Timeline of Arda
This article includes several timelines relating to J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.
Real Events
"Sixth and Seventh Ages"
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
Arda Events
Before the creation of the Sun few dates can be given, and those dates given are in Valinorean Years, which are about a century in length.
Before the creation of Eä
Creation of Arda
- Many Ainur enter Arda and become the Valar and Maiar; shaping of Arda begins; creation of the elder stars by Varda
- First War: Melkor assaults his brethren; Arda's symmetry is marred
- Melkor is chained, tried, and expelled from Arda
(lasted five Ages)
(lasted six Ages)
- The Valar retire to Aman, while Melkor rules Middle-earth; Valinor founded; Trees of the Valar are created
- Aulë the Smith creates the Dwarves but is not allowed to awaken them; Yavanna thinks of the Ents in response
- c. 20000: Varda begins gathering light from the Trees of the Valar for the Great Stars
- Melian the Maia and others of her kind depart for Middle-earth, Melian dwells in Nan Elmoth in Beleriand
- Varda creates the Great Stars, setting the Sickle of the Valar in the north as a challenge to Melkor
- Eru awakes the Elves as the Great Stars are created
- Fathers of the Dwarves and first Ents awakened by Eru; Elves discover the Ents and begin teaching them language
- Melkor discovers and begins capturing Elves in secret
- Melkor begins breeding the Orcs from captured Elves, and the Trolls; Khazad-dûm founded by Durin the Deathless
- Oromë first learns of the Elves, he spends time with them, and then returns to Valinor
- The Valar make war on Melkor; Melkor is captured, chained, and is sentenced to serve a term in the Halls of Mandos for three Ages; Utumno is destroyed; Sauron escapes capture and remains in Angband, breeding Orcs and Trolls for Melkor
- Oromë brings three ambassadors of the Elves to Aman: Ingwë of the Vanyar, Finwë of the Ñoldor and Elwë of the Teleri
- Great Journey of the Elves: The Elves are summoned to Aman (not all answer the summon—see Sundering of the Elves)
- A group of Teleri under Lenwë (or Dan) abandon the March at Anduin and become the Nandor
- The Vanyar and Ñoldor arrive in Beleriand. The Teleri arrive later, tarrying in the great forests of Eriador. Elwë meets Melian and is entranced. Ulmo is unwilling to wait until Elwë is found, and the Vanyar and Ñoldor are ferried across on the island of Tol Eressëa, while the Teleri stay behind, looking for their lord. The Vanyar and Ñoldor settle in Tirion near Valimar
- Ulmo finally returns for the Teleri, but many stay behind because Elwë is not yet found, and become the Sindar. Another group remains behind at the request of Ossë, they become the Elves of the Falas under Círdan. The majority of the Teleri is ferried across on Tol Eressëa, which is anchored in the bay of Eldamar. They take Elwë's brother Olwë as lord
- Finwë marries Míriel. Later she gives birth to Fëanor and dies. Elwë awakes from slumber and reunites with the Sindar. He becomes known as Thingol, settling in Doriath; Nogrod and Belegost founded by Dwarves
- Finwë marries Indis; Findis born
- Fingolfin born
- Lúthien born
- Irimë born
- The Teleri of Tol Eressëa learn the art of shipbuilding, and ferry across the bay of Eldamar to Aman, where they found the city of Alqualondë. Tol Eressëa is abandoned
- The Vanyar abandon Tirion and settle in Aman proper. The Ñoldor remain in Tirion under Finwë their lord
- The Elves of the Falas join with the Sindar in an alliance
- Finarfin born
- Fingon born
- Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost enter Beleriand, establishing trade
- Turgon born
- Finrod born
- The Nandor under Denethor arrive in Beleriand, becoming known as the Laiquendi of Ossiriand
- Galadriel and Aredhel born
- Melkor, freed from his sentence, begins corrupting some of the Ñoldor.
