Black Gate

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Revision as of 15:42, 15 November 2021 by Akhorahil (talk | contribs) (Worked some more on its appearance and on the history)
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The Black Gate
Gate
John Howe - The Black Gates.jpg
"The Black Gates" by John Howe
General Information
Other namesMorannon (S)
LocationNorthern end of Cirith Gorgor, between Ephel Dúath and Ered Lithui
TypeGate
DescriptionIron gate with two doors in a wall of stone
People and History
Inhabitantsforces of Sauron, later Gondorians, then again forces of Sauron
Createdafter S.A. 1000
Destroyed25 March, T.A. 3019
GalleryImages of the Black Gate

The Black Gate (Sindarin: Morannon) was the main entrance into the land of Mordor. It blocked the pass of Cirith Gorgor, the gap between the Ephel Dúath and the Ered Lithui. The pass of Cirith Gorgor led to the valley of Udûn that led to the plain of Gorgoroth in Mordor.[1] The Black Gate was a single gate of iron, which consisted of two vast iron doors under a frowning arch,[2] in a rampart of stone with a battlement that stretched between the high cliffs on either side of the mouth of the pass. On two sheer, black-boned and bare hills that were thrust forward from the mouth of the pass stood two strong and tall towers, the Towers of the Teeth.[3]

History

The Black Gate was built by Sauron[3] after he chose Mordor as a land to make into a stronghold in S.A. 1000.[4]

In S.A. 3434 the Battle of Dagorlad[5] took place at the plain Dagorlad in front of the Black Gate.[6]

After Sauron's fall, it became a Númenorean garrison. Backed up on the other side by the Isenmouthe, and protected by the castle of Durthang to the west, it was redesigned to keep all of Mordor's evil inside, shielding the outside from it - and it from the outside. The reconstruction of Minas Ithil, Tower of the Rising Moon, as well as the construction of Cirith Ungol were also done for the same purpose.

However, during the aftermath of the Kin-strife in Gondor the watchfulness of the guards in these strongholds relaxed. Thus the Ringwraiths and Orcs re-entered Mordor, eventually overrunning the garrisons and inhabiting them for themselves. In T.A. 1944 when king Ondoher of Gondor and both his sons fell in a battle against the Wainriders north of the Morannon[7][8] the Morannon and the Towers of the Teeth were still manned by troops from Gondor.[9] It was at this time that the tower of Minas Ithil was taken by the Nazgûl, having its name changed to Minas Morgul, Tower of Sorcery.

During the War of the Ring, on 24 MarchT.A. 3019,[10] the Army of the West, numbering under 6,000 men, arrived at the Black Gate with the intention of drawing the Eye of Sauron away from Mount Doom, to allow Frodo the Ringbearer to cast the One Ring into the Crack of Doom within it.[2] On 25 March, T.A. 3019[11] the Army of the West challenged Sauron. As a reaction, the forces of Sauron came out of the Black Gate, an army of Easterlings that had hidden in the shadows of the Ered Lithui beyond the eastern Tower of the Teeth approached and orcs poured down from the hills on either side of the Black Gate and attacked the Army of the West. When the One Ring fell into the Cracks of Doom the volcano Mount Doom erupted,[12] and the Towers of the Teeth, the rampart and the Black Gate collapsed in an earthquake. The forces of Sauron fled, most of the Men of Rhûn and Harad fled eastward, some of them surrendered and the rest were destroyed.[13]

Portrayal in adaptations

The Black Gate in adaptations
The Black Gate in The Lord of the Rings Online  

2001-03: The Lord of the Rings (film series):

The Black Gate is present in the film series. in the second film is appears as a double gate, operated by Trolls, where Frodo and Sam attempt to go through the Gate until convinced by Gollum not to do so. In the third film the Black Gate is a focal point of the Battle of the Morannon, and after the destruction of the One Ring the Black Gate and the Towers of the Teeth are seen to collapse.

2017: The Lord of the Rings Online:

The Black Gate appears in the game as the location of a number of quests in the lead up to the defeat of Sauron.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Black Gate Opens"
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Black Gate is Closed"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year c. 1000 of the Second Age
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 3434 of the Second Age
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", "before the gate of the Black Land
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion", entry for king Ondoher
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", "(i) The Northmen and the Wainriders"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", "Notes", note 15
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", 24 March of the year 3019 of the Third Age
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", 25 March of the year 3019 of the Third Age
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Mount Doom"
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Field of Cormallen"
Route of the Fellowship of the Ring
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Rohan · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Dunharrow · Paths of the Dead · Gondor · Hill of Erech · Lamedon · Linhir · Lebennin · Pelargir · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Boromir
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen
Frodo and Sam
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Dead Marshes · Black Gate · Ithilien · Henneth Annûn · Cross-roads · Morgul Vale · Stairs of Cirith Ungol · Cirith Ungol · Shelob's Lair · Tower of Cirith Ungol · Mordor · Morgai · Plateau of Gorgoroth · Mount Doom · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Gandalf
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Celebdil† · Lothlórien · Fangorn Forest · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Merry
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Hornburg · Dunharrow · Drúadan Forest · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Pippin
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Amon Hen · Parth Galen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Gondor · Cair Andros · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard