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| − | {{ |
+ | {{Featured star}}{{Location infobox |
| + | |name= |
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| − | {{Location infobox |
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+ | |image= Early Mordor - TRoP.png |
| + | |type= |
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| − | |image= MORDOR location map in middle earth.PNG |
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| + | |location= Within [[Ered Lithui]] and [[Ephel Dúath]]; east of [[Gondor]] |
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| − | |type= Dark Realm |
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| + | |realms= |
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| − | |location= East of Gondor, South of Rhûn, North of Harad and West of Khand |
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| − | |realms=Middle-earth |
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|capital= [[Barad-dûr]] |
|capital= [[Barad-dûr]] |
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|founded/built= [[SA 1000]]<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Appendix B]]: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Second Age"</ref> |
|founded/built= [[SA 1000]]<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', [[Appendix B]]: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Second Age"</ref> |
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| − | |inhabitants= [[ |
+ | |inhabitants= [[Orcs]],<br>[[Men]],<br>[[Uruks of Mordor]] |
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| + | |ruler = |
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| + | |summary = |
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| + | |names = |
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| + | |lifespan = SA 1000 - [[SA 3441]];</br>[[TA 2951]] - [[TA 3019]] |
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| + | |caption1=Mordor in the first months after Orodruin burst again into flame}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Mordor''' was a black, volcanic plain in the southeast of [[Middle-earth]] to the east of [[Gondor]], [[Ithilien]], and the great river [[Anduin]]. Mordor was chosen by [[Sauron]] as his realm because of the mountain ranges surrounding it on three sides, creating a natural fortress against his enemies preventing them from easily invading it. |
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| − | [[Olog-hai]] |
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| − | [[Orcs]] |
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| + | [[File:ImagesCAR2L5A3.jpg|thumb|200px]] |
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| − | [[Great Spiders]] |
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| ⚫ | Mordor was protected from three sides by large mountain ranges, arranged roughly in a rectangular manner: the [[Ash Mountains|Ered Lithui]] ('Ash Mountains') in the north, and [[Ephel Dúath]] ('Mountains of Shadow') in the west and south. In the northwest corner of Mordor the deep valley of [[Udûn (Mordor)|Udûn]] was one of the few entrances for large armies. Guarding the entrance was the [[Black Gate]] of Mordor. In front of the Black Gate lay the [[Dagorlad]] or the ''Battle Plain''. Sauron's main [[fortress]] of [[Barad-dûr]] sat at the end of a spur of the Ered Lithui. To the southwest of Barad-dûr lay the arid [[Plateau of Gorgoroth]] and [[Mount Doom]]; to the east lay the plain of [[Lithlad]]. Mordor's geography was excellent for defense against enemies attacking on all fronts, for nearly un-scalable mountains defended Mordor on three sides, while the broken, jagged land of Gorgoroth and [[Núrn]] would greatly impede any army that managed to break through. |
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| − | [[Fellbeast|Fellbeasts]] |
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| + | [[File:Barad-dúr Roger Garland.png|left|thumb|250x250px|Barad-dûr and its surroundings, depicted by [[Roger Garland]]]] |
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| ⚫ | Mordor's dry and blasted geography would also be extremely unfriendly to any army bivouacked on the plains, forcing a withdrawal within days (unless they have stores sufficient for months). The only other paths for armies to cross into Mordor from the west, over the Ephel Dúath were the [[Morgul Pass]] and the pass of [[Cirith Ungol]]. [[Isildur]] originally built the city of [[Minas Morgul|Minas Ithil]] to guard the western end of both passes from any threat from Mordor, but in the [[Third Age]] the population of the city waned and it was conquered by the [[Nazgûl]]. It became the home of the Ringwraiths and was renamed Minas Morgul, and was thereafter a great stronghold of evil, ever at war with Gondor to the west until the end of the [[War of the Ring]]. To escape the vigilance of Morgul, to enter Mordor one would still have to get past the [[Shelob's Lair|lair]] of [[Shelob]], and the [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]]- a feat only [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] (led by [[Gollum]]) ever accomplished - though not without being waylaid by the great fearsome spider Shelob, and Frodo being taken prisoner to the Tower of Cirith Ungol. |
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| − | {{Quote|One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring (novel)|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Council of Elrond (chapter)|The Council of Elrond]]"}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Mordor''' was a black, volcanic plain |
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| − | [[File: |
+ | [[File:Mordor's_DuoSpire.png|thumb|345x345px|Mount Doom and the Dark Tower]] |
