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Nazgûl

The Nazgûl [1] (other names include Ringwraiths, Fallen Kings, the Nine, Black Riders, or Úlairi) were some of the Dark Lord's most terrible servants during the 2nd and 3rd ages of Middle-earth. In the last moments of the 3rd Age, they dwelt in Dol Guldur and Minas Morgul.

History

Ted Nasmith - The Nazgûl.Ted Nasmith - The Nazgûl.
Celebrimbor forged the famed rings of power in Eregion. They were kept in one of Eregion's safes, but all nineteen were stolen by Sauron, nine of which, he gave away to warriors and great lords of Men. These men of once-great renown, with three having Númenórean descent and one being an Easterling king, eventually fell to the corrupting power of Sauron. The Nine Men used their rings to acquire great power, prestige, and wealth.

But as the more time passed, the more they were affected by their Ring's corrupting influence. Eventually, the bearers of these rings became invisible to everyone save for those with the ability to see wraiths. They were enslaved to Sauron's dominating will, and their strength and lives eventually became bound by the Dark Lord through the One Ring. As Sauron is strengthened or diminished, the Nazgûl will bear the same fate.

Three of the Nine were most likely to be among the greatest Númenóreans to fall under Sauron. A millennia before their enslavement, they revered the Dark Lord and sealed their fate when their lust for knowledge and power grew. All but two of the Ringwraiths (Khamûl the Easterling J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Tolkien, Unfinished Tales, “INDEX”, Khamûl and the Witch-king of Angmar) are unnamed. The Nine are first seen during the 2nd Age in 2251, and they quickly rose to become Sauron's leading servants. Even with their prominent positions among Sauron's ranks, there is little known of their exact whereabouts during this Age. When Sauron fell during SA 3434 in the war of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, the Nine dispersed and lost most of their power. While they can't maintain their once physical form (much like Sauron after he lost the One Ring), the Nazgûl can endure as long as the Ring remains.

The Nazgûl's Return

When Sauron's power began to return after his fall from the great war, the Nine reemerged as well during the 3rd Age in 1301. It was also around this era that one of the greatest of the Nazgûl, the Witch-king, established a fort in Angmar and began launching attacks in Arnor, a neighboring kingdom that eventually fractured into smaller settlements. His initial target was Rhudair, and after he conquered its lands, he replaced its Dúnedain king with a native Hillman. Around TA 1356, he attacked Arthedain, which lead to the death of its king, Argeleb I.

However, Arthedain was yet to fall, and it managed to retain a strong defensive position in the Weather Hills. The Witch-king then attacked Cardolan in TA 1409, and it was also at this time that his forces burned Amon Sûl's watchtower. When Cardolan fell, Angmar's advance began to slow down from the resistance brought by the elves of Rivendell and Lindon. This soon changed in TA 1971, where Angmar rose once again and captured Fornost, Arthedain's capital. And Arnor's last kingdom was destroyed. A year after, Eärnur, a Gondor prince, arrived to aid Arthedain, but he and his forces came too late to help defend Arnor's remaining territories. He set his sights one the Witch-king for revenge instead.

The prince's army marched against the Witch-king's forces, with former being victorious in the Battle of Fornost. The Witch-king retreated to Mordor after his army was defeated. Despite Angmar's complete annihilation, the Witch-king's campaign remained a success for Sauron. Angmar's once occupied territories were abandoned and transformed into the wilderness. Only the Dúnedain Rangers continued to uphold the law and prevent Arnor's remaining society from falling into complete chaos. Witch-king's return to Mordor brought the reuniting of the Nine.

And in TA 2000, they attacked and conquered Minas Ithil (later becoming Minas Morgul) in a span of two years. Through this invasion, they acquired a Palantír as a gift for Sauron. They used Minas Morgul to rebuild and bolster the Dark Lord's armies and prepare for the eventual return of their master. Sauron came back to Mordor in 2042 and openly declared his return in TA 2951. He sent a portion of the Nazgûl to help garrison his Dol Guldur fortress in Mirkwood. One of the most powerful of the Nine, Khamûl, lead this order.

