Changes: Battle of the Pelennor Fields

The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was a battle for the city of Minas Tirith, and ultimately for Gondor, immediately following a large-scale siege of Minas Tirith by Sauron's army. It was the greatest battle of the War of the Ring, and indeed the largest of the entire Third Age. Major casualties resulted from the battle, including the deaths of King Théoden and the Witch-king of Angmar.

History

Prelude

Main article: Siege of Gondor

With Gondor's setback in the Battle of Osgiliath and the impending assault from Sauron's forces, Denethor was dismayed that Théoden did not come as quickly as he had hoped. Soon, despite the efforts of Faramir, the Rammas Echor was overrun, and the city isolated. The enemy began preparations for its attack, which commenced shortly and quickly pressed Minas Tirith greatly.^[7]

The battle

Arrival of the Rohirrim

"Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!"

—Theoden's speech before the charge

Unknown to both Gondor and Mordor, the Drúedain secretly guided Théoden's army safely through the Drúadan Forest via an old, hidden road built by the Dúnedain long ago, and forgotten by all save the Wild Men. This allowed the Rohirrim to circumvent the defenses of the enemy on the northern road, and attack the forces of Mordor from the rear. Due to the dismantling of the walls of Minas Tirith, they could not mount a strong defense quickly, and Théoden's forces quickly overran the northern half of Pelennor. However, after forcing the retreat of the Haradrim cavalry, they were halted by the appearance of the Witch-king. He mortally wounded Théoden, who was crushed by his own horse.^[8]

At that moment, Éowyn and Merry Brandybuck rode up to face him. Éowyn smote the Fellbeast upon which he rode, and the Witch-king fell to the ground. He was unharmed by this, however, and he stood up menacingly, readying his mace. He swung at Éowyn, who managed to block the attack with her shield, which shattered under the great mace's force. Éowyn's arm was also shattered upon impact. She fell to the ground, and the Witch-king lifted his mace for a final blow. As he did so, Merry, who was behind him, stabbed him in the back of the leg with his Barrow-blade. The Witch-king was wounded, and Éowyn used this distraction to drive her sword into his face, killing him.

During this, and afterwards, the Rohirrim, under the command of Éomer, continued their assault, while the footmen of Gondor launched their own counterattack. Even so, they were outmatched by the Mûmakil, Haradrim, and Southrons, as the enemy recovered surprisingly quickly from the loss of their commander. As the tide of battle turned against Gondor, the Men of the West were dismayed to see the Corsairs of Umbar had arrived.^[8]

The final stage

Neither side knew that Aragorn and the Grey Company, with the help of the Army of the Dead, had vanquished the fleet of the Corsairs. The Army of the Dead repaid their debt to the King by driving the Men of Umbar upon the ships mad, causing them to jump off of their ships and drown. After loading the ships with as many allies of Minas Tirith as possible, they sailed north to the battle. Upon arriving, the enemy found itself in a disadvantageous position, with their enemies where (and when) they least expected. The extra reinforcements brought by Aragorn punched a wide salient within the most vulnerable area of the Mordor-host, severing the forces nearer to Minas Tirith and the ones close to the river Anduin.

The Men of Gondor and the Rohirrim exploited this tactical advantage to the fullest, utterly routing the enemy with prolonged infantry charges and cavalry pursuit. The tactical and moral advantage granted by that was effective in turning the battle into a rout of the Mordor host. Most of the Mordor-host was slain and the rest fled back toward the Land of Shadow. A strong force of Easterlings fought to the last man, and Gothmog rallied many evil servants across the Pelennor to fight while other Orcs retreated. While they were decimated by the now numerically superior Armies of the West, Sauron's remaining army inflicted considerable casualties among their foes. The battle was over by sunset, with most enemies dead and a meager few fleeing.^[8]

Losses

File:Oliphaunts on the Pelennor.jpeg

Mûmakil on the Pelennor

The Dark Host was lost all but completely. Few ever made it to Mordor, and fewer still survived of the Haradrim forces. However, they only represented a fraction of the forces of Sauron, although probably a significant portion of those who were armed and war-ready. Most important to Sauron was the loss of his mightiest servant, the Witch-king. Although the numbers lost were not incredibly significant to Sauron, as he could afford to lose many times that of his enemies, the loss of his chief servant was a devastating blow. The losses of the West were significant as well. In addition to the lost commanders, it was said by Éomer later that not 4000 Riders were combat worthy, and the losses in other forces were probably considerable as well. However, despite that, with the newcomers from Southern Gondor and more arriving by previous orders of Aragorn, even with all the losses of the battle and the 7000 heading for Morannon, the city was estimated to be better defended than before the battle, discounting the loss of the Gate.^[9]^[10]

Portrayal in adaptations

Rankin and Bass

In the 1980 animated Return of the King film, the battle is only seen partway through. The men amongst Sauron's forces are never clearly seen, only the Trolls, Orcs, and integrated Uruk-hai. Exchanges of arrows between the two sides are seen, as well as melee battles. Some of the Mordor forces ride the towers lashed to the backs of the Oliphaunts. As the battle rages on, Pippin alerts Gandalf to the Denethor's despair. Denethor insists that the West has failed, and he wishes his end to be on his terms and not Sauron's. Gandalf protests, reminding him that Theoden's forces from Rohan are en route. But Denethor reveals his Palantír, and informs Gandalf that even that will be only a brief reprieve because the black fleet from Umbar is sailing upriver towards them. He then orders his servants in, to burn him.

(Note: Due to the censorship laws of the time the special had to dance around the fact that Denethor committed suicide, but Gandalf's "So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion" line confirms his death all the same). Eventually, the forces of Mordor bring out Grond, towed into position by a team of Oliphaunts and operated by trolls. The Witch-king of Angmar arrives to direct the ram, borne to the fight on his Fell Beast. Gandalf and Pippin ride down to the gate to confront him. As Gandalf and the Witch-king duel with words, they are interrupted by a the crowing of a rooster, announcing the new dawn. The Horn of Rohan sounds in answer, announcing the arrival of the Rohirrim. They charge into the fray, cutting through Sauron's troops. The Witch-king retreats for the time being. Merry and Pippin are reunited in the fracas. As the fight progresses for days, the Dawnless Day arrives, overshadowing the field. During this the Witch-king returns filled with extra power, which spooks Snowmane and causes him to throw Theoden off to his death. Merry swears revenge. Éowyn challenges the Witch-king, slaying his mount and then dueling him. Merry distracts him with a well-timed stab to the buttocks, allowing Éowyn to slice off his invisible head.