| ⚫ | The east of Mordor is by far the least mentioned of any of Mordor's geographic notes and descriptions. One might assume that the easiest route to [[Mount Doom]] would be for the [[Fellowship of the Ring (group)|Fellowship]] to journey through the 'unguarded' section in the east, which no mountains obstructed. However, it would have been difficult to pass unnoticed, because the many roads running from Mordor into Rhûn were often marched along by [[Easterlings]] entering Mordor or patrolling the roads and borders. |
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| ⚫ | Mordor was protected from three sides by large mountain ranges, arranged roughly in a rectangular manner: [[Ash Mountains]] in the north, [[Ephel Dúath]] in the west and south. In the northwest corner of Mordor the deep valley of [[Udûn (Mordor)|Udûn]] was |
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| + | ===Mountains and passes=== |
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| ⚫ | Mordor's dry and blasted geography would also be extremely unfriendly to any army bivouacked on the plains, forcing a withdrawal within days (unless they have stores sufficient for months). The only other |
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| + | *[[Ephel Dúath]] |
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| + | * [[Ash Mountains|Ered Lithui]] |
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| + | * [[Morgai]] |
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| − | [[File:Mordor's_DuoSpire.png|thumb|200px|Mount Doom and the Dark Tower]] |
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| ⚫ | The east of Mordor is by far the least mentioned of any of Mordor's geographic notes and descriptions. One might assume that the easiest route to [[Mount Doom]] would be for the Fellowship to journey through the 'unguarded' section |
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| + | *[[Cirith Ungol]] |
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| + | *[[Morgul Pass]] |
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| + | *[[Cirith Gorgor]] |
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===Regions=== |
===Regions=== |
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| − | *[[Gorgoroth]] |
+ | *[[Plateau of Gorgoroth]] |
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*[[Lithlad]] |
*[[Lithlad]] |
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| − | *[[Núrn]] |
+ | *[[Núrn]] (surrounding the [[Sea of Núrnen]]) |
| + | *[[Morgul Vale]] (source of the [[Morgulduin]] river) |
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| − | *[[Eastern Desolation]] |
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| − | === |
+ | ===Named Orc-holds=== |
| − | *[[Barad-dûr]] (Capital and seat of the [[Dark Lord]] [[Sauron]] |
+ | *[[Barad-dûr]] (Capital and seat of the [[Dark Lord]] [[Sauron]]) |
*[[Durthang]] |
*[[Durthang]] |
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| − | *[[Osgiliath]] (East bank, retaken by [[Gondor ]]when led by [[Boromir]], later whole city is taken as part of the [[Witch-king|Witch-king's]] armies campaign to take the city of [[Minas Tirith]] during the [[War of the Ring]]) |
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*[[Isenmouthe]] |
*[[Isenmouthe]] |
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| − | *[[Minas Morgul]] ( |
+ | *[[Minas Morgul]] (home of the [[Nazgûl]], including the [[Witch-king of Angmar|Witch-king]]) |
*[[Black Gate]] |
*[[Black Gate]] |
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| + | *[[Towers of the Teeth]] |
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| − | *[[Nargroth]] |
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| − | *[[Seregost]] |
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*[[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] |
*[[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] |
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| − | Mordor was a relic of the devastating works of [[Morgoth]], apparently formed by massive volcanic eruptions. It was given the name Mordor already before Sauron settled there, because of its volcano [[Mount Doom]] and its eruptions. Sauron however was the first to settle there with the exception of [[Shelob]] and her ancestors. |
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| − | One possible theory to Mordor's creation, based upon maps of Middle-Earth in the First Age is that it maybe the dried seabed of the once inland [[Sea of Helcar]]. |
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| ⚫ | At the time of the War of the Ring, Sauron had gathered great armies to serve him. These included enslaved Men of the East and the South, who spoke a variety of tongues, and [[Orcs]] and [[Trolls]], who usually spoke a debased form of the [[Common Speech]]. But within Barad-dûr and among the captains of Mordor (the Ringwraiths and other high-ranking servants such as the Mouth of Sauron), the Black Speech was still used, the language devised by Sauron during the Dark Years of the Second Age. In addition to ordinary Orcs and Trolls, Sauron had bred a stronger strain of Orcs, the [[ |
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==History== |
==History== |
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| ⚫ | [[Sauron]] settled in Mordor 1,000 years after the end of the First Age, and it remained the |
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| − | |||
[[File:Mordor.jpg|thumb|200px|Sauron looking over the Orc Army of Gorgoroth]] |
[[File:Mordor.jpg|thumb|200px|Sauron looking over the Orc Army of Gorgoroth]] |
