Gondor

The Gondor is a imaginary Pays, being used as theater with part of the events reported in work of J.R.R. Tolkien, of which the Lord of the Rings .

Geography

Gondor (“country of which uses the stone” in Sindarin) is a vast country which extends to the south from the Eriador and the Royaume from Rohan, on the coasts of bay of Belfalas. The country is articulated around the White Mountains ( Ered Nimrais ), a long assembly line which stretches Belegaer in the west with the Mindolluin mount and with Minas Tirith in the east. To its birth, the kingdom extended only on one small extent from ground, mainly the Anórien and the Ithilien, respective strongholds of Anárion and Isildur, the wire of Elendil.

During first half of the Third Age, its kings carried out many conquests, and with its apogee, XIIe century, its borders in north the field of Celebrating, the were orée southern one of the Black Forêt, in the east the Mer of Rhûn, in the south the Umbar and the west, the Isen or the Gwathló. Moreover, the vast desert of the Harad was vassal kingdom. At the end of the Third Age, the kingdom is however nothing any more but the shade of itself, having lost the major part of the areas which were subjected to him and extending nothing any more but on the areas between the White Mountains and bay from Belfalas.

At the time of its foundation, the capital of Gondor was Osgiliath, but as of the medium of the Third Age, the city fell in ruin, victim of the Fratricidal Fight (1432-1447) and the Great Plague (1636). In 1640, king Tarondor moved the capital with Minas Tirith, old residence of summer of the kings. Minas Ithil was the third city of Gondor, but it fell to the hands from the Nazgûl in 2002 T.A. and was renamed Minas Morgul.

One counts other major cities, smaller than these last, like the port of Pelargir, with the entry of the vast delta of the Anduin. This city, founded by the Faithful ones of Númenor in year 2350 of the Second Age, is the turntable commercial of Gondor.

Another town of importance is the citadel of Dol Amroth, in Belfalas, whose lords control in a way almost independent the area of Dor-in-Ernil. Its prestige comes partly from the supposed ascent of its Princes, whose legend tells that they result from the union of a Elfe and of a Homme.

Areas

The strongholds of Gondor at the time of the Guerre of the Ring are partly detailed in the Lord of the Rings , when Pippin is pilot arrival with Minas Tirith of the troops of the various lords of the country (Book V, chapter 1).

Anfalas

Anfalas (“long shore” in Sindarin) is between the rivers Lefnui and Morthond, in the south of the hills of Pinnath Gelin. This area, far away from the center of Gondor, seems populated little densément: one knows no city of it.

Anórien

Anórien is located at the north of Minas Tirith, along the White Montagnes. In the beginning stronghold of Anárion, wire of Elendil (from where its name), it borders in the west of the Royaume of Rohan, the border being marked by the Mering rivers and Entalluve. To the east, Anórien is limited by the Anduin.

Belfalas

Belfalas extends along the coast from bay from the same name, between the mouth of the Morthond and them mouths of the Anduin. It forms part of the area of the name of Dor-in-Ernil , or the “ground of the prince”, the prince in question being the lord of Dol Amroth, which lives in the city of the same name.

At the beginning of the second millenium of the Third Age, certain Imrazôr the Númenor éen reign on Belfalas. He marries Mithrellas, a Elfe of Lórien, and their son Galador becomes first prince de Dol Amroth.

During the War of the Ring, Belfalas is plundered by the corsairs of Umbar, and thus does not send any man to help to defend Minas Tirith, in-outside knights of Fraud Amroth, until Aragorn released the coast and takes the head of the troops available.

The name of this area contains clearly the Sindarin falas “shore”, but the beautiful element is more obscure. In a test of 1969, Tolkien estimated that this term went back to before the establishment from Númenóréens in Gondor and that it was impossible to analyze it.

Calenardhon

Ithilien

Ithilien (“country of the moon” in sindarin) is in the east of the river Anduin, between this last and the Mordor. It is delimited in North by the Marais of Dead the and in the south by the Poros river. It is a country of hills and forests, little populated.

It acts in the beginning of the stronghold of Isildur, oldest son of Elendil. Its capital, Undermined Ithil, fall to the hands from the Nazgûl in 2002 T.A. and is famous Minas Morgul. Ithilien is thereafter source of conflicts between Gondor and Mordor, this last ending up acquiring the control of the area; but Gondoriens maintain there the secret bases, of which Henneth Annûn.

Frodon and Sam makes there the meeting of Faramir, brother of Boromir, which with wisdom not to covet the Single Anneau and lets them set out again towards Mordor.

At the beginning of the Fourth Age, Faramir becomes prince d' Ithilien. Elf S of the Black Forest, carried out by Legolas, come to be established in this area.

Lamedon

Lamedon (name of pre-númenóréenne origin) is located at the foot of the White Mountains, with the sources of Ciril and Ringló. Its principal city is Calembel.

Lebennin

Lebennin (“five rivers”) is an area of the south of Gondor, in the south-west of Undermined Tirith. More the big city of Lebennin is Pelargir.

During the War of the Ring, few men of Lebennin were sent to help Minas Tirith, because the area underwent the attacks of the corsairs of Umbar. Lebennin was saved by Aragorn and the Dead Men of the mountains.

Lossarnach

The small area of Lossarnach (“snow-covered Arnach”) is in the south-west of Undermined Tirith and in the south of the White Mountains.

At various times of its history, Gondor also extended on the following zones:

Other areas (lost at the time of the War of the Ring)

the Harondor , between Anduin and Harnen, is an area disputed between Gondor and Haradrim.
the Umbar is an old fortress númenóréenne which was conquered and lost on several occasions by Gondor. It is a pirate State, whose Corsairs often razzièrent banks of Gondor.

History

Gondor was founded by Isildur and Anárion, wire of Elendil, in 3320 S.A., which fled the destruction of their fatherland, the island of Númenor. The area had already been colonized by Númenóréens, in particular the Faithful ones, this fringe of the population remained friendly with the Eldar. Persecuted in the metropolis, number of them had taken refuge in Ground of the Medium, and in particular in this area, near to Lindon, kingdom of Gil-galad, where they had founded several ports, of which Pelargir, where precisely accosted the two brothers.

But Sauron made the war with the new arrivals. Overcome for the second time, the country knew a long prosperity during which the trees of Minas Ithil flowered and of Minas Anor. But the evil remade surface and Minas Ithil fell, then the last king of Gondor perishes, killed by the King-Wizard of Angmar, the chief of the Nazgûl.

A regency is consequently ensured by the Surintendant. At the time of Frodon, it is about Denethor, and Osgiliath was not any more that ruins, Minas Morgul the fortress of Sauron is for Minas Tirith a permanent danger. But Sauron will be finally overcome and the Gondor will enter a new era of prosperity starting with the reign of Elessar or Aragorn and of its son Eldarion.