Due to the film not having time for the healing-house scenes they are not rendered ill. The Mordor troops panic and start scattering, some throwing themselves into the river. Then the black fleet arrives, giving them fresh hope, only to dash it when the flagship raises not the standard of Mordor but the standard of the King of Gondor. They are thrown into complete disarray at this point and mopped up by the joint Rohan and Gondor forces. Aragorn and Gandalf then prepare for the march on the Black Gate.

The Lord of the Rings film trilogy

The Battle of the Pelennor Fields is featured in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Rohancharge — The arrival of the Rohirrim from the North

At the brink of defeat for Gondor, the Rohirrim, with 6,000 fully armed horsemen, arrive and attack the orcs outside the walls of the city. The orcs open with three volleys into the Rohirrim, killing indiscriminately but failing to impact upon the Rohirrim's momentum. The Rohirrim smashed right through the orcs ranks, breaking the Orcs resolve and lifting the siege of the city. However, hope was lost at the arrival of the Mûmakil, who met the Rohirrim head on and inflicted heavy losses. However, the Haradrim suffer many losses due to the Rohirrim successfully bringing down several Mumakil.

The Witch-king also joined the battle with his Fellbeast, mortally wounding King Theoden. Éowyn, who had ridden secretly into the battlefield as Dernhelm, retaliated with two mighty slashes on the Fell Beast's neck, cloving the head asunder. Then the Witch-king and Éowyn engaged in a duel, with Éowyn evading two of his mace swings, and parrying one glancing blow. But she was struck when the head of the flail hit her shield directly, fracturing her arm and causing the shield to break into many pieces. Just as Éowyn faced imminent death by the Witch-king, Merry stabbed the Witch-king in the leg, crippling him and giving Éowyn an opportunity to plunge her blade into the center of the Witch-king's shrouded face, killing him.

Back inside the walls of Minas Tirith, the forces of Gondor prepare for a last stand, while down on the Pelennor fields, the remaining Orcs are at the brink of victory. When defeat seemed imminent, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli arrive on the ships of the Corsairs of Umbar and turn the tide of the battle with the aid of the Army of the Dead. These new reinforcements easily annihilated what remained of the besieging force of Orcs, Haradrim, and Mûmakil, with only a few escaping.

Concept and creation

Sauron Defeated, the fourth volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings, part of the History of Middle-earth series, contains superseded versions of the battle. Some changes of detail are apparent: e.g. Théoden slain by a projectile to the heart instead of being crushed by his horse; or when Éowyn reveals her sex her hair has been cut short, a detail absent from the final version. Tolkien had also considered having Éowyn die.

There are repeated references by Tolkien to a historic account of the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains by Jordanes. Both battles take place between civilisations of the "East" and "West", and like Jordanes, Tolkien describes his battle as one of legendary fame that lasted for several generations. Another apparent similarity is the death of king Theodoric I on the Catalaunian Fields and that of Théoden on the Pelennor. Jordanes reports that Theodoric was thrown off by his horse and trampled to death by his own men who charged forward. Théoden also rallies his men shortly before he falls and is crushed by his horse. And like Theodoric, Théoden is carried from the battlefield with his knights weeping and singing for him while the battle still goes on.

Translations

Foreign Language	Translated name
Afrikaans	Slag van die Pelennor Velde
Albanian	Beteja e Fushave Pelennor
Basque	Pelennorreko Zelaietako gudua
Belarusian Cyrillic	Бітва на Пеленорскіх Палях
Bosnian	Bitka kod Pelenorskih Polja
Bulgarian Cyrillic	Битката на Пеленнор полета
Catalan	Batalla dels Camps de Pèlennor
Chinese (Hong Kong)	帕蘭諾平原之戰役
Czech	Bitva na Pelennorských Polích
Danish	Slaget ved de Pelennor Felter
Dutch	Slag van de Velden van Pelennor
Esperanto	Batalo de la Pelennor Kampoj
Estonian	Lahing Pelennor Väljadel
Finnish	Pelennorin kenttien taistelu
French	Bataille des Champs du Pelennor
Galician	Batalla dos Campos de Pelennor
German	Schlacht auf dem Pelennor
Greek	Μάχη των πεδίων Πελεννορ
Haitian Creole	Batay nan tout Jaden Pelennor
Hausa	Yakin da Pelennor Filayen
Hebrew	קרב שדות פלנור
Hungarian	Csata a Pelennor Mezők
Icelandic	Orrustan við Pelennor Sviðum
Indonesian	Pertempuran Bidang Pelennor
Irish Gaelic	Cath na Páirceanna Pelennor
Italian	Battaglia dei Campi del Pelennor
Japanese	ペレンノール野の合戦
Latvian	Kaujas no Pelennor Laukiem
Lithuanian	Mūšis Pelennor srityse
Luxembourgish	Schluecht vun der Pelennor Felder
Maltese	Battalja ta 'l-oqsma Pelennor
Norwegian	Slaget på Pelennor-engene
Persian	نبرد دشت پلنور
Polish	Bitwa na Polach Pellenoru
Portuguese	Batalha dos Campos de Pelennor
Romanian	Bătălia de la Domenii Pelennor
Russian	Битва на Пеленнорских Полях
Serbian	Битка код Пеленорских поља (Cyrillic) Bitka kod Pelonorskih polja (Latin)
Slovak	Bitka na Pelennorských poliach
Spanish	Batalla de los Campos del Pelennor
Swedish	Slaget vid Pelennors Fält
Turkish	Pelennor Çayırları Savaşı
Ukrainian Cyrillic	Битва на Пеленнор поля
Urdu	غزوہ پالانناور قطعات
Vietnamese	Chiến của các Trường Pelennor
Welsh	Brwydr y Caeau Pelennor
Yiddish	שלאַכט פון די פּעלעננאָר פעלדער

References

↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Great Years"
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. III: "The Muster of Rohan"
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. III: "The Muster of Rohan"
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. III: "The Muster of Rohan"
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. II: "The Passing of the Grey Company"
↑ Robert Foster, Tolkien's World From A to Z, The Complete Guide to Middle Earth, pgs. 48 & 49
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. IV: "The Siege of Gondor"
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. VI: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Battle" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Battle" defined multiple times with different content
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. IX: "The Last Debate"
↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. X: "The Black Gate Opens"

[1] The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Great Years"

[2] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. III: "The Muster of Rohan"

[3] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. III: "The Muster of Rohan"

[4] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. III: "The Muster of Rohan"

[5] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book V, Ch. II: "The Passing of the Grey Company"

[6] Robert Foster, Tolkien's World From A to Z, The Complete Guide to Middle Earth, pgs. 48 & 49

[7] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. IV: "The Siege of Gondor"

[Battle-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. VI: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Battle" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Battle" defined multiple times with different content

[9] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. IX: "The Last Debate"

[10] The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Five, Ch. X: "The Black Gate Opens"

