Witch-King of Angmar
The Witch-King of Angmar was the lord of the Nazgul, the greatest of the Nine and the mightiest servant of the Dark Lord Sauron. Little is known of his background save that he was originally a king and sorcerer before he was enslaved by Sauron upon receiving the greatest of the Nine Rings.
During the Second Age of Middle-Earth he served Sauron and survived his fall. During the Third Age he formed the realm of Angmar in the far north of Middle-Earth, and directed wars seeking to destroy the Dunedain. After several centuries, his forces were routed by armies led by Cirdan, Glorfindel and Earnul of Gondor during the Battle of Fornost. The Witch-King survived, and it was at this point that it was prophecized that no living man could hinder him.
The Witch-King disappeared for a few years but soon returned to the borders of Mordor. During a two-year siege, he captured the city of Minas Ithil and renamed it Minas Morgul, where it became his domain. He challenged Earnur, now King of Gondor, to single combat; Earnul accepted and he and his host ventured towards Minas Morgul, never to return. With the help of the rest of the Nazgul, the Witch-King prepared Mordor for Sauron's return, and upon their master's arrival, Barad-dur was rebuilt.
Learning the location of the One Ring, the Witch-King led the search for Frodo Baggins during the latter's journey to Rivendell, and seriously wounded him at Weathertop, stabbing him with a Morgul Blade.
While he failed to capture the One Ring, the Witch-King later led the attack on Minas Tirith during the Siege of Gondor. Upon entering the city, he faced Gandalf the White, but their confrontation was cut short by the arrival of the Rohirrim. During the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, he killed King Theoden, but was in turn slain by Eowyn and Meriadoc Brandybuck, fulfilling Glorfindel's prophecy that no living man could hinder him.
In other media
Video games
- In The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king, the Witch-King appeared in the setting of the real-time strategy video game expansion where he headed the Angmar faction.
Appearances
- Lord of the Rings:
