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| In ]'s ]al universe of ], '''Mordor''' is the dwelling place of ], in the southeast of Middle-earth. ] and ] went there to destroy the ]. Mordor was unique because of the three enormous mountain ridges surrounding it, from the North, from the West and from the South, that protected this land from an unexpected invasion by any of the people living in those directions. | In ]'s ]al universe of ], '''Mordor''' is the dwelling place of ], in the southeast of Middle-earth. ] and ] went there to destroy the ]. Mordor was unique because of the three enormous mountain ridges surrounding it, from the North, from the West and from the South, that protected this land from an unexpected invasion by any of the people living in those directions. | ||
| == First Age == | |||
| During the ] of Middle-earth, Mordor did not exist. In its location lay the great inland ]. During the ] that marked the end of the First Age, the Sea of Helcar was drained through the ], and volcanic activity raised the plateaus of Mordor, ], and ] from the former seabed. The ] and Mordor's ] were the only remnants of the inland sea. | |||
| ], the circular valley which lay behind the ], may have been the corona of an immense collapsed volcano which helped build the Dark Land, and Mordor's plateau of ] remained volcanic until the end of the ]. | |||
| == Second Age == | == Second Age == | ||
| Sauron settled in Mordor shortly after the end of the First Age, and it remained the pivot of his evil contemplations for the whole of the ] and Third Ages of Middle-earth. In the north-western corner of this land stood Mount Doom, ], where Sauron had forged the ]. Near Orodruin stood Sauron's stronghold, ]. | |||
| For two and a half thousand years, Sauron ruled Mordor uninterruptedly. Having wrought the Ring, it was from there that he launched the attack upon Elves of ]. He was repelled by Men of ]. He fought against Men yet again, almost a thousand years later; however that time, he was captured by ], and brought to their island kingdom, eventually causing its destruction (see '']''). Immediately after ]'s destruction, Sauron returned to Mordor as a spirit, and resumed his rule. | For two and a half thousand years, Sauron ruled Mordor uninterruptedly. Having wrought the Ring, it was from there that he launched the attack upon Elves of ]. He was repelled by Men of ]. He fought against Men yet again, almost a thousand years later; however that time, he was captured by ], and brought to their island kingdom, eventually causing its destruction (see '']''). Immediately after ]'s destruction, Sauron returned to Mordor as a spirit, and resumed his rule. | ||
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| Sauron's rule was interrupted yet again when his efforts to overthrow the surviving Men and Elves failed, and they fought their way back to their foe's domain. After several years of siege, forces of The Last Alliance of Elves and Men came into Mordor. Sauron was defeated in a final battle on the slopes of Orodruin, and for about a thousand years, Mordor was guarded by ] in order to prevent any evil forces from breaking out. | Sauron's rule was interrupted yet again when his efforts to overthrow the surviving Men and Elves failed, and they fought their way back to their foe's domain. After several years of siege, forces of The Last Alliance of Elves and Men came into Mordor. Sauron was defeated in a final battle on the slopes of Orodruin, and for about a thousand years, Mordor was guarded by ] in order to prevent any evil forces from breaking out. | ||
| However Gondor had failed in the long run, and deprived of guard, Mordor began to fill with evil things again. ] was conquered by the Nine ]s; other fortifications that were supposed to defend Gondor from the menace inside Mordor were turned into a means of shielding Mordor. By the time Sauron returned into Mordor after his false defeat in ] (in the events that took place at the time of ]'s ]), Mordor was protected too well to be captured by any military might that was available in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. In the north of Mordor during the War of the Ring were the great garrisons and forges of war, while surrounding the bitter inland |
However Gondor had failed in the long run, and deprived of guard, Mordor began to fill with evil things again. ] was conquered by the Nine ]s; other fortifications that were supposed to defend Gondor from the menace inside Mordor were turned into a means of shielding Mordor. By the time Sauron returned into Mordor after his false defeat in ] (in the events that took place at the time of ]'s ]), Mordor was protected too well to be captured by any military might that was available in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. In the north of Mordor during the War of the Ring were the great garrisons and forges of war, while surrounding the bitter inland Sea of Nûrnen to the south lay the vast fields tended for the provision of the armies by hordes of slaves brought in from lands to the east and south. | ||
| After Sauron's ultimate defeat, Mordor again became mostly empty as the ]s inside it fled or were killed. Crippled by thousands of years of neglect and abuse, but nevertheless not incapable of sustaining life, the land of Mordor was given to Gondor's defeated foes as a consolation. | After Sauron's ultimate defeat, Mordor again became mostly empty as the ]s inside it fled or were killed. Crippled by thousands of years of neglect and abuse, but nevertheless not incapable of sustaining life, the land of Mordor was given to Gondor's defeated foes as a consolation. | ||
| == Naming == | == Naming == | ||
| Mordor means "dark land" in Tolkien's contrived language ]. The root "mor" (dark) also appears in ]. "Dor" (land) also appears in ''Gondor'' (stone-land) and '']'' (fenced land). |
Mordor means "dark land" in Tolkien's contrived language ]. The root "mor" (dark) also appears in ]. "Dor" (land) also appears in ''Gondor'' (stone-land) and '']'' (fenced land). | ||
| A proposed etymology out of the context of Middle-earth is ] ''morthor'', which means "mortal sin" or "murder". (It is the ancestor of the latter word.) It is not uncommon for names in Tolkien's fiction to have relevant meanings in several languages, both those invented by Tolkien, and "real" ones, but this of course happens with any two languages. | |||
| '''Compare:''' ] | '''Compare:''' ] | ||
Revision as of 17:05, 25 January 2004
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Mordor is the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of Middle-earth. Frodo and Sam went there to destroy the One Ring. Mordor was unique because of the three enormous mountain ridges surrounding it, from the North, from the West and from the South, that protected this land from an unexpected invasion by any of the people living in those directions.
