Battle of the Gladden Fields

Description

The Battle of the Gladden Fields happened in Third Age 2, when a large host of orcs ambushed Isildur, his sons, and their strong guard and most of Isildur's men were slain.

This event took place in the wake of the Siege of Barad-dûr. There Isildur had cut off the One Ring of Sauron's hand and Sauron fled utterly defeated. After some time when Isildur had restored order in the Kingdom of Gondor he set Meneldil, his nephew, as ruler over the South kingdom and set out for a journey back to Arnor. However, he took the route past Imladris (Rivendell) to bring with him his wife and youngest son, Valandil. The quickest route was up the vale of river Anduin.

Isildur, his sons Elendur, Tárandil, Aratan, and Ciryon, and a great guard of 200 valiant men travelled for 30 days. Late in the afternoon, passing north along the Anduin near the Gladden Fields, a large host of orcs attacked from the woods above. It took more than five orcs to defeat one Dúnadan, but as they were tenfold Isildur's men he could not withstand them in the end.

When Isildur realized their grim destiny he quickly commanded his esquire, Ohtar, to at all costs flee with the shards of Narsil, Elendil's sword, and bring them to safety. Ohtar and a companion managed to safely reach Imladris with the shards. However, Isildur still clung on to the One Ring he had hanging around his neck.

Elendur urged Isildur to use the Ring to somehow control the orcs, but Isildur refused knowing that he could not control its power. Moments later, with his wisest counsellors slain, and two of his sons dying, Isildur listened to Elendur and put on the Ring and vanished from Middle-earth. The One Ring vanished from all accounts for many years.

Of Isildur's strong guard only three survived: Ohtar and his companion, and Elendur's esquire Estelmo, who was stunned by a club and lay sheltered under Elendur's dead body. He would also have perished in the usual orc ritual to mutilate the slain bodies after a battle, however, Woodmen from King Thranduil arrived and stopped the orcs. Rescuers coming too late but for one survivor. It was Estelmo who could bring forth the tale of all happenings and the destiny of the One Ring.

See also: The Black Book of Mordor: Epilogue: The Disaster

External References

• Unfinished Tales, by Tolkien
• tolkiengateway