Hunting the One Ring

Bree and the Shire

The Nine leaving Minas Morgul.The Nine leaving Minas Morgul.
As the War of the Ring began during TA 3018, Gollum, the previous owner of the One Ring, was captured and taken to Mordor for questioning. Through him, Sauron gained important information on the Ring's whereabouts: The family name of the one who currently kept it, and their location. After obtaining what he needed from Gollum, the Dark Lord released the hobbit but was soon recaptured by the Northern Ranger, Aragorn. Gandalf soon learned of this and interrogated Gollum. He discovered that Sauron knew Ring's location and who kept it: Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit. Accordingly, Gandalf advises Frodo to flee the Shire and head to Rivendell with the One Ring. However, Sauron immediately orders for the Ring's recapture and sends the Nine to the Shire. After entering the Shire, they learned that the Ring was now in possession of Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's nephew. Frodo with his friends, Pippin, Merry, and Sam, fled to Crickhollow on Bucklebury ferry. Khamûl narrowly misses them and uses the Brandywine Bridge to follow them in pursuit.

Afterward, the Nine are on Frodo's tail once again and reach Crickhollow. Even though Frodo and his company already left Crickhollow for Bree, the Nine quickly followed after Bill Ferny (Saruman's spy) relays information of their whereabouts. The Nine attacked Bree during their search for Frodo. Fortunately, the hobbit encountered Aragorn (enlisted by Gandalf) to aid the hobbits and protect them from danger.

Weathertop

With their fruitless efforts in searching for the Hobbits in Bree, they found Gandalf on Weathertop hill, who was currently scouting while traveling to Rivendell, where he and Frodo were supposed to meet. A battle between the Nine and Gandalf commenced at the top of the hill. Gandalf managed to escape, but four Ringwraiths pursued him, and the rest remained near Weathertop. Unfortunately for Frodo and his company, they camped near the hill's base a few days later. The five Ringwraiths discover them and attack. During this confrontation, Frodo uses the One Ring and tries in vain to resist the Ringwraiths. The Witch-king realizes Frodo's folly and stabs the hobbit with his Morgul-knife. Soon afterward, Aragorn arrives with firebrands and the Nazgûl flee.

The Bruinen Fords

The wounded Frodo and his companions go to Rivendell with the Nazgûl still in pursuit. Glorfindel, the elf, finds them and takes Frodo on his mount, Asfaloth, and heads for Rivendell. The Nazgûl regroups and chases Glorfindel and Frodo into the Brunien Ford. The Nine demands the One Ring, but Frodo refuses and defies them. The provoked Ringwraiths cross the river and attempt to retrieve the Ring through force. However, Elrond commands the Bruinen's waters to form a massive wave and sweep away the Nine with their horses. They postpone their hunt and head back for Mordor.

Battle at Pelennor Fields

The Nine was forced to retreat and abandon their current target as they return to their master's in failure. They receive new and more powerful mounts to replace the horses that fell from Elrond's powers: Fell beasts. The Witch-king attacks Osgiliath (an already ruined city) with his mount. Afterward, he makes way for their future attack on Minas Tirith. He leads the Dark Lord's forces in Pelennor Fields, where he is confronted by Gandalf after attempting to breach the city. Before they can do battle, Rohan's forces arrive, and the Witch-king flees. Some hours afterward, the Witch-king attacks King Théoden. The king's horse falls and crushes him, and the leader of the Nine closes in to deal the final blow. However, Éowyn and Merry finds them and confronts the Witch-king. Éowyn manages to kill the Ringwraith's fell beast, and the Witch-king retaliates with a blow to her arm. As he prepares another blow, Merry stabs his leg with a Westernesse Barrow-blade. The Witch-king screams in pain. And finally, Éowyn stabs him with her sword through his body and crown, killing the Nine's most powerful and fulfilling Glorfindel's prophecy.

Battle in Morannon the Nine's Defeat

In the Battle at the Black Gate, only eight remains of the Ringwraiths [2]mounted on their fell beasts. As they attack the army from the West, the Nazgûl is confronted by Gwaihir and other Eagles. At the same time, Frodo claims the Ring as his near Mount Doom. The Dark Lord Sauron Fearful and enraged, he immediately becomes aware of the hobbit's presence and his folly., the Dark Lord orders the remaining Ringwraiths to fly to Mount Doom for the Ring. The Ringwraiths fail, and the Ring is cast into Mount Doom's fires when Gollum bites Frodo's finger and falls into the molten pit himself, taking the Ring with him. Sauron is immediately defeated with the loss of his Ring, and Mount Doom erupts. The Nazgûl is destroyed, both their power and form, dissipating forever.