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Semi-protected}}
 {{Battlebox
 |battle_name= Battle of the Pelennor Fields
 |campaign= War of the Ring
 |image= Alan Lee - Battle of the Pelennor Fields.jpg
+|caption=The battle as depicted by [[Alan Lee]]
-|caption= [[Gandalf]] watching the army of [[Mordor]] in front of the city as shown in [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''.
-|conflict= [[War of the Ring]]; Sauron's final stroke on Gondor
+|conflict= [[War of the Ring]]
-|date= [[March 14]] - [[March 15|15]], [[3019]]<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]],'' [[Appendix B]]: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Great Years"</ref>
+|date= [[March 14]] - [[March 15|15]], [[3019]]<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Appendix B]]: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Great Years"</ref>
-|place= The [[Pelennor Fields]] <small>(initially [[Minas Tirith]])</small>
+|place= [[Pelennor Fields]]
-|result= Victory for the [[Men of the West]]
+|result= Victory for [[Gondor]] and [[Rohan]]
-|combatant1= <li>[[Gondor]]<li>[[Rohan]]<li>[[Dúnedain]] of the North
+|combatant1= [[Gondor]], [[Rohan]], [[Grey Company]]
-|combatant2=<li>[[Mordor]]<li>[[Khand]]<li>[[Harad]]<li>[[Rhûn]]<li>[[Umbar]]
+|combatant2=[[Mordor]], [[Khand]], [[Harad]], [[Rhûn]]
 |commander1=<li>[[Gandalf]]<li>[[Aragorn]]<li>[[Halbarad]]†<li>King [[Théoden]]†<li>3rd Marshal [[Éomer]]<li>Marshal [[Grimbold]]†<li>Steward [[Denethor]]†<li>Prince [[Imrahil]]<li>Lord [[Hirluin]]†<li> Lord [[Forlong]]† <li>Lord [[Duinhir]]<li>Lord [[Golasgil]]<li>Lord [[Dervorin]]
 |commander2=<li>[[Witch-king of Angmar]]†<li>[[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]]
+|strength1=
-|strength1=<li>5000 Gondorian soldiers of [[Minas Tirith]]+1500 [[Guard of the Citadel]], 3000 Gondorian soldiers of [[Ringló Vale]], 3000 Gondorian soldiers of the [[Causeway Forts]], 2500 Gondorian farmers, hunters, and herdsmen of [[Anfalas]], 2000 Gondorian soldiers of [[Lossarnach]], 2000 Gondorian Auxiliary troops of Minas Tirith, 1000 [[Knights of Dol Amroth|Knights of]] [[Dol Amroth]], 1000 Gondorian soldiers of [[Osgiliath]], 500 [[Rangers of Ithilien|Ithilien Rangers]], 500 archers from [[Blackroot Vale]], 300 Gondorian soldiers of [[Pinnath Gelin]], 200 Gondorian Fishermen from [[Ethir Anduin]] to defend the city of Minas Tirith.
+* Thousands of [[Men of Gondor|soldiers of Gondor]] + a few hundred [[Guards of the Citadel]]
-<li>At dawn, 6000 Rohirrim riders arrive to reinforce Gondor's garrisons.
+* Less than 3,000 men from outlying provinces<ref>''The Lord of the Rings'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', Book V, Ch. III: "[[The Muster of Rohan]]"</ref>(including a 700-strong
-<li>Aragorn leads 12,000 Gondorian soldiers of [[Lamedon]], 4000 Gondorian soldiers of [[Pelargir]], 500 fisherman, hunters, and farmers from Southern Gondor, and 30 [[Rangers of the North]] <small>([[Grey Company]])</small> to reinforce Gondorian and Rohirrim garrisons.
+contingent from [[Dol Amroth]]<ref>''The Lord of the Rings'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', Book V, Ch. III: "[[The Muster of Rohan]]"</ref>
-|strength2=<li>Tens of thousands of [[Orcs|Mordor Orcs]] and Uruks, [[Variags]], [[Haradrim]] , Mumakil, Easterlings, [[Warg Riders]], [[Trolls]], 4 [[Great beast]]s, and 9 [[Nazgûl]]
+* 6,000 [[Rohirrim]] cavalry soldiers<ref>''The Lord of the Rings'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', Book V, Ch. III: "[[The Muster of Rohan]]"</ref>
+*30 [[Dúnedain of Arnor|Northern Dúnedain]]<ref>''The Lord of the Rings'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', Book V, Ch. II: "[[The Passing of the Grey Company]]"</ref>
+|strength2=* 130,000 [[Orcs]]<ref>Robert Foster, ''Tolkien's World From A to Z, The Complete Guide to Middle Earth'', pgs. 48 & 49</ref>
+* 18,000 [[Easterlings]], [[Haradrim]], and [[Variags]]
+* Several [[Oliphaunts]] and [[Trolls]]
 |casualties1=Heavy
-|casualties2=Near-total
+|casualties2=Near total
+|prev = [[Siege of Gondor]]|conc = [[Battles of Lórien and invasion of eastern Rohan|Battles of Lórien]]<br/>[[Battle Under the Trees]]<br/>[[Battle of Cirith Ungol]]|next = [[Battle of Dale]]}}
-}}
+{{Campaignbox War of the Ring}}[[File:Pelennor Fields.jpg|thumb|250px|A map of the forces deployed in the battle]]The '''Battle of the Pelennor Fields''' was a [[battles|battle]] for the city of [[Minas Tirith]], and ultimately for [[Gondor]], immediately following a large-scale [[Siege of Gondor|siege]] of Minas Tirith by Sauron's army. It was the greatest battle of the [[War of the Ring]], and indeed the largest of the entire [[Third Age]]. Major casualties resulted from the battle, including the deaths of [[King Théoden]] and the [[Witch-king of Angmar]].
+== History ==
-{{Campaignbox War of the Ring}}
+=== Prelude ===
-The '''Battle of the Pelennor Fields''' was a [[battles|battle]] for the city of [[Minas Tirith]], and ultimately for [[Gondor]], during the [[War of the Ring]]. It was the greatest battle of the War of the Ring, and indeed the largest of the entire [[Third Age]]. Major casualties resulted from this battle - including the deaths of [[King Théoden]] and the [[Witch-king of Angmar]].
+{{Main|Siege of Gondor}}
+With Gondor's setback in the [[Battle of Osgiliath]] and the impending assault from Sauron's forces, [[Denethor]] was dismayed that [[Théoden]] did not come as quickly as he had hoped. Soon, despite the efforts of [[Faramir]], the [[Rammas Echor]] was overrun, and the city isolated. The enemy began preparations for its attack, which commenced shortly and quickly pressed Minas Tirith greatly.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings|''The Lord of the Rings'']], [[The Return of the King|''The Return of the King'']], Book Five, Ch. IV: "[[The Siege of Gondor]]"</ref>
-On the morning of [[March 10]], [[3019]], the "[[The Dawnless Day|Dawnless Day]]" began. [[Sauron]] sent forth a large mass of dark and foul clouds to cover the lands of [[Gondor]] (Possibly parts of [[Rohan]] as well, though it is never indicated in the book or the movie). Sauron's purpose was to spread fear and uncertainty among his enemies, as well as to aid his dark servants; it was said that dread was one of his greatest weapons. The forces of Mordor arrived on two fronts: the army of the [[Lord of The Nazgul|Lord of The Nazgûl]] came forth from [[Minas Morgul]] (through the [[Morgul Vale]]), and the other up the river [[Anduin]] from [[Umbar]]; mainly the ships of the [[Corsairs]] with [[Haradrim]] and [[Easterlings]]. On [[March 14]], 3019, the [[Siege of Gondor]] began, and on the morning of [[March 15]], the Army of Rohan arrived with 6000 riders. While this was not enough for a decisive turn of the battle, it held the enemy off until the Umbar ships arrived, carrying, instead of corsairs: [[Aragorn]] and [[Halbarad]], [[Gimli]] and [[Legolas]], the Sons of Elrond, and the rest of the [[Grey Company]]. (In the third movie, however, that is changed to the [[Army of the Dead]] coming all the way to the [[Harlond]] south of the City, on the Corsairs' ships.)
