Númenor , and
Elendil, Isildur and their people escape to
Middle-earth. In
Tolkien's legendarium, the island of
Númenor, in the great sea to the West of
Middle-earth, was created at the start of the
Second Age as a reward to the men who had fought against the fallen
Vala Morgoth, the primary antagonist of the
First Age. In Isildur's youth,
Ar-Pharazôn, King of Númenor, was corrupted by the fallen
Maia Sauron, who urged that Nimloth the
White Tree be cut down. Isildur went to the court of the king in disguise and stole a fruit of the tree. He was severely wounded during his escape, but his sacrifice was not in vain: Nimloth was cut down and burned shortly afterwards, but the line of the White Tree continued by way of the stolen fruit. When
Númenor was destroyed by the creator,
Ilúvatar, Elendil's family escaped in nine ships.
In Middle-earth The refugees from Númenor fled east to the continent of
Middle-earth. Isildur's father Elendil landed in the north and founded the realm of Arnor, while Isildur and his brother Anárion landed in the south, where they established the realm of
Gondor and the cities of
Osgiliath,
Minas Ithil, and
Minas Anor. Isildur lived in Minas Ithil on the east side of the River Anduin and Anárion in Minas Anor on the west side; they ruled Gondor jointly from Osgiliath. The Dark Lord
Sauron captured Minas Ithil and destroyed the White Tree Isildur had planted there. Isildur and his family escaped down the Anduin by boat, bearing with them a seedling of the tree. They sailed to
Lindon, seeking the
Elven King
Gil-galad and Elendil in Arnor. Anárion bought time for Gondor by defending Osgiliath and driving Sauron back to the mountains, while Elendil and Gil-galad marshalled their forces. The Second Age ended, and Isildur became High King of both Arnor and Gondor.
Death which grows beside freshwater. At the Gladden Fields in the middle course of the River
Anduin Isildur's party was ambushed by roaming
Orcs from the
Misty Mountains. It was 5 October in the second year of Isildur's reign, and the second year of the
Third Age. Tolkien wrote two differing accounts of the battle leading to Isildur's end. "
Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", at the end of
The Silmarillion, is told from the point of view of the
Eldar. It states that Isildur had set no guard in his camp at night, deeming that all his foes had been overthrown, and orcs attacked him there. The
Dúnedain were surrounded and outnumbered. Ciryon was killed and Aratan was mortally wounded in a failed attempt to rescue Elendur, who urged his father to flee. Isildur put on the Ring, hoping to escape under the cover of invisibility. Fleeing to the Anduin, he cast off his armour and tried to swim to the other side of the river, but the Ring betrayed him by slipping (of its own volition) from his finger. Isildur felt that the Ring was missing and was momentarily dismayed, but with the burden of the Ring removed he rallied and made for the opposite bank. Despite the darkness, the royal Elendilmir gem that he was wearing betrayed his position to orcs on the far bank, who were seeking survivors from the attack, and they killed him with their poisoned arrows. Isildur's
squire, Ohtar, saved Elendil's sword from the enemy, fleeing into the valley before the orcs encircled Isildur's company. Estelmo, Elendur's squire, was found alive under his master's body, stunned by a club. During the
War of the Ring the
Nazgûl searched the Gladden Fields, but failed to find any traces of Isildur's remains. Their efforts were hampered by
Saruman, who had deceived the Nazgûl, and who had arrived there first. After the overthrow of Saruman and the opening of
Orthanc (in
The Two Towers)
Gimli found a hidden closet containing the original Elendilmir, which was presumed lost when Isildur died. == Development ==