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Timeline Event

Battle of the Plains

Event Type: Military/Strategic

Age: 3rd Age - The Kings

Year: 1856

Description:

An early defeat in Gondor's Wars with the Wainriders; see that entry for a description of the enemy and an overall timeline of the wars:

Table of Contents:

The Prelude
The Battle
The Aftermath

The Prelude

Stirred up, as was afterwards seen, by the emissaries of Sauron....

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion


The Battle

... [the Wainriders] made a sudden assault upon Gondor, and King Narmacil II was slain in battle with them beyond Anduin in 1856.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion

But when the invasions of the Wainriders began ... the Northmen bore the brunt of the first assaults. King Narmacil II took a great army north into the plains south of Mirkwood, and gathered all that he could of the scattered remnants of the Northmen; but he was defeated, and himself fell in battle. The remnant of his army retreated over the Dagorlad into Ithilien....

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: The Northmen and the Wainriders

... his [Narmacil's] great army was saved from annihilation by the Wainriders through the rearguard defence of Marhari, descendant of Vidugavia.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: Notes, Note 8


The Aftermath

... the frontiers of Gondor were for that time withdrawn to the Anduin and the Emyn Muil.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion

But the forces of Gondor had inflicted such losses on the Wainriders that they had not strength enough to press their invasion [into Gondor] ... and were content for the time to complete their conquest of Rhovanion. [Author's note.]

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: Notes, Note 5

Most of the Northmen were reduced to servitude, and all their former lands were occupied by the Wainriders.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: The Northmen and the Wainriders

As for the Northmen ... others were gathered by Marhwini son of Marhari (who fell in the rearguard action after the Battle of the Plains).

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: The Northmen and the Wainriders

... it was after the Battle of the Plains that the Éothéod, a remnant of the Northmen, became a distinct people, dwelling in the Vales of Anduin....

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: Notes, Note 8

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 6.24.04; added tidbits: ET 7.18.04

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