-==History==
+=== The battle ===
-===Background===
-The War of the Ring was declared on [[June 20]], [[3018]] when the forces of Mordor attacked the city of [[Osgiliath]]; however, the sons of steward [[Denethor II]] drove the enemy to the east bank of the river and destroyed the great bridge of the city. Nine months passed after the skirmish in Osgiliath when Sauron's ally, [[Saruman|Saruman of Many Colours]], sent forth a large army to destroy the people of Rohan. They were, however, defeated by the forces of the [[Rohirrim]] in the [[Battle of the Hornburg]].<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]],'' Book Three, Chapter VII: "[[Helm's Deep (chapter)|Helm's Deep]]"</ref> After this decisive victory, Sauron knew his strike must come swiftly and potently. Aragorn revealed himself to [[Sauron]] through the [[Palantír]] of [[Orthanc]], which spurred the Dark Lord into action, making him send his armies before the full force was prepared. He decided to release his long-prepared army in hopes of annihilating his greatest enemy, Gondor. Due to the threat of a huge fleet of Corsair warships gathering in Umbar, the allied forces of Gondor sent far fewer people to aid them than expected in preparation of invasion from the sea.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]],'' Book Three, Chapter X: "[[The Voice of Saruman]]"</ref>
-===The Dawnless Day===
+==== Arrival of the Rohirrim ====
+{{Quote|Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!|Theoden's speech before the charge}}
-{{Blockquote|Nay, this is no weather of the world. This is some device of his malice, some broil of fume from the Mountain of Fire that he sends to darken hearts and council.|[[Beregond (Captain)|Beregond]]|Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King}}
+Unknown to both Gondor and Mordor, the [[Drúedain]] secretly guided Théoden's army safely through the [[Drúadan Forest]] via an old, hidden road built by the [[Dúnedain]] long ago, and forgotten by all save the Wild Men. This allowed the Rohirrim to circumvent the defenses of the enemy on the northern road, and attack the forces of Mordor from the rear. Due to the dismantling of the walls of Minas Tirith, they could not mount a strong defense quickly, and Théoden's forces quickly overran the northern half of Pelennor. However, after forcing the retreat of the Haradrim cavalry, they were halted by the appearance of the Witch-king. He mortally wounded Théoden, who was crushed by his own horse.<ref name="Battle">''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Ch. VI: "[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]"</ref>
-There was no dawn between March 9 and [[March 10|10]]. This is the day which is called the "[[The Dawnless Day|Dawnless Day]]". A large cloud from [[Mordor]] silently crept over the lands of Rohan and Gondor, covering the sunlight and preventing it from penetrating the clouds. Sauron's purpose was to instill fear amongst the Army of the West, and also to ease the passing of his minions.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter I: "[[Minas Tirith (chapter)|Minas Tirith]]"</ref> On that same day, an army from the [[Black Gate]] emerged and captured the island of [[Cair Andros]]. The purpose was two-fold: to prevent the Rohirrim from entering [[Anorien]], and at the same time to guard the northern regions of Gondor. The Muster of Rohan, led by [[King of Rohan|King]] Theoden, left the camp of [[Dunharrow]], the [[Beacons|Beacons of Gondor]] being lit one day prior.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter III: "[[The Muster of Rohan]]"</ref> During the Dawnless Day, the [[Ring-bearer]] Frodo Baggins, his servant Samwise, and their guide, Gollum, approached Minas Morgul. When they arrived, they saw a red flash emanating from beyond the eastern mountains- probably from Orodruin-, which was answered by lightning and blue flame issuing from Minas Morgul and the surrounding hills. The Witch-king of Angmar emerged from the [[city]] on a black [[horse]], accompanied by an army stated to be larger than any that departed from the vale since the time of [[Isildur]]. This was the smaller of Sauron the Great's forces; the larger host issuing forth from the [[Black Gate]].<ref name=Return>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter IV: "[[The Siege of Gondor (chapter)|The Siege of Gondor]]"</ref>
+At that moment, [[Éowyn]] and [[Merry Brandybuck]] rode up to face him. Éowyn smote the [[Fellbeast]] upon which he rode, and the Witch-king fell to the ground. He was unharmed by this, however, and he stood up menacingly, readying his mace. He swung at Éowyn, who managed to block the attack with her shield, which shattered under the great mace's force. Éowyn's arm was also shattered upon impact. She fell to the ground, and the Witch-king lifted his mace for a final blow. As he did so, Merry, who was behind him, stabbed him in the back of the leg with his [[Barrow-blades|Barrow-blade]]. The Witch-king was wounded, and Éowyn used this distraction to drive her sword into his face, killing him.
+During this, and afterwards, the Rohirrim, under the command of Éomer, continued their assault, while the footmen of Gondor launched their own counterattack. Even so, they were outmatched by the [[Mûmakil]], [[Haradrim]], and [[Southrons]], as the enemy recovered surprisingly quickly from the loss of their commander. As the tide of battle turned against Gondor, the Men of the West were dismayed to see the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] had arrived.<ref name="Battle">''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter VI: "[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]"</ref>
-===Fall of Osgiliath===
-{{Blockquote|They have paid dear for the crossing, but less dearly than we hoped.|Faramir's messenger|The Return of the King}}
+==== The final stage ====
-On March 9, [[Faramir]] sent his forces to reinforce the garrison at Osgiliath, expecting a large blow from the enemy. After giving a report to Denethor, he left on March 11 to command the garrison. That night, they were attacked. On March 12, Faramir retreated to the [[Causeway Forts]]. Once there, he did his best to hold the rearguard, lest the retreat turn into a rout. However, he was wounded on the approach back to Minas Tirith by a foul dart of the enemy.<ref name=Return>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter IV: "[[The Siege of Gondor (chapter)|The Siege of Gondor]]"</ref>
+Neither side knew that Aragorn and the [[Grey Company]], with the help of the [[Army of the Dead]], had vanquished the fleet of the Corsairs. The Army of the Dead repaid their debt to the King by driving the Men of Umbar upon the ships mad, causing them to jump off of their ships and drown. After loading the ships with as many allies of Minas Tirith as possible, they sailed north to the battle. Upon arriving, the enemy found itself in a disadvantageous position, with their enemies where (and when) they least expected. The extra reinforcements brought by Aragorn punched a wide salient within the most vulnerable area of the Mordor-host, severing the forces nearer to Minas Tirith and the ones close to the river [[Anduin]].
