Middle-earth

Kingdom

Mordor

Also known as The Black Land, Land of Shadow, Nurn

The volcanic black realm of Sauron east of the Ephel Dúath, sealed by mountains and guarded by the Black Gate, from which he directed his wars against the West.

Tolkien’s textsSupported by the narratives published in Tolkien’s lifetime.
Category
Kingdom
Language
The Black Speech, devised by Sauron, with Orcish and Westron among his servants.
Mordor

What this is

In brief

A political realm and fortress-domain, not a people. Orcs, Uruks and Men serve there, but Mordor is the state and territory ruled by Sauron, not a race.

Origins

Mordor was a natural fastness of the plateau of Gorgoroth, ringed by the Ered Lithui and Ephel Dúath, first fortified by Sauron in the Second Age after he chose it as a base safe from the Valar. He built Barad-dûr and the Black Gate to hold it.

Culture

A realm of shadow, industry and terror, organised entirely around its master’s will. Its plains support vast armies and slave-farms, and its towers and forges drive Sauron’s war-machine.

Language

The Black Speech, devised by Sauron, with Orcish and Westron among his servants.

History

From Mordor Sauron forged the One Ring and made war on the Elves and Númenor. He was overthrown and Mordor garrisoned by the Last Alliance, but he returned in T.A. 2941 and rebuilt Barad-dûr. The Ring was destroyed in S.A. 3019 at Mount Doom, the Dark Tower fell and Mordor was left a broken, barren land.

Leaders

Settlements

  • barad-dur
  • minas-morgul
  • cirith-ungol
  • mount-doom
  • black-gate

Alliances

  • isengard
  • orcs
  • harad
  • rhun

Conflicts

  • war-of-the-ring
  • battle-of-the-pelennor-fields
  • battle-of-the-morannon

Notable members

Sources

  • The Lord of the Rings · 1954–55

    Three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King.

  • The Silmarillion · 1977

    Posthumously edited. Contains the Ainulindalë, Valaquenta, Quenta Silmarillion, Akallabêth and Of the Rings of Power.

  • Unfinished Tales · 1980

    Expanded and alternative accounts of the First, Second and Third Ages.

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