Who rules Mordor and who inhabits it? What is Mordor? What does mordor mean

- on South. At the western border of Mordor, between the Land of Shadow and Anduin, was Ithilien, the land of Gondor, and further west, on the other side of the river, was the great city of Minas Tirith.

The area of ​​Mordor is approximately 175,000 square miles (~453,000 km2). From north to south it stretched for 350 miles, from west to east for 500 miles.

The border of Mordor in the north was the Ash Mountains; The Shadow Mountains formed the southern and western borders. From the east, Mordor was not protected by mountains, but Rhun - the eastern lands - were his ally, so it was unlikely that the enemy could get through this way.

The main entrance to Mordor was the Black Gate, a huge iron barrier that blocked the passage of Cirith Gorgor in the northeast of the country, where the Ash Mountains met the Mountains of Shadow. The Black Gate was heavily guarded, and the Fang Towers were located on the sides of the Gate.

Beyond the Black Gate was the Wudong Valley, surrounded by mountain ranges. In Udun there were warehouses with ammunition, as well as troops stationed for the defense of Mordor. Forts and fortresses were located around Udun, among which was a huge castle called Durthang. On the other side of Udun, opposite the Black Gate was Eizenmut - a narrow gorge leading to the Gorgoroth plateau. Eisenmuth was surrounded by a palisade, an embankment and a trench, which could only be crossed by a single bridge.

There was another passage to Mordor, 90 miles south of the Black Gate. From the Morgul Vale in the Mountains of Shadow a road was built through the Morgul Pass. The Morgul road was guarded by the troops of Minas Morgul, a fortress commanded by the Lord of the Nazgul.

In the Morgul Valley there was another, less well-known passage to Mordor - the Straight Staircase and the Spiral Staircase led to a tunnel under the mountains, where the spider Shelob settled. On the other side of the Lair of Shelob was the Tower of Cirith Ungol, erected to guard the Pass of Cirith Ungol. Further, the road went down and connected with the Morgul road.

On the inside of the Mountains of Shadow, between the Morgul Road and the Black Gate, was mountain range Morgai, which was at least 1,500 feet high. Several streams with bitter water flowed down from Morgai. Some plants have managed to adapt to such conditions: twisted trees, tough grass and thickets of thorns. There were also black flies with red spots.

Mordor was crossed by several roads used by the servants of Sauron. To the northwest, roads connected the Black Gate, Barad-dur, Mount Doom, and Morgul Pass. Sauron's road led from Barad-dur to Mount Doom. Along the roads along Gorgoroth there were tanks with water for the needs of the passing troops. It is likely that the same roads were in the south of Mordor.

The northwestern part of Mordor was predominantly an industrial region with mines and forges, while the more fertile region of Nurn was used for agriculture. Four rivers flowed in that area, flowing into Lake Nurnen, an inland sea located in the southeast of the country. Slaves worked in the fields to provide food for Sauron's troops.

In addition to the Slave Men, evil Men served Sauron, such as the Mouth of Sauron, who lived in Barad-dûr. The main population of Mordor were Orcs. Many Orcs lived in camps near Morgai and in forts around the Udun Valley. Trolls lived in Mordor, as well as a special kind of them, bred by Sauron, called Olog-hai. Sauron also bred a breed of terrible Dread Beasts. These winged creatures were used by the Nazgûl instead of horses.

History

Barad-dur was almost completely destroyed, and Sauron's forces were routed and scattered. At the beginning of the Third Age, Mordor was being watched. Minas Ithil was recaptured and new fortresses were built: the Tower of Cirith Ungol and the Towers of the Fangs. But many years later, the guard weakened, and after the Great Plague that devastated Gondor in 1636, all guard posts were empty.

In 1980, the Nazgul, led by the Witch-king, returned to Mordor. They prepared the return of Sauron. In 2000, the Nazgul laid siege to Minas Itil and captured it in 2002, making it their fortress. It was renamed Minas Morgul, the Stronghold of the Dark Powers. Also in the possession of the Nazgul, and later - Sauron, passed the Stone of Itil.

In 2475, a new breed of Orcs, the Uruks, first emerged from Mordor. They passed through Ithilien and captured Osgiliath, a city on the river Anduin. Ithilien was retaken by Gondor, but Osgiliath lay in ruins. In 2901 the attacks resumed and most of the Gondorians left Ithilien.

