Disaster of the Gladden Fields

The Disaster of the Gladden Fields was a battle fought in the early years of the Third Age in which Isildur, High King of Arnor and Gondor, was slain and the One Ring was lost. Occurring in T.A. 2 near the Gladden Fields beside the River Anduin, the disaster ended Isildur's brief reign and marked the final defeat of the royal party returning north after the War of the Last Alliance.

Lore

At the end of the Second Age, the War of the Last Alliance brought about the defeat of Sauron. During the final struggle before Barad-dûr, Elendil and his son Anárion were slain, and their surviving heir Isildur cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Refusing the counsel of Elrond and Círdan to destroy the Ring, Isildur kept it as weregild for the deaths of his father and brother.

In the first years of the Third Age, Isildur remained in Gondor to restore order after the war. He entrusted the governance of the southern kingdom to his nephew Meneldil and prepared to return to the northern capital of Annúminas, where he intended to resume his rule as High King.

In T.A. 2 Isildur departed from Minas Tirith with a relatively small escort of Dúnedain. Among his companions were his three eldest sons — Elendur, Aratan, and Ciryon and his foster son Tárandil, as well as a number of captains and soldiers who had fought in the great war against Mordor. Isildur also bore with him the shards of Narsil, the sword of Elendil, which had broken during the battle with Sauron. Secretly, he also carried the One Ring.

Isildur's destination was Rivendell, where his youngest son Valandil had remained during the war. From there he intended to continue north and reclaim the throne of Arnor. As Isildur's company travelled north along the eastern side of the Misty Mountains, they passed through the Vales of Anduin near the marshy lands known as the Gladden Fields. There, in the darkness of night, they were attacked by a large host of Orcs that had emerged from the forests of Greenwood the Great.

The Orcs struck suddenly and in overwhelming numbers. Though the Dúnedain fought with great skill and courage, they were heavily outnumbered. The soldiers of Gondor were veterans of the war against Sauron and resisted fiercely, but the attackers continued to press the assault. During the battle Isildur realized that defeat was inevitable. He entrusted the shards of Narsil to his squire Ohtar, commanding him to escape and bear the sword to Rivendell. Ohtar managed to slip away during the fighting and eventually reached Rivendell safely, preserving the broken blade that would remain an heirloom of Isildur's line.

As the fighting continued, Isildur's eldest son Elendur urged his father to flee, saying that the survival of the king was more important than the lives of his remaining guard. At last Isildur attempted to escape the encircling Orcs. To aid his escape, Isildur put on the One Ring, becoming invisible to his enemies. Under its concealment he fled from the battlefield and ran toward the River Anduin, intending to cross to the western bank.

Though the river was strong and swift, Isildur entered the water and attempted to swim across. While he struggled against the current, however, the Ring betrayed him. It slipped from his finger and was lost in the waters of the Anduin. With the Ring gone, Isildur became visible once more. Orc archers who had pursued him along the riverbank saw him in the water and shot him with arrows. Struck down and exhausted from the crossing, Isildur was slain and his body lost in the river.

With the death of their king, the remaining members of his company were overwhelmed. Only a handful survived the battle. The Disaster of the Gladden Fields ended the reign of Isildur after only two years as High King. His youngest son Valandil later inherited the throne of Arnor, while Meneldil continued to rule Gondor independently.

The One Ring remained hidden in the bed of the River Anduin for more than two thousand years. Eventually it was discovered by the Hobbit Déagol, who was murdered for it by his companion Sméagol. Through these events the Ring passed into the hands of Bilbo Baggins and later Frodo Baggins, leading to the War of the Ring. The place where Isildur fell became associated with his memory, and a small island in the Anduin was later said to be covered in white flowers in remembrance of the fallen king.