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| ⚫ | [[Mount Doom]] was created by [[Morgoth]] during the [[First Age]].<ref>''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'', vol: 12: ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', XIII: "Last Writings", pg. 390 (note 14)</ref> In unknown moment of First Age, perhaps shortly around the [[War of Wrath]], [[Shelob]] left the [[Nan Dungortheb]] and settled there with her offspring. [[Sauron]] settled in Mordor 1,000 years after the end of the First Age, and it remained the centre of his power for the whole of the [[Second Age]] and again at the end of the [[Third Age]] of Middle-earth. In the north-western corner of this land stood Mount Doom, where Sauron had forged the [[One Ring]]. Near Mount Doom stood Sauron's stronghold [[Barad-dûr]]. After this time, Sauron was known as the [[Dark Lord|Dark Lord of Mordor]]. |
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| − | For two and a half thousand years, Sauron ruled Mordor uninterruptedly. Having wrought the Ring, it was from there that he launched the attack upon the [[Elves]] of [[Eregion]]. He was repelled by the [[Númenóreans|Men of Númenor]]. He |
+ | For two and a half thousand years, Sauron ruled Mordor uninterruptedly. Having wrought the Ring, it was from there that he launched the attack upon the [[Elves]] of [[Eregion]] in the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]]. He was repelled by the [[Númenóreans|Men of Númenor]]. He later opposed [[Númenor]], but such was their power that his own servants deserted him and he was captured by the Númenóreans and brought to their island kingdom, eventually causing its destruction (see the [[Downfall of Númenor]]). Immediately after Númenor's destruction, Sauron returned to Mordor as a spirit and resumed his rule. |
===The Last Alliance and Third Age=== |
===The Last Alliance and Third Age=== |
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| − | [[File:Lastalliance-men.jpg|thumb|250px|The battle of the Siege of Barad-dûr]] |
+ | [[File:Lastalliance-men.jpg|thumb|250px|The battle of the Siege of Barad-dûr in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King|''The Return of the King'' film]]]] |
| − | Sauron's rule was interrupted |
+ | Sauron's rule was interrupted again when his efforts to destroy [[Gondor]] failed; his forces were driven back and the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] formed to oppose him. After the [[Battle of Dagorlad]] the army of the Last Alliance entered Mordor and [[Siege of Barad-dûr|besieged]] the Barad-dûr for seven years. Eventually Sauron came forth and was defeated in a final battle on the slopes of [[Mount Doom]]. For about 1600 years, Mordor was guarded by Gondor in order to prevent evil from returning. The [[Towers of the Teeth]], [[Durthang]] and the [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] were built by Gondor to watch the major entry points to the dark land. Gorgoroth during this time was desolate, with the Barad-dûr levelled down to its foundations. |
| − | However |
+ | However following the [[Great Plague]] in [[TA 1636]] the watch on Mordor failed and evil began to creep back in. Sauron eventually used the [[Wainriders]] to distract and weaken Gondor, and the Nazgûl re-entered in [[TA 1980]]. They reclaimed Mordor and started to rebuild its might. [[Minas Morgul|Minas Ithil]] was conquered by the Nine Ringwraiths in [[TA 2002]] and Gondor's abandoned fortresses were occupied by evil creatures. By the time Sauron returned to Mordor in [[TA 2942]] after his false defeat at [[Dol Guldur]] (in the events that took place at the time of [[Bilbo Baggins]]'s [[The Hobbit|quest]]), Mordor was too strong to be captured by any military might that was available in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. Sauron declared himself openly in [[TA 2951]] and Mount Doom burst into flame three years later. |
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| − | + | In the War of the Ring, Sauron gathered all his forces to Mordor. In the north were great garrisons and forges of war, while surrounding the bitter inland [[Sea of Núrnen]] to the south lay the vast fields of [[Núrn]] tended for the provision of the armies by hordes of slaves brought in from lands to the east and south. After the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], the [[Army of the West]] marched to the [[Black Gate]]. Sauron sent his army to destroy the Men of Gondor and [[Rohan]] at the [[Battle of the Black Gate]], but then [[Frodo Baggins]] destroyed the [[One Ring]] and Mordor fell. Sauron's power was destroyed, sending shock waves through the air and ground. The Dark Tower of [[Barad-dûr]], the [[Black Gate]] and the Towers of Teeth collapsed into ruin. Mount Doom erupted and both Sauron and his Ringwraiths were destroyed. The shadows dissipated and [[Aragorn II]] gave a land to Sauron's slaves. It is untold what became of the remaining [[Orc-holds]]. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | ==Names and Styles== |
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| + | [[File:MORDOR location map in middle earth.PNG|thumb|263x263px|Mordor's location in Middle-earth]] |
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| + | In ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] assumes that the lands of Mordor and [[Khand]] lay where the inland [[Sea of Helcar]] had been, and that the [[Sea of Rhûn]] and [[Sea of Núrnen]] were its remnants. In particular, she suggested that the uplift of the [[Plateau of Gorgoroth]] was closely related to the formation of Mount Doom and that the [[Ephel Dúath]] formed as a result of a {{Wikipedia|tectonic uplift}} caused by the cataclysms of the [[War of Wrath]].<ref>[[The Atlas of Middle-earth|''The Atlas of Middle-earth'']], The Second Age, "Introduction"</ref><ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"</ref> However, in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', the 12th volume of [[The History of Middle-earth|''The History of Middle-earth'']], that was published after the ''Atlas'', is stated that at least Mount Doom was created by [[Melkor|Morgoth]] during the [[First Age]], so before the draining of the Sea of Helcar. Also the name Mordor was given already before Sauron settled there.<ref name=":0">[[The History of Middle-earth|''The History of Middle-earth'']], Vol. 12 [[The Peoples of Middle-earth|''The Peoples of Middle-earth'']], ch. XIII ''Last Writings''</ref> |
