Morgul-road

From Tolkien Gateway

The Morgul-road[1][2], also referred to as the Morgul-way[3] or wraith-road[4], was a road in Gondor and Mordor.

Course[edit | edit source]

The Morgul-road ran from Osgiliath slightly north of and roughly parallel to the river Morgulduin[5] to the Cross-roads where it crossed the road that ran from the Black Gate south to Harad[6].[7]

It continued eastward for a short distance until it approached a great shoulder of rock at the western end of the mountains on the north side of the Morgul Vale where it ran southwards along the shoulder until its end where the road turned eastwards again into the Morgul Vale and climbed steeply. After a short time it turned south-eastwards to the bottom of the valley where it crossed a bridge over the river Morgulduin, and wound up to the gate of the city of Minas Morgul, which was some way further east high up on a mountain shoulder on the southern side of the valley.[8]

The Morgul-road passed the gate of the city of Minas Morgul under the shadow of its walls and went up and up[9] east through the valley[7] to the great ravine at the head of the Morgul Vale[4] over a dark pass, the Morgul Pass[9]. It then descended to the valley between the Ephel Dúath and the Morgai, passed over a bridge of stone,[1] and through a jagged rift in the Morgai out into Gorgoroth and on to Barad-dûr.[10] Although it was safer than the more northerly and narrow Pass of Cirith Ungol due to avoiding the threat posed by Shelob, it was the slower way from Minas Morgul over the mountains.[11]

History[edit | edit source]

The road was constructed in the high days of Gondor to connect Minas Tirith with Minas Morgul, when they were still called the Minas Anor ("Tower of the Sun") and Minas Ithil ("Tower of the Moon").[12] It is possible that the part of the road from Minas Morgul over the Morgul Pass to the point below the Tower of Cirith Ungol was constructed when Gondor built the latter tower after the War of the Last Alliance to watch Mordor.[13]

On March 9 T.A. 3019 at dusk[2] Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee and Gollum reached the Morgul-road at the Cross-roads.[2] On the next day[14] they continue on the road before it crosses the bridge over the Morgulduin and decide to leave the road to climb the Stairs of Cirith Ungol to avoid continuing on to Minas Morgul and risking detection.[8]

On March 18 and 19 T.A. 3019 the Host of the West marched on the road from Minas Tirith to the Morgul Vale.[15]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In notes on the chronology Osgiliath road is mentioned as another name for the Morgul-road.[16]

Map[edit | edit source]

J.R.R. Tolkien made a map that shows the course of the road from its approach to the Cross-roads to the gate of Minas Morgul.[17]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Land of Shadow", pp. 916, 920
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 9, p. 1093
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Land of Shadow", p. 923
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", p. 710
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Journey to the Cross-Roads", p. 697
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Journey to the Cross-Roads", pp. 701-2
  7. 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor"
  8. 8.0 8.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol", pp. 703-4
  9. 9.0 9.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Black Gate is Closed", pp. 641-2
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 899
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Choices of Master Samwise", p. 736
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Black Gate Opens", p. 884
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 900
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 10, p. 1093
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entries for the year 3019, March 18 and 19, p. 1094
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part Three: Minas Tirith", "III. Minas Tirith", "Morgul-road [= Osgiliath road]", p. 295
  17. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part Two: The Ring Goes East", "VII. Journey to the Cross-roads", Minas Morghul and the Cross-roads (map), p. 181