Weapons and Powers

Witch-king's true appearance in the film.Witch-king's true appearance in the film.
Sauron's power sustains the Ringwraiths. The greatest among them (the Witch-king) was particularly difficult to kill, where any regular weapon that strikes is destroyed. The weapons of the Nine include steel swords and daggers. The Witch-king also possessed a black mace. Their power extended from physical armaments; they had other abilities as well. For one, they had voices that brought terror and dread in the hearts of those who hear them.

They wore silver mail, and their senses of smell and hearing were enhanced. The Nine can't see in the day as a normal mortal can. Instead, they saw shadows. During the night, they had enhanced vision and were able to see forms and shapes not seen by mortal eyes. They had a presence that one can feel like a troubling heart. They would sense the presence of their master's Ring above all, especially if it was worn. They surround themselves with a terrifying aura that affects every living creature. This aura is named the Black Breath, and it is possibly toxic to those who come too near. The fear the Ringwraiths inspire was possibly their greatest strength. Gandalf states that in the event that the Dark Lord regains the One Ring, the Nazgûl's power will vastly increase.

However, we can still witness their strengthening over the course of the books. In the first book, they appear to be weak. Their cries simply unnerved the hobbits, and during the Weathertop encounter, Aragorn fought them single-handedly and won. We can see an apparent change in the third book, where their cries were already powerful enough to cause everyone but the braves to flee in terror. The Witch-king particularly became so strong that he can challenge Gandalf in his reincarnated form.

Weaknesses

The Ringwraiths might have been some of Sauron's most terrible servants, but they still had weaknesses that can be exploited. For instance, they were particularly weak during daylight. Save for their leader, the Witch-king, none of the Nine can function during the day, and they generally feared the Sun. All of the nine except the Witch-king was afraid of water, but this weakness was redacted when Tolkien published his books since it was too difficult to sustain. During the Weathertop encounter, Aragorn managed to drive away from the Nazgûl with fire.

Even their leader was afraid of the fire. Near the Bruinen Ford, Frodo's company used fire to help Glorfindel drive them away and into the torrential water. If someone was brave enough to resist the Nine's frightful aura, then they wouldn't have any real power over them, save for the strongest among them. In one LOTR game, Glorfindel, Gandalf, and Aragorn can face Ringwraiths singlehandedly and elude or even defeat them, as long as it wasn't the Witch-king or they didn't encounter more than one of them. With that said, only a few can resist them all a once. Glorfindel was powerful enough to instill fear into the hearts of the Nazgûl.

Mounts

During the War for the Ring, the Nazgûl rode on black horses that came from Rohan. And they relied on their steeds heavily for transport. Their encounter with the elf Glorfindel at the Bruinen Ford caused them to lose their mounts, which were all killed by the flood. They returned to Mordor in order to regroup, and Sauron provided winged creatures and new horses. The Nazgûl used these fell beasts to attack Osgiliath and help clear the way for the Dark Lord's Minas Tirith siege. They also used these mounts during the battle in the Morannon and the Pelennor Fields. Lastly, they used the fell beasts to their advantage in their renewed efforts to search for Frodo and the Ring.

Etymology

Nazgûl translates to "Ring-wraith," and it can be broken down into Nazg (Ring) and Gul (wraith) in Black Speech. They also have a rarely heard name in Quenya called Úlairi, and we can conjecture this with the Sindarin Term, Ulaer.

Other titles

  • Black Wings​
  • Fell Riders​
  • Wraiths on wings (called by Gollum)​
  • Shriekers​
  • Nine Riders​
  • The Ringwraiths​
  • Black Riders​
  • Khamûl (The Black Riders' 2nd most powerful) – Shadow of the East
  • Witch-king of Angmar – The Black Captain of the Lord of the Nazgûl​

Portrayal in Different Adaptations

Rankin & Bass' version

In this adaptation, we can see the Nine featured in The Return of the King, except with a very different appearance. Apart from their leader, the Nine have the appearance of skeletal humanoids on dark horses with bat wings and red eyes. Notably, they wear brown tunics and black cloaks bearing Sauron's eye insignia. And they each were black crowns, as well. The Witch-king sports a similar tunic except his head is hidden underneath a hood. After removing said hood, he appears headless with two glowing eyes and a crown. He initially has a dark-winged horse as his mount, but this is later changed when he attacks Théoden, where he can be seen riding a Fell mount.

