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J.R.R. Tolkien created a huge and fantastic world that spans over multiple beautifully written books with lore that spills out of the pages at times. These books paved the way for Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Rings Trilogyand Amazon’s ongoingThe Rings of Power.
The most famous Middle-earth narrative is Frodo’s trip as portrayed in the critically acclaimed The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the renowned author wrote dozens more stories that take place at various stages in the history of his made-up world, chronicled in letters and the Silmarillion book. Tolkien’s timeline, which served as the basis for The Lord of the Rings adaptations, was divided into Ages.
Days Before Days
Starting at the very beginning,the Valar and Maiar arrived in the early times of Arda, which Eru Iluvatar created, to mold the world forthe Children of Iluvatar, Elves and Men.
But Melkor(later called Morgoth)rebelled and sought power, which caused chaos. Melkor is thebiblical equivalent of the devilin Tolkien’s works, referenced as the corrupted Valarwho seeks his own realm and power.
The conflicts between Melkor and the Valarresulted in changes to the landmasses and oceansand the ultimate division of Middle-earthinto its own continent.
The ancient conflict betweencreation and destruction established the foundation of Middle-earth’s historyprior to the Elves' awakening and the world’s official eras.
Age Of The Trees
The first Elves to awaken on this continentmarked the beginning of the Ages of Middle-earth. Over the course of the roughly 5,000 years that made up the First Age,a lot happened.
Again, there aren’t any current The Lord of the Rings films that take place in this era, butThe Rings of Powerfrequently alludes to these occasions. It was at this time thatthe Elf Fëanor constructed the Silmarilsand Melkor, later known as Morgoth, came to power andfaced his fellow Valar in battle.
The Years of the Trees,when the world’s light sprang from two magnificent trees in Valinor, and the Years of the Sun, which followed the creation of the sun and moon,comprise the First Age.
First Age
Eru Iluvatar awakened the first Elves, Ents,and the Fathers of the Dwarves, while Varda, one of the Valar,formed the stars in the early eras of Arda.
The first Orcs were created when Melkorcorrupted the Elves in the Undying Lands, or Valinor,the land of the Valar. In the meantime, Khazad-dum, which would later become Moria,was established as a kingdom by Durin.
Melkor waseventually captured by the Valar after they besieged Utumno, his stronghold; nonetheless, his servant Sauron persisted in his sinister workby producing additional Orcs and Trolls.
During this time,important characters such as Galadriel were born, and the fabled Elven smith Feanor created the Silmarils,three potent jewels that Melkor later stolewhich caused havoc.The Sun and Moon were created, and a new era on Middle-earth began when Melkor and Ungoliantdestroyed the Two Trees of Valinor.
Fëanor guarded the Silmarilseven more enviously after Morgoth felled these trees. Fëanor took his people, the Noldor,which included Galadriel’s relatives, to Middle-earth to recover the Silmarilsafter the Dark Lord had taken them.
Feanor’s fruitless attempts toretrieve his Silmarilsresulted in innumerable deaths and the exile of the Noldor from Middle-earth. By now, Men had awakened in Middle-earth and theYears of the Sun had begun.
The next several millennia arespent in constant battle with Morgoth and his servant, Sauron, until the half-elf Earendil and his spouse, Elwing, embark on a heroic missionto ask the Valar for assistance. The Valar were moved bythe union of men and elvesand consented to assist, locking Morgoth away.
Second Age
An important turning point in Middle-earth’s history wasthe founding of the Grey Havensearly in the Second Age. The mighty human kingdom of Numenor was soon established by the Edain onan island that the Valar had given them.
The old lieutenant of Morgoth, Sauron, reappeared andstarted his work in the shadowsover the dominion of all life in Middle-earth. Sauroncovertly created the One Ringto control theNineteen Rings of Power, which he crafted via hismanipulation of Celebrimborand the Elves of Eregion.Elrond established Rivendell during the catastrophic conflictthat destroyed Eregion.
As Sauron’s evil influence grew, the Ringwraiths,also known as the Nazgul, emerged.Numenor extended its dominion over Middle-earth, but it was ultimately destroyed when Saurontricked King Ar-Pharazon into assaulting the Undying Lands.
The Last Alliance of Elves and Men was createdto fight Sauron, and the survivors created the realms of Gondor and Arnor. Even though Isildurcut the One Ring out of the Dark Lord’s hand, his failure to destroy it signaled the end of the Second Age andpaved the way for more conflicts in Middle-earth.
Third Age
The One Ring is lost for millennia, concealed in a river, following Isildur’s ambush and death close to the Anduin River.The Valar then sent five Wizards, including Saruman and Gandalf, to Middle-earthto combat Sauron’s increasing might.
The Hobbit’s forefathers, the Harfoots,arrive in Eriador and eventually colonize the Shire. An important event in the third age is the Balrog, who is awakened by the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm,now known as the mines of Moria, which caused the downfall of the kingdom.
After Sauronresurfaces as the Necromancer, Sméagol finds the One Ring,murders his cousin Deagol, and transforms into Gollum. Later, according to the Hobbit books,Erebor is taken over by Smaug the dragon.
The White Council expels Sauron from Dol Guldur in The Hobbit, and Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield set out to recover the Dwarven riches of Erebor.
During a game of riddles with Gollum,Bilbo discovers the One Ring, which sets off a chain of eventsthat ends with the Battle of the Five Armies. The events of The Lord of the Rings begin when Bilbogives the Ring to his nephew Frodo years later.
Under Gandalf’s leadership,Frodo sets out on a quest to destroy the Ring, encountering important allies like Aragorn and several dangers on his way. After the Fellowship of the Ring is established,it quickly disintegrates, resulting in epic conflictslike Saruman’s defeat and Sauron’s downfall.
In the end, Aragorn ascends the throne, andFrodo leaves for the Undying Landswith Gandalf andother friends after destroying the Ring.
Fourth Age
The Fourth Age,a period of peace and prosperity,begins with Sauron’s defeat and the One Ring’s destruction.
Together with his queen Arwen, Aragorn, now King Elessar,combines Arnor and Gondor and promotes trade and culture across the Reunited Kingdom.
As the Elves slowly leave for the Undying Lands, their power wanes andthe enchantment of past eras dwindles.
While the Dunedain,under the leadership of the Rangers of the North, continue to defend the realm,Gimli and Legolas aid in fortifying the bonds between Elves and Dwarves.
Middle-earth transitionsfrom its magical past into a more mundane worldas time goes on and Aragorn’s rule ends. Human issues take precedence, and themythic aspects of the past gradually disappear.
Later Ages
The Fifth Age follows the Fourth Age, but little is known about itas most records have faded. It is generally regarded as a time when Men continue to dominate Middle-earth,with the stories of the Elves and great heroes becoming myths.
The Sixth Age issimilarly vague in detail, often seen as an extension of the Fifth Age, where humanity further establishes itself while the influence of other races, like Dwarves and Elves,diminishes even more.
Dagor Dagorath,or the Battle of Battles, is a prophetic eventthat marks the end of the world. It foretells afinal confrontation between good and evil, where the remaining forces of light,led by Eru Iluvatar and the Valar, will defeat Morgoth, ensuring the restoration of the world.
This climactic battle is seenas a rebirth for the universe, where creation begins anew.
