Great Plague

The Great Plague was a terrible sickness that swept through the lands of Rhovanion, Gondor and Eriador in Third Age 1635-1637. The plagued issued forth from Mordor and carried on dark winds hit Rhovanion first. The Northmen of the Vales of Anduin suffered great casualties, with more than half their population lying dead after the winter had passed.

In the spring of 1636, the plague reached Gondor. Calenardhon was nearly completely abandoned, and the capital of Osgiliath losing almost half its population, which caused the nation to transfer its throne to Minas Anor 4 years later. The fortress guarding the pass to Mordor had to be abandoned, as there were not enough people to sustain a guard there any longer. King Telemnar and his children all died in the plague, and even the White Tree of Gondor withered and died.

Following on, the plague reached Eriador later that year. Minhiriath, Cardolan and the Shire were especially badly hit, with all of the Dúnedain of Tyrn Gorthad being wiped out, Tharbad completely abandoned, and the Hobbits almost fading away in their brand new realm.

The plague faded out over the course of 1637, with Dunland being only lightly affected, and Fornost spared entirely. In total, the Great Plague caused a number of dead in the hundreds of thousands across the three lands, and its effects are still felt today in places like Cardolan and Minhiriath which remain heavily depopulated almost 1400 years later.