instead, Isildur replied: This I will have as weregild for my father's death, and my brother's. Was it not I who dealt the Enemy his death-blow?[1]

Gondor prospered, and built fortresses on all the entrances to Mordor: the Morannon, Durthang and the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Isildur wrote an account of the battle, describing his father and Gil-galad's duel with Sauron in detail and the lengthy siege itself.

With the death of Gil-galad, the Noldor were without a King as he left no heir. Elrond and Círdan returned to Lindon. Relations between Elves and Men worsened due to the deaths of Gil-galad and Elendil, and also Isildur's taking of the ring. The Last Alliance as it came to be known, would be the last time Elves would go to open war in Middle-earth ever again. The relationship between Men and Elves wouldn't be as close as they were in the first and second ages and never wholly repaired because the Elves were leaving Middle-earth for Aman.

Over the course of the war, which ended with the Siege of Barad-dûr in S.A. 3441, most of the Silvan army had been lost. Thranduil led the remaining third of his army back home to the Greenwood.[2]

Isildur remained in Minas Tirith some time[3]. When he did return North, he and his sons were ambushed. The Ring was lost in the tumult.[4]

Since the Ring was not unmade, Sauron was not completely destroyed: his spirit was able to live on. In the Third Age, he reassumed physical shape and regained most of his old realm and allies. Ever after Sauron hunted for the Ring, dispatching his servants across Middle-earth to locate it. The Ring would come to be known as Isildur's Bane, as its corruption afflicted him.

References