Angband, also known as the Shadow of Iron, was an ancient fortress, built by Melkor on the Iron Mountains before the First Age, and from which he tried to subjugate Arda. It was destroyed at the conclusion of the War of Wrath.[1]
Description
Outwardly, Angband was a large terrible place built into Thangorodrim. Before the Great Gate, there was a sombre court area flanked by frightening cliffs and walled by great towers of a great battlement. Through the gate, there was a long great tunnel leading to a 'labyrinthine pyramid' of stairs to corridors, tunnels, smithy chambers which a tall chimney went up through the mountain to the smokey towers of Thangorodrim that spewed poisonous fumes for hundreds of years. There were also many tunnels leading to the slave quarters or vaults. All tunnels of course led to Morgoth's throne in the Nethermost Hall.[1]
Map of Northern Lands and the location of Angband.
History
Melkor originally built Angband to guard against a possible attack from Aman by the Valar, and put Sauron in command of it. However, at the initiation of the War of Powers, the Valar's attack destroyed Angband without much difficulty, and forced Melkor to flee to his primary stronghold of Utumno. However, Angband was left relatively intact after the Valar's onslaught, as they were in such haste to capture Melkor that they did not destroy many of its underground chambers. During this time, the Balrogs survived and the Orcs continued to multiply in great numbers in Angband and soon made their way south into the Beleriand, threatening the Dwarves and Thingol's kingdom. After three ages of imprisonment, Melkor, now named Morgoth, destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor and stole the Silmarils from Fëanor and escaped Aman.
Melkor then returned to Middle-earth and re-delved the ruins of Angband, raising the volcanic peaks of Thangorodrim over it as protection. From here on his dark throne in the Nethermost Hall, he directed the war against the Ñoldor who returned from the West and all the Free Peoples that supported them in the Beleriand, ultimately achieving complete victory over them. At the end of the First Age, the Valar took pity on the Ñoldor and suffering of other peoples and instigated the War of Wrath, which not only destroyed Angband but shattered most of northern Middle-earth.[2]
Earlier versions of the legendarium
In earlier versions of Tolkien's mythology (see: The History of Middle-earth) it was called Angamando, the Quenya form of the name.
Etymology
Angband is a Sindarin word that meant 'Shadow of Iron', although the literal meaning is 'iron prison'.[3]
Translations around the World
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
|---|---|
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Angband a.k.a. Infernos de Ferro |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Angband a.k.a. Inferno de Ferro |
| Spanish (Spain and Latin America) | Angband a.k.a. Infierno de Hierro |
| French | Angband a.k.a. Enfer d'Acier |
| German | Angband a.k.a. Eisenkerker |
| Chinese (Hong Kong) | 安格班 a.k.a. 鐵之牢獄 |
See also
|
Places of Middle-earth and Arda
Middle-earth Locations:
Provinces/Regions: Arnor | Dunland | Ettenmoors | Forochel | Forodwaith | Gondor | Harad | Ithilien | Khand | Lindon | Minhiriath | Mordor | Rhovanion | Rhûn | Rivendell | Rohan | The Shire Forests & Mountains: Amon Dîn | Amon Hen | Amon Lhaw | Caradhras | Emyn Muil | Erebor | Fangorn Forest | High Pass | Iron Hills | Lórien | Mirkwood | Mount Doom | Mount Gundabad | Old Forest | Orod-na-Thôn | Tower Hills | Weathertop Hill City/Fortifications: Angband | Barad-dûr | Bree | Caras Galadhon | Dol Guldur | Fornost Erain | Hornburg | Isengard | Minas Morgul | Minas Tirith | Last Homely House | Tower of Amon Sûl | Tower of Orthanc | Osgiliath | Umbar | Utumno Miscellaneous: Argonath | Astulat | Buckland | Cair Andros | Dagorlad | Dead Marshes | Enedwaith | Fords of Isen | Gap of Rohan | Grey Havens The rest of Arda:
Aman | Burnt Land of the Sun | Dark Land | Empty Lands | Neldoreth | New lands | Númenor | Tol Eressëa |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Thangorodrim"
- ↑ The Silmarillion
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Middle-earth