Sauron was banished from Dol Guldur in 2941 and returned to Mordor the following year. In 2951, he openly declared himself, and began to restore Barad-dur. Mount Doom erupted in 2954. Sauron gathered armies of Orcs and Men from all over the east and south. He developed a new breed of Trolls, the Olog-Khai, who were not afraid of sunlight. Sauron needed only the One Ring to return all his power.

Frodo and Sam followed Gollum up the Straight and Spiral Stairs. In the end, he led them into a cave and left them in the dark. The cave was the lair of the spider Shelob. She attacked the Hobbits, stung Frodo on the neck and paralyzed them.

Frodo was found by two orcs named Shagrat and Gorbag ​​and was taken to the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Orcs massacred because of Frodo's mithril chain mail, and almost everyone died. Sam managed to free Frodo, but Shagrat escaped, taking with him the mithril chain mail and other things of the Hobbits, and took them to Barad-dur.

On March 15, Sauron's forces were defeated at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields by the combined forces of Gondor and Rohan, but Sauron still had a huge army at his disposal in Mordor. The warlords of the West decided to march on Mordor in order to pull the forces of Sauron back and give Frodo time to complete his mission.

The hobbits walked on the rocks of Morgai, because Frodo believed that the servants of Sauron would hunt them in the lands to the east. When they got to a place where Mount Doom was about 40 miles to the east, the Hobbits were on a rock 1500 feet high. They could not descend, because the troops of Sauron passed through Gorgoroth to the Black Gate.

The hobbits went further north and then took the road leading east. They were spotted by a troop of Orcs and were mistaken for Orc fugitives, as they were wearing Orc armor. For a long time, the Hobbits walked with the detachment, but later, in the confusion, they managed to escape.

Sauron gathered most of his troops at Udun, waiting for the arrival of the army of the West. Gorgoroth was devastated, and Frodo and Sam were able to walk along the road most of the time. On March 24 they reached the foot of the mountain.

On the same day, the army of the West reached the Black Gate. The next day, March 25, Sauron sent his ambassador, nicknamed the Mouth of Sauron, to show the mithril mail. He declared that he was holding the chain mail of the prisoner Sauron, and that the prisoner would be mercilessly tortured until the armies of the West surrendered. Gandalf rejected the terms and the Battle of the Morannon began.

At Mount Doom, where the One Ring was forged, Frodo's burden became too heavy to bear. Sam carried the owner closer to the mountain, but they were attacked by Gollum. Frodo and Gollum grappled for the Ring at the edge of the Crack of Doom, Gollum slipped and, together with the Ring, fell into the fiery abyss.

When the One Ring was destroyed, Sauron was finally defeated and much of Mordor was reduced to rubble. Barad-dur collapsed, the Fang Towers and the Black Gate collapsed. The earth shook and broke. Mount Doom erupted, and lava and ash littered the land of the Gorgoroth Plain. The Nazgûl died in the fire, and Sauron's troops scattered or surrendered in a panic. Frodo and Sam were saved: they were picked up by the Great Eagles Gwaihir, Landroval and Meneldor.

The lands of Nurn in the southern part of Mordor seem to have escaped the severe destruction that befell the rest of the dark land. Aragorn, King of the Elessar, freed the slaves of Mordor and granted them the lands around Lake Nurnen for use.

Mordor Map

Important dates

Second Age:

OK. 1000 Sauron settles in Mordor and begins building Barad-dûr.

OK. 1200 - Sauron travels to Eregion, tricks into trusting the Elves and reveals to them the secrets of craftsmanship.

OK. 1500 - The Elves under the guidance of Sauron create the Rings of Power. Sauron returns to Mordor.

OK. 1600 - Sauron creates the One Ring in the fire of Mount Doom. The elves realize they have been deceived.

1693 - Sauron prepares troops and declares war on the Elves.

1695 Sauron invades Eriador.

1701 Sauron returns to Mordor after being defeated by the Elves and Numenoreans.

OK. 1800 - Sauron expands his possessions in the east.

OK. 2251 - First appearance of the Nazgul.

3262 Ar-Pharazon attacks Mordor with a large army and demands that Sauron surrender. Sauron is taken as a prisoner to Numenor.

3319 Numenor is flooded. Sauron's body is destroyed, but the spirit hides in Middle-earth.

3320 Sauron returns to Mordor. Elendil and his sons found the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor. The fortress of Minas Itil was built to protect against Mordor.

3429 Mount Doom erupts. Sauron attacks Gondor and captures Minas Ithil. Anarion pushes Sauron's forces back to Mordor.

3430 - The Last Union of Men and Elves is concluded.

3434 Sauron's forces are defeated at the Battle of Dagorlad. The siege of Barad-dûr begins.

3441 Sauron emerges from Barad-dur and fights Gil-galad and Elendil. The Dark Lord is defeated and Isildur cuts the One Ring from his hand. The spirit of Sauron lurks in the East.

Third era:

2 - Isildur is slain by orcs at the Gladden Fields. The One Ring is lost in the waters of the Anduin.

OK. 1050 Sauron establishes the stronghold of Dol Guldur in Greenwood.

1636 - The Great Plague devastates Gondor. Watch over Mordor ceases.

1856 - Eight Nazgul returned to Mordor.

1980 - The Lord of the Nazgul returns to Mordor and gathers the others to prepare the return of Sauron.

2000 - Nazgul besiege Minas Itil.

2002 - The Nazgul capture Minas Itil, later named Minas Morgul. The palantir of Ithil is also captured, and subsequently given to Sauron.

2050 - King Earnur goes to Minas Morgul to duel with the Witch-king and goes missing. In the absence of the king, Stewards govern Gondor.

2475 Uruks of Mordor attack Gondor.

2901 Mordorian Uruks occupy Ithilien and the inhabitants flee.

2942 Sauron secretly returns to Mordor.

2951 - Sauron openly declares himself, begins to build up strength and rebuild Barad-dur.

2954 - Mount Doom erupted.

OK. 3000 - A shadow spreads over Mordor.

3017 Sauron captures Gollum, and after he names Shire and Baggins, allows him to escape.

June 20 - Sauron sends the Nazgul to attack Osgiliath. July 1 - The Nazgul, led by the Witch-king, secretly set out in search of the One Ring.

March 5 - The Hobbits reach the Black Gate and realize that they cannot pass this way. Frodo follows Gollum along the secret path to Mordor. March 9 - The Hobbits reach the Morgul Road. March 10 - Day without Dawn. The army from the Morannon captures Cair Andros and advances into Anorien. Sauron signals to the Lord of the Nazgul to lead his troops to Minas Tirith. Gollum leads the Hobbits through the Straight and Spiral Stairs. March 12 - Gollum leads the Hobbits to Shelob's Lair. March 13 - Orcs take the wounded Frodo to the Tower of Cirith Ungol. March 14 - Sam finds Frodo. March 15 - Frodo and Sam flee the Tower; Battle of the Pelennor Fields. March 16 - Frodo with Sam and Morgai see Mount Doom. March 17 - Shagrat takes Frodo's cloak and mithril mail and Sam's sword to Barad-dur. March 18 - Frodo and Sam, together with a detachment of Orcs, go to Udun. March 19 - Frodo and Sam escape from the party. March 22 - Frodo and Sam turn south off the road towards Mount Doom. March 24 - Hobbits reach the foot of the Mountain. March 25 - The armies of the West fight the forces of Mordor at the Battle of the Morannon. Frodo reaches the Crack of Doom and claims the Ring as his. Gollum bites off Frodo's Ring and finger and falls into the crater. The Ring is destroyed, Sauron is finally defeated, Mordor is destroyed. May 1 - Aragorn becomes King of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. He frees the slaves of Mordor and gives them the land near Lake Nurnen for use.

Etymology

Mordor (Mordor):

Mordor means "Black Earth" from mor- "dark, black" and dor- land, area. In the Common Tongue, Mordor was often called Black Earth, Dark Country and Shadow Land.

