It was once a shining city in the realm of Gondor. But this city of brightness and beauty would be
captured and twisted into a tower of sorcery, where the Witch-king would rule and the
line of the Gondorian kings would end. Today on Nerd of the Rings, we
cover the history of Minas Morgul. The city of Minas Ithil rises from the ashes
of the fallen Numenor. When the island realm is destroyed in 3319, Elendil, Isildur and Anarion
lead the exiles of Numenor to Middle-earth. While Elendil founds Arnor in the north (3320), Isildur
and his brother Anarion found Gondor in the south. While Anarion builds the city of Minas Anor,
Isildur constructs the city of Minas Ithil near the border with Mordor. Together, the
brothers would rule as Kings of Gondor. While Anarion rules the fief of Anorien,
Isildur rules the fief of Ithilien. In the same year these
realms in exile were founded, the Palantiri are distributed among
the realms of Elendil and his sons. The seven seeing stones are placed in Elostirion,
Amon Sul, Annuminas, the tower of Orthanc, Minas Anor, Osgiliath, and Minas Ithil. Isildur
planted the seedling of the White Tree of Nimloth in Minas Ithil, which had grown from the fruit
which he stole prior to Numenor’s downfall. Isildur’s city, and Gondor in general, would
exist and grow in peace for over 100 years. However, the same dark presence that
brought about Numenor’s destruction would return to Middle-earth to plague the
Faithful whom he hated. After re-establishing himself in his lands of Mordor, Sauron
launches an attack on Minas Ithil. His great force drives out Isildur and sacks the
city. In his victory, Sauron burns the White Tree. However, once again, Isildur escapes with his
wife, his sons, and a seedling of the Tree. He journeys down the Anduin river and
taking the seaward route, comes to his father’s realm of Arnor. This conflict is
the impetus for the formation of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. While Anarion holds
out against Sauron in Gondor, Isildur, his father, and the elven king Gil-galad build the alliance
that would march upon Mordor itself (3434). We are told that during the war, two of Isildur’s
sons - Aratan and Ciryon had been sent by their father to man the fortress of Minas Ithil.
This, along with Sauron not capturing the palantir at this time, would seem to indicate he
merely sought to defeat the Gondorians of the city and not occupy it. Isildur’s sons man
the fortress as a preventative measure, for Isildur thought that if Sauron
were to escape Gil-galad and Elendil, he would force his way through Cirith Ungol and
take vengeance upon the Dunedain in Minas Ithil. After a seven year siege on Barad-dur, Sauron
is defeated and his ring taken by Isildur. In the aftermath of Sauron’s downfall, Minas Ithil is restored as the great watchtower along the
Gondor/Mordor border. Minas Ithil would remain a stronghold of Gondor for nearly 2000 years,
when a new dark force would make war upon it. Over the preceding centuries, the Witch-king
of Angmar waged a long and devastating war against the realm of Arnor. While it
would lead to the north kingdom’s destruction, a force of Gondorians, combined with
elves of Rivendell would succeed in the defeat of Angmar as well. In 1980 TA, the
Witch-king returns to Mordor, where he summons the other eight Nazgul. There, they would
prepare for the return of the dark lord. Twenty years later (2000 TA), they
make their first offensive strike, laying siege to Minas Ithil. We are told this army
is composed of many men, who had been dominated by Sauron during his first strength and had
wandered homeless and masterless after his fall. Now, they were led by the Nazgul, and coming out
of Mordor by night over the Pass of Cirith Ungol, they made war upon the Gondorian
city. After two years of fighting, Minas Ithil is sacked by the forces of the
Witch King and comes to be known as his city. The palantir, known as the Ithil-stone is
captured, and would later be taken to Barad-dur, where it would be used by Sauron to communicate
and influence Saruman and Denethor. Minas Ithil comes to be occupied by fell creatures
and becomes a foul and evil place. [They] took Minas Ithil for their
abode; and they made it a place of such dread that none dared to look upon
it. Thereafter it was called Minas Morgul, the Tower of Sorcery; and Minas Morgul was
ever at war with Minas Anor in the west.... But Minas Anor endured, and it was named
anew Minas Tirith, the Tower of Guard. With it’s city taken by the enemy, many
Gondorians flee from Ithilien and further into Gondor. In 2043, the Witch-king issues a
challenge to the new King of Gondor - Earnur, the very same captain who had led Gondor’s
army against his realm of Angmar years earlier. Earnur ignores this first challenge
at the advice of his Steward. However, in 2050, the Witch-king renews his challenge of
single combat, which Earnur would not ignore. Leaving his crown in the houses of the dead, Earnur rides to Minas Morgul with a small group
of soldiers. None are ever seen again. Thus, the line of the Kings of Gondor is ended, and the
rule passes to the line of the Stewards and would remain in their care until an heir would come from
Isildur’s line in the north - Aragorn Elessar. But in the years between, Minas Morgul
would continue to plague Gondor. It is from Minas Morgul that we have the
first recorded history of the Uruk-hai. In 2475, these more powerful orcs, which had
possibly been bred within Minas Morgul itself, emerge from the fortress and conquer
the lands of Ithilien. Their forces attack and destroy the city of Osgiliath,
which had once been the capital of Gondor. Eventually, Steward Boromir would
win back the lands of Ithilien, and the orcs would withdraw once more. During the
war, Boromir receives a Morgul-wound, which would give him tremendous pain and greatly shorten
his life - though he would not become a wraith. Once again, Minas Morgul would wreak havoc
upon Gondor during the War of the Ring. On June 20, 3018, Sauron’s forces
would attack Osgiliath once again. This host was merely sent to measure
Gondor’s preparedness and to provide cover for the Ringwraiths to enter the north of
Middle-earth and begin their search for the Ring. Months later, in March 3019, after the
Witch-king is forced to return to his stronghold, Sauron would amass a great force with which
he would attack Minas Tirith. After a brief skirmish in Osgiliath, the Witch-king leads his
forces in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. As we know, the Witch-king, his army,
and Sauron himself would meet their demise in the coming days as the lands of
Middle-earth are freed from the dark lord. With Aragorn now leading Gondor, the Army of
the West pulls down the bridge leading to the Morgul Vale and sets its fields ablaze. As the
army of Minas Morgul had been destroyed at the Battle of Pelennor Fields, they encountered
no resistance as they raize the lands. In the days to come, Faramir is made Prince of
Ithilien. And at the advice of King Elessar, he and Eowyn make their home in Emyn Arnen
rather than attempting to resettle Minas Ithil. Aragorn declares: "Minas Ithil in
Morgul Vale shall be utterly destroyed, and though it may in time to come be made clean,
no man may dwell there for many long years" Whether the day would ever come when Minas
Morgul would be rebuilt as Minas Ithil, we can only guess. For no tale tells
of the ruins of the Tower of Sorcery, and whether that land would ever bring
light and beauty to Gondor once more. as always i want to say a huge thank you to my
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