Summary
Middle-earth is an incredibly diverse world, home to multiple races, cultures, and lifestyles. And while there are so many creatures that fans ofLord of the Ringscould never stumble upon in real life, such as Ents and Orcs, humans, known as Men, are one of the races that inhabit Middle-earth. Men, like Elves, are Children of Ilúvitar, although they share some key differences such as their mortality. They were blessed with the gift of freedom and weren’t eternally bound to Arda, which means they age and eventually die when their time comes, unlike their Elven counterparts. Known for having an ambition for power, Men are divided in different groups and cultures, and they mostly settled in the Lands and Kingdoms of Men.
There are many settlements and Kingdoms of Men, but the most popular ones throughout the events ofLord of the Ringsand other Tolkien stories include Númenor, Gondor, Rohan, and Arnor. These Kingdoms of Men contain from towering citadels, bridges, and man-made structures to grasslands and natural wonders. Each kingdom holds a great history and lineage. Since humans are mortal, they are able to grow and evolve as a civilization by passing down their knowledge, culture, traditions, and heritage through the generations.
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Númenor
Beyond the borders of Middle-earth lied a kingdom lost to its own history. Located on an island in the Great Sea,Númenor was gifted to Men by the Valarduring the early Second Age. Men adopted Meneltarma, a mountain in the middle of the island, as a temple to Ilúvitar. Elros, the Half-Elven son of Eärendil and Elwing, ruled as the first King of Númenor. Elros’ descendants continued ruling the kingdom for generations, with his bloodline leading to his distant descendant, Aragorn. Númenóreans became very powerful, and could live twice as long as the Men of Middle-earth. Due to their extended lifespan, skills, and knowledge, they were often referred to as Kings of Men. Númenóreans started sailing to Middle-earth, to help and pass down their knowledge to the Men there. However, the Valar forbid them from sailing too far west and reaching the Undying Lands, where mortal beings are not welcome. They obeyed this for a long time, but eventually started desiring more power and believing they deserved immortality like the Valar, and started colonizing some eastern areas in Middle-earth.
After Sauron forged the One Ring, the Elves went to war against him. Númenóreans fought by their side and continued settling in Middle-earth. Ar-Pharazôn, King of Númenor at the time, sailed to Middle-earth to help in the war. He was corrupted by Sauron, as he offered him and the Númenóreans the immortality they craved in exchange for worshiping Morgoth. Under Sauron’s control, he and many of his Men attempted to take over the Undying Lands. When they arrived, Eru Ilúvitar, the supreme deity of Arda, changed the shape of the world from flat to round, so that mortals would be unable to reach the Undying Lands, andsank the island of Númenor.This killed all the people on the island, including Sauron, who had transformed into a man during his time there. The fall of Númenor was one of the most important moments in the history of Middle-earth, and it marked the end of the Second Age.
Gondor
At the heart of Middle-earth stands Gondor, the most prominent Kingdom of Men. During the war that led to the destruction of Númenor, brothers Isildur and Anárion fled to Middle-earth and established the Kingdom of Gondor. The city of Osgiliath stood as its capital for many years, but was eventually changed to Minas Tirith. Gondor’s line of kings descended from Anárion for 31 generations. During its early years, Gondor was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Middle-earth. Its power, however,started to decline during the Third Agedue to a civil war, a plague, and attacks by Sauron’s armies.
The Kingdom of Gondor and its people play a crucial role in theLord of the Ringstrilogy. Boromir, son of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor, was a member of the Fellowship of the Ring. He, alongside his brother Faramir,led Gondor’s forces during the Battle of Osgiliath, an event with severe consequences that played an important role in the War of the Ring. During the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the forces of Gondor, alongside their allies the Rohirrim, managed to repel an invasion by Mordor. The defeat of Sauron and the end of the War of the Ring also marked the end of the Third Age. After these events, Gondor’s Great Gate was rebuilt by Gimli and other Dwarves, and Aragorn was pronounced King Elessar of Gondor and Arnor, its sister kingdom.
Arnor
Located in the land of Eriador, Arnor stands as another Kingdom of Men and sister kingdom to Gondor. It was founded by Elendil, who had also fled from Númenor and settled in the land of Eriador, as there was already a large population of Númenórians living there. Elendillost his life during the War of the Last Alliance, and since Gondor’s line of kings were descendants of his brother Anárion, Isildur became King of Arnor. Isildur and his three eldest sons were killed in the Disaster of the Gladden Fields, and Valandil, his youngest son and only survivor, became the High King of Arnor.
As centuries passed, Arnor faced internal conflicts and externalthreats and faced its downfall, leading to its fragmentation into the kingdoms of Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur. After Aragorn was crowned King Elessar, he re-founded the Kingdom of Arnor and united it with Gondor to create the Reunited Kingdom.
Rohan
To the east of Gondor lies the Kingdom of Rohan, best known for its brave and independent horsemen, the Rohirrim. Since the Third Age,Rohan has been Gondor’s greatest ally. Rohan was founded by Eorl the Young, a Man from the far north of Middle-earth, and Lord of the Éothéod. His line of kings lasted for nearly 250 years, until Rohan’s ninth king, Helm Hammerhand died and his nephew, Fréaláf Hildeson took over the throne and began the second line of kings, which lasted until the end of the Third Age.
During the War of the Ring, Rohan played an essential role in the Battle of the Hornburg, where Saruman was defeated. Later,they took part in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, where they fought against an invasion by Mordor alongside the Gondorians. Théoden, King of Rohan at the time, died during this battle, and was succeeded by his nephew Éomer. After the War of the Ring, Éomer’s sister, Éowyn, married Faramir, Prince of Ithilien.
While there are and have been more Kingdoms of Men in Middle-earth throughout history, these play the biggest roles in theLord of the Ringsseries. The Kingdoms of Men illustrate how diverse and complex the race of Men can be, and also showcase their human spirit, ambition, courage, and resilience.