- Fëanor, deceived by Melkor, draws arms against his brothers and is banished from Tirion: his father Finwë and many of the Ñoldor follow him in exile to Formenos. Melkor hides from capture and joins forces with Ungoliant
- Manwë tries to heal the feud of the Ñoldor, and summons Fëanor to a festival in Valimar. Melkor and Ungoliant destroy the Two Trees, kill Finwë and steal the Silmarils; Fëanor first names Melkor Morgoth. Fëanor and his sons swear an Oath to regain the Silmarils and the majority of the Ñoldor depart from Valinor; Ñoldor kill many Teleri and seize their ships in the First Kinslaying
- Prophecy of Mandos: the Ñoldor are banished from Valinor, and foretold great doom; the Valar hide Valinor behind the Magic Isles and raise the Pelóri mountains
- Idril born
- Morgoth returns to Angband, and tries to take Beleriand: First Battle of Beleriand is fought; Denethor of the Laiquendi slain and the Havens of the Falas are besieged
- The Ñoldor arrive at Helcaraxë; Fëanor and sons betray the sons of Indis and sail across, then burn the ships
- Return of the Ñoldor to Middle-earth. Morgoth's army attacks Fëanor. Dagor-nuin-Giliath, the Battle under Stars is fought. Fëanor is slain by Balrogs in sight of Angband
- The Valar begin devising the Moon and Sun
- The remainder of the Ñoldor arrives in Middle-earth; Moon arises
From this time on years are of normal length. Events from Valinor during the Years of the Sun cannot be accurately dated.
(lasted 583 years)
- Year 1 - The Sun first sets sail, Awakening of Men in Hildórien.
- 50 - Turgon and Finrod are told by Ulmo to establish a refuge
- 65 - Finrod builds the tower of Barad Nimras ("White Horn Tower") on a cape of the Falas between Brithombar and Eglarest
- 75 - Dagor Aglareb: the Ñoldor, ruled by Fingolfin, start the Siege of Angband
- c. 100 - Foundation of Nargothrond: Fingon's folk depart from Hithlum
- 126 - Completion of Gondolin. Turgon's people begin the migration from Nevrast in secret
- 265 - Glaurung ravages Beleriand, but is driven back to Angband.
- 305 - Bëor leads The First House of the Edain into Beleriand: Men discovered by Finrod
- 341 - Haldar and Haleth born
- 345 - Return of Aredhel and Maeglin to Gondolin. Later that year Eöl and Aredhel die.
- 389 - Birth of Hador, later Lord of Dor-lómin
- 443 - Birth of Beren Erchamion
- 445 - Birth of Rodnor son of Orodreth, later called Gil-galad
- 455 - Morgoth breaks the Siege of Angband in Dagor Bragollach, Battle of Sudden Flame; kills Fingolfin in duel; Húrin and Huor are brought to Gondolin by Thorondor
- 456 - Húrin and Huor return out of Gondolin to Dor-lómin.
- 457 - Capture of Finrod's fortress of Minas Tirith by the forces of Sauron, its warden Orodreth flees for Nargothrond. Minas Tirith is renamed Tol-in-Gaurhoth, Isle of the Werewolves
- 461 - Barahir and companions are killed, Beren becomes an outlaw
- 462 - Beren departs for Doriath
- 463 - Birth of Túrin Turambar in Dor-lómin. Beren first comes upon Lúthien.
- 465 - Celegorm and Curufin are exiled from Nargothrond and journey to Himring
- 468 - Finrod and Beren are imprisoned in Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Finrod is slain by a werewolf, but Beren is rescued by Lúthien.
- 469 - Beren and Lúthien achieve the Quest of the Silmaril. Beren dies, and Lúthien abandons life: Lúthien pleads with Mandos and Beren and Lúthien are restored to life; Beren and Lúthien take up bodies again in Ossiriand on the isle of Tol Galen
- 471 - Nirnaeth Arnoediad, The Battle of Unnumbered Tears; Huor is slain in the Fens of Serech, Húrin is captured by Morgoth. Birth of Tuor son of Huor. Fingon slain
- 472 - Siege and capture of the Havens of the Falas: Brithombar and Eglarest.
- c. 473 - Birth of Nienor and death of Rían.
- 475 - Birth of Dior Eluchíl on Tol Galen
- 494 - Gurthang is reforged for Túrin, who becomes known as the Black Sword of Nargothrond
- 495 - Sack of Nargothrond. The coming of Tuor to Gondolin
- 497 - Dior weds Nimloth.