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| ⚫ | ''Mordor'' |
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| ⚫ | At the time of the War of the Ring, Sauron had gathered great armies to serve him. These included enslaved Men of the East and the South, who spoke a variety of tongues, and [[Orcs]] and [[Trolls]], who usually spoke a debased form of the [[Common Speech]]. But within Barad-dûr and among the captains of Mordor (the Ringwraiths and other high-ranking servants such as the Mouth of Sauron), the [[Black Speech]] was still used, the language devised by Sauron during the Dark Years of the Second Age. In addition to ordinary Orcs and Trolls, Sauron had bred a stronger strain of Orcs, the [[Black Uruks]], and very large Trolls known as [[Olog-hai]] who could endure the sun. The Olog-hai knew only the Black Speech. |
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| ⚫ | A proposed etymology out of the context of Middle-earth is [[Old English language|Old English]] ''morthor'', which means "mortal sin" or "murder". (The latter are descended from the former.) It is not uncommon for names in Tolkien's fiction to have relevant meanings in several languages, both those invented by Tolkien, and "real" ones, but this of course happens with any two languages. ''Mordor'' is also a name cited in some [[ |
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| + | ==Etymology == |
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| ⚫ | ''Mordor'' has two meanings: ''The Black Land'' or ''The Dark Land'' in [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s contrived language [[Sindarin]], and ''The Land of Shadow'' in [[Quenya]]. The root ''mor'' ("dark", "black") also appears in [[Khazad-dûm|Moria]]. ''Dor'' ("land") also appears in ''Gondor'' ("stone-land") and ''[[Doriath]]'' ("fenced land"). The Quenya word for Shadow is "mordo". It is pronounced with a Russian-sounding ''r''. The gate of Mordor, Morannon, means Black Gate. It was named this by the Elves in the Second Age. |
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| − | In ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] assumes that the lands of Mordor, [[Khand]], and [[Rhûn]] lay where the inland [[Sea of Helcar]] had been, and that the [[Sea of Rhûn]] and [[Sea of Núrnen]] were its remnants. The atlas was published before ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]] ''however, in which it turns out that the Sea of Rhûn and Mordor already did exist in the First Age. |
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| ⚫ | A proposed etymology out of the context of Middle-earth is [[Old English language|Old English]] ''morthor'', which means "mortal sin" or "murder". (The latter are descended from the former.) It is not uncommon for names in Tolkien's fiction to have relevant meanings in several languages, both those invented by Tolkien, and "real" ones, but this of course happens with any two languages. ''Mordor'' is also a name cited in some [[Norse mythology|Nordic mythologies]] referring to a land where its citizens practice evil without knowing it, imposed on themselves by the society long created for that purpose. This quite fits with Tolkien's Mordor. |
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| − | ==Armies== |
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| + | ==In adaptations== |
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| − | [[File:Fotr6.jpg|thumb|200px|Mordor, the Land of Shadow]] |
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| + | ===''The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power''=== |
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| + | In [[Amazon Studios]]' series ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power|The Rings of Power]]'', Mordor and some of the areas around it in southern [[Rhovanion]] had been called the '''Southlands''' before the making of the [[Rings of Power]] and the [[One Ring]]. The geographic bounds of the Southlands are not yet specified, but are implied to encompass at least some of Mordor. The characters [[Bronwyn]], [[Theo]], [[Rowan]], [[Tredwill]], [[Waldreg]], and [[Halbrand]] are among the lands' inhabitants. |
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| + | ====Season One==== |
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| − | Mordor had vast armies at its disposal, all filled with a fierce hatred of the Men of the West. While the Orcs in the land may not have been the most powerful warriors, they were very fierce and could be quite overwhelming in numbers. Other units, like Trolls and allies like the [[Haradrim]], were much more devastating. The vast Orc armies numbered between 100,000 - 300,000 during the Second Age and the [[War of the Ring]]. |
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| + | The villages of [[Tirharad]] and [[Hordern]], and the original home of [[Halbrand]], are in the Southlands. The [[Elf]] [[Arondir]] and his company are first seen stationed in Tirharad. |
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| + | In episode three, "[[Adar (episode)|Adar]]", Galadriel discovers at [[Númenor]]'s [[Hall of Lore]] that the [[Orc Sigil Hilt|sigil]] of [[Sauron]] she had seen in various places was, apparently, a small, abstract map of the Southlands, suggesting to her that Sauron had chosen that land to reestablish his presence, in some capacity. The Trenches, the [[Orc-holds|Orc-hold]] to which [[Arondir]], [[Revion]], and [[Médhor]] are taken, is also in the Southlands, likely west of the [[Ephel Duath]]. [[Magrot]], an Orc taskmaster, and [[Adar]] himself reside there. |
