Black Númenóreans
Encyclopedia
In author J. R. R. Tolkien
's fictional world of Arda
, the Black Númenóreans are mentioned briefly at several points in both his published and unpublished writings, as one of many peoples and races inhabiting his Middle-Earth
setting.
They were described as men of Númenórean descent that had founded and dwelt in Umbar
as well as several other unnamed coastal locations further south and east. Although for a millenia following the sinking of Númenór the Black Númenóreans posed a threat to Gondor
, their power continually diminished whilst that of their antagonists grew. Despite this, descendants of the Black Númenóreans lingered on in Middle-Earth even as late as the end of the Third Age
.
"), made most of the Númenóreans envious of the immortal Elves
, or Eldar. The Eldar sought ever to remind the men of Númenor that death was a gift from Ilúvatar to all Men, and that to lose faith in Ilúvatar would be heretical.
Nevertheless, after when Tar-Ancalimon became King of Númenor, the people became divided. The "King's Men", the larger party, "grew proud and were estranged from the Valar
and the Eldar."
They became increasingly predisposed to the corruption of Sauron
, who, once arrived in Númenor, was able to dominate the will of most of the Númenóreans with the One Ring
.
In Númenor's last years, the powerful but elderly King Ar-Pharazôn, who had become "frightened of old age", was persuaded by Sauron that Ilúvatar was a lie invented by the Valar, and seduced him to the worship of Melkor
, first in secret and then openly. Within Númenor, the majority followed suit, and this worship was carried across the ocean to Númenor's colonies in Middle-earth.
The remnant of the King's Men who survived in Middle-earth after the destruction of Númenor were called the Black Númenóreans since they worshipped Sauron and were "enamoured of evil knowledge". They worshipped Darkness, and believed that Melkor and Sauron were its most powerful servants. At the end of the Second Age two of their number, Herumor and Fuinur became lords among the Haradrim, though what became of them is unknown.
A small fleet of Númenóreans who had refused to disavow Ilúvatar also escaped the destruction of their homeland, and Elendil
, their leader, subsequently established the kingdoms of Arnor
and Gondor in Middle-earth, areas largely populated by Númenóreans or people partly akin to them. Against these the Black Númenóreans remained antagonistic.
, where a Black Númenórean aristocracy survived for a thousand years, exerting strong influence over Haradwaith. Tolkien writes that their race became mixed with lesser men, and "quickly dwindled".
Gondor fought frequently against Umbar and their allies. King Tarannon Falastur of Gondor (9th century of the Third Age
) evidently attempted a diplomatic alliance by marrying the Black Númenórean Berúthiel
. She, however, dabbled in the black arts, and theirs was a loveless match; so Tarannon sent her on a ship back to the south.
Gondor finally captured Umbar in . Although Gondor held Umbar for about 500 years, the Black Númenóreans continued for a while to stir up the Southrons against Umbar and Gondor. After Gondor's significant victory against the Haradrim in , the Black Númenóreans faded from history. As time went on, "some were given over wholly to idleness and ease, and some fought amongst themselves, until they became conquered in their weakness by the wild men."
Gondor lost control of Umbar at the end of the Kin-strife in , when rebels from Gondor, led by descendants of the usurper Castamir, seized the port. The rebels became known as the Corsairs of Umbar
, and while not themselves Black Númenóreans, they inherited their hatred, and later allied themselves with the Haradrim, and later still with Sauron, against Gondor.
The influence of the Black Númenóreans persisted for centuries. The proud monument at Umbar commemorating Ar-Pharazôn's defeat of Sauron stood until some unspecified date late in the Third Age, when it was finally torn down; and the Mouth of Sauron
, as late as the War of the Ring, was of their race.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's fictional world of Arda
Arda
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Arda is the name given to the Earth in a period of prehistory, wherein the places mentioned in The Lord of the Rings and related material once existed...
, the Black Númenóreans are mentioned briefly at several points in both his published and unpublished writings, as one of many peoples and races inhabiting his Middle-Earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
setting.
They were described as men of Númenórean descent that had founded and dwelt in Umbar
Umbar
Umbar is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. It was a great haven and seaport to the far south of Gondor in Middle-earth.'Umbar' was a name—of unknown meaning—given to the area by its original inhabitants...
as well as several other unnamed coastal locations further south and east. Although for a millenia following the sinking of Númenór the Black Númenóreans posed a threat to Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
, their power continually diminished whilst that of their antagonists grew. Despite this, descendants of the Black Númenóreans lingered on in Middle-Earth even as late as the end of the Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
.
