Chronology For Tolkien's Four Ages
Michael Martinez
Lately, I've been tossing out some dates for the First Age without explaining
where they come from. By and large, I've gotten them from THE WAR OF THE
JEWELS, the eleventh volume of THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH.
The dating of many of these events is uncertain, and for the last 100 years or
so things get very tangled and complex. I have two years for each of several
events (such as the destruction of Arvernien by the Feanorians -- 534 and
538).
Someday I hope to work up a "complete" chronology for the First Age and work
out the inconsistencies, either by noting them or offering arguments in favor
of whatever dates I select.
Nonetheless, I thought I'd toss out an "absolute" chronology for the Years of
the Sun (very incomplete, I assure you), since a lot of people seem interested
in the time-span of the various cultures and individuals.
The First Age lasted about 590 years. It is explicitly stated in at least one
place that it lasted this long.
The War of Wrath lasted from 545 to 587 and the Elves spent three years
building ships in which to sail to Valinor.
We know that Elros died in SA 442 at the age of 500, so he and Elrond (twins)
were born in FA 532.
Allrighty, then! Here's the chronology. I will use the following
abbreviations:
FA -- First Age
SA -- Second Age
TA -- Third Age
FO -- Fourth Age
AYS -- Absolute Years of the Sun
Dating By Age AYS
------------- -----------------------------------------------
FA 1 1 Fingolfin enters Hithlum.
FA 7 7 Fingolfin becomes High King of
the Noldor-in-Exile in Hithlum.
FA 20 20 Mereth Aderthad.
c.FA 51 51 About this time, Finrod establishes
the Kingdom of Nargothrond.
FA 60 60 Dagor Aglareb.
FA 65 65 Finrod rebuilds Eglarest and Brithombar.
FA 104 104 Turgon settles in Gondolin.
FA 260 260 Glaurung first appears and is wounded
by Fingon and his archers.
FA 310 310 Finrod meets Beor and the First House
of the Edain (the Beorians). Beor's
people settle in Estolad.
FA 311 311 The Haladin enter Ossiriand but move
north and settle in Dor Caranthir.
FA 314 314 The Marachians enter Beleriand and
settle in Estolad.
c.FA 315 315 Fingolfin sends messengers to welcome
the Edain to Beleriand.
FA 365 365 Council of the Edain is held in Estolad.
Many Marachians return to Eriador. Many
Beorians migrate south.
FA 375 375 The Haladin are nearly destroyed by Orcs.
Haleth leads them to Estolad.
c.FA 380 380 About this time, the Haladin settle in
the forest of Brethil.
FA 410 410 Finrod makes Boromir, great-grandson of
Beor, Lord of Ladros.
c.FA 420 420 Fingolfin makes Hador Lord of Dor-lomin
and most of the Marachians settle there.
FA 455 455 Dagor Bragollach. Fingon becomes High
King of the Noldor-in-Exile. Many
Marachians and Beorians flee Estolad
and return to Eriador. Barahir becomes
Lord of Ladros. Most of the Beorians
flee to Dor-Lomin.
c.FA 457 457 About this time the last of the Beorians
flee Ladros and Barahir becomes an outlaw.
c.FA 460 460 About this time the Swarthy Men first enter
Beleriand. The Folk of Bor settle north
of Himring and the Folk of Ulfang settle
in Thargelion.
FA 473 473 Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Ereinion
Turgon becomes High King of
the Noldor-in-Exile.
FA 474 474 Brithombar and Eglarest are taken. Cirdan
and Ereinion settle on Balar.
FA 484 484 Turin flees Doriath.
FA 495 495 Battle of Tumhalad. Nargothrond is
destroyed by Glaurung.
FA 499 499 Turin slays Glaurung and then himself.
FA 500 500 Morgoth frees Hurin. Hurin visits
Brethil.
FA 504 504 Beren and Luthien pass away.
c.FA 506 506 Doriath destroyed by the Feanorians.
FA 510 510 Gondolin is destroyed. Ereinion Gil-
galad becomes High King of the Noldor-
in-exile.
FA 532 532 Elrond and Elros are born in Arvernien.
c.FA 538 538 Arvernien destroyed by the Feanorians.
Elrond and Elros fostered by Maglor.
FA 545 545 The War of Wrath begins.
FA 587 587 Breaking of Thangorodrim. Elrond (and
Elros?) present at the battle.
FA 590 590 Many Eldar leave Middle-earth.
SA 1 591 Cirdan establishes Mithlond. Gil-galad
establishes Forlond. Celeborn establishes
Harlond?
SA 32 622 Cirdan's mariners take the Edain to the
isle of Elenna (Numenor).
SA 40 630 Latest probable date for founding of
Edhellond.
SA 442 1032 Elros Tar-Minyatur dies in Numenor.
SA 500 1090 By this time, many Sindar and Noldor have
migrated eastward and Oropher and Amdir
have probably established their kingdoms
among the Silvan Elves.
SA 600 1190 Veantur the Numenorean sails to Middle-
earth. Gil-galad arranges for him to
meet with Edainic men from Eriador.
SA 700 1290 Many Noldor and some Sindar settle in
Eregion.
SA 725 1315 Veantur brings Aldarion to Middle-earth.
c.SA 750 1340 Ost-in-Edhil is founded.
SA 882 1472 Gil-galad writes to Tar-Meneldur to ask
him for aid against the growing darkness.
c.SA 1000 1590 About this time, Sauron settles in Mordor
and begins the building of the Barad-dur.
SA 1075 1665 Numenor abandons Tar-Aldarion's works in
Middle-earth.
c.SA 1200 1790 About this time, Gil-galad refuses to
let Annatar enter Lindon. He sends
emmissaries to other Elvish lands to
warn the Elves against befriending Annatar.
Annatar settles in Eregion.
c.SA 1300 1890 For the next two hundred years or so, some
Eldar leave Eregion.
SA 1500 2090 Sauron leaves Eregion and returns to
Mordor. The Gwaith-i-Mirdain begin to
forge the Great Rings of Power.
SA 1590 2180 Celebrimbor forges Vilya, Narya, and Nenya.
SA 1600 2190 Sauron forges the One and the Elves learn
who he is.
SA 1695 2285 Sauron invades Eriador. Gil-galad sends
Elrond to Eregion with an army.
SA 1697 2287 Sauron destroys Eregion. Elrond retreats
north to found Imladris.
c.SA 1698 2288 Sauron overruns Eriador.
c.SA 1700 2290 About this time, the Edain of Eriador may
cross the Hithaeglir to settle in the Vales
of Anduin (becoming, eventually, the Free
Men of the North, or Northmen).
SA 1701 2291 With Numenor's help, Gil-galad defeats
Sauron and drives him from Eriador.
c.SA 1702 2292 Gil-galad holds the first White Council
and names Elrond his Viceroy in Eriador.
c.SA 1800 2390 About this time, the Numenoreans begin
to establish permanent havens in Middle-
earth.
SA 3262 3852 Sauron taken to Numenor. Gil-galad begins
to extend his power eastward from Lindon.
SA 3320 3910 Downfall of Numenor. Elendil and his sons
establish Arnor and Gondor.
SA 3429 4019 Sauron attacks Gondor. The Last Alliance
of Elves and Men is formed by Gil-galad
and Elendil.
SA 3434 4024 Battle of Dagorlad.
SA 3441 4031 Sauron battles Gil-galad and Elendil. End
of the War. Mordor destroyed.
TA 1 4032 Cirdan becames Lord of Mithlond and Lindon.
Isildur becomes High King in Gondor.
Amroth becomes King of Lothlorien.
Thranduil becomes King of Northern
Greenwood the Great.
TA 2 4033 Isildur slain by Orcs near Amon Lanc.
TA 3 4034 Ohtar reaches Imladris.
TA 10 4041 Valandil becomes High King in Arnor.
TA 109 4150 Elrond marries Celebrian.
TA 130 4171 Elladan and Elrohir are born.
TA 241 4282 Arwen is born.
TA 249 4290 Valandil dies. His heirs move Arnor's
capitol from Annuminas to Fornost Erain
sometime after this year.
TA 490 4521 The first Easterlings attack Gondor.
TA 652 4893 Valandur, High King in Arnor, dies in
battle (the only High King after Isildur
to die a violent death).
TA 830 5071 Tarannon Falastur begins to extend Gondor's
power along the coastlands.
TA 863 5104 Arnor is divided into Arthedain,
Cardolan, and Rhudaur. No more High
Kings of the Dunedain are proclaimed.
c.TA 1000 5031 A shadow falls on Greenwood and it
becomes known thereafter as Mirkwood.
c.TA 1050 5081 About this time the Istari come to
Middle-earth, landing at Mithlond.
Thranduil may at this time move his
people north away from Dol Guldur.
The Harfoots begin to cross Hithaeglir.
c.TA 1150 5181 The Fallohides and Stoors migrate to
Eriador. The Stoors settle in the Angle.
c.TA 1200 5231 Gondor reaches the height of its power.
c.TA 1300 5331 Angmar is founded. Orcs begin to appear
in the Hithaeglir, attacking the Dwarves.
Many Stoors flee to Dunland or Anduin.
TA 1356 5387 Rhudaur attacks Cardolan and Arthedain.
Cirdan leads or sends an army to Arthedain.
TA 1409 5440 Angmar invades Arthedain. Cirdan and
Elrond help end the invasion. Rhudaur
ceases to exist. The last prince of
Cardolan perishes. Arthedain absorbs
what's left of Cardolan.
TA 1600 5631 Marco and Blanco found the Shire.
TA 1636 5667 The Great Plague devastates Eriador and
Gondor.
c.TA 1850 5881 Wainriders enslave the Northmen. Some
escape to the Vales of Anduin and in
time become the Eotheod.
TA 1899 5930 Battle of the Camp.
TA 1974 6005 Angmar destroys Arthedain. Arvedui dies.
TA 1975 6006 Battle of Fornost Erain. End of Angmar.
TA 1977 6008 Frumgar leads the Eotheod north.
TA 1980 6011 The Dwarves of Khazad-dum release the
Balrog from its prison.
TA 1981 6012 The Dwarves abandon Khazad-dum and many
Elves flee Lothlorien. Amroth dies and
Nimrodel is lost. Edhellond is finally
abandoned by the Elves.
c.TA 1985 6016 About this time, Celeborn and Galadriel
take up the rule of Lorien. Mithrellas
weds Imrazor the Numenorean.
TA 1999 6030 The Dwarves of Durin's line settle in
Erebor (under Thrain I).
TA 2060 6091 The Watchful Peace begins when Sauron
withdraws from Dol Guldur to Rhun.
TA 2210 6241 The Dwarves abandon Erebor.
TA 2460 6491 Sauron returns to Dol Guldur and the
Watchful Peace comes to an end.
TA 2463 6494 Galadriel forms the second White Council.
TA 2510 6541 Battle of Parth Celebrant. Eorl leads the
Eotheod south to Gondor's aid. Rohan is
founded.
TA 2590 6621 Thror re-establishes his people in Erebor.
Gror settles in Emyn Engrin.
TA 2758 6789 The Long Winter begins. Rohan is invaded.
Gondor is attacked.
TA 2770 6801 Smaug attacks Erebor and Dale. Thror
and his family escape. Many of Durin's
Folk settle in Emyn Engrin. Girion of
Dale's wife and young child escape to
Esgaroth.
TA 2799 6830 Battle of Nanduhirion. Azog slain.
TA 2851 6882 The White Council meets. Saruman urges
caution.
TA 2931 6962 Birth of Aragorn II.
TA 2941 6972 Thorin and Company return to Erebor.
Battle of the Five Armies. Bolg slain.
The White Council drives Sauron from
Dol Guldur. Erebor is re-established
by Dain.
TA 2944 6975 Bard re-establishes Dale.
TA 2951 6985 Elrond reveals Aragorn's true identity
to him. Aragorn meets and falls in
love with Arwen.
TA 3017 7048 Aragorn brings Gollum to Thranduil.
TA 3019 7050 The War of the Ring. Sauron overthrown.
Aragorn establishes the Reunited Kingdom
and marries Arwen. Celeborn establishes
the Kingdom of East Lorien.
TA 3021 7052 Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf leave
Middle-earth, taking Frodo and Bilbo
with them.
c.FO 1 7053 About this time, Legolas and Gimli lead
part of their peoples to Gondor?
FO 120 7172 Death of Aragorn. Arwen returns to
Lorien.
FO 121 7173 Death of Arwen in Lorien.
FO 175 7227 Last notations made in the Thain's Book
by Findegil.
Obviously I've skimped on some of the details. There are many well-known
events which I did not include here (and many not-so-well-known events).
Hopefully y'all will find this useful as a reference for future discussions.
Like, it's obvious that the Numenoreans did not live in Middle-earth for
something like 1370 years. Okay. Maybe it's not THAT obvious <g>.
Hope it was worth the effort. Enjoy.
--
++ ++ "Well Samwise: What do you think of the elves now?"
||\ /|| --fbag...@mid.earth.com
|| v ||ichael Martinez (mma...@basis.com)
++ ++------------------------------------------------------