Ralph Bakshi's version

The Ringwraith's first appearance in this version is in the Prancing Pony Inn, and they slash at the Hobbits' beds. Afterward, they take off their hoods to reveal black armor and masks underneath.

Peter Jackson's LOTR Film Trilogy

Nazgûl in Dol Guldur.Nazgûl in Dol Guldur.
One of the most noteworthy traits of this trilogy's Ringwraiths is their loud shrieks, which were provided by Fran Walsh (co-screenwriter) and the director's wife. Khamul is voiced by Andy Serkis and speaks briefly in the first film of the trilogy. The roles of the Nine in these films remain largely the same as their novel counterparts. The biggest changes took place in the last movie, specifically regarding the Witch-king. He rides on his Fell beast without his hood. In the extended version of the film, it was also established that he is more powerful compared to Gandalf, which became apparent when he shattered the wizard's staff during their confrontation. IMDB shows that the Nine were portrayed using multiple actors, namely: Lee Hartley, Phil Grieve, Victoria Beynon-Cole, Jonathan Jordan, Clinton Ulyatt, Semi Kuresa, Paul Bryson, Jono Manks, Lance Kemp, Ben Price, and Chris Streeter.

Peter Jackson's The Hobbit Trilogy

The Witch-king appears in the first film of this trilogy in the Dol Guldur scene. He spars briefly with Radagast and drops his Morgul-blade. The Brown Wizard meets Gandalf and shows him the blade, and Gandalf presents it during the White Council. Elrond and Galadriel are alarmed with the appearance of this dagger, as they knew it was buried in the tomb of the Witch-king that could not have been opened. In the second film, Galadriel instructs Gandalf to inspect the Nine's tombs located in the High Fells. He finds each one broken open and empty. This new development leads Gandalf to conclude that Dol Guldur's Necromancer is Sauron himself, as he knew that the Dark Lord was the only one that Ringwraiths answered.

In the last film, the Nine appear as armored specters when Galadriel saves Gandalf, who was locked in a cage in the Necromancer's fortress. The Ringwraiths fight with Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman, who seemingly banish them. Radagast appears and takes Gandalf somewhere safe. However, Sauron himself appears with his Ringwraiths, and their leader comes forward to pierce Galadriel with his blade. She takes on a different appearance (as seen in the previous trilogy) and banishes the Nazgul. Galadriel duels with Sauron and the latter flees to Mordor with the Nine.

Non-canonical Adaptations

Because Tolkien only names two of the Nine (Khamul and the Witch-king), the rest of the Ringwraiths remain unidentified. In some non-canonical adaptations, identities were given to these unnamed Ringwraiths.

LOTR Online

Each one of the Nine has at least one title (some names are forgotten through time.) And now, they are only known in their most common names. Every member of the Ringwraiths is given a backstory, and their rings' names are revealed. In this version, the Nine were corrupted after using their rings of power, but they didn't choose to side with the Dark Lord outright. Additionally, this series establishes the presence of weaker wraiths called the Cargûl (also known as the Red Wraiths who were forced into service using Morgul-blades), along with the Gúrzyul (disciples who became Sauron's immortal lieutenants). And many of them have survived the Dark Lord's fall in weakened states.​
  • Witch-king of Angmar, once a king of the Númenórean race of men. He received the Un (or Heart-stopper) during the 2nd Age.​
  • Bane of Rhûn, another fallen Easterling King. He is the recipient of the Sâkhla (or Cruel One.)​
  • Cursed Rider, a fallen Easterling King, turned into a Lieutenant for Dol Guldur. He is the recipient of Orôm (or Warmonger.)​
  • Forsaken Reaver, a fallen Southron king. He is the recipient of the Khânto (or Pain-giver)​
  • Black Blade of Lebennin, a fallen Numenorean king. He is the recipient of the Sapthân (or Foolstone.)​
  • Grim Southron, a fallen Southron king. He is the recipient of the Jûru ( or Herald of Mourning)​
  • The gloom of Nurn, a fallen Numenorean king. He is the recipient of the Nitîr (or Terror's Sting)​
  • The Woe of Khand, a fallen Easterling King, now the Reaver of Khand. He is the recipient of the Adâsh (or Foe-maker.)​
  • The High Sorcerer of Harad, another fallen Southron king. He is the recipient of the Mêbat (or Mirth-eater)​