- 498 - Slaying of Glaurung, and deaths of Túrin Turambar and Nienor Níniel in Brethil
- 499 - Thingol is slain and Doriath sacked by Dwarves of Belegost; Beren, Laiquendi and Ents destroy the Dwarves; Melian returns to Valinor in grief; Lúthien wears the Silmaril; Dior refounds Doriath
- 500 - Birth of Elwing daughter of Dior.
- c. 501 - Death of Morwen
- c. 502 - Final deaths of Beren and Lúthien; Dior receives the Silmaril; death of Húrin
- 505 - Doriath is destroyed in the Second Kinslaying; Dior, Nimloth, and sons killed; Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir are all slain; Elwing escapes for the Mouths of Sirion with the Silmaril
- 510 - Death of Turgon
- 511 - Gondolin is betrayed by Maeglin and sacked; Glorfindel slays a Balrog in the Echoriath, and is himself slain
- 525 - Elrond and Elros are born to Eärendil and Elwing
- 560 - Tuor and Idril sail into the West in the ship Eärrámë
- c. 580 - Third Kinslaying: while Eärendil is away the remaining Sons of Fëanor attack the people of the Mouths of Sirion trying to claim the Silmaril; Amrod is slain; Elwing casts herself in the sea but is brought to Eärendil by Ulmo; Eärendil sets out to Valinor to beg for rescue by the Valar
- 583 - The War of Wrath; Morgoth is cast into the Void; Most of Beleriand is sunk; the Sea of Helcar is drained through the Great Gulf; the plateaus of Mordor, Khand, and Rhûn rise from the former seabed; the remaining two Silmarils are stolen by Maedhros and Maglor but are lost in the earth and in the sea; the Elves are summoned to Valinor and settle on Tol Eressëa; Galadriel refuses the summons and is still banned; a small part of the Ñoldor remain in Lindon; many Sindar depart east and establish realms, under them Thranduil
(lasted 3441 years)
- 1 - Foundation of Mithlond the Grey Havens under Círdan, and Lindon as the Ñoldorin Kingdom under Gil-galad
- 32 - Edain reach Númenor, Elros is crowned first King of Númenor
- c. 40 - Many Dwarves abandon the ruined cities of Belegost and Nogrod in the Ered Luin and join Durin's folk in Moria
- 61 - Birth of Vardamir Nólimon, eldest child of Elros. Subsequently three more children are born.
- 192 - Birth of Tar-Amandil
- 222 - Birth of Nolondil
- 350 - Birth of Tar-Elendil
- 361 - Birth of Eärendur
- 442 - Elros, also known as Tar-Minyatur, dies. Vardamir Nólimon succeeds the throne but abdicate immediately. Tar-Amandil becomes third king of Númenor.
- c. 500 - Sauron arises again in Middle-earth
- 521 - Silmarien is born in Númenor1, line of lords of Andúnië splits off the line of Kings
- 532 - Isilmë, sister of Silmarien, born
- 543 - Meneldur, brother of Silmarien, born
- 590 - Tar-Elendil becomes fourth king of Númenor.
- 600 - First Númenórean ships sail to Middle-earth.
- 700 - Anardil born
- 740 - Tar-Meneldur becomes fifth king of Númenor.
- 750 - the Ñoldor found the realm of Eregion near Moria
- 870 - Anardil weds Erendis.
- 873 - Ancalimë born
- 882 - Anardil and Erendis separate
- 883 - Tar-Aldarion becomes sixth king of Númenor.
- 985 - Death of Erendis, apparently by drowning.
- c. 1050 - The shadow of Sauron falls upon Greenwood the Great, which is renamed Mirkwood. Sauron begins building Barad-dûr
- 1075 - Tar-Ancalimë becomes the first Queen and seventh ruler of Númenór.
- c. 1200 - Sauron deceives the Ñoldor in Eregion, but Gil-galad mistrusts him; the Númenóreans begin building permanent havens in Middle-earth at Lond Daer, Umbar, and other places
- 1280 - Tar-Anárion becomes seventh king of Númenor.
- c. 1350 - Celeborn and Galadriel together with their daughter Celebrían emigrate from Eregion to Lórien; Celebrimbor becomes lord of Eregion
- 1394 - Tar-Súrion becomes eighth king of Númenor.
