Conquest of Minas Ithil

Conquest of Minas Ithil

The Conquest of Minas Ithil was an engagenent between the armies of Mordor, commanded by eithier an unknown Orc commander or the Nazgûl, and Gondor, commanded by Isildur, son of King Elendil, who was lord of the city. The battle was fought for control of the major Gondorian fortress-city of Minas Ithil and was the first engagement of the War of the Last Alliance.

Causes
In SA 3262, Sauron offended Ar-Pharazôn, ruler of the island-kingdom of Numenor, by proclaiming himself "Lord of the Earth", a title Ar-Pharazon claimed for himself. Ar-Pharazon sailed a fleet to Middle-earth and took Sauron captive. However, by influencing the king, Sauron corrupted the Numenoreans and they cut off all trade with the Elves. However, a group of Numenoreans faithful to the Elves called the Elendili, disagreed with Sauron. They were led by Elendil, son of Amandil, and his sons Isildur and Anorien. When Numenor was sunk in SA 3319, the Elendili escaped and founded the Realms in Exile in SA 3320. In the southern kingdom of Gondor, Anorien founded the city of Minas Anor and Isildur Minas Ithil, where he planted the White Tree. Minas Ithil was a fortress-city strategically built in the Ephel Duath to threaten Mordor. After Numenor was sunk, Sauron secretly returned to Mordor and for the next 128 years, mustered a huge army of Orcs, trolls and evil men in Gorgoroth.

The battle
In SA 3428, Sauron sent a huge army from Gorgoroth to beseige Minas Ithil. An army of Gondorians under Isildur defended the city. In the course of the seige, the White Tree was burned. Though they inflicted heavy casualties on the Army of Mordor, the defenders could not hold the city for longer and in SA 3429, Isildur, with his wife and children ( and a sapling of the White Tree, which he would plant in Minas Anor in TA 2) and troops retreated north to Arnor.

Outcome
Following the capture of Minas Ithil, the Army of Mordor marched to Gondor's capital city, Osgiliath, where Anorien sucsessfully defended the city and drove the invaders back to Gorgoroth, recapturing the city in SA 3430.