War of the Elves and Sauron

The War of Sauron and the Elves was the first conflict with Sauron acting as the Dark Lord, dating back to the middle of the Second Age. It was fought in Eriador before Sauron was driven back through Enedhwaith and back to Mordor, from where he continued to hold Calenardhon and much of Rhun and Harad for the rest of the Second Age.

## Background

In SA 1200, under his guise as Annatar, Sauron befriended the Elves of Eregion, and by SA 1500, he instructed them in the making of Rings of Power, and then secretly constructed a Ruling Ring of his own to enslave the bearers of the Rings. Unknown to him, Celebrimbor had made Three Rings for the Elf-lords on his own, so that when Sauron took up his own Ring, he couldn't control the Elf ringbearers, and Celebrimbor could sense him and see through his guise.

## History

### Sack of Eregion

What he could not control by subtlety, Sauron resolved to destroy by force, and so began the War of the Elves and Sauron. Emerging with an army from Mordor in SA 1695, Sauron crossed the Enedhwaith and attacked Eregion. At first, Sauron's victories came quickly, as over the next six years, he succesfully overran Eriador, and Eregion was destroyed.

The Elves of Eregion did not stand alone against Sauron. From Lindon, Gil-galad sent a force commanded by Elrond to lend them aid. Before Elrond could come to Eregion, the Dark Lord demanded that the Rings of Power be turned over to him, and when he was refused he brought his full force against Eregion. In S.A. 1697, Ost-in-Edhil fell, with Celebrimbor himself leading a last desperate defence on the steps of the Jewel-smiths' guild house and taken captive by the Orcs. Having claimed 14 or 15 out of 19 Rings of Power, Sauron interrogated him for the locations of the others. He was then shot through with Orc-arrows and used as a banner as he turned to face Elrond's army approaching from the north.

### First siege of Imladris

Sauron laid waste the land of Eregion, bringing an end to its people and burning much of the holly-tree forests that gave the land its name. The surviving Elves of Eregion seem to have scattered. Some fled northward to join Elrond's host, and that host was itself forced into retreat, eventually founding Rivendell as a forward outpost, which was besieged by Sauron. Many more refugees joined Elrond's host as Sauron ravaged Eriador during the course of the war.

Still, other survivors escaped into Khazad-dûm and were granted passage by their friends the Dwarves, coming eventually through the Mountains to the woodlands of Lórien. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm indeed did more than simply allow the Elves to pass through their mansions; they went out against Sauron's armies along with a force of Galadhrim under Amroth.

Preoccupied with this attack on his rear, Sauron did not immediately pursue Elrond. Once they were driven back into Khazad-dûm and the gates were shut (with Sauron incapable of breaching them) the Dark Lord sought to overrun all of Eriador. While Sauron sent most of his army west to attack Lindon he had to leave a strong detachment behind to contain Elrond.

### Numenorean Intervention and the Battle of Gwathlo

With Sauron ruling Eriador as far as the Lhun, the Numenoreans (who had a haven in nearby Lond Daer) debated whether or not to intervene. Eventually, a great navy appeared in Lindon, carrying the forces of Númenor sent by King Tar-Minastir. Pushing the Orcs to Sarn Ford and then further back to Tharbad, the joint forces of Numenor and Lindon pursued Sauron, who was joined by fresh forces. However, the Numenorean admiral Ciryatur arrived from Lond Daer with additional troops which decimated Sauron's forces in the Battle of Gwathlo in SA 1701. Sauron and his small remaining forces fled across the Isen but were caught in eastern Calenardhon, and Sauron escaped to Mordor himself.

## Aftermath

So Eriador was saved, but Celebrimbor's kingdom of Eregion had been wiped out, and a great many of the Rings of Power had fallen into the hands of Sauron. In his retreat, Sauron initiated a scorched earth policy which destroyed much of the forests of Eriador and Enedhwaith. Sauron continued to hold Calenardhon and much of Rhovanion, Rhun and Harad until the end of the Second Age.

Given the devastation of Eregion, it was decided that Imladris should become the new Elvish stronghold in eastern Eriador. In recognition of his efforts, Gil-galad bestowed the ring Vilya upon Elrond at this time and made him his vice-regent.