First Age
During the First Age of Middle-earth, Mordor did not exist. In its location lay the great inland Sea of Helcar. During the War of Wrath that marked the end of the First Age, the Sea of Helcar was drained through the Great Gulf, and volcanic activity raised the plateaus of Mordor, Khand, and Rhûn from the former seabed. The Sea of Rhûn and Mordor's Sea of Nûrnen were the only remnants of the inland sea. Udûn, the circular valley which lay behind the Black Gate, may have been the corona of an immense collapsed volcano which helped build the Dark Land, and Mordor's plateau of Gorgoroth remained volcanic until the end of the Third Age.
Second Age
Sauron settled in Mordor shortly after the end of the First Age, and it remained the pivot of his evil contemplations for the whole of the Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth. In the north-western corner of this land stood Mount Doom, Orodruin, where Sauron had forged the One Ring. Near Orodruin stood Sauron's stronghold, Barad-dûr.
For two and a half thousand years, Sauron ruled Mordor uninterruptedly. Having wrought the Ring, it was from there that he launched the attack upon Elves of Eregion. He was repelled by Men of Númenor. He fought against Men yet again, almost a thousand years later; however that time, he was captured by Númenórians, and brought to their island kingdom, eventually causing its destruction (see Akallabêth). Immediately after Númenor's destruction, Sauron returned to Mordor as a spirit, and resumed his rule.
The Last Alliance and afterwards
Sauron's rule was interrupted yet again when his efforts to overthrow the surviving Men and Elves failed, and they fought their way back to their foe's domain. After several years of siege, forces of The Last Alliance of Elves and Men came into Mordor. Sauron was defeated in a final battle on the slopes of Orodruin, and for about a thousand years, Mordor was guarded by Gondor in order to prevent any evil forces from breaking out.
However Gondor had failed in the long run, and deprived of guard, Mordor began to fill with evil things again. Minas Ithil was conquered by the Nine Ringwraiths; other fortifications that were supposed to defend Gondor from the menace inside Mordor were turned into a means of shielding Mordor. By the time Sauron returned into Mordor after his false defeat in Dol Guldur (in the events that took place at the time of Bilbo Baggins's quest), Mordor was protected too well to be captured by any military might that was available in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. In the north of Mordor during the War of the Ring were the great garrisons and forges of war, while surrounding the bitter inland Sea of Nûrnen to the south lay the vast fields tended for the provision of the armies by hordes of slaves brought in from lands to the east and south.
After Sauron's ultimate defeat, Mordor again became mostly empty as the Orcs inside it fled or were killed. Crippled by thousands of years of neglect and abuse, but nevertheless not incapable of sustaining life, the land of Mordor was given to Gondor's defeated foes as a consolation.
Naming
Mordor means "dark land" in Tolkien's contrived language Sindarin. The root "mor" (dark) also appears in Moria. "Dor" (land) also appears in Gondor (stone-land) and Doriath (fenced land).
A proposed etymology out of the context of Middle-earth is Old English morthor, which means "mortal sin" or "murder". (It is the ancestor of the latter word.) It is not uncommon for names in Tolkien's fiction to have relevant meanings in several languages, both those invented by Tolkien, and "real" ones, but this of course happens with any two languages.
Compare: Moria