However, decadence set in and a long period of decline began (although Gondor experienced several revivals, notably under Rómendacil II in the 13th century.). Such was Gondor's wealth during the period that men from other lands would say in envy: "In Gondor precious stones are but pebbles for the children to play with." Gondor enjoyed several centuries of peace due to its military might. The Haradrim were subjugated and paid tribute as vassals of Gondor. The Kingdom extended east to the Sea of Rhûn, south to the Harnen and down to Umbar, as far north as Mirkwood, and west to the River Gwathló. In his reign, Gondor reached the height of its power and its borders reached their furthest extent. Gondor's power reached its Golden Age under the four " Ship-kings": The Argonath, monument to the earliest Kings of Gondor Gondor's great cities, Minas Anor, Minas Ithil, Osgiliath and Pelargir, only grew and the Dúnedain of Gondor ruled over more and more of the lesser people. While the power of Gondor's sister kingdom Arnor peaked at this time, before it broke into various successor states, Gondor's greatest glory was yet to come.
#Gondor has no king series
Gondor participated in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men which overthrew Sauron for the first time at the very end of the Second Age, when Isildur cut the One Ring from the dark lord's finger.Īfter the war, Gondor's power and wealth grew steadily, only interrupted by a series of Easterling invasions after TA 492, resulting in large conquests in Rhovanion, the East-lands. Sauron's forces overran Minas Ithil but failed to capture the capital, Osgiliath. Gondor joined the Last Alliance of Men and Elves against SauronĬentred on the Anduin river, the newly founded kingdom of Gondor was the closest to Mordor and was the first to be attacked in SA 3429. South of the Great River, however, the former King's Men did not accept his claim, becoming the Black Númenóreans.
The colonists west of Anduin accepted Elendil's claim to kingship over them. The Faithful, or Elendili, from Númenor were given a warm reception upon their arrival by those that had already colonized Middle-earth. Gondor, at a latitude comparable to Venice, was a more fertile region than Arnor to the north, and therefore it already had a larger population before the ships of Elendil's sons arrived, including a well-established city, Pelargir. It was located to the South of Rohan and to the West of Mordor, on the Bay of Belfalas.īefore the Downfall of Númenor, Gondor was home to many Númenórean colonists, who either mixed blood with the indigenous Middle Men if they were friendly, or dispersed them into Ras Morthil, Dunland, and Drúadan Forest. Like Arnor to the north, Gondor was a Dúnedain kingdom founded by Isildur and Anárion, the sons of Elendil, after the Downfall of Númenor.
Gondor was at the height of its power in its early years due to the ships and the military might that its armies possessed. Gondor was the sister kingdom of Arnor, whose line of kings came from Isildur, while the Line of the Kings of Gondor descended from Anárion. Gondor was founded by the brothers Isildur and Anárion, exiles from Númenor.
This city, later renamed Minas Tirith, remained the capital of Gondor for the rest of the Third Age and into the Fourth Age other major fortresses included Pelargir, Dol Amroth in Belfalas and Minas Ithil. Its first capital was Osgiliath, moved to Minas Anor in TA 1640. Gondor was the most prominent kingdom of Men in Middle-earth, bordered by Rohan to the north, Harad to the south, the cape of Andrast and the Sea to the west, and Mordor to the east.