THE THIRD AGE - 2nd Millenium.

1000 - Sauron stirs once again. The Valar send five Maia Istari (Wizards) from Aman to Middle-earth in order to maintain the balance of things.

1015 -Ciryandil slain by Haradrim. Black Numenoreans besiege Umbar.

1018-1149 - Gondor reaches the height of its power during the reign of King Ciryaher (aka "Hyarmendacil I").

1050 - The Nazgul reappear. Sauron secretly enters Amon Lanc renaming it Dol Guldur (S. "Hill of Sorcery") and making it his refuge. The Greenwood gradually falls under the Shadow. It slowly becomes "Mirkwood." The Harfoots cross the Misty Mountains and settle in Eriador. Fallohides and Stoors follow within fifty years. First mention of the Hobbits in Elven records. Hyarmendacil I conquers Harad and forces its Kings to accept Gondor as overlord. Gondor reaches the height of its power. Hyarmendacil I is the last Ship-king.

1050-1100 - Thranduil builds the Halls of the Elven-king (S. "Aradhrynd") in a hill overlooking the northern bank of the Forest River (S. "Taurduin") in north-eastern Mirkwood.

1050-1300 - The three Hobbit tribes migrate westward across the Misty Mountains to Eriador.

1050-2063- The Shadow grows over Greenwood the Great. The forest eventually becomes known as Taur-e-Ndaedelos, or "Mirkwood." The power in Dol Guldur is simply called the "Necromancer," for no one save the Ulairi (Nazgul) know that the Lord of the Rings resides in the solitary volcano.

1084-1092 - Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur undertake a more serious quarrel over Amon Sul and its Palantir.

1100 - The Harfoots settle throughout En Eredoriath with the Fallohides to the north and the Stoors to the south. The first stirrings of Sauron are felt again in Middle-earth, though they are thought at this time to signal the return of a Nazgûl The Istari and the Eldar discover that a Dark Power, known only as "the Necromancer," has built a stronghold at Dol Guldur, in Greenwood the Great, which eventually becomes known as Mirkwood. Attempts to eliminate the horror involve Arthadan adventurers and Elvish and Gondorian troops; they seem successful, but the area is tainted and impossible to garrison. The Necromancer eventually reappears.

1100-1200 - Cardolan reaches its peak of prosperity under the reign of its fourth King, Tarandil, who introduces large scale sheep herding. Tharbad thrives as a centre of trade and manufacture.

1103 - The Wizard (Istar) Gandalf visits Khazad-dum for the first time. He befriends Durin V. The Dwarves name him the Grey Wanderer "Tharkun".

1149 - Death of Hyarmendacil I. Peace settles upon the Talath Harroch.

1150 - Fallohides follow Harfoots into Eriador; Stoors enter Rhudaur and settle in the Angle, between the rivers Bruinen and Mitheithel.

1197 - King Calimendil of Cardolan attempts to conquer Rhudaur, which has fallen under the rule of a Hillman usurper.

1235 - Disaster of Cameth Brin. Calimendil, besieging the capitol of Rhudaur, is surprised by an Orcish army from Gundabad. The professional forces of Cardolan cut their way out with heavy losses, but Calimendil, his sons, and all of the ruling Barons of Cardolan (who had gathered for a premature victory celebration) are slain when the Orcs capture the exposed Royal Pavilion.

1235-1248 - The Time of Troubles. Civil war on national and baronial levels, foreign intervention, raids from Rhudaur. Diet of Thalion summoned by the Wise elects Tarcil from among many claimants to the throne in 1258

1248 - Vidugavia, the Prince of the Waildung tribe of the East Bight, proclaims himself King of Rhovanion. He helps the Gondorian Crown-prince, Minalcar, defeat the Easterlings of Rhun. This valiant stand cements the ties between the Dunedain and the Northmen of Rhovanion. Minalcar takes the name "Romendacil II."

1253 - Valacar, son of Romendacil II and emissary to Rhovanion, marries Vidugavia's daughter Vidumavi. Soon after, their son Vinitharya (Eldacar) is born.