Additional sources

• Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings: "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion" p. 332-33; "The Stewards" p. 333-35
• The Silmarillion: "Akallabeth" p. 267, 280; "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" p. 288, 290-97, 302-3
• Unfinished Tales: "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" p. 236, 239
• The History of Middle-earth, vol. VII, The Treason of Isengard: "The Story Foreseen from Moria" p. 213; "The First Map" p. 309 map III, 313 (location of Lithlad)

Geography

Mordor was defended on three sides by mountain ranges arranged roughly rectangularly: Ered Lithui (or Ash Mountains) in the north, Ephel Duat (or Izgar Mountains) in the west and south. In the northwestern part of Mordor, the deep valley of Udun was the only entrance for large armies. In the same place, at the junction of the Ash and Izgar mountains, the Black Gates of Mordor were built. The towers placed behind the Black Gate (called the Fangs of Mordor) were built by Gondor to keep evil within Mordor. In front of these gates lies the huge Dagorlad field. Sauron's main stronghold, Barad-dur, was in the foothills of Ered Lithui. To the southwest of Barad-dur lies the arid plateau of Gorgoroth, to the southeast, by the salty Nurnen Sea, lies another large plateau- Litland. The passage to the narrow pass through the Izgar Mountains was guarded by the fortress of Minas Morgul (formerly Minas Itil). The pass is called Cirith Ungol, after the fortress that stands directly on the pass itself. Shelob also lived there, in the tunnels, not far from the fortress of Cirith Ungol. The labyrinth of Shelob was called Torek-Ungol. The southern part of Mordor was much more fertile, and wet enough to support agriculture. In this part of Mordor was the salty inland sea of ​​Nurnen. To the west of Mordor was a narrow strip of the land of Ithilien, beyond which lay the city of Osgiliath and the river Anduin.

Flora of Mordor - the last plants that managed to survive in this "dying, but not yet dead" country (Lord of the Rings). Includes "stunted saplings", "tufts of stiff gray grass", "shriveled mosses", "bramble thickets" and densely growing shrubs that could be found near tiny streams flowing from the mountains. Sam and Frodo took cover behind some brambles that had long, sharp thorns and hooked thorns. The shrubs also had thorns, which Sam describes as "a foot long" (30 cm).

History

Appearance

The appearance of Mordor was a consequence of the destructive actions of Morgoth. Probably, this region was formed during colossal volcanic eruptions. It was given the name Mordor already at the time of Sauron, who settled there, because of its volcano Orodruin (also called Mount Doom) and its flames.

Early history

Sauron settled in Mordor 1000 years after the end of the First Age, after which this area became a haven for his evil will throughout the Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth. In the northwest of Mordor, in the middle of the Gorgoroth plateau, is the volcano Orodruin, where Sauron forged the Ring of Omnipotence. To the northeast of Orodruin, at a distance of one league, stood Sauron's citadel of Barad-dur. After accession in this country, Sauron became known as the Dark Lord of Mordor.

For 2500 years Sauron ruled Mordor continuously. Having created the Ring, he went to war against the elves of Eregion, but was defeated by the Numenoreans. After that, after almost a thousand years, he went to war against people, until he was captured and brought to Numenor, which, due to the activities of Sauron, was sunk (along with himself). Immediately after the destruction of Numenor, Sauron returned to Mordor as a spirit, and taking on a new, terrible guise, he again began to rule Mordor.

The Last Alliance and the Third Age

Sauron's reign was cut short when he attempted to destroy the new human kingdom of Gondor, founded by the descendants of the dead Númenor. After several years of siege, the forces of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men entered Mordor. Sauron was defeated in the final battle on the slopes of Orodruin. For about a thousand years, Mordor was guarded by Gondor.

The victims of the Black Plague during the reign of King Telemnar were so great that the fortifications guarding Mordor were abandoned, as troops were needed to guard the borders of Gondor. Deprived of protection, Mordor began to fill with evil again. Minas Ithil in the Morgul Valley was captured by the Nazgûl, and the fortifications that were supposed to protect Gondor from the threat from Mordor were turned into a means of protecting Mordor from outside attack. By the time Sauron returned to Mordor it was very well defended. Large garrisons were stationed in the north during the War of the Ring, and the salty Inland Sea in the south allowed for the maintenance of slaves from the countries of the east and south, who cultivated the land and supplied the army.

War of the Ring

During this war, Sauron gathered all his forces to Mordor. After the battle at Minas Tirith, Aragorn approached the Black Gate. Sauron sent an army to destroy his hosts of Gondor and Rohan, but when Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee (with Gollum's "assistance") destroyed the Ring of Power, Mordor fell. The Dark Tower, Black Gate and Fangs of Mordor collapsed. There was an eruption of Orodruin, Sauron and his Nazgul were finally disembodied (until the end of days).