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| − | ===Basic Units=== |
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| + | In the end of episode six, Waldreg uses the Orc Sigil Hilt as a key to open a dam. The water flows through tunnels dug by the orcs shown in the prior episodes towards an inactive volcano. When the water hits the underground lavapit, it causes the volcano to erupt, turning the Southlands into an ashen wasteland. It turns out, the volcano is mount Doom and the desolated Southlands are now renamed Mordor. |
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| − | The backbone and most numbered part of Sauron's army were the [[Orcs]]. They often used poisoned or fiery arrows to attack their opponents. Though neither the soldiers themselves nor their weapons reached the quality of the "[[Free Peoples]]", they were still quite deadly and could swarm over their enemies thanks to their large numbers. They also did not "fight fair" and used whatever strategy (or no strategy) to win. Many could overcome most of their enemies and their weapons could nearly match the quality of the weapons of the [[Men of Gondor]] at their very best. |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Translations== |
| + | <!--<div style="overflow:auto; height:200px;">--> |
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| + | {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" style="border: 1px solid #a6a6a6; width:100%; margin: 1em auto 1em auto;" |
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| − | [[File:Download (1).jpg|thumb|273x273px|Oilphants used in battle during the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. These powerful beasts where used in great effect against the Armies of [[Rohan]].]] |
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| − | Mordor had powerful allies to aid them in Sauron's quest for domination. The [[Easterlings]] were a highly cultured and more advanced race (than the Orcs) who used deadly swords and pikes. They had finer quality weapons and armor, as well as better-trained soldiers. In a sense, they were more of the elite infantry of Mordor. The [[Haradrim]] used bows; far superior to Orc bows, they could deal some heavy damage to enemy units before being killed, even ones on horseback. The [[Haradrim]] also had oliphaunts, huge, elephant-like beast which are like a walking tower which could deal huge damage to the infantry. |
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| − | They either shot their deadly bows on the ground or on top of a [[Mumakil|Mûmak]]. Mumakil were elephant-like creatures that could trample many in their path; little could contend against them. |
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| − | The other allies were the [[Variags]] of Khand, and of course, the [[Corsairs of Umbar]], who had the longest history of War with [[Gondor]], out of all the Allies. |
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| − | ===Captains and Champions=== |
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| − | Mordor had some very powerful captains that fueled the wave of darkness towards the fall of Middle-earth. The [[Nazgûl]] were deadly shadow-wraiths that could spread terror in their foes and were Sauron's primary captains. The [[Mouth of Sauron]] was a Black Numenorean sorcerer who served as Sauron's ambassador. Gothmog was the "lieutenant" of Minas Morgul, and took over after the Witch-King was struck down at the [[Pelennor Fields]]. Gothmog in the movies was a different type of orc and was somewhat smarter than the rest, and he is climacticly slain by Gimli, Aragorn, and [[Éowyn]]. |
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| − | Grishnákh was a captain of [[Barad-dûr]], and he led the Orc-band from Mordor that was to meet Saruman's Uruk band that had [[Merry]] and [[Pippin]]. In those scenes, there are skirmishes between Grishnákh authority and Ugluk's, who will only follow Saruman's rule, not Sauron's. The Orc-band from Mordor was mostly made up of [[snaga]]e. |
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| − | Other Orc captains, such as [[Shagrat]] and [[Gorbag]], kept their unruly underlings in line—but required strong leadership themselves lest they go "rogue." Shagrat was a Black Uruk, loyal to Sauron, while Gorbag was from Minas Morgul, and the two had, or at least caused, a big fight at Cirith Ungol, which ended up in all its inhabitants and soldiers were killed, although Shagrat successfully got away with Frodo's mithril under-armor, and he brought it to [[Barad-dûr]], to [[Sauron]], who gave it to the [[Mouth of Sauron]], who later rode to the Morannon to meet the Host. There, he used the vest for evidence that [[Frodo]] was abducted, which he would have been, if it weren't for [[Sam]] from the Shire. |
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| − | ==Translations around the World== |
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| − | |Amharic |
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| − | |Belarusian Cyrillic |
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| − | |Мордор |
+ | |Мордор |
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| + | |မေမော်ဒေါ |
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| − | |မောရ္ဒောရ္ |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Latest revision as of 21:54, 29 February 2024
Mordor was a black, volcanic plain in the southeast of Middle-earth to the east of Gondor, Ithilien, and the great river Anduin. Mordor was chosen by Sauron as his realm because of the mountain ranges surrounding it on three sides, creating a natural fortress against his enemies preventing them from easily invading it.