1253-1432 - The Sea-lords of Gondor grow discontented with the King's apparent favouritism toward the North. Disturbed that King Valacar's heir has mixed blood, they begin challenging the Crown. Led by Romendacil's grand-nephew, Castamir, the Sea-lords question Eldacar's loyalty. They fear that he will serve two masters: both Gondor and the Northmen of Rhovanion.

1276 - The Witch-king, later better known as the Lord of the Nazgul, establishes his realm in Angmar. Sauron, now increasing in power and establishing his network of Dark Priests and spies throughout Endor, has determined that the divided northern Dunedain can be more easily destroyed than their southern counterparts.

1284-1287 - Arthedain and Cardolan war over possession of Amon Sul. Minalcar establishes himself as regent of Cardolan when his legitimate half brother Tarastor proves ineffective as a military leader.

1300 - The Hobbits move westward, many settle around Bree. The Stoors become well established in the Angle and the abandoned lands of Eregion. The Nazgul are sighted once again. Their leader, the Witch-king, plots against Arnor's three successor states.

1300-1975 - The Witch-king wars on the Arnorian successor states: Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Cardolan.

1301-1350 - Rhudaur gradually falls under the Shadow. Dunlendings seize control and ally themselves with Angmar Finally, Hillmen and Dunmen allied with the Witch-king seize control. War erupts between Arthedain and Cardolan and their common enemies, Angmar and Rhudaur.

1304 - Minalcar crowned as "Romendacil II'.' His policies favour the Northmen of Rhovanion.

1332 - Death of Tarastor, deemed to be the last of the true line of Isildur in Cardolan. Succeded by Minalcar, accepts Argeleb of Arthedain claims to the High Kingship of Arnor in 1349, and is promised autonomy.

1349 - Death of Malvegil. He is succeeded by his son Argeleb I.

1352-1359 - First Northern War pits Arthedain and Cardolan versus Rhudaur and Angmar.

1356 - Argeleb I dies in battle with Angmar. He is succeeded by his son Arveleg I.

1400 - The Stoor Hobbits re-cross the Misty Mountains and settle by the Gladden Fields of the Anduin Valley..

1408-1410 - Second Northern War. King Arveleg of Arthedain is killed in the fighting in the Weather Hills; Amon Sul is besieged and falls, though its Palantir is saved. King Ostoher of Cardolan and his sons fall in battle on Tyrn Gorthad. With Elvish help, the Arthedain gathered at Fornost beat back the barbarians.

1409 - Cardolan is overrun by the armies of The Witch-king of Angmar. Rogrog slays Ostoher, the last Lord of Cardolan, during the fighting on the Barrow Downs (S. "Tyrn Gorthad"). Arthedain barely weathers the assault.

1409-1636 - Cardolan ceases to exist as a political state.

1412 - Princess Nirnadel of Cardolan and the Regent, Nimhir, are slain in an unsuccessful coup. Civil war in Cardolan.

1414 - Annael of Tryn Gorthad recognised as Canotar (S. "High Commander") of Cardolan with nominal powers equal to the Kings.

1432-1447 - The Kin-strife tears Gondor apart.

1432 - Death of Valacar. King Eldacar , Valacar's son, assumes the throne of Gondor; Castamir and the rebel lords, refusing to acknowledge a King who is half Northern therefore half non-Numenorean in descent., revolt, thus beginning the Kin-strife. Civil war erupts and divides Gondor.

1432-1447 - The Kin-strife rages. The King's allies in the sparsely settled northern provinces struggle against the Sea-lords' forces from the densely-settled southern regions. Castamir of Pelargir leads the rebels, who besiege Eldacar in the capital of Osgiliath. Led by Castamir of Pelargir, the Sea-lords of the South seize control of the kingdom. King Eldacar flees to Rhovanion.

1437 - Osgiliath falls, is burnt and loses its palantír.. Eldacar is forced to flee to his mother's people in Rhovanion. Ornendil, his eldest son, is captured and put to death. Castamir installs the New lords in Calenardhon and increases the taxes to punish Calenardhon for its support of Eldacar.

1439-1442 - Resistance to Castamir and the New Lords, Alandur and Sorondothor, begins to take shape.

1442 - The Green Asp begins to trouble Alandur and Sorondothor in Calenardhon. Eldacar's forces begin raiding across the Anduin and the limlight.

1447 - After a ten year exile, Eldacar returns to reclaim the throne of Gondor the Calenardhrons flock to his banner, he has a largely Northman army. His army of Northmen and Gondorian loyalists vanquish . The rightful King slays Castamir and defeats the rebels in the Battle of the Crossings of Erui. The rebel survivors flee to Pelargir, where they seize the Royal Fleet, and flee by sea and seize Umbar, beginning the rule of the "Corsairs."

1448 - The Gondorian rebels land at Umbar and take the great port. There they found the Corsair state. Umbar and Harad refuse to acknowledge Gondor's suzerainty.

1490 - Death of King Eldacar of Gondor.

1503 - Gordaigh, a Dunnish adventurer, establishes the Kingdom of Saralainn. Most of the remaining baronies and other successor states declare their independence of the Realm of Cardolan soon thereafter. The lands east of the River Nen-i-Sul and north of Feotar are abandoned.

1540 - Aldamir slain in war with Corsairs and Haradrim.

1551 - Hyarmendacil II defeats Haradrim.

1600 - Hobbits are allowed to settle a part of Arthedain; their fief is called the Shire. The next few decades see a considerable influx of new settlers.

1601 - The foundation of the Shire, and the beginning of the Shire-reckoning. Year One of the Shire Reckoning. In a bold move, Argeleb II grants to the Hobbits the Shire in southern Arthedain.

1621 - Minardil makes Hurin of Emyn Arnen his Steward. After Hurin all Stewards chosen from his descendants.

1630 - Most of the remaining Stoors leave Rhudaur to join their brethren in the Shire.

1634 - Corsairs ravage Pelargir and slay Minardil.

1635-1636 - During winter, the Great Plague sweeps into Rhovanion from the East. The Great Plague, a collection of devastating diseases and pestilence's, sweeps through Rhovanion, Gondor, and Eriador. Calenardhon (the northern territories later called Rohan) is gradually abandoned after this time. The tower of Orthanc (Isengard or Angrenost) remains guarded, but its use becomes continually less frequent. The Great Plague strikes Eriador. There are fewer fatalities in the North, but it causes enough disruption to overturn the two centuries of gradual recovery in Cardolan. The Great Plague depopulates Calenardhon. The Hobbits suffer greatly, but are able to maintain their new homelands in the Shire.

1636 - The Great Plague devastates Gondor. Telemnar and his children perish, as do many people of Gondor, especially in Osgiliath and the eastern lands. The White Tree dies in Minas Anor. Telemnar's nephew Tarondor succeeds him. The appearance of the Barrow-wights in the Barrow-downs.

1637 - The Domain of the Warlord founded in Minhiriath.

1640 - Tarondor permanently removes the capital of Gondor to Minas Anor (Minas Tirith), where a seedling of the White Tree is replanted. The Watch on Mordor is abandoned. Osgiliath, already depopulated by the Plague, continues to decline slowly.

1645-1666 - The Hillman Revolt in Rhudaur. It ends with a Hillman Targ-Arm on the throne in Cameth Brin, secretly under the control of the Witch-king.

1689-98 - Rogrog's War. The Hillmen are broken by a massive force of Orcs and Trolls. They dwindle in numbers thereafter and eventually disappear as a people.

1700 - The few remaining Dunedain of Cardolan abandon their homelands; equal numbers go to Arthedain and Gondor. Orcs and Wolves control the Mintyrnath highlands. The Cardolani Commons slowly migrate southward, but some resettle in fortified villages on or near the Gwathlo.

1800 - The increasingly severe winters force most of the remaining peasant population to begin a slow southern migration.

1810 - Telumehtar retakes Umbar temporarily and drives out Corsairs in retaliation for extensive raiding.

1851-2510 - Border wars; repeated invasions of the Easterlings.

1854 - The Wainriders a confederation of Sagath Easterlings, sweeps into southern Rhovanion. They defeat a combined army of Northmen and Gondorians in the Battle of the Plains.

