The Downfall of Númenor (Second Age 3261 -3319)
This post is a part of our Book Club reading of The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth: January - April 2023
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The Fall of Númenor Part Eight
The Downfall of Númenor: "Ar-Pharazôn sets sail and lands at Umbar" through "Ar-Pharazôn assails Vailnor…" (pg. 173 - 193)
Almost all of this section comes directly from Akallabêth, which is published within The Silmarillion.
3261: Ar-Pharazôn sets sail and lands at Umbar.
“Now Sauron knowing of the dissension in Númenor thought how he might use it to achieve his revenge.”
Sauron began to bait the Númenórean king’s wrath by assailing the areas of Middle-earth under Númenor’s dominion. Sauron gave himself the title King of Men which enraged Pharazôn, who in his pride had determined that he himself should claim this title.
Pharazôn prepared to war against Sauron and sailed to Umbar. When they arrived, Pharazôn and his men marched for seven days deeper into Middle-earth, where they commanded Sauron to come before him and swear fealty. In this time, Sauron surrendered and humbled himself before Pharazôn. Pharazôn brought Sauron back to Númenor as a hostage.
“And Sauron came.”
3262: Sauron is taken as a prisoner to Númenor.
3262-3310: Sauron seduces the King and corrupts the Númenóreans.
Sauron went gladly to Númenor, bringing with him his envy and hatred of the Númenóreans. There, he continued to scheme for the downfall of Númenor from within the island itself. He soon became the closest of the King’s advisors, and he contradicted and undermined the teachings of the Valar and the Eldar
Sauron taught the Men of Númenor that there were many lands which may be conquered, and that even beyond that there lay an Ancient Darkness; he told Pharazôn that Melkor was the Lord of Darkness, that the Valar had deceived them in teaching of Eru, and that Melkor alone would give them freedom from these lies. In this time, Pharazôn turned to the worship of the Dark. He did this in secret, at first, but then openly.
Amandil was the chief of the Faithful and dwelt in Rómenna with his son Elendil. Amandil had been close with the King and remained in his counsel until the coming of Sauron.
Sauron urged Pharazôn to cut down the white tree (Nimloth the Fair), though he hesitated. Isildur, son of Elendil, rescued a fruit which hung upon Nimloth. He nearly died in doing so. After this, the King yielded to Sauron and Nimloth was cut down.
Sauron commissioned a temple to be built in Armenelos where sacrifices were burnt for Melkor. The first sacrifice to be burnt was the wood of Nimloth. From this time on, human sacrifices began in Númenor. Death, sickness, and madness flourished throughout Númenor. All-around societal and cultural decline occurs in this time. Despite this, the Númenóreans felt that they prospered — under Sauron’s dominion they became more powerful but evermore wretched.
The Númenóreans began to hunt and enslave the men of Middle-earth.
“Thus Ar-Pharazôn, King of the Land of the Star, grew to the mightiest tyrant that had yet been seen in the world since the reign of Morgoth, though in truth Sauron ruled all from behind the throne.” - Akallabêth
As Pharazôn’s life waned and he was faced evermore with his mortality, Sauron saw that the time was right to offer him one final temptation. He suggested that he should claim the undying life and lands of the Valar.
3310: Ar-Pharazôn begins building of the Great Armament
In this time, Pharazôn prepared an armament to assail the Valar. Amandil was filled with dread and formed a plan in which he might plead before the Valar in the same manner as Eӓrendil. Amandil then departed in secret to sail towards Valinor, charging Elendil to ready his ships to prepare for flight from Númenor.
“For there is but one loyalty from which no man can be absolved in heart for any cause. But it is for mercy upon Me and their deliverance from Sauron the Deceiver that I would plead, since some at least have remained faithful…”
3319: Ar-Pharazôn assails Vailnor. Downfall of Númenor. Elendil and his sons escape.
The Númenóreans prepared to make their assault upon Valinor. In this time, the Eagles of the Lords of the West came as a warning, along with great storms and lightning. Pharazôn hardened his heart along with most of the Númenóreans.
When lightning smote the temple of Melkor, Sauron was unharmed by the lightning, and the Númenóreans took this as a sign that he was a god.
The King prepared the fleets of Númenor, and they readied themselves for battle against the Valar. Sauron withdrew into the Temple where he continued to make human sacrifices to Melkor.
Ar-Pharazôn led the fleets of the Númenóreans to Aman, where he stepped foot on the shores of the Blessed Realm.
In this time, the Valar relinquished their dominion of Arda for a time, and Ilúvatar stepped in. All the fleets of Númenor were swallowed up into the abyss. All who had set foot upon the shores of Aman were buried under falling hills. Lands were destroyed, and new lands were formed; the geography of Arda was completely changed after this.
The Blessed Realm and Eressëa were removed, and Númenor was swallowed into the sea. Elendil and his sons were saved, for they had stayed in Rómenna. They came to Middle-earth.
Sauron fell, as he laughed, into the abyss. He was not mortal and could not die, but he was unable to return to his physical form after this. His spirit remained and fled back to Mordor, taking up his great Ring. It is said that the summit of the Meneltarma, the Pillar of Heaven, remained as an island. After the downfall of Númenor, the world was made round (whereas it had been flat).