Geography
Mordor was protected from three sides by large mountain ranges, arranged roughly in a rectangular manner: the Ered Lithui ('Ash Mountains') in the north, and Ephel Dúath ('Mountains of Shadow') in the west and south. In the northwest corner of Mordor the deep valley of Udûn was one of the few entrances for large armies. Guarding the entrance was the Black Gate of Mordor. In front of the Black Gate lay the Dagorlad or the Battle Plain. Sauron's main fortress of Barad-dûr sat at the end of a spur of the Ered Lithui. To the southwest of Barad-dûr lay the arid Plateau of Gorgoroth and Mount Doom; to the east lay the plain of Lithlad. Mordor's geography was excellent for defense against enemies attacking on all fronts, for nearly un-scalable mountains defended Mordor on three sides, while the broken, jagged land of Gorgoroth and Núrn would greatly impede any army that managed to break through.
Barad-dûr and its surroundings, depicted by Roger Garland
Mordor's dry and blasted geography would also be extremely unfriendly to any army bivouacked on the plains, forcing a withdrawal within days (unless they have stores sufficient for months). The only other paths for armies to cross into Mordor from the west, over the Ephel Dúath were the Morgul Pass and the pass of Cirith Ungol. Isildur originally built the city of Minas Ithil to guard the western end of both passes from any threat from Mordor, but in the Third Age the population of the city waned and it was conquered by the Nazgûl. It became the home of the Ringwraiths and was renamed Minas Morgul, and was thereafter a great stronghold of evil, ever at war with Gondor to the west until the end of the War of the Ring. To escape the vigilance of Morgul, to enter Mordor one would still have to get past the lair of Shelob, and the Tower of Cirith Ungol- a feat only Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee (led by Gollum) ever accomplished - though not without being waylaid by the great fearsome spider Shelob, and Frodo being taken prisoner to the Tower of Cirith Ungol.
The southern part of Mordor, called Núrn, was slightly more fertile, and watered enough to hold the inland Sea of Núrnen. Nurn was made somewhat fertile because the ash blown from Mount Doom left its soil nutrient-rich, thus allowing dry-land farming.
To the west of Mordor was the narrow land of Ithilien with the city of Osgiliath and the great river Anduin, while directly east of it was Rhûn, and to the southeast, Khand.
Mount Doom and the Dark Tower
The east of Mordor is by far the least mentioned of any of Mordor's geographic notes and descriptions. One might assume that the easiest route to Mount Doom would be for the Fellowship to journey through the 'unguarded' section in the east, which no mountains obstructed. However, it would have been difficult to pass unnoticed, because the many roads running from Mordor into Rhûn were often marched along by Easterlings entering Mordor or patrolling the roads and borders.
Mountains and passes
- Mount Doom (Orodruin, where Frodo cast the Ring and destroyed it)
- Cirith Ungol
- Morgul Pass
- Cirith Gorgor
Regions
- Plateau of Gorgoroth
- Udûn
- Lithlad
- Núrn (surrounding the Sea of Núrnen)
- Morgul Vale (source of the Morgulduin river)
Named Orc-holds
- Barad-dûr (Capital and seat of the Dark Lord Sauron)
- Durthang
- Isenmouthe
- Minas Morgul (home of the Nazgûl, including the Witch-king)
- Black Gate
- Towers of the Teeth
- Tower of Cirith Ungol
History
Sauron looking over the Orc Army of Gorgoroth
Early history
Mount Doom was created by Morgoth during the First Age.[2] In unknown moment of First Age, perhaps shortly around the War of Wrath, Shelob left the Nan Dungortheb and settled there with her offspring. Sauron settled in Mordor 1,000 years after the end of the First Age, and it remained the centre of his power for the whole of the Second Age and again at the end of the Third Age of Middle-earth. In the north-western corner of this land stood Mount Doom, where Sauron had forged the One Ring. Near Mount Doom stood Sauron's stronghold Barad-dûr. After this time, Sauron was known as the Dark Lord of Mordor.
