While the Siege of Gondor and Battle of the
Pelennor Fields marked the primary thrust of Sauron’s strategy given his fear of the heir
of Isildur, the Northern theatre of the war was just as pivotal in deciding the fate of
Middle Earth, so today we are going to take a look at the war in the north to see how Dale,
Erebor and the Elven realms defended themselves. Simultaneously, we will talk about the
aftermath of the battle of the Pelennor Fields and the last major engagement of the
war - the battle of the Black Gate. Sauron’s attack on the northern realms was
foreseen by Gandalf many years earlier, leading the then Grey Wizard to aid Thorin in his
quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf had seen through the guise of the Necromancer of Dol
Guldur much earlier and predicted that Sauron would make use of the sheer destruction Smaug
could unleash in order to destroy Gondor. The Dragon’s death at the hand of Bard severely dented
the Dark Lord’s plans, giving the free peoples of Middle Earth a fighting chance in the war to come,
while the newly re-established Kingdom of Dale and Kingdom Under the Mountain provided a vital
Northern Bulwark against the forces of Sauron. In TA 3018, Glóin revealed to the Council of
Elrond that messengers had arrived at the gates of the Lonely Mountain sent on behalf of Sauron
seeking information on the Shire and the Hobbits, while also asking for them
to turn over Bilbo’s Ring. Further, they asked for the submission
of the Kingdoms to Mordor’s overlordship, and when these entreaties were refused
dire consequences had been threatened. Messengers likewise approached King Brand of
Dale and when similar requests were refused, Easterlings loyal to the Dark Lord began
to gather on the outskirts of Dale. Likewise in the realm of
Thranduil and that of Lothlorien, the numbers of foul creatures encroaching
ever further from Dol Guldur into Mirkwood alerted the Elves to the fact that they would
not be left unscathed in the coming conflict. Thranduil, Celeborn, and Galadriel made what
preparations they could, however many of the finest warriors of the Elves had at this
stage committed to sailing West to Valinor leaving the respective Elvish forces weakened.
This Northern Theatre of the War of the Ring, therefore, pitted the last of the declining races
of Elves and Dwarves against the ascendant forces of the Dark Lord, with the outcome of pitched
battles remaining exceptionally uncertain. War would first come to Dale however, as
on the seventeenth of March TA 3019 the massive Easterling host crossed the borders of the
Kingdom intending to invade and capture the city. The Easterlings were mainly composed of
well-equipped and well drilled warriors from Rhûn, surprising the forces of Dale and the Lonely
Mountain with the speed at which they crossed the Redwater River given their numbers. Kings
Brand and Dáin II quickly assembled their forces, and it could be estimated that there were
two and a half thousand Dwarves of Erebor and of the Iron Hills, alongside
three and a half thousand men of Dale, compared to that of the twenty thousand strong
force of Easterlings. This assault coincided with the siege of Minas Tirith in order to
prevent any aid coming to Gondor from the North, tying down these forces in a manner Saruman
was unable to achieve with the Riders of Rohan. The two kings met the Easterlings in open battle
on the same day the Easterlings crossed the river hoping to prevent the destruction of
Dale, putting their faith in the fact the foundries of Erebor gave them a massive
advantage in terms of their arms and armour. Three days of heavy fighting ensued, wherein
the steadfastness of the Dwarves and Men of Dale was eventually eroded by the numerical
advantage possessed by the men of Rhûn, forcing them to retreat.
Seeing that Laketown would be indefensible, the combined force of Men and Dwarves attempted
to retreat behind the impregnable gates of the Lonely Mountain, with Kings Brand and
Dáin leading a desperate rearguard action. The two kings managed to buy enough time for
their forces to fall back into the mountains, however, Brand was struck down by an Easterling’s
blade before the gate of the Lonely Mountain. Dáin enraged by the death of his close friend and ally,
stood over Brand’s corpse and refused to give an inch despite the intense pressure exerted
by the far more numerous Easterling force. After a prolonged defence of the King of Dale’s
body, the Dwarven King under the Mountain was also slain despite the piles of Easterling
casualties that mounted around the stalwart King. The forces of the deceased leaders then locked the
gates of the Mountain and prepared for a prolonged siege. While the men of Dale and Dwarves of Erebor
and the Iron Hills remained besieged behind the gates of the Lonely Mountain, their primary
hope for victory lay with the Men of the West led by the soon to be King of Gondor Aragorn.