Cultural references

• Mordor is mentioned in the song Ramble On by Led Zeppelin, along with other images from Tolkien's writings.
• German metal band Running Wild recorded the song "Mordor" on the 1985 album Branded and Exiled. The song is written from the point of view of the Dark Forces.
• In 1995, the computer game Mordor: The Depths of Dejenol was released. Despite the name, the game has nothing to do with Tolkien's universe.
• Mentioned in the track "Eastern Mordor" rapper Oxxxymiron.
• Also, the German metal band Blind Guardian performs the song Lord of the rings where there is a mention of Mordor

Links

world of middle earth
Characters "Lord of the Rings"
Characters "The Silmarillion"
Geography
Battles
Artifacts
Races and peoples

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

• Snegiri (village)
• nightingales

See what "Mordor" is in other dictionaries:

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth- Developer EA Los Angeles Publisher EA Games Release date December 6, 2004 Version 1.03 ... Wikipedia

Sauron- Sauron Statue of Sauron in Bristol ... Wikipedia

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II- Developer EA Los Angeles Publisher EA Games Release date March 2, 2006 ... Wikipedia

List of wars and battles of Middle-earth- J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium describes many wars and battles that took place in the lands of Aman, Beleriand, Numenor and Middle-earth. They are described in books such as The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales ... ... Wikipedia

A few years ago, the epic film trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" was completed, in which, among other things, there was a creepy place called Mordor. What does Mordor mean?? Read a few more sensible articles, for example, how to decipher the abbreviation USRR, what does De Jure mean, what is the GRU? This is the same mysterious land where the two young hobbit Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee, in order to throw the ring of omnipotence into the mouth of the volcano. According to legend, it is there that this very strong product can be destroyed.
However, all the "salt" of the word Mordor lies in the fact that our beloved oppositionists began to compare Russia with this place full of evil, despondency and despair.

However, the theory that Mordor is USSR has no basis or evidence. For example, Valinor, which all "oppas" unanimously compare with the country of "freedom", cannot be it by definition. Indeed, by the time the events described in the book began, for the participants in the events Valinor was outside the existing universe, in fact being a kind of afterlife.
Perhaps for a part of the liberal cattle living in Russia, the USA may be a kind of sacred place, unattainable and mysterious, but certainly Tolkien it cannot be attributed to such, because he quite often visited the country of homosexuals, lesbians and "universal" values. However, at that time the USA was still a conservative country, and the contagion of liberalism was just beginning to spread through its veins and arteries, which subsequently led to what homegrown "Pindosophiles" admired.

Mordor- this is a fictional country that is known for the fact that liberals and crests draw an analogy between it and Russia in the most negative light

Nick Perumov, a famous writer, once saw in the banners of one of the tribes that swore allegiance to Mordor a hint of the Soviet Union, since they were red. However, it is logical to assume that this color in Tolkien associated with blood, and indeed, the USSR did not have a monopoly on the color red. For example, the National Socialist Party of the Third Reich had red banners. Besides, our dumb liberals are probably unaware that red is the official color of the US Republican Party. Most likely, such details are unknown to most orthodox "liberals", because they are stupid, poorly educated, and ignorant.

And one more stroke that dots all the "i". The fact is that Tolkien they constantly asked this question about the connection between the USSR and Mordor, and at first he simply denied it, but in a few years such comparisons began to piss him off so much that in 1966 year as the author, in the preface to the edition of The Lord of the Rings, he wrote in detail and directly. According to him, in the war for the Ring of Omnipotence, there is never and never was a reference to the Second World War, but Mordor is not the USSR!!!

Map of Mordor in the form of a diagram

Mordor is protected on three sides by almost rectangular mountain ranges: Ered Luin in the north, Efel Duat in the west, and before turning to the east, forming the southern ridge. The narrow passage piercing the Efel Duat was guarded by the fortress of Minas Morgul (formerly called Minas Itil); an even more inaccessible passage was guarded by the giant spider Shelob and the fortress of Cirith Ungol. Another well-known fortress is called - Durtang and is located on the northern ridge of the Efel Duat.

The Ash Mountains formed the northern border of Mordor, and the Mountains of Shadow ran along the southern and western borders. The eastern border of Mordor is open, but Rune (the lands in the east) has always been an ally of Mordor, so it is unlikely that the enemy could pass this way.