Origins
The Númenóreans, as their power and knowledge grew throughout the course of the Second Age, became increasingly preoccupied with their mortality, the purpose of which they began to question. Their growing wish to escape death, "the doom of Men" (formerly called "the Gift of MenGift of Men
The Gift of Men in Middle-earth refers to a gift of Ilúvatar to his Younger Children, which remains a source of some confusion for Tolkien enthusiasts. The concept includes both mortality and free will...
"), made most of the Númenóreans envious of the immortal Elves
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
, or Eldar. The Eldar sought ever to remind the men of Númenor that death was a gift from Ilúvatar to all Men, and that to lose faith in Ilúvatar would be heretical.
Nevertheless, after when Tar-Ancalimon became King of Númenor, the people became divided. The "King's Men", the larger party, "grew proud and were estranged from the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
and the Eldar."
They became increasingly predisposed to the corruption of Sauron
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
, who, once arrived in Númenor, was able to dominate the will of most of the Númenóreans with the One Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
.
In Númenor's last years, the powerful but elderly King Ar-Pharazôn, who had become "frightened of old age", was persuaded by Sauron that Ilúvatar was a lie invented by the Valar, and seduced him to the worship of Melkor
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
, first in secret and then openly. Within Númenor, the majority followed suit, and this worship was carried across the ocean to Númenor's colonies in Middle-earth.
The remnant of the King's Men who survived in Middle-earth after the destruction of Númenor were called the Black Númenóreans since they worshipped Sauron and were "enamoured of evil knowledge". They worshipped Darkness, and believed that Melkor and Sauron were its most powerful servants. At the end of the Second Age two of their number, Herumor and Fuinur became lords among the Haradrim, though what became of them is unknown.
A small fleet of Númenóreans who had refused to disavow Ilúvatar also escaped the destruction of their homeland, and Elendil
Elendil
Elendil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, their leader, subsequently established the kingdoms of Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
and Gondor in Middle-earth, areas largely populated by Númenóreans or people partly akin to them. Against these the Black Númenóreans remained antagonistic.
Umbar
For many centuries after the Downfall of Númenor, Black Númenóreans held on to the southernmost colonies of Númenor. The nearest to Gondor was UmbarUmbar
Umbar is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. It was a great haven and seaport to the far south of Gondor in Middle-earth.'Umbar' was a name—of unknown meaning—given to the area by its original inhabitants...
, where a Black Númenórean aristocracy survived for a thousand years, exerting strong influence over Haradwaith. Tolkien writes that their race became mixed with lesser men, and "quickly dwindled".
Gondor fought frequently against Umbar and their allies. King Tarannon Falastur of Gondor (9th century of the Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
) evidently attempted a diplomatic alliance by marrying the Black Númenórean Berúthiel
Queen Berúthiel
Queen Berúthiel is a minor fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium.Berúthiel was first mentioned in Unfinished Tales. She was of Black Númenórean origin, from "the inland city", somewhere south of Umbar. Her marriage to Tarannon Falastur is believed to have been arranged for political...
. She, however, dabbled in the black arts, and theirs was a loveless match; so Tarannon sent her on a ship back to the south.
Gondor finally captured Umbar in . Although Gondor held Umbar for about 500 years, the Black Númenóreans continued for a while to stir up the Southrons against Umbar and Gondor. After Gondor's significant victory against the Haradrim in , the Black Númenóreans faded from history. As time went on, "some were given over wholly to idleness and ease, and some fought amongst themselves, until they became conquered in their weakness by the wild men."
Gondor lost control of Umbar at the end of the Kin-strife in , when rebels from Gondor, led by descendants of the usurper Castamir, seized the port. The rebels became known as the Corsairs of Umbar
Corsairs of Umbar
The Corsairs of Umbar were a fleet of Men of Umbar in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, allied to Sauron in his war against Gondor.-Literature:...
, and while not themselves Black Númenóreans, they inherited their hatred, and later allied themselves with the Haradrim, and later still with Sauron, against Gondor.
The influence of the Black Númenóreans persisted for centuries. The proud monument at Umbar commemorating Ar-Pharazôn's defeat of Sauron stood until some unspecified date late in the Third Age, when it was finally torn down; and the Mouth of Sauron
Mouth of Sauron
The Mouth of Sauron is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings — specifically in the chapter "The Black Gate Opens" in the third volume, The Return of the King — as the chief emissary of Sauron.He belonged to the race of the Black...
, as late as the War of the Ring, was of their race.