Even earlier, Lothlórien had been invaded by a host of Orcs coming out of Dol Guldur
first on the Eleventh of March TA 3019, then again on the Fifteenth and a final
assault was then made upon the Elvish lands on the Twenty Second of March. Meanwhile on the
Fifteenth of March TA 3019, Thranduil’s realm was invaded by a large horde of Orcs beginning what
would become known as the Battle Under the Trees. This was done to secure the flank of the
assaults on Lothlórien and prevent the great rulers of the Elves converging and forming a
unified front against the Orcs of Dol Guldur. The Easterlings of Rhûn were to reinforce the
assault, however they had been slowed immeasurably by the stubbornness of the defenders of Erebor.
The Galadhrim led by Celeborn and Galadriel repulsed each assault relying heavily upon
the courage and potency of the renowned Elvish swordsmen alongside the power of Galadriel’s Ring
to counteract the vast numerical advantage of Dol Guldur. While Thranduil also proved his competency
in personally leading the Elven counter attack, the Elvenking whose forces were more
renowned for their deadly archers emerged victorious after a battle which caused
a, "great ruin of fire" throughout the woods. This victory caused Thranduil to declare a new
year of the Elves shortly after their victory. At this point Frodo and Sam alongside their
guide Gollum had made their way to the passes of Cirith Ungol, where the treachery of Gollum was
revealed. Turning the Hobbits against one another, before leading Frodo into the clutches of Shelob a
great spider of immense proportions and one of the last true descendants of the original Dark Lord
Morgoth’s ally Ungoliant. Shelob pricked Frodo with her stinger causing him to become immobilised
and easy prey for the great spider. Sam however wielding Sting and the Light of Earendil fought
off the foul beast saving Frodo’s life once more. However, believing his dear friend to
be dead he took the Ring and despite his despair intended to finish their quest regardless.
At this point, a group of Orcs and Uruks from the garrison of Cirith Ungol came upon Frodo’s
body and remarked that he was still alive before bringing him to the tower for questioning.
Sam then took it upon himself to save the Ringbearer’s life once more and taking advantage
of the fact that the Garrison had engaged in a mild civil war between the Orcs and Uruk
for the ownership of Frodo’s mithril shirt, was able to reach Frodo before he could come to
harm. Here he returned the Ring, counting himself among only the company of Bilbo having handed over
the One Ring while also being the only individual to have ever done so willingly. From here the two
hobbits, disguising themselves as best they could, began the perilous journey across the Plains
of Gorgoroth which was inhabited by thousands of Orcs, in order to complete their quest and
cast the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. Meanwhile, following the successful defence of
Minas Tirith, Aragorn gathered to him all of the wise men of Gondor, as well as his companions
and the most prominent of the men of Rohan in order to discuss their final moves in
the dying embers of the War of the Ring. This came to be known as the Last Debate and
was conducted outside of the walls of the city, as Aragorn refused to enter until the war had
been won and he could be properly proclaimed king. Many men who were well acquainted with tactics
and warfare such as Imrahil and Éomer put forward their opinions as to the best course
of action. Yet it was the counsel of Gandalf which swayed Aragorn, with the Wizard remarking:
"We have not the Ring. … Without it we cannot by force defeat his force. But we must at
all costs keep his Eye from his true peril. We cannot achieve victory by arms, but by arms
we can give the Ring-bearer his only chance, frail though it be. … We must push Sauron to his
last throw. We must call out his hidden strength, so that he shall empty his land. We must march
out to meet him at once. We must make ourselves the bait, though his jaws should close on
us. … We must walk open-eyed into that trap, with courage, but small hope for ourselves."