+The Men of Gondor and the Rohirrim exploited this tactical advantage to the fullest, utterly routing the enemy with prolonged infantry charges and cavalry pursuit. The tactical and moral advantage granted by that was effective in turning the battle into a rout of the Mordor host. Most of the Mordor-host was slain and the rest fled back toward the Land of Shadow. A strong force of Easterlings fought to the last man, and [[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]] rallied many evil servants across the Pelennor to fight while other Orcs retreated. While they were decimated by the now numerically superior Armies of the West, Sauron's remaining army inflicted considerable casualties among their foes. The battle was over by sunset, with most enemies dead and a meager few fleeing.<ref name="Battle">''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter VI: "[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]"</ref>
-===Siege of Minas Tirith and the Fall of Rammas Echor===
-[[File:Grond.jpg|thumb|left|260px|The great battering ram Grond, used to smash Minas Tirith's gate]]
+== Losses ==
-Upon arriving at the city, the enemy sprawled before the greatest of all walls. They quickly put up siege equipment and dug trenches. Wasting almost no time, the siege began, eventually breaching the wall of the city- the [[Rammas Echor]]. The wall, built in the days of the splendor of the men of the west, was thought to be impregnable. The siege engines of the enemy, while not penetrating it, were able to launch incendiary missiles into the lower city, setting it ablaze. The great gates of [[Minas Tirith]] were not to be underestimated, and after prolonged failure, the enemy brought out a great and terrible [[battering ram]], called [[Grond]] in homage to the [[Grond (Warhammer)|Hammer of the Underworld]], the weapon of Sauron's master, [[Morgoth]].
+[[File:Oliphaunts_on_the_Pelennor.jpeg|thumb|260px|[[Mûmakil]] on the Pelennor]]
-A large force was sent to guard the northern roads against possible reinforcements from Rohan. It put trenches and stakes on the road, enough to halt any charge. Denethor was distraught, and refused to lead the people, as he thought the entire city was to be destroyed, and Faramir was doomed to die. He apathetically refused to give any command, saying it was pointless to even try. This resulted in Gandalf commanding the defenders. Thousands of [[Orc]]s and hundreds of soldiers of Gondor were killed during a prolonged shoot out. Mighty siege towers rolled onwards to the walls, but those were mainly a distraction and a test of Gondor's strength. The main assault was launched against the Gate - the only vulnerable point in the wall. Thus, the Enemy began using Grond. It was a hundred feet in length, drawn by great beasts and wielded by hordes of [[Mountain-trolls]]. The might of the great weapon was truly shown, as it only took three strikes to obliterate the gate. The Nazgûl leader entered the city, with all fleeing before him, save Gandalf upon [[Shadowfax]]. At this exact moment, the horns of the Rohirrim sounded, forcing the Witch-king to leave to confront this new foe.<ref name=Return>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter IV: "[[The Siege of Gondor (chapter)|The Siege of Gondor]]"</ref>
+The Dark Host was lost all but completely. Few ever made it to Mordor, and fewer still survived of the Haradrim forces. However, they only represented a fraction of the forces of Sauron, although probably a significant portion of those who were armed and war-ready. Most important to Sauron was the loss of his mightiest servant, the Witch-king. Although the numbers lost were not incredibly significant to Sauron, as he could afford to lose many times that of his enemies, the loss of his chief servant was a devastating blow. The losses of the West were significant as well. In addition to the lost commanders, it was said by Éomer later that not 4000 Riders were combat worthy, and the losses in other forces were probably considerable as well. However, despite that, with the newcomers from [[Southern Gondor]] and more arriving by previous orders of Aragorn, even with all the losses of the battle and the 7000 heading for [[Morannon]], the city was estimated to be better defended than before the battle, discounting the loss of the Gate.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Ch. IX: "[[The Last Debate]]"</ref><ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Ch. X: "[[The Black Gate Opens]]"</ref>
+== Portrayal in adaptations ==
-===Arrival of Rohan===
+=== Rankin and Bass ===
-[[File:Rohancharge.jpg|thumb|250px|The arrival of the Rohirrim from the North]]
-{{Quote|Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!|Theoden's speech before the charge}}
-Unknown to both Gondor and Mordor, the [[Drúedain]] secretly guided the [[Riders of Rohan|army]] safely through the Mark an old, hidden road built by the [[Dúnedain]] long ago, and forgotten by all save the Wild Men. This allowed the Rohirrim to circumvent the defenses of the enemy on the northern road, and attack the forces of Mordor from the rear. Due to the dismantling of the walls of Minas Tirith, they could not mount a strong defense quickly, and [[Theoden]]'s forces quickly overran the northern half of Pelennor. However, after forcing the retreat of the Haradrim cavalry, they were halted by the appearance of the Witch King. He mortally wounded Theoden, who was crushed by his own horse.<ref name=Battle>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter VI: "[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]"</ref>
-[[File:Eowyn-wiki.jpg|thumb|left|260px|Éowyn slays the Witch-king]]
-At that moment, [[Éowyn]] and [[Merry Brandybuck]] rode up to face him. Éowyn smote the [[Fell Beast]] upon which he rode by slicing its head off with two chops, and the Witch-King fell to the ground. He was unharmed by this, however, and he stood up menacingly, readying his mace. He swung at Éowyn, who managed to block the attack with her shield, which shattered under the great mace's force. Éowyn's arm was also shattered upon impact. She fell to the ground, and the Witch-King lifted his mace for a final blow. As he did so, Merry, who was behind him, stabbed him in the back of the leg with his [[Barrow-blades|Barrow-Blade]]. The Witch-king roared in pain, and Éowyn used this momentary distraction to drive her sword into his face, killing him. After that, the Rohirrim, under the command of Éomer, continued their assault, while the Footmen of Gondor launched their own counterattack. Even so, they were outmatched by the [[Mûmakil]], [[Haradrim]], and [[Southrons]], as the enemy recovered surprisingly quickly from the loss of their commander. As the tide of battle turned against Gondor, the Men of the West saw something even more terrifying- one which made them lose all hope. The [[ship]]s of Umbar had arrived.<ref name=Battle>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter VI: "[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]"</ref>
-===The final stage===
-Neither side knew that Aragorn and the Grey Company, with the help of the [[Army of the Dead]], had vanquished the fleet of the Corsairs. The Army of the Dead repaid their debt to the King by driving the Men of Umbar upon the ships mad, causing them to jump off of their ships and drown. After loading the ships with as many allies of Minas Tirith as possible, they sailed north to the battle. Upon arriving, the enemy found itself in a very disadvantageous position, with their enemies where (and when) they least expected. The extra reinforcements brought by Aragorn punched a wide salient within the most vulnerable area of the Mordor-host, severing the forces nearer to Minas Tirith and the ones close to the [[river]] Anduin. The Men of Gondor and the Rohirrim exploited this tactical advantage to the fullest, utterly routing the enemy with prolonged infantry charges and cavalry pursuit. The tactical and moral advantage granted by that was effective in turning the battle into a rout of the Mordor host. Most of the Mordor-host was slain and the rest fled back toward the Land of Shadow. Corpses of both Orcs and Men lay in colossal carrion piles while the few stragglers crossed the Anduin through Osgiliath or on barges. However, one crucial delaying action was critical to the survival of the Enemy and thus prolonged the War of the Ring. A 1000-strong force of Corsairs, with their backs to the river Anduin, fought to the last man, and [[Khamûl]] and [[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]] rallied many evil servants across the Pelennor to fight while their other Orc companions-at-arms retreated like sheep pursued by wolves. While they were utterly wiped out by the now numerically superior Armies of the West, they inflicted considerable casualties among their foes and bought critically important time for their comrades. The battle was over by sunset, with most enemies dead and a meager few fleeing.<ref name=Battle>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter VI: "[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]"</ref>
-===Losses===
-[[File:Oliphaunts_on_the_Pelennor.jpeg|thumb|260px|[[Mumakil|Oliphaunts]] on the Pelennor]]
-The Dark Host was lost all but completely. Few ever made it to Mordor, and fewer still survived of the Haradrim forces. However, they only represented a fraction of the forces of Sauron, although probably a significant portion of those who were armed and war-ready. Most important to Sauron was the loss of his mightiest servant, the Witch-king. Although the numbers lost were not incredibly significant to Sauron, as he could afford to lose many times that of his enemies, the loss of his chief servant was a devastating blow. The losses of the West were significant as well. In addition to the lost commanders, it was said by Éomer later that not 4000 Riders were combat worthy, and the losses in other forces were probably considerable as well. However, despite that, with the newcomers from [[Southern Gondor]] and more arriving by previous orders of Aragorn, even with all the losses of the battle and the 7000 heading for [[Morannon]], the city was estimated to be better defended than before the battle, discounting the loss of the Gate.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter IX: "[[The Last Debate]]"</ref><ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]],'' Book Five, Chapter X: "[[The Black Gate Opens]]"</ref>
-==Portrayal in adaptations==
-===Rankin and Bass===
 In the [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|1980 animated Return of the King film]], the battle is only seen partway through. The men amongst Sauron's forces are never clearly seen, only the Trolls, Orcs, and integrated [[Uruk-hai]]. Exchanges of arrows between the two sides are seen, as well as melee battles. Some of the Mordor forces ride the towers lashed to the backs of the Oliphaunts. As the battle rages on, Pippin alerts Gandalf to the Denethor's despair. Denethor insists that the West has failed, and he wishes his end to be on his terms and not Sauron's. Gandalf protests, reminding him that Theoden's forces from Rohan are en route. But Denethor reveals his Palantír, and informs Gandalf that even that will be only a brief reprieve because the black fleet from Umbar is sailing upriver towards them. He then orders his servants in, to burn him.
-(Note: Due to the censorship laws of the time the special had to dance around the fact that Denethor committed suicide, but Gandalf's "So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion" line confirms his death all the same). Eventually, the forces of Mordor bring out Grond, towed into position by a team of Oliphaunts and operated by trolls. The [[Witch-King of Angmar]] arrives to direct the ram, borne to the fight on his Fell Beast. Gandalf and Pippin ride down to the gate to confront him. As Gandalf and the Witch-King duel with words, they are interrupted by a the crowing of a rooster, announcing the new dawn. The Horn of Rohan sounds in answer, announcing the arrival of the Rohirrim. They charge into the fray, cutting through Sauron's troops. The Witch-King retreats for the time being. Merry and Pippin are reunited in the fracas. As the fight progresses for days, the Dawnless Day arrives, overshadowing the field. During this the Witch-King returns filled with extra power, which spooks Snowmane and causes him to throw Theoden off to his death. Merry swears revenge. Éowyn challenges the Witch-King, slaying his mount and then dueling him. Merry distracts him with a well-timed stab to the buttocks, allowing Éowyn to slice off his invisible head.
+(Note: Due to the censorship laws of the time the special had to dance around the fact that Denethor committed suicide, but Gandalf's "So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion" line confirms his death all the same). Eventually, the forces of Mordor bring out Grond, towed into position by a team of Oliphaunts and operated by trolls. The [[Witch-King of Angmar|Witch-king of Angmar]] arrives to direct the ram, borne to the fight on his Fell Beast. Gandalf and Pippin ride down to the gate to confront him. As Gandalf and the Witch-king duel with words, they are interrupted by a the crowing of a rooster, announcing the new dawn. The Horn of Rohan sounds in answer, announcing the arrival of the Rohirrim. They charge into the fray, cutting through Sauron's troops. The Witch-king retreats for the time being. Merry and Pippin are reunited in the fracas. As the fight progresses for days, the Dawnless Day arrives, overshadowing the field. During this the Witch-king returns filled with extra power, which spooks Snowmane and causes him to throw Theoden off to his death. Merry swears revenge. Éowyn challenges the Witch-king, slaying his mount and then dueling him. Merry distracts him with a well-timed stab to the buttocks, allowing Éowyn to slice off his invisible head.
-Due to the film not having time for the healing-house scenes they are not rendered ill. The Mordor troops panic and start scattering, some throwing themselves into the river. Then the black fleet arrives, giving them fresh hope, only to dash it when the flagship raises not the standard of Mordor but the standard of the [[King of Gondor]]. They are thrown into complete disarray at this point and mopped up by the joint Rohan and Gondor forces. Aragorn and Gandalf then prepare for the march on the Black Gate. (''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King: A Story of the Hobbits]]'' (Animated, 1980))
+Due to the film not having time for the healing-house scenes they are not rendered ill. The Mordor troops panic and start scattering, some throwing themselves into the river. Then the black fleet arrives, giving them fresh hope, only to dash it when the flagship raises not the standard of Mordor but the standard of the [[King of Gondor]]. They are thrown into complete disarray at this point and mopped up by the joint Rohan and Gondor forces. Aragorn and Gandalf then prepare for the march on the Black Gate.
-===The Lord of the Rings film trilogy===
+=== The Lord of the Rings film trilogy ===
+The Battle of the Pelennor Fields is featured in [[Peter Jackson]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]].''
-{{Battlebox
-|battle_name=Battle of the Pelennor Fields
-|campaign=
-|colour_scheme=
-|image=PelennorFields.jpg
-|caption=Armies of Rohan arrive at the set of dawn.
-|conflict=
-|date=[[TA 3019]]
-|place=[[Minas Tirith]] & [[Pelennor Fields]]
-|result=[[Gondorian]]/[[Rohirrim]] victory
-|combatant1=<li>[[Gondor]]<li>[[Rohan]]<li>[[White Mountains]]
-|combatant2=<li>[[Mordor]]<li>[[Harad]]<li>[[Umbar]]
-|commander1=<li>[[Gandalf]]<li>[[Théoden]]†<li>[[Aragorn]]
-|commander2=<li>[[Witch-king of Angmar]]†<li>[[Gothmog (Lieutenant of Morgul)|Gothmog]]†
-|strength1=<li>5000 [[Gondorian|Gondorian soldiers]]+2300 [[Guard of the Citadel]] defend Minas Tirith.
-<li>At dawn, 6000 [[Rohirrim]] riders arrive to turn the tide of the battle.
-<li>Later reinforced by 45,000 [[Oathbreakers]]
-|strength2=200,000 [[Orcs]], 9 [[Haradrim]], 4 great beasts
-|casualties1=Heavy
-|casualties2=Complete destruction of Sauron's armies; survivors scatter
-}}
-The Battle of the Pelennor Fields is featured in the third installment of the [[The Lord of the Rings (film)|The Lord of the Rings trilogy]], The [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (film)|Return of the King]].
-[[File:Pelennor Fields.jpg|thumb|250px|A map of the forces deployed in the battle]]
+[[File:Rohancharge.jpg|thumb|255x255px|The arrival of the Rohirrim from the North]]
+At the brink of defeat for Gondor, the Rohirrim, with 6,000 fully armed horsemen, arrive and attack the orcs outside the walls of the city. The orcs open with three volleys into the Rohirrim, killing indiscriminately but failing to impact upon the Rohirrim's momentum. The Rohirrim smashed right through the orcs ranks, breaking the Orcs resolve and lifting the siege of the city. However, hope was lost at the arrival of the Mûmakil, who met the Rohirrim head on and inflicted heavy losses. However, the Haradrim suffer many losses due to the Rohirrim successfully bringing down several Mumakil.
-There is no darkness to represent the Dawnless Day in the movie, and no one sees the sun until the Rohirrim arrive. However, artificial dark clouds created by Sauron are shown in the film. In the film, the battle starts when the Orcs begin to launch the severed heads of their human prisoners (Gondorian soldiers killed during the tragic Osgiliath battle) towards the city to frighten and demoralize both citizens and soldiers alike as a means of phsycological warfare. Denethor orders the army of Gondor to flee, but Gandalf knocks him unconscious, taking command of the fleeing soldiers saying, "Prepare for battle!". He then rides through the streets shouting, "Return to your posts!" The two armies exchange fire with catapults and trebuchets, and hundreds of Orcs and dozens of Gondor soldiers are killed, as a few siege towers and trolls were felled as well.
+[[File:Eowyn-wiki.jpg|thumb|left|260px|Éowyn slays the Witch-king]]
-The Nazgûl began to destroy the trebuchets of Minas Tirith, while more siege towers lumbered towards the walls. The siege towers did reach the walls, but the soldiers of Gondor were able to hold them off, while sustaining some losses as well. At the same time, the Orcs attempted to break the gate with a small wooden battering ram, but it had no effect.
+The Witch-king also joined the battle with his [[Fellbeast]], mortally wounding King Theoden. Éowyn, who had ridden secretly into the battlefield as Dernhelm, retaliated with two mighty slashes on the Fell Beast's neck, cloving the head asunder. Then the Witch-king and Éowyn engaged in a duel, with Éowyn evading two of his mace swings, and parrying one glancing blow. But she was struck when the head of the flail hit her shield directly, fracturing her arm and causing the shield to break into many pieces. Just as Éowyn faced imminent death by the Witch-king, Merry stabbed the Witch-king in the leg, crippling him and giving Éowyn an opportunity to plunge her blade into the center of the Witch-king's shrouded face, killing him.
-Meanwhile, the Gondor archers mercilessly shot the Orcs, and many fell. The Orcs eventually brought out their largest battering-ram -- Grond, which by nightfall breaks the city's gate. About 100 soldiers of Gondor engage the trolls, Easterlings, and Orcs at the gate with Gandalf's aid. Despite fighting bravely, the soldiers of Gondor were overwhelmed, and were forced to retreat to the second level of the city. The Orcs then began to swarm through the broken gate torrentially. Despite dozens of archers firing at the Orcs, the invading party heavily outnumbered them.
+Back inside the walls of Minas Tirith, the forces of Gondor prepare for a last stand, while down on the Pelennor fields, the remaining Orcs are at the brink of victory. When defeat seemed imminent, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli arrive on the [[ship]]s of the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] and turn the tide of the battle with the aid of the Army of the Dead. These new reinforcements easily annihilated what remained of the besieging force of Orcs, Haradrim, and Mûmakil, with only a few escaping.
-The next day at dawn, the Orcs began to engage in melee combat with the soldiers of Gondor, who were then being slaughtered due to their exhaustion, earned by fighting non-stop through the night. The soldiers of Minas Tirith used the tactic "defend and retreat", which required the Men of Gondor to defend each level shortly, before retreating deeper into their burning citadel. Pippin alerts Gandalf of Denethor's madness and plans of suicide. Gandalf and Pippin rush to stop it, but are confronted by the Witch-King. Gandalf tries to confront the Lord of the Nazgûl, but is defeated when the Witch King breaks Gandalf's staff. Before the Witch-King can slay Gandalf, Rohan horns sound, the Witch King leaves to confront the new threat.
+== Concept and creation ==
-At the brink of defeat the Rohirrim, with 6000 fully armed horsemen, arrive and attack the orcs outside the walls of the city. The orcs open with three volleys into the Rohirrim, killing indiscriminately but failing to impact upon the Rohirrim's momentum. The Rohirrim smashed right through the orcs ranks, breaking the Orcs resolve and lifting the siege of the city. However, hope was lost at the arrival of the Mûmakil, who met the Rohirrim head on and inflicted heavy losses. However, the Haradrim suffer many losses due to the Rohirrim successfully bringing down several Mumakil.
+''Sauron Defeated'', the fourth volume of ''[[The History of The Lord of the Rings]]'', part of the ''[[The History of Middle-earth|History of Middle-earth]]'' series, contains superseded versions of the battle. Some changes of detail are apparent: e.g. Théoden slain by a projectile to the heart instead of being crushed by his horse; or when Éowyn reveals her sex her hair has been cut short, a detail absent from the final version. Tolkien had also considered having Éowyn die.
+There are repeated references by Tolkien to a historic account of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Catalaunian_Plains Battle of the Catalaunian Plains] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordanes Jordanes]. Both battles take place between civilisations of the "East" and "West", and like Jordanes, Tolkien describes his battle as one of legendary fame that lasted for several generations. Another apparent similarity is the death of king [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodoric_I Theodoric I] on the Catalaunian Fields and that of Théoden on the Pelennor. Jordanes reports that Theodoric was thrown off by his horse and trampled to death by his own men who charged forward. Théoden also rallies his men shortly before he falls and is crushed by his horse. And like Theodoric, Théoden is carried from the battlefield with his knights weeping and singing for him while the battle still goes on.
-The Witch-king also joined the battle with his [[Fell Beast|Fell-beast]], mortally wounding King Theoden. Éowyn, who had ridden secretly into the battlefield as Dernhelm, retaliated with two mighty slashes on the Fell Beast's neck, cloving the head asunder. Then the Witch-King and Éowyn engaged in a duel, with Éowyn evading two of his mace swings, and parrying one glancing blow. But she was struck when the head of the flail hit her shield directly, fracturing her arm and causing the shield to break into many pieces. Just as Éowyn faced imminent death by the Witch-king, Meriadoc stabbed the Witch-King in the leg, crippling him and giving Éowyn an opportunity to plunge her blade into the center of the Witch-king's shrouded face, killing him.
+==Translations==
-Back inside the walls of Minas Tirith, the forces of Gondor prepare for a last stand, while down on the Pelennor fields, the remaining Orcs are at the brink of victory. When defeat seemed imminent, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli arrive on the [[ship]]s of the [[Corsairs of Umbar]] and turn the tide of the battle with the aid of the Army of the Dead. These new reinforcements easily annihilated what remained of the besieging force of Orcs, Haradrim, and Mûmakil, with only a few escaping. (''[[The Return of the King (film)|The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'' (2003))
+<div style="overflow:auto; height:300px; width:500px; float:left">
+<!--<div style="overflow:auto; height:200px;">-->
-==Concept and creation==
+{| class="itemtable" style="color:#6f3d0b; border:2px solid #FFF; border-top: 0; text-align:left; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft:8px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright:8px; -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius:8px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius:8px;" bgcolor="#edeeff"
-''Sauron Defeated'', the fourth volume of ''[[The History of the Lord of the Rings]]'', part of the ''[[The History of Middle-earth|History of Middle-earth]]'' series, contains superseded versions of the battle. Some changes of detail are apparent. For example, Théoden dies by a projectile to the heart instead of being crushed by his horse; when Éowyn reveals her sex she has cut her hair short, a detail absent from the final version. Tolkien also considered killing off both Théoden and Éowyn.
+| width="300" |'''Foreign Language'''
+| width="300" |'''Translated name'''
-There are repeated references by Tolkien to a historic account of the [[Battle of the Catalaunian Fields]] by [[Jordanes]]. Both battles take place between civilisations of the "East" and "West", and like Jordanes, Tolkien describes his battle as one of legendary fame that lasted for several generations. Another apparent similarity is the death of king [[Theodoric I]] on the Catalaunian Fields and that of Théoden on the Pelennor. Jordanes reports that Theodoric was thrown off by his horse and trampled to death by his own men who charged forward. Théoden also rallies his men shortly before he falls and is crushed by his horse. And like Theodoric, Théoden is carried from the battlefield with his knights weeping and singing for him while the battle still goes on.
-{{enWP|Battle of the Pelennor Fields}}
-==Translations around the World==
-{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
-!Foreign Language
-!Translated name
 |-
 |Afrikaans
@@ Line 135: / Line 94: @@
 |Basque
 |Pelennorreko Zelaietako gudua
+|-
+|Belarusian Cyrillic
+|Бітва на Пеленорскіх Палях
 |-
 |Bosnian
@@ Line 183: / Line 145: @@
 |Hausa
 |Yakin da Pelennor Filayen
+|-
+|Hebrew
+|קרב שדות פלנור
 |-
 |Hungarian
@@ Line 192: / Line 157: @@
 |Indonesian
 |Pertempuran Bidang Pelennor
+|-
+|Irish Gaelic
+|Cath na Páirceanna Pelennor
 |-
 |Italian
@@ Line 215: / Line 183: @@
 |-
 |Persian
-|نبرد دشت های پله نور
+|نبرد دشت پلنور
 |-
 |Polish
@@ Line 230: / Line 198: @@
 |-
 |Serbian
-|Битка код Пеленорских поља(Cyrillic) Bitka kod Pelonorskih polja(Latin)
+|Битка код Пеленорских поља (Cyrillic) Bitka kod Pelonorskih polja (Latin)
+|-
+|Slovak
+|Bitka na Pelennorských poliach
 |-
 |Spanish
@@ Line 252: / Line 223: @@
 |Welsh
 |Brwydr y Caeau Pelennor
+|-
+|Yiddish
+|שלאַכט פון די פּעלעננאָר פעלדער
 |}
+</div>
-==References==
+{{Clear}}
-<references/>
-*<sup>1</sup>:Matthew Ward & Graham McNeill, ''The Battle of the Pelennor Fields'', 2004, ISBN 1 84154 464 7, p 47 *[[The Lord of the Rings]]: [[The Return of the King (novel)|The Return of the King]]
+== References ==
-[[ca:Batalla dels Camps de Pelènnor]]
+<references />[[ca:Batalla dels Camps de Pelènnor]]
 [[de:Schlacht auf dem Pelennor]]
 [[es:Batalla de los Campos del Pelennor]]
@@ Line 265: / Line 239: @@
 [[pl:Bitwa na Polach Pelennoru]]
 [[pt-br:Batalha dos Campos de Pelennor]]
-[[ru:Битва на Пеленнорских Полях]]
+[[ru:Битва на Пеленнорских полях]]
 [[Category:Battles]]
 [[Category:War of the Ring]]