On the inner side of the Mountains of Shadow, between the Morgul road and the Black Gate, was the Morgai mountain range, which was at least 457.2 meters (1,500 feet) high. Several streams with bitter water flowed down from Morgai. Some plants have managed to adapt to such conditions: twisted trees, tough grass and thickets of thorns. There were also black flies with red spots.

In the northwest corner of Mordor was a wide valley called Udun (the only entry point for large armies), where Sauron built the Black Gate of Mordor. The Black Gate is heavily guarded, with Fang Towers on either side of the gate. Before Morannon lay Dagorlad. Barad-dur (the main fortress of Sauron) is located at the foot of Ered Luin. To the southwest of Barad-dur (about 48 km) is the dried up plateau of Gorgoroth and Mount Doom (also called - Orodruin); to the east lay the plain of Litlad. The lands in the western part of Mordor are largely barren, with occasional bramble bushes to be seen.

In the southern part of Mordor, the lands called Nurn are more fertile and wetter due to the proximity to the inland sea - Nurnen. Fertility and the possibility of agriculture in Nurn arose due to the ashes that settled from Mount Doom. Unfortunately, Nurn's inland sea is salty, not fresh.

The lands were crossed by several roads used by the minions of Sauron. To the northwest, roads connected the Black Gate, Barad-dur, Mount Doom, and Morgul Pass. Sauron's road led from Barad-dur to Mount Doom. Along the roads along Gorgoroth there were containers with water for the needs of the passing troops. It is likely that the same roads were in the south.

The area of ​​Mordor is approximately 453,000 km 2 (175,000 miles 2). From north to south it stretches for 563.27 km (350 miles), and from east to west it extends for about 804.672 km (500 miles).

To the west of Mordor are the lands of Ithilien with the great river Anduin, to the east of Rune, and to the southeast of Khand.

black fortress and fatal mountain

• Areas

  • Nurn
  • Gorgoroth
  • Litlad

• Main fortresses

  • Barad-dur (capital and abode of the dark lord Sauron).
  • Durtang
  • Osgiliath (east coast reconstructed and under the control of Gondor, and during the War of the Ring - the whole city becomes a springboard for an attack on Minas Tirith)
  • Izenmouth
  • Minas Morgul (abode of the Nazgul, including the Witch-king)
  • black gate
  • Mount Doom (the place where Frodo destroyed the ring)
  • Nargroth
  • Seregost
  • Fort Cirith Ungol

History

Meaning

Mordor (Mordor) means "Black Earth" from mor- "dark, black" and dor- land, area. In the Common Tongue, Mordor was often called Black Earth, Dark Country and Shadow Land.
Silmarillion:"Appendix - Quenya and Sindarin Elements in Names".

Inspiration

It is not uncommon for names in Tolkien's fiction to have corresponding examples in other Middle-earth languages ​​as well as "real" ones, but the word has roots in both languages.
The intended meaning is from Old English ( moroor), which means "mortal sin", as well as "murder".
In some Scandinavian mythologies, the word means - "lands whose inhabitants practice evil rituals, but do not know about it themselves, since they are imposed on them by society from childhood."
Some believe that Tolkien associated Mordor with the Stromboli volcano from Sicily.

Interpretations

In the Atlas of Middle-earth - Karen Wynn Fonstad suggested that the lands of Mordor, Khand and Rune are located at inland sea Helcar, which later split into the Sea of ​​Rune and the Sea of ​​Nurnen. The atlas was published before the book peoples of middle earth, from which it turned out that the Sea of ​​Runes and Mordor already existed in the First Age.

The proximity of Mount Doom and Barad-dur in The Lord of the Rings (film trilogy) does not match the original work.

Sources

Appendix A to The Lord of the Rings:"Gondor and the heirs of Anarion", "Deputies";
Silmarillion:"Akallabet", "On the Rings of Power and the Third Age";
Unfinished Tales:"History of Galadriel and Celeborn";
The History of Middle-earth, Volume VII, The Betrayal of Isengard:"First Card".
Clyde S. Kilby, Dick Plotz (1968): Meetings with Tolkien: Edited Transcript of Remarks at the December 1966 TSA Meeting. Decided on

The dark realm of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings is a barren desert scorched by fire and covered in ash, and the air of Mordor is poisonous smoke. However, this country interesting place with amazing story, culture and geographic diversity.