Knowing that Frodo and Sam were now within the depths of Mordor, they were left with no other
choice but to march out and meet the Dark Lord. By sacrificing their lives, they could buy the
Ringbearer enough time to complete his quest and save Middle Earth for good and all. Each and
every one of those gathered at this Last Debate knew that it was likely death awaited them, yet
it was the only course of action now left to them, a garrison of a size greater than had
originally guarded the city was left and the Captain of the West took with him seven
thousand soldiers of Gondor and Rohan alongside his Grey Company. The impossibility of victory
was not lost on the Men of the West, however, with Imrahil laughing aloud before stating:
"Surely this is the greatest jest in all the history of Gondor: that we should ride with
seven thousands, scarce as many as the vanguard of its army in the days of its power, to assail
the mountains and the impenetrable gate of the Black Land! So might a child threaten a mail-clad
knight with a bow of string and green willow!" The Host of the Men of the West left
Minas Tirith on March Eighteenth and bypassed Minas Morgul heading straight for the
Black Gate. Sauron falsely believing that Aragorn now possessed the Ring and would use its power
against him fell for this ploy and began to send all of his warriors to the Black Gate. Aragorn
then left a force of just under one thousand men at the cross roads in order to guard the road
to Minas Tirith should the battle go poorly. Midway through Ithilien they were then assaulted
by Haradrim and Easterlings. These soldiers were quickly detected by the Rangers of Ithilien
however and driven off with little casualties. As the Men of the West approached Dagorlad a
number of the farmers of Lossarnach and some of the fainter of heart among the Rohirrim baulked
at the prospect of assaulting the Black Gate. Aragorn displaying his compassion allowed them to
leave instead sending them to liberate Cair Andros weakening the army even further, so that they
maintained a strength of barely six thousand men. Yet as the Host of the West continued
ever onwards, they soon came to see the extraordinary vastness of the Black Gate and
even the most valiant among them began to feel the cold tendrils of fear creep through their veins.
Heralds were sent upon Prince Imrahil’s suggestion to announce the coming of King Elessar. In
response the Black Gate opened a fraction, allowing for a delegation of the Dark Lord to
emerge. At their head was a Dark Numenorean of the ancient faction of King’s Men who had
survived the fall of the Kingdom and fallen into the service of Sauron. He was known as the Mouth
of Sauron and demanded the surrender of the Host, producing Frodo’s mithril vest and cloak to the
despair of the Hobbits among Aragorn’s retinue. Gandalf then asked for the terms of surrender,
which were to be Sauron’s recognised dominion over Isengard and Rohan as well as the
vassalage of Gondor, to which the Men of the West refused in the plainest of terms.
Enraged by their unwillingness to surrender, the Mouth of Sauron withdrew behind the
Black Gate which now opened allowing a force of between 60 and 100 thousand
Orcs, Trolls and Uruk Hai to emerge. On top of that, thousands of Orcs surfaced from
the hillsides surrounding the Plain of Morannon, with another force of Easterlings appearing from
the former Gondorian garrison tower of Carchost ensuring that the Men of the West now knew the
true strength of Mordor. These denizens of the dark proceeded to surround the Host of the West
ensuring that retreat was no longer an option. In the early stages of the battle, the Dark Lord’s
warriors found it difficult to reach the Men of the West due to the large slag pools and pits of
waste that surrounded the Black Gate. This bought Aragorn enough time to organize his soldiers:
he placed two forces of three thousand each upon the two slag piles in the center of the Plain of
Morannon, which were made up of piles of rubble and waste. The contingen upon the right hill was
commanded by Imrahil and Éomer in the front line, while consisting of the Knights of Dol
Amroth and elements of the Tower Guard among the regulars of both Rohan and Gondor.
While the hill to the left was led by Aragorn alongside Gandalf, the remaining members of the
Fellowship, Elladan and Elrohir sons of Elrond and the Grey Company with Arwen’s
banner flying on its front line. The Dark Lord with his eye fixed firmly
upon the battle urged his subjects forward. His forces crashed into the Host of the West
like a tide breaking upon the cliffside. The Men of the West held, utilizing their
superior discipline and martial prowess, as well as the height advantage afforded by the slag
piles to hold back the Orcs, Trolls and evil men. While this valiant defence caused far greater
casualties on the part of the Dark Lord, it was not sustainable and the Men of the West
were hard pushed to keep up this immense effort. The remaining Nazgul then emerged threatening to
dismantle the disciplined lines of the Host of the West, before the Great Eagles entered
the battle led by their Windlord Gwaihir. The Eagles and Nazgul fought for the aerial
superiority, with Pippin echoing the sentiment of Bilbo during the Battle of the Five Armies
by repeating aloud, “The Eagles are coming.” As the initial attack of
the forces of Sauron failed, armoured trolls wielding crude maces and
cudgels were sent forth. Their attack managed to effectively break down the lines of the Men
of the West, allowing Orcs to swarm through, making Aragorn’s position borderline untenable on
both slag piles. The Orcs further took example of the Easterlings and engaged in flanking manoeuvres
attempting to make the most of their encirclement. It was only by the valour and steadfastness
of Aragorn’s soldiers that the defence of the slag piles could be maintained, despite
overwhelming pressure from all sides. Meanwhile, Sam and Frodo having disguised
themselves as Orcs had at this point reached Mount Doom and looked poised
to bring the battle to a premature end. Coming to the slopes of the Crack of Doom
Frodo’s strength gave out however and he fell, only for Sam to carry him upon his back across the
last few steps. At this point, Gollum attacked the two Hobbits, with Sam managing to fight him off as
Frodo stumbled towards the depths of Mount Doom. Sam having delayed Gollum long enough made
his way to the Crack of Doom, where to his horror Frodo had renounced the quest and claimed
the Ring as his own placing it upon his finger. Sauron now realizing that the Ring was within
the depths of Mount Doom pulled his gaze from the Plains of Morannon and towards the Crack of
Doom, calling the Nazgul to him. This earned the hard-pressed Men of the West a reprieve as without
the will of the Dark Lord driving them onwards, his forces began to falter allowing the
warriors on either slag pile breathing space with which they could reform their lines.
A shocked and despairing, Sam was caught unaware when Gollum attacked him from behind knocking him
unconscious with a rock, before attacking Frodo. The struggle was brief as Frodo had been weakened
by possessing and resisting the will of the Ring for as long as he had, ending with Gollum biting
off his finger and taking the One Ring from him. Gollum celebrated reclaiming his precious by
dancing maniacally, however, he slipped upon the blood pulsing from Frodo’s finger causing
him to fall into the Crack of Doom unwittingly destroying the One Ring. This caused the
destruction of Barad-dûr, the Black Gate, and the Towers of the Teeth, while Mount Doom
erupted violently with the two Hobbits barely escaping to the mountainside where they were
now surrounded by lava and ash seemingly doomed, before being rescued by Gandalf Gwaihir and his
Great Eagles. With the destruction of the Ring, Sauron's being and his power were forever lost
and the threat of his dominion ended forever. On the Plains of Morannon, the Orcs panicked
and began to flee being cut down in droves by the resurgent Men of the West. While some of the
Easterlings and Haradrim bearing an undying hatred towards their Western counterparts fought to the
last man being utterly destroyed on that day, others surrendered and were
pardoned by King Elessar. Orc strongholds remained within
the Plains of Gorgoroth however, necessitating Aragorn to lead his forces which
were still capable of fighting immediately into the depths of Mordor to ensure the purging of the
area was complete. Aragorn then freed the slaves of Núrn, granting them this extremely fertile
area in the far South of the realm of Mordor to be ruled as they wished following their years
of enslavement under the cruel reign of Sauron. News of the demise of the Dark Lord spread
quickly, with the Easterlings besieging the Lonely Mountain soon hearing of their Overlord’s
destruction, which sapped them of any degree of morale. The Armies of Dale and Erebor now led by
their new Kings Bard II and Thorin III Stonehelm, led a sortie consisting of all of the forces
remaining to them still capable of fighting and on the Twenty Seventh of March drove the
Easterlings from their lands ending the Siege of the Lonely Mountain. While this was ultimately
a victory for Dale and Erebor the casualties were high, lowering what were already scarce numbers
of Dwarves, assuring the ascendancy of man. The Elves using their victory at the battle Under
the Trees and the fact that the Nazgul were gone with the defeat of their master, attacked Dol
Guldur led by Celeborn, Galadriel, Thranduil. We don’t know much about the ensuing battle, but
what we know for sure is that in one of the last true examples of the magic in this world,
Galadriel came to the gates and cast down the walls, foul pits, and crevices. The Dol Guldur
was finally destroyed and the forest was cleansed. This brings us to the end of
the War of the Ring; however, the conclusion of this story is one for our
next documentary on the history of Middle-Earth. We are also planning to cover the battles of many
other fantasy, sci-fi, and space opera universes, so make sure you have subscribed and pressed the
bell button! Please, consider liking and sharing, as it helps immensely, and don’t forget to comment
- we will try to read and respond to every comment as we want to know what you think about
this video and which videos you hope to see in the future! This is the Wizards and Warriors
channel and we’ll catch you on the next one!