For two and a half thousand years, Sauron ruled Mordor uninterruptedly. Having wrought the Ring, it was from there that he launched the attack upon the Elves of Eregion in the War of the Elves and Sauron. He was repelled by the Men of Númenor. He later opposed Númenor, but such was their power that his own servants deserted him and he was captured by the Númenóreans and brought to their island kingdom, eventually causing its destruction (see the Downfall of Númenor). Immediately after Númenor's destruction, Sauron returned to Mordor as a spirit and resumed his rule.
The Last Alliance and Third Age
The battle of the Siege of Barad-dûr in The Return of the King film
Sauron's rule was interrupted again when his efforts to destroy Gondor failed; his forces were driven back and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men formed to oppose him. After the Battle of Dagorlad the army of the Last Alliance entered Mordor and besieged the Barad-dûr for seven years. Eventually Sauron came forth and was defeated in a final battle on the slopes of Mount Doom. For about 1600 years, Mordor was guarded by Gondor in order to prevent evil from returning. The Towers of the Teeth, Durthang and the Tower of Cirith Ungol were built by Gondor to watch the major entry points to the dark land. Gorgoroth during this time was desolate, with the Barad-dûr levelled down to its foundations.
However following the Great Plague in TA 1636 the watch on Mordor failed and evil began to creep back in. Sauron eventually used the Wainriders to distract and weaken Gondor, and the Nazgûl re-entered in TA 1980. They reclaimed Mordor and started to rebuild its might. Minas Ithil was conquered by the Nine Ringwraiths in TA 2002 and Gondor's abandoned fortresses were occupied by evil creatures. By the time Sauron returned to Mordor in TA 2942 after his false defeat at Dol Guldur (in the events that took place at the time of Bilbo Baggins's quest), Mordor was too strong to be captured by any military might that was available in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. Sauron declared himself openly in TA 2951 and Mount Doom burst into flame three years later.
Sauron's vast army crossing the Gorgoroth
War of the Ring
In the War of the Ring, Sauron gathered all his forces to Mordor. In the north were great garrisons and forges of war, while surrounding the bitter inland Sea of Núrnen to the south lay the vast fields of Núrn tended for the provision of the armies by hordes of slaves brought in from lands to the east and south. After the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the Army of the West marched to the Black Gate. Sauron sent his army to destroy the Men of Gondor and Rohan at the Battle of the Black Gate, but then Frodo Baggins destroyed the One Ring and Mordor fell. Sauron's power was destroyed, sending shock waves through the air and ground. The Dark Tower of Barad-dûr, the Black Gate and the Towers of Teeth collapsed into ruin. Mount Doom erupted and both Sauron and his Ringwraiths were destroyed. The shadows dissipated and Aragorn II gave a land to Sauron's slaves. It is untold what became of the remaining Orc-holds.
Formation
Mordor's location in Middle-earth
In The Atlas of Middle-earth, Karen Wynn Fonstad assumes that the lands of Mordor and Khand lay where the inland Sea of Helcar had been, and that the Sea of Rhûn and Sea of Núrnen were its remnants. In particular, she suggested that the uplift of the Plateau of Gorgoroth was closely related to the formation of Mount Doom and that the Ephel Dúath formed as a result of a tectonic uplift caused by the cataclysms of the War of Wrath.[3][4] However, in The Peoples of Middle-earth, the 12th volume of The History of Middle-earth, that was published after the Atlas, is stated that at least Mount Doom was created by Morgoth during the First Age, so before the draining of the Sea of Helcar. Also the name Mordor was given already before Sauron settled there.[5]
Languages and people
At the time of the War of the Ring, Sauron had gathered great armies to serve him. These included enslaved Men of the East and the South, who spoke a variety of tongues, and Orcs and Trolls, who usually spoke a debased form of the Common Speech. But within Barad-dûr and among the captains of Mordor (the Ringwraiths and other high-ranking servants such as the Mouth of Sauron), the Black Speech was still used, the language devised by Sauron during the Dark Years of the Second Age. In addition to ordinary Orcs and Trolls, Sauron had bred a stronger strain of Orcs, the Black Uruks, and very large Trolls known as Olog-hai who could endure the sun. The Olog-hai knew only the Black Speech.
Etymology
Mordor has two meanings: The Black Land or The Dark Land in Tolkien's contrived language Sindarin, and The Land of Shadow in Quenya. The root mor ("dark", "black") also appears in Moria. Dor ("land") also appears in Gondor ("stone-land") and Doriath ("fenced land"). The Quenya word for Shadow is "mordo". It is pronounced with a Russian-sounding r. The gate of Mordor, Morannon, means Black Gate. It was named this by the Elves in the Second Age.
A proposed etymology out of the context of Middle-earth is Old English morthor, which means "mortal sin" or "murder". (The latter are descended from the former.) It is not uncommon for names in Tolkien's fiction to have relevant meanings in several languages, both those invented by Tolkien, and "real" ones, but this of course happens with any two languages. Mordor is also a name cited in some Nordic mythologies referring to a land where its citizens practice evil without knowing it, imposed on themselves by the society long created for that purpose. This quite fits with Tolkien's Mordor.
In adaptations
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
In Amazon Studios' series The Rings of Power, Mordor and some of the areas around it in southern Rhovanion had been called the Southlands before the making of the Rings of Power and the One Ring. The geographic bounds of the Southlands are not yet specified, but are implied to encompass at least some of Mordor. The characters Bronwyn, Theo, Rowan, Tredwill, Waldreg, and Halbrand are among the lands' inhabitants.
Season One
The villages of Tirharad and Hordern, and the original home of Halbrand, are in the Southlands. The Elf Arondir and his company are first seen stationed in Tirharad.
In episode three, "Adar", Galadriel discovers at Númenor's Hall of Lore that the sigil of Sauron she had seen in various places was, apparently, a small, abstract map of the Southlands, suggesting to her that Sauron had chosen that land to reestablish his presence, in some capacity. The Trenches, the Orc-hold to which Arondir, Revion, and Médhor are taken, is also in the Southlands, likely west of the Ephel Duath. Magrot, an Orc taskmaster, and Adar himself reside there.
In the end of episode six, Waldreg uses the Orc Sigil Hilt as a key to open a dam. The water flows through tunnels dug by the orcs shown in the prior episodes towards an inactive volcano. When the water hits the underground lavapit, it causes the volcano to erupt, turning the Southlands into an ashen wasteland. It turns out, the volcano is mount Doom and the desolated Southlands are now renamed Mordor.
Translations
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Amharic | ሞርዶር |
| Arabic | موردور |
| Armenian | Մորդոր |
| Belarusian Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Bengali | মর্ডোর |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Burmese | မေမော်ဒေါ |
| Catalan | Mórdor |
| Chinese (Hong Kong) | 魔多 |
| Danish | Mordor ("Det Mørke Land") |
| Georgian | მორდორი |
| Greek | Μόρντορ |
| Gujarati | મોર્દોર |
| Hebrew | מורדור |
| Hindi | मोर्दोर |
| Japanese | モルドール |
| Kannada | ಮೊರ್ಡೊರ್ |
| Kazakh | Мордор (Cyrillic) Mordor (Latin) |
| Korean | 모르도르 |
| Kyrgyz Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Laotian | ມໂຣດໂຣ |
| Macedonian Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Marathi | मोर्दोर |
| Mongolian Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Nepalese | मोर्दोर |
| New Balaybalan | Alem-eb Quzrak |
| Pashto | موردور ? |
| Persian | موردور |
| Punjabi | ਮੋਰ੍ਦੋਰ |
| Russian | Мордор |
| Sanskrit | मोर्दोर् |
| Serbian | Мордор (Cyrillic) Mordor (Latin) |
| Sinhalese | මොර්දොර් |
| Slovene | Mordor |
| Tajik Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Tamil | மொர்தொர் |
| Telugu | మొర్దొర |
| Thai | มอร์ดอร์ |
| Ukrainian Cyrillic | Мордор |
| Urdu | مورداور |
| Uzbek | Мордор (Cyrillic) Mordor (Latin) |
| Yiddish | מאָרדאָר |
|
Places of Middle-earth and Arda
Middle-earth Locations:
Provinces/Regions: Arnor | Dunland | Ettenmoors | Forochel | Forodwaith | Gondor | Harad | Ithilien | Khand | Lindon | Minhiriath | Mordor | Rhovanion | Rhûn | Rivendell | Rohan | The Shire Forests & Mountains: Amon Dîn | Amon Hen | Amon Lhaw | Caradhras | Emyn Muil | Erebor | Fangorn Forest | High Pass | Iron Hills | Lórien | Mirkwood | Mount Doom | Mount Gundabad | Old Forest | Orod-na-Thôn | Tower Hills | Weathertop Hill City/Fortifications: Angband | Barad-dûr | Bree | Caras Galadhon | Dol Guldur | Fornost Erain | Hornburg | Isengard | Minas Morgul | Minas Tirith | Last Homely House | Tower of Amon Sûl | Tower of Orthanc | Osgiliath | Umbar | Utumno Miscellaneous: Argonath | Astulat | Buckland | Cair Andros | Dagorlad | Dead Marshes | Enedwaith | Fords of Isen | Gap of Rohan | Grey Havens The rest of Arda:
Aman | Burnt Land of the Sun | Dark Land | Empty Lands | Neldoreth | New lands | Númenor | Tol Eressëa |
References
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands), "The Second Age"
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, vol: 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth, XIII: "Last Writings", pg. 390 (note 14)
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Second Age, "Introduction"
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 12 The Peoples of Middle-earth, ch. XIII Last Writings