Middle-earth Game: Shadow of War

In this video game, Talion faces three Ringwraiths as bosses, and they're given more individuality (in terms of design, personality, and fighting style) in order to add to the narrative and give variations to their fights. Here, it's shown that Ringwraiths can pass to others who have Rings of Power. And this follows the "real" death of the one who preceded them. [3]

Suladân

Once a powerful king of the Numenor who besieged the fortress of Sauron with his armies. He wins the battle and Sauron surrenders, offering the king one of his Rings of Power. He accepts and slowly becomes corrupted from his Ring's influence, and Sauron becomes his trusted advisor. Eventually, he becomes completely corrupted and transforms into one of the Nine. This character is most likely based on the book's Ar-Pharazôn, Numenor's last king, who took the Dark Lord captive.

Talion

The protagonist of the game. When Talion slays Isildur and discovers Celebrimbor's plan to replace the Dark Lord, the elf betrays Talion and possesses Eltariel. Talion's wound reopens since it was due to Celebrimbor ( or his Ring of Power) that kept it at bay. He chooses to survive and attempt to contain Mordor's forces and puts on the Ring of Isildur. This new power kept him from dying, but it slowly corrupted him into becoming part of the Nine. He uses the Ring's power to drive away from the Ringwraiths and gain hold of Minas Morgul. After decades of fighting Sauron, Talion is corrupted and turns into a Ringwraith.

Isildur

When Isildur was killed in Gladden Fields, the perpetrators returned him where Sauron resided, and the Dark Lord proceeds to revive and enslave Isildur using a Ring of Power. After Celebrimbor and Talion dominate Isildur and break him of the Dark Lord's control, he refuses to force him into their servitude and instead kills him in order to free his bonds.

Helm Hammerhand

Siric, the warlord, wanted to marry Helm's daughter, Bernwyn, but refuses. Siric ambushes father and daughter, with Helm ending up mortally wounded and Bernwyn kidnapped. As he lay dying, Celebrimbor and Sauron appear and gives him a Ring of Power. With the Ring's help, Helm recovers and besieges Siric's fortress. In the process, he kills his daughter accidentally when she takes the blow for Siric. In a fury, Helm slaughters everyone in sight, even his own men.

Nazgûl Sisters

Similar to the game's protagonist, Talion, the sisters weren't original owners of a Ring of Power. The two were daughters of one distant land's ruler, and they were tasked to recover a Ring of Power. The sisters managed to kill two Ringwraiths and retrieve their rings. However, the rings' corrupting influence held sway on the sisters, and this leads them to usurp the throne by murdering their own father. Afterward, Sauron arrives and enlists the two, turning them into the Nazgûl sisters. When Celebrimbor and Sauron were both trapped inside a fiery eye, and Talion defeated the Witch-king, the two used took the weakened states of their masters to their advantage and attempted to claim Mordor as theirs. They were defeated by Talion and Eltariel and returned under Sauron's command.

Trivia

  • The Nine are used as the subject for "Shadows," a song from Sabaton, a Swedish metal band.​
  • They are also used as the subject for "The Wraith Of The Rings," a song by Bob Catley in his album called "Middle Earth."​
  • The Dementors of the Harry Potter books and movies are compared with Tolkien's Ringwraiths since they have a similar appearance.​
  • The Nine are mentioned in "Battle of Evermore," a song made by Led Zepplin.​
  • In the first of The Hobbit films, Nine's appearance is the first instance where they are visible in their actual forms without having to wear Sauron's Ring. However, they only appeared in their actual forms in the LOTR films when Frodo wears the One Ring.​
  • They are used as the subject for "Flight of the Nazgul," a song by Summoning, an Austrian Metal band. They're also used in "Die Schwarzen Reiter," a song from E Nomine, a New Age band and "Todesschwadron Ost," a song from Minas Morgul, a German Metal band.​

References

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Questions & Discussions about Nazgûl


Nazgûl

General info

Other Names (a.k.a)
Ringwraiths, the Black Riders, the Nine, Úlairi (Q)
Origins
Men who received the
Nine Rings; corrupted by Sauron
Languages
Black Speech

Physical Attributes

Lifespan
Indefinite
Height
Man-high


Political

Weapons
Morgul-knife

Discussions

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