Boromir and Gimli curse this place in The Fellowship of the Ring, but they are still slightly wrong in their estimates. Of course, Mordor is certainly not a resort, unless you're dreaming of a holiday that begins with a meeting with a giant spider, and ends with your decapitation. Nevertheless, this land is an interesting place that plays an important role in the history of Middle-earth. And if you want to brush up on your knowledge of the world of The Lord of the Rings in light of the news about the upcoming series, we've got you covered!

Sauron ruled Mordor for 2500 years

Sauron has existed almost since the dawn of Middle-earth. He is Maiar, one of those who served the Valar when they created the world from the songs of the creator Eru Ilúvatar. The Maiar were also Gandalf and the Balrogs.

During the First Age, Sauron renounced the Valar to join Morgoth in his quest to destroy the world. But, like many minions of villains, Sauron fled from Morgoth when his luck changed.

Without drawing attention to himself for 1000 years, the Dark Lord set about building a tower in Mordor and began to prepare to take over the world. Everything ended in failure after 2441 years. Sauron had to make his legs again.

By the way, don't forget. There are not so many resources on the Web that conduct intelligent analytics on films and TV shows. Among them is the telegram channel @SciFiNews, whose authors write the most suitable analytical materials - analyzes and theories of fans, interpretations of post-title scenes, as well as the secrets of bomb franchises, like films MARVEL and " Game of Thrones". Subscribe so you don't have to search later - @SciFiNews . But back to our topic...

Humans have lived near Mordor for centuries and held it back

People built a series of fortifications that made it possible to repel the attacks of orcs and monsters who strove to make sorties from Mordor to Gondor. This tactic justified itself for 1500 years. However, the Plague then broke out and devastated the people of Gondor and the garrisons holding Mordor backed down to deal with the problems in their cities.

Once the plague had passed after two centuries, the lookouts were ready to return to Mordor. However, by that time the situation had changed radically.

Shelob lived in Mordor before Sauron.

Sorry, arachnophobes, but we need to talk about the giant spider in more detail. Shelob (whose name means "spider") is the last daughter of an even older monster named Ungoliant. This monster terrorized Middle-earth in the early days of its existence, helping the first Dark Lord Melkor to realize his evil plans.

After the betrayal, Shelob fled to the northwest. There she suffered from a terrible hunger, which forced her to eat most of her children.

Tolkien does not explain how Shelob ended up in the mountains of Mordor. However, he reports that the spider was there even before Sauron built his tower, which stood for another 5000 years before Sam and Frodo appeared in those parts.

Mordor may be a dry sea

The Sea of ​​Helcar was a huge body of water that existed during the First Age of Middle-earth, which ended 6,500 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings.

In those distant times, there was a war against the first enemy of Middle-earth. To participate in the "War of Wrath" against Morgoth, an alliance of people, elves, dwarves and the Valar (mostly gods) was created. The war lasted almost half a century and ended with the death of almost all Balrogs and the destruction of the three most high mountains that crashed into the sea.

The Helkar Sea also dried up completely. Some researchers believe that Mordor and its huge mountains were once at the bottom of the Helcar Sea, but the author himself never directly spoke about this.

Mordor is almost completely surrounded by mountains

The main reason why Mordor is not easy to get to is that this country is surrounded by giant, dangerous mountains, which form the northern, western and southern borders.

MORE RELATED:

These are just the sides on which the lands inhabited by people, elves and gnomes border on Mordor. The eastern border of the country is not impregnable, but even through it it is not easy to get into Mordor.

There are only two relatively easy entrances to the land of Sauron. The most obvious is the Morannon (Black Gate) - a fortress that serves as a checkpoint to Mordor. The other entrance is less official, but it is also not easy to pass through.

Many buildings and structures in Mordor were built by people

The Tower of Cirith Ungol, Minas Ithil, and the Jagged Towers on the Black Gate were fortifications built by the people of Gondor to keep the evil spirits out of Mordor.

However, when people had to leave their posts during the Great Plague, the fortifications were immediately occupied by the forces of darkness. Orcs captured the Gate and Cirith Ungol, as well as Minas Ithil, renaming it the Tower of Black Magic.

The plot of the video game "Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor" and its sequel "Shadow of War" tells about the battles for the Black Gate and Minas Itil.

