THE SECOND AGE OF THE SUN was known as the age of the Numenoreans. Numenor was also known as Westernesse and was the Atlantis of legend, an island in the shape of a five-pointed star. The Numenoreans were Men descended from the Edain who were given a longer life-span than ordinary Men. Elros, son of Earendil and twin brother to Elrond was the first King of the Numenoreans. Elrond had chosen the Kingdom of the Immortal Elves.

The Elves who had survived the battles of the First Age of the Sun came together under Gil-galad, the last High Elf-King. Over the years, some of these High Elves travelled eastwards to found their own kingdoms. Also during this time, Sauron the Sorceror established himself in the mortal world, intending to succeed Melkor as the Dark Lord of Middle Earth. In the year 1000 Sauron built his evil realm of Mordor, drawing Orcs and other evil beings to him, including barbarians from the East whom he had enslaved.

The Dark Tower at Barad-dur was built and in 1500 Sauron's Elven-smiths, who had been taken in by him, were persuaded to forge the Rings of Power. These were completed by 1600, and Sauron himself returned to the Dark Tower where he forged the One Ring and became Lord of the Rings. From 1693 - 1701, the War of the Elves raged. Sauron killed Celebrimbor, destroyed the Elven-smiths' city and Eregion, and overran Eriador. It was at this time that the Dwarves of Khazad-dum retreated into Moria and Elrond Half-elven and his surviving followers retreated into the Misty Mountains where they founded Rivendell, known to the Elves as Imladris. Sauron moved against Gil-galad but the Numenoreans joined the Elves in battle and he was defeated and forced back to Mordor.

During the next 1000 years Sauron cast his dark shadow over the barbarian tibes, and distributed the nine rings of Mortal Men amongst them. By the 23rd century these were the Nazgul, known also as the Ringwraiths. Meanwhile the power of the Numenoreans grew and grew and in 3261 they marched against Mordor. Amazingly, Sauron surrendered and allowed himself to be imprisoned in chains. However Sauron corrupted the Numenorean Kings so that they turned against the Valar and sailed west to war with the Powers of Arda. As a consequence of this treachery, Iluvatar destroyed the island of Numenor (Atlantis) and there followed the Change of the World.

It is at this point in the history of the World that it ceased to be flat and became the globed planet we now know. Some of the Numenoreans resisted Sauron, calling themselves the Faithful. They sailed to Middle Earth at the time of the cataclysmic destruction of Numenor, and became known as the Dunedain, establishing the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. Sauron, who had also escaped the sinking of Numenor, returned to Mordor where he planned to destroy all things Elvish and the kingdom of the Dunedain in Middle Earth.

Sauron's army was defeated by an alliance of Men and Elves at the Battle of Dagorland. The alliance besieged the Dark Tower for seven years before the Dunedain King Isildur cut off Sauron's finger and with it the One Ring. The Second Age of the Sun came to an end with the conquest of Mordor, the destruction of the Dark Tower, the casting out of Middle Earth of the Ringwraiths and the downfall of Sauron, in the year 3441. In next month's issue, The Third Age of the Sun.

Tolkien’s great passion and focused ambition was to create an entire mythological system for the English people. No one can possibly doubt that he achieved that ambition. In next month's issue......"The Third Age of the Sun "....to learn more about the Valar, click on the left button below; for a comprehensive (but unfinished) encyclopedic reference to Tolkien, click on the ARDA button the right.