- c. 1500 - the Ñoldor under Celebrimbor are instructed by Sauron, beginning of the forging of the Rings of Power
- 1566 - Tar-Telperiën becomes the second Queen and tenth ruler of Númenor.
- c. 1600 - Forging of the One Ring; Barad-dûr completed; Celebrimbor begins fighting Sauron
- 1693 - War of the Elves and Sauron begins, the Three Rings are hidden
- 1695 - Elrond sent to Eregion as lieutenant of Gil-galad
- 1697 - Eregion destroyed, Elrond establishes the refuge of Rivendell, Celebrimbor dies
- 1699 - Rivendell and Lindon besieged
- 1700 - Minastir sends a great navy to Lindon; Sauron defeated; Sauron's forces retreat from Eriador and the coasts
- 1731 - Tar-Minastir becomes eleventh king of Númenor.
- c. 1800 - Númenor begins establishing permanent settlements in Middle-earth
- 1869 - Tar-Ciryatan becomes twelveth king of Númenor.
- 2029 - Tar-Atanamir the Great becomes thirteenth king of Númenor but is hostile to the Valar. The Elendili or "Faithful" still receive the Elves in secret.
- 2221 - Tar-Ancalimon becomes fourteenth king of Númenor2.
- 2251 - The Ringwraiths first appear.
- 2280 - Umbar is fortified by the Númenóreans
- 2350 - Pelargir is built by the Elendili
- 2386 - Tar-Telemmaitë becomes fifteenth king of Númenor.
- 2526 - Tar-Vanimeldë becomes third Queen and sixteenth ruler of Númenor.
- 2637 - Herucalmo seizes the throne and rule as Tar-Anducal, but he's not counted in the list of kings.
- 2657 - Tar-Alcarin becomes seventeenth king of Númenor.
- 2737 - Tar-Calmacil becomes eighteenth king of Númenor.
- 2899 - Ar-Adûnakhôr becomes twentieth king of Númenor and the first to take his royal name in Adûnaic, the language of Men, instead of Quenya, the high language of the Elves
- c. 2900 - Teaching of Elvish languages prohibited in Númenor.
- 2962 - Ar-Zimrathôn becomes twenty-first king of Númenor.
- 3033 - Ar-Sakalthôr becomes twenty-second king of Númenor.
- 3102 - Ar-Gimilzôr becomes twenty-third king of Númenor.
- c. 3110 - Usage of Elvish languages and visit of the Elves prohibited in Númenor.
- 3119 - Birth of Elendil
- 3209 - Birth of Isildur
- 3219 - Birth of Anárion
- 3177 - Tar-Palantir repents, resulting in a civil war in Númenor
- 3255 - Ar-Pharazôn the Golden weds his first cousin Míriel, the daughter of Tar-Palantir, and seizes the throne of Númenor
- 3261 - Ar-Pharazôn sails to Middle-earth landing at Umbar, and takes Sauron captive
- 3262 - Sauron is taken as prisoner to Númenor, but begins corrupting the Númenóreans
- c. 3300 - Sauron establishes himself as High Priest of Melkor, "Lord of the Dark"; Elendili are openly persecuted and sacrificed to Morgoth
- 3318 - Birth of Meneldil, fourth child of Anárion and last man born in Númenor
- 3319 - Ar-Pharazôn sets foot on Aman; the World is Changed: Aman and Tol Eressëa are removed from Arda, Númenor is drowned, and the world is made round; Elendil and his sons arrive on the shores of Middle-earth
- 3320 - Founding of Gondor and Arnor by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion; Umbar as realm in exile founded by Black Númenóreans
- 3429 - Sauron conquers Minas Ithil and burns the White Tree; Isildur flees to Arnor while Anárion defends Osgiliath
- 3430 - The Last Alliance of Elves and Men is formed
- 3434 - Sauron's forces are defeated in the Battle of Dagorlad; Siege of Barad-dûr begins
- 3440 - Anárion is slain
- 3441 - Elendil and Gil-galad perish in battle; Isildur slays Sauron by taking the shards of his father's sword Narsil and cutting the One Ring from Sauron's finger, destroying Sauron's physical form and winning the war. In the aftermath of the War many Elves of Gil-galad's following depart to Valinor: end of the Ñoldorin realms in Middle-earth.