1856-1899 - An Easterling confederation, the Wainriders, enters Rhovanion and drives the armies of Gondor westward across the Anduin. A Wainrider kingdom is established. Gondor abandons its eastern holdings. The Eothraim and other refugee Northman groups leave the open country of Rhovanion and settle in the middle vales of the Anduin: the area between the Athrad Iaur (S. "Old Ford") and the Gladden Fields

1856-1944 - Recurrent battles between the Wainriders of the East and Gondor.

1899 - The Northmen revolt and overthrow the Wainrider Kingdom in Rhovanion. Nenedan Northmen found the hill-town of Maethelburg on the banks of the river Sirros.

1900-1975 - The Northmen of the Anduin Vales become the Eotheod.

1940 - Arthedain and Gondor form an alliance against the Witch-king; Prince Arvedui marries Gondor's Princess Firiel.

1944 - Gondor is assaulted simultaneously by the armies of Khand, Harad and the Wainriders. The Battle of the Camp. Gondor battles the Wainriders in her eastern provinces; King Ondoher and his sons fall in battle.

1945 - The Steward Pelendur rules for a year while the throne is disputed. The Council of Gondor rejects the claim of Arvedui of Arthedain and grants the crown to Earnil. The Steward's office becomes officially hereditary.

1973-75 The Third Northern War. In late I974 Arthedain falls to the Witch-king, and King Arvedui flees, first to the Blue Mountains, then to Forochel, with two Palantiri. Most of the Arthedain of the North Downs and the Twilight Hills flee south and westward. An army led by Earnur of Gondor sails to Lindon. In early spring of I975 Cirdan's Elves of Lindon, Glorfindel's Elves of Rivendell, and Earnur's Men of Gondor combine to defeat the Angmarim at the Battle of Annuminas, but the Witch-king escapes. In March, Arvedui and his men are drowned; the two Northern Palantiri are lost at sea.

1974 - The armies of the Witch-king overrun Arthedain. The forces of Angmar capture Fornost; the remnant of the North-kingdom is destroyed.

1975 - Arvedui, the last King of Arthedain drowns in the Ice Bay. Two of the Palantiri (those of Annuminas and Amon Sul) are lost when his ship sinks. Eärnur of Gondor brings a fleet to the north. An army composed of troops from Gondor and their Eriadoran allies defeats the Witch-king. Angmar falls.

1975-1985 Most of the surviving Arthedain emigrate to Gondor. Only the Bree and Shire folk are able to refound their homelands.

1976 - Aranarth, the last Arthadan Crown-prince, takes the title "Chieftain of the Dunedain," founding the Rangers of the North. Elrond keeps the Arthadan heirlooms at Rivendell.

1977 - Two years after the departure of the Witch-king from Angmar, the Eothraim are led northward by the Althayn Frumgar. The Horse-lords, who are now called the Eotheod, settle near the sources of the Anduin. Their new domain is north-west of Mirkwood and south of the Ered Mithrin (S. "Grey Mountains").

1979 Bucca of the Marish becomes the first Thain of the Shire.

1980 - The Witch-king renters Mordor and gathers his fellow Ringwraiths. In the time of Durin VI, the Dwarves mining for mithril beneath the Redhorn uncover and unleash a Balrog who had lain imprisoned since the First Age. The great Demon slays King Durin and assails the city.

1981 - Many Silvan Elves flee to Edhellond after the Balrog appears in Moria. The Elf king Amroth of Lorien perishes in the waters off the coast near Lond Ernil. The name Dol Amroth (S. "Hill of Amroth") becomes synonymous with Lond Ernil. The last remaining Dwarves flee from Durin's Bane in Khazad-dûm. Durin VI's successor, Nain I, is killed by the Balrog and the Dwarves abandon Khazad-dum. Evil creatures begin gathering in service to the Demon. The city becomes known as Moria and is a haven for evil creatures.

1999 - Leading refugees from Khazad-dum (Moria), Thrain I founds a new Dwarf-hold in Erebor (S. "Lonely Mountain") in Rhovanion. The Dwarven King discovers the priceless Arkenstone in the heart of the solitary peak. Most of the survivors of Durin's Folk go there. A small colony stays with the Blue Mountain Dwarves.