1693War of the Elves and Sauron begins. The Three Rings are hidden.
1695Sauron's forces invade Eriador. Gil-galad sends Elrond to Eregion.
1697Eregion laid waste. Death of Celebrimbor. The gates of Moria are shut. Elrond retreats with remnant of the Noldor and founds the refuge of Imladris.
1699Sauron overruns Eriador.
1700Tar-Minastir sends a great navy from Numenor to Lindon. Sauron is defeated.
1701Sauron is driven out of Eriador. The Westlands have peace for a long while.
c.1800From about this time onward the Numenoreans begin to establish dominions on the coasts. Sauron extends his power eastwards. The shadow falls on Numenor.
2251Tar-Atanamir takes the sceptre. Rebellion and division of the Numenoreans begins. About this time the Nazgul or Ringwraiths, slaves of the Nine Rings, first appear.
2280Umbar is made into a great fortress of Numenor.
2350Pelargir is built. It becomes the chief haven of the Faithful Numenoreans.
2899Ar-Adunakhor takes the sceptre.
3175Repentance of Tar-Palantir. Civil war in Numenor.
3255Ar-Pharazon the Golden seizes the sceptre.
3261Ar-Pharazon sets sail and lands at Umbar.
3262Sauron is taken as prisoner to Numenor;
3262-3310Sauron seduces the King and corrupts the Numenoreans.
3310Ar-Pharazon begins the building of the Great Armament.
3319Ar-Pharazon assails Valinor. Downfall of Numenor. Elendil and his sons escape.
3320Foundations of the Realms in Exile: Arnor and Gondor. The Stones are divided (II, 54). Sauron returns to Mordor.
3429Sauron attacks Gondor, takes Minas Ithil and burns the White Tree. Isildur escapes down Anduin and goes to Elendil in the North. Anarion defends Minas Anor and Osgiliath.
3430The Last Alliance of Elves and Men is formed.
3431Gil-galad and Elendil march east to Imladris.
3434The host of the Alliance crosses the Misty Mountains. Battle of Dagorlad and defeat of Sauron. Siege of Barad-dur begins.
3440Anarion slain.
3441Sauron overthrown by Elendil and Gil-galad, who perish. Isildur takes the One Ring. Sauron passes away and the Ringwraiths go into the shadows. The Second Age ends.
The Third Age These were the fading years of the Eldar. For long they were at peace wielding the Three Rings while Sauron slept and the One Ring was lost; but they attempted nothing new, living in memory of the past. The Dwarves hid them-selves in deep places, guarding their hoards; but when evil began to stir again and dragons reappeared, one by one their ancient treasures were plundered, and they became a wandering people. Moria for long remained secure, but its numbers dwindled until many of its vast mansions became dark and empty. The wisdom and the life-span of the Numenoreans also waned as they became mingled with lesser Men. When maybe a thousand years had passed, and the first shadow had fallen on Greenwood the Great, theIstari or Wizards appeared in Middle-earth. It was afterwards said that they came out of the Far West and were messengers sent to contest the power of Sauron, and to unite all those who had the will to resist him; but they were forbidden to match his power with power, or to seek to dominate Elves or Men by force and fear. They came therefore in the shape of Men. though they were never young and aged only slowly. and they had many powers of mind and hand. They revealed their true names to few, but used such names as were given to them. The two highest of this order (of whom it is said there were five) were called by the Eldar Curunir, 'the Man of Skill', and Mithrandir, 'the Grey Pilgrim'. but by Men in the North Saruman and Gandalf. Curunir journeyed often into the East, but dwelt at last in Isengard. Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West, and never made for himself any lasting abode. Throughout the Third Age the guardianship of the Three Rings was known only to those who possessed them. But at the end it became known that they had been held at first by the three greatest of the Eldar: Gil-galad. Galadriel and Cirdan. Gil-galad before he died gave his ring to Elrond; Cirdan later surrendered his to Mithrandir. For Cirdan saw further and deeper than any other in Middle-earth, and he welcomed Mithrandir at the Grey Havens, knowing whence he came and whither he would return. Take this ring, Master,' he said, 'for your labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill. But as for me, my heart is with the Sea, and I will dwell by the grey shores until the last ship sails. I will await you.'
Year
2Isildur plants a seedling of the White Tree in Minas Anor. He delivers the South-kingdom to Meneldil. Disaster of the Gladden Fields; Isildur and his three elder sons are slain.
3Ohtar brings the shards of Narsil to Imladris.
10Valandil becomes King of Arnor.
109Elrond weds Celebrian, daughter of Celeborn.
130Birth of Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Elrond.
241Birth of Arwen Undomiel.
420King Ostoher rebuilds Minas Anor.
490First invasion of Easterlings.
500Romendacil I defeats the Easterlings.
541Romendacil slain in battle.
830Falastur begins the line of Ship-kings of Gondor.
861Death of Earendur, and division of Arnor.
933King Earnil I takes Umbar, which becomes a fortress of Gondor.
936Earnil lost at sea.
1015King Ciryandil slain in the siege of Umbar.
1050Hyarmendacil conquers the Harad. Gondor reaches the height of its power. About this time a shadow falls on Greenwood, and men begin to call it Mirkwood. The Periannath are first mentioned in records, with the coming of the Harfoots to Eriador.
c.1100The Wise (the Istari and the chief Eldar) discover that an evil power has made a stronghold at Dol Guldur. It is thought to be one of the Nazgul.
1149Reign of Atanatar Alcarin begins.
c.1150The Fallohides enter Eriador. The Stoors come over the Redhorn Pass and move to the Angle, or to Dunland.
c.1300Evil things begin to multiply again. Orcs increase in the Misty Mountains and attack the Dwarves. The Nazgul reappear. The chief of these comes north to Angmar. The Periannath migrate westward; many settle at Bree.