(lasted 3021 years)
Note on Shire Reckoning: Year 1601 of the Third Age, in which the Shire was founded, is year 1 of the Shire Reckoning. Thus, Third Age years can be converted into their Shire equivalents by deducting 1600.
- Year 2 - Death of Isildur by Orcs in the Battle of the Gladden Fields, losing the One Ring in the Gladden river
- 109 - Elrond weds Celebrían, daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel
- 130 - Elrohir and Elladan are born to Elrond and Celebrían
- 241 - Arwen Undómiel is born to Elrond and Celebrían
- 492 - Easterlings invade Gondor
- 541 - Easterlings invade Gondor once more, slaying King Rómendacil
- c. 550 - King Turambar of Gondor defeats the Easterlings of Rhûn; the Kingdom of Rhovanion becomes and ally of Gondor
- 861 - Following Eärendur's death, the kingdom of Arnor breaks up into Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur
- 933 - Eärnil I of Gondor takes Umbar in a surprise attack
- 936 - Eärnil I lost at sea
- 1000 - The Wizards come to Middle-earth
- 1015 - Hyarmendacil I ascends throne of Gondor
- 1015 - Black Númenóreans of Umbar besiege their old city
- 1030 - Siege of Umbar ends, Umbar retaken by Black Númenóreans.
- 1050 - Hyarmendacil I, king of Gondor, conquers Umbar, Hobbits migrate to Eriador.
- 1149 - Death of Hyarmendacil I, Atanatar takes the sceptre of Gondor
- c. 1200 - Rulers of Rhovanion assume the title "King of Rhovanion"
- 1248 - Rómendacil II of Gondor strucks decisive blow to the Easterlings; forms a strong alliance with Rhovanion, to which he cedes all the lands east of Anduin
- 1255 - Eldacar born
- c. 1259 - Castamir born3
- 1300 - The kingdom of Angmar first appears at Arthedain's north-eastern border
- 1344 - Death of Vidumavi
- 1356 - King Argeleb I of Arthedain is killed during an invasion by Rhudaur, now controlled by Angmar; his son, Arveleg I, ascends the throne
- 1366 - Valacar ascends the throne of Gondor
- 1409 - Cardolan is conquered by the kingdom of Angmar and Rhudaur disappears; Weathertop watchtower and fortifications are burned and destroyed
- 1432 - Eldacar succeeds his father, Valacar, as king of Gondor
- 1437 - Castamir the Usurper, Lord of Ships, usurps throne of Gondor (see Kin-strife); Osgiliath's Palantír is lost in the river
- 1447 - Eldacar reclaims Gondor with a Rhovanion army and kills Castamir
- 1448 - Sons of Castamir the Usurper and most of the fleet of Gondor flee south to Umbar; become known as the Corsairs of Umbar
- 1540 - King Aldamir of Gondor is slain by Haradrim
- 1600 - Two Fallohide (see Hobbit) brothers decided to cross the River Baranduin and settle on the other side, and are followed by large numbers of Hobbits
- 1601 - The Shire is first settled by Hobbits
- 1634 - Corsairs of Umbar attack Gondor, slaying king Minardil at Pelargir, and raiding the city
- 1636 - The Great Plague decimates Gondor and Rhovanion; Cirith Ungol is abandoned
- 1810 - King Telumehtar of Gondor destroys Umbar; renames himself Umbardacil
- 1851 - Wainriders overrun the Kingdom of Rhovanion
- 1856 - The Wainriders first attack Gondor
- 1899 - Gondor attacks Wainriders from the east; the Kingdom of Rhovanion, occupied by Wainriders, rebels and is freed
- 1936 - Ondoher succeeds Calimehtar as king of Gondor
- 1944 - During an invasion by the Wainriders and the Haradrim, King Ondoher of Gondor is killed in battle without heirs and is succeeded by Eärnil II; Haradrim, Wainriders and the Variags of Khand take Umbar; new Corsairs of Umbar emerge
- 1964 - Arvedui, son of King Araphant of Arthedain, ascends the throne
- 1974 - The kingdom of