You can get to Mordor only by a very dangerous route.

Anyone who wants to sneak into Mordor has only one option: Cirith Ungol. This way you can get into the country from the west, but you will have several big problems that will most likely kill you.

The main problem is Shelob, an ancient giant spider that will eat anyone that gets in its way. But even earlier, you will have to meet with Minas Morgul, where the Nazgul live.

Even if the scouts make their way through the Ghost Town and the Spider Hole, they will have to pass through the Stronghold of Sirith Ungol - an outpost of the bloodthirsty orcs.

Mordor's name means "Black Country" or "Land of Shadows"

Depending on which of the Elvish languages ​​we will translate the name "Mordor" the meanings will be slightly different. From Quenya, "Mordor" can be translated as "Land of Shadows", and from Sindarin - "Black Country".

The root "mor" is found in the names "Moriya" (black pit) and "Morgoth" (dark enemy). The root "dor" is present in "Gondor" (stone land) and Dor Daedoloth - "Land of the shadows of horror."

Morgoth could have created Mordor by manipulating volcanoes

According to another version, Mordor was also created by Morgoth, but in a different way.

Long ago, this black-armored villain was one of the creatures that created the Earth. However, Mordor became a villain because he did not agree with the leadership regarding the form the world should take.

Morgoth was very fond of volcanoes, so he created Thangorodrim - three huge volcanoes in the north, at the foot of which he built his huge fortress of Angband. It is not difficult to guess that he also created Mount Doom - the focus of evil, where Sauron created his ring.

MORE RELATED:

Morgoth never lived in Mordor, but his fondness for creating mountains and volcanoes may mean he had a hand in the creation of this land.

The name "Mordor" may have come from the Old English

The word "Mordor" in the universe "" came from the Elvish language, but Tolkien developed the languages ​​\u200b\u200bof the peoples of Middle-earth based on real languages, in particular Old English.

Thus, one possible source of the name "Mordor" may be the Old English word "morþor", which means "crime" or "murder".

It's good that Tolkien changed the word a bit, because "Land of Murder" or "City of Crime" doesn't sound very good.

The idea of ​​Mordor may have been borrowed from Viking mythology

It is easy to see the strong influence of the northern epic on The Lord of the Rings. Suffice it to recall the great hall of Rohan in Edora. In books and films, you can trace the motifs from Beowulf, and this is no coincidence - England has long been subjected to Viking raids and perceived their cultural influence.

Tolkien may have borrowed the idea of ​​Mordor from Norse mythology, which mentions a state with evil rooted in it. At the same time, the inhabitants of this state turn out to be hostages of their master, not even realizing that they are serving evil.

Mordor includes three regions

If you listen to Boromir, you might think that Mordor is monotonously dull and gray, like Gandalf's attire. However, contrary to rumors, different regions of the country differ from each other.

Right behind the Black Gate is Gorgoroth, where the most interesting events are happening. It contains Mount Doom, Barad-dur, and the forges where Sauron's legions are made.

To the Southeast lies Littleland, covered in rock debris, the result of endless eruptions. Nurn is the third and most amazing region of Mordor.

Agriculture is developed there.

Mount Doom's ashes fall on Nurn, but it also contains water. The ash enriches the soil and makes it possible to grow crops and graze livestock.

Food for the army of evil is produced in Nurn, which is the green part of Mordor. The source of water in Nurn is the Nurnen Sea.

Nurn is the second location in Shadow of Mordor, and if players want to take a break from the orc slaughter, they can find it to be quite a pleasant place. Of course, everything here is covered in ashes, but this area has its own beauty.

In Mordor, the labor of enslaved people is used

Sauron's army is busy making weapons. For the rest of the work, the Dark Lord enslaved people who lived near Mordor.

After the defeat of Sauron, Aragorn (the new king of Gondor) gives the land of Nurn to the freed slaves.

The exact number of inhabitants of Mordor is unknown, but large

When Aragorn travels to the Black Gate to distract Sauron at the end of The Return of the King, the Dark Lord has at least 60,000 warriors to throw in to intercept. 150,000 soldiers fought in the Battle of Perelennor Fields.

It is difficult to find information about the exact number of inhabitants of Mordor. However, just adding the two numbers above gives more than 200,000, and if you add all the trolls and goblins to them, you get already 700,000.

FURTHER: