In 3434 SA, the Battle of Dagorlad was fought in Middle Earth between the Last Alliance under Elendil and Gil-galad against Mordor under Sauron during the War of the Last Alliance.
Why did it happen?
Following the destruction of the island kingdom of Numenor in 3319 SA, Elendil fled with his sons, Isildur and Anarion, to Middle Earth. In 3320 SA, Elendil and his sons founded the Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor with Elendil ruling Arnor and his sons, Isildur and Anarion, ruling Gondor from Minas Ithil (Minas Morgul) and Minas Anor (Minas Tirith) respectively. In 3429 SA, Sauron attacked the Kingdom of Gondor, formally initiating the War of the Last Alliance. After Minas Ithil fell and Isildur fled up the Anduin to request aid from the Kingdom of Arnor, Anarion continued to fight Sauron at Osgiliath and Minas Anor. In 3430 SA, Elendil and Gil-galad held council and realised that unless the Elves and Men united, Sauron would become too strong to resist, allowing him to defeat his enemies one by one. Subsequently, the Last Alliance of Elves and Men was formed and encamped at Imladris (Rivendell) in 3431 SA. After gathering a great host of Elves and Men, the Last Alliance crossed the Misty Mountains in 3434 SA and marched down the Anduin River where they were joined by Dwarves from Khazad-dum. The Last Alliance met the host of Mordor on the Plain of Dagorlad, north of the Black Gate.
Who was involved?
The Last Alliance at Dagorlad is believed to have numbered 50,000 Men, Elves and Dwarves. According to J.R.R. Tolkien, “It is said that the host that was there assembled was fairer and more splendid in arms than any that has since been seen in Middle-earth, and none greater has been mustered since the host of Valar went against Thangorodrim” (Tolkien, 2013, p.352). At Dagorlad, the Men and Dwarves were stationed on the left-wing under Elendil, while the Elves were positioned on the right-wing under Gil-galad, flanked by the Dead Marshes. The Mordor army of Sauron is believed to have outnumbered the Last Alliance by more than two to one: 110,000 Orcs, Haradrim and Easterlings. According to Tolkien, “All living things were divided in that day, and some of every kind, even of beasts and birds, were found in either host, save the Elves only” (Tolkien, 2013, p.352). The Battle of Dagorlad was to be the largest battle fought during the Second Age and one of the largest in the entire history of Middle Earth.
What happened?
Before Gil-galad could give the signal to advance, a contingent of Silvan Elves under the command of Malgalad and Oropher charged the left-wing of the Mordor army. After fierce fighting, the Silvan Elves became cut off from the Last Alliance and were driven into the Dead Marshes, where they lost more than half of their forces. The main forces then engaged with heavy fighting lasting for several days. Under the leadership of Gil-galad and Elendil, who wielded the spear Aeglos and the sword Narsil respectively, the battle turned in favour of the Last Alliance whose fighting tactics struck terror into Sauron’s forces and inflicted heavy casualties upon the Orcs. The Mordor army then broke and routed back into Mordor, giving victory to the Last Alliance, who sustained 5,000 casualties in the hard-fought battle.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Dagorlad was a decisive victory for the Last Alliance. After pursuing the Mordor host to the Black Gate, the Last Alliance besieged it for several months before passing into Mordor. There, they encamped on the Plain of Gorgoroth and besieged Bara-dur for seven years, until in 3441 SA, Sauron emerged from Bara-dur to engage the Last Alliance in battle. After killing Elendil and Gil-galad, Sauron was confronted by Isildur, who vanquished the dark lord by cutting off the One Ring from his hand with the sword Narsil. Sauron was defeated and his spirit fled far away to the east where he took no visible shape for many years. This event ended both the War of the Last Alliance and the Second Age, although Isildur subsequently took the One Ring for himself instead of destroying it in the fires of Mount Doom. The One Ring would later be lost following Isildur’s death at the Battle of the Gladden Fields in 2 TA, whereafter the Ring passed out of all knowledge until its discovery by Smeagol and Deagol in 2463 TA.
Bibliography
Larsen, Merlin Douglas. “The battles of Dagorlad, Orodruin, Fornost, Azanulbizar and Morannon.” Larsen Family. Accessed August 19, 2021. www.larsen-family.us/~1066/azanetal.html
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2004.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2004.
Tolkien, J.R.R. & Sibley, Brian. The Fall of Numenor. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2022.
Tolkien, J.R.R. & Tolkien, Christopher. The Silmarillion. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2013.
Tolkien, J.R.R. & Tolkien, Christopher. Unfinished Tales. London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2014.