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Gil-galad was an Elven-king... - Page 12

© Michael Martinez

Whatever remained of Sauron's forces must at this time have retreated or been annihilated, and Sauron was confined to Barad-dur. Now Gil-galad settled down to the age-old Elven policy of besieging a dark lord in his fortress. Gil-galad took up a position on Orodruin, near the Sammath Naur where the One Ring had been forged. Gil-galad could have destroyed the Three Rings then, perhaps, but he either chose not to or else the Rings had not been carried into war. He must have fortified the mountain, though. Tolkien notes there were many sorties during the next seven years, and after six years of siege Sauron was still able to lob stones out from Barad-dur, for Anarion was slain in that year by one of the stones. Gil-galad's strategy had thus changed radically. The Last Alliance no longer tried to take Sauron by force, and the war dragged on. They could only hope to so wear down Sauron's forces through attrition that in the end Sauron would capitulate. But Sauron became so desperate he formed a different plan. He sought out Gil-galad on Orodruin and attacked him. Elrond tells the people in Rivendell that only Elendil stood near Gil-galad, and that only he (Elrond), Cirdan, and Isildur saw what happened. Sauron's body was so hot it burned Gil-galad, and slew him, but Elendil rushed up and delivered a death-stroke against Sauron. The Dark Lord was nonetheless able to retaliate, and he threw Elendil down. And Elendil's sword broke beneath him. The final strategy against Sauron worked, but probably not as Gil-galad hoped. Would he really have intended to do battle with Sauron alone? He seems to have been a cautious king throughout his career. To prepare for the War of the Elves and Sauron Gil-galad built up his defenses along the Baranduin river. He gave Elrond command of a small army that attempted to reinforce Eregion but it was driven back and forced to retreat north. Sauron forced his way across the Baranduin and Gil-galad was only barely able to hold the Lune against him. So the Elven-king's resources were limited and the limits of his resources may have dictated his policy. But he quickly helped Elendil establish the kingdom of Arnor, which became the most powerful realm in the north. Why was it important to make a large kingdom of Men? Was it important to Gil-galad to recall the greatness of Numenor, or was his policy of dealing with Men through Men a conservative, perhaps xenophobic decision? Gil-galad had no problem in treating with Edainic peoples, but anyone else had to go through his Nuemenorean proxies.

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