Minas Morgul

Minas Morgul is a place that features in Middle-earth.

History

Minas Morgul was built by the people of Gondor and ruled by Isildur in the days that it was known as Minas Ithil ("tower of the moon"), the city was captured by Sauron near the end of the Second Age, and populated with his servants.

After the destruction of Númenor, the escapees landed in Middle-earth where they founded realms-in-exile. The sons of Elendil namely Isildur and Anárion landed in Gondor, and Isildur was assigned its eastern province of Ithilien. There he built the city of Minas Ithil on the south side of a pleasant valley in the mountains bordering Mordor. At the same time, Anárion built the city of Minas Anor further west across the Anduin. Isildur planted a sapling of the White Tree of Gondor, outside his home in Minas Ithil, and one of the seven palantíri was kept in the tower. The city's white marble walls, buildings, and tower were designed to catch and reflect the moonlight, and shone with a soft silver luminescence. Sauron had survived Númenor's destruction, but his return to Mordor was not known until he attacked the exiles of Númenor. The Dark Lord's forces first struck and captured Minas Ithil in S.A. 3429. Though the White Tree was burned, Isildur and his family managed to escape down the Anduin with a seedling, seeking his father Elendil. The city was later retaken, and Elendil, Isildur, Anárion proceeded north to assault Mordor via the Morannon. In the meantime Isildur's younger sons Aratan and Ciryon were left to garrison Minas Ithil, in order to intercept Sauron if he attempted to escape from Mordor to the west. When the Last Alliance defeated Sauron in S.A. 3441, Minas Ithil was restored as a city. Isildur elected not to replant the White Tree at Minas Ithil, instead he planted the seedling of the White Tree at Minas Anor in memory of his brother Anárion, who had been slain during the War. Then Isildur departed to take up the rule of his father's kingdom in Arnor. Minas Ithil and the rest of Gondor was now under the rule of Anárion's son, Meneldil.

While it was temporarily recaptured by Gondor, they did not hold it long; after a two-year siege, the city was taken by the Nazgul and re-named Minas Morgul ("tower of black magic"). A palantir was kept in this city, but upon its capture, it was taken to Barad-dur and given to Sauron. From Minas Morgul, the Witch-King of Angmar directed many campaigns of terror and war against Gondor until Ithilien was deserted. During the War of the Ring, the Witch-King led the army that attacked Osgiliath and undertook the Siege of Gondor from Minas Morgul. After the War of the Ring, it was again called Minas Ithil, but it was not inhabited again because of the dread remaining there.

Inhabitants

• Isildur :
• Meneldil :
• Witch-king of Angmar :

Notes

• Minas Morgul was created by J. R. R. Tolkien where it featured in the setting of the Middle-earth universe.

Appearances

• The Lord of the Rings:

External Links

• Lord of the Rings Wiki Entry

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