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In the early Third Age, a long Corsair war occurred between the Kings and Stewards of Gondor and a series of renegade rebel forces alongside Haradrim based at Umbar. It was primarily a naval struggle.
History[]
Background[]
The fortress haven of Umbar was founded by Númenórean colonists during the Second Age, during the peak of Númenórean power. When Ar-Pharazôn the Golden landed in Middle-earth to challenge the power of Sauron, he landed at this heavily fortified port city. After the Downfall of Númenor, these colonists continued to be influenced by Sauron, and showed great antipathy to the exile Kingdoms founded by the Faithful of Númenor, Arnor and Gondor. They became known forever afterward as the Black Númenóreans, battling Gondor by land and sea.
Umbar was conquered for Gondor under one of the Ship-kings, Eärnil I. However during his reign and that of his son Ciryandil, the Black Númenóreans besieged Umbar for over a century and in TA 1015, Ciryandil himself was slain defending it. Thirty five years later his son Ciryaher broke the siege, destroying the power of the Black Númenóreans and crushing the Haradrim. He then took the name Hyarmendacil I and for the next four centuries Gondor held Umbar.
The war[]
In the aftermath of the Kin-strife, the great civil conflict between Eldacar and the usurper Castamir, Castamir's sons fled to to Umbar. There they established a breakaway government in opposition to Gondor, and continued to raid the coasts of Gondor for centuries to come.
In TA 1551, Hyarmendacil II defeated the Haradrim, however, Umbar was not subdued.
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The Corsairs of Umbar were a major longstanding threat to Gondor
In TA 1634 the Corsairs learnt that King Minardil, son of Hyarmendacil, was visiting the port city of Pelargir. The Corsairs staged a surprise attack, and Minardil was slain before he could organise a proper defence of the port. The Corsairs sacked the city and then withdrew. King Telemnar was preparing to recapture Umbar when the Great Plague struck Gondor, killing the king and decimating the population. Umbar was similarly badly affected.
A wounded corsair
In TA 1810, King Telumehtar led an attack on Umbar, capturing the city and ending the line of Castamir, taking the name Umbardacil to commemorate his victory. Gondor was, however, soon weakened by the Wars of the Wainriders and again lost Umbar to the Haradrim.
Corsair raids on Gondor's coasts resumed after the Watchful Peace, and the fifteenth Prince of Dol Amroth was killed in a Corsair raid in TA 2746. However the next great attack did not come until TA 2758, when during the Long Winter five great Corsair fleets attacked Gondor. These attacks were beaten off with difficulty by Beregond, son of the Steward.
In TA 2980 Captain Thorongil led a small fleet in a surprise attack upon Umbar, burning the Corsair fleet and docks in a battle upon the quays, overthrowing the Captain of the Haven in single combat. This lessened the Corsair threat for a time, although by the time of the War of the Ring fear of the Corsairs caused the Southern fiefs of Gondor to hold back most of their men. During the war the main Corsair fleet captured Pelargir, whilst another force battled the Men of Gondor at Linhir. These forces fled in terror with the arrival of Aragorn and the Dead Men of Dunharrow, with Aragorn using the captured Corsair fleet to ferry reinforcements to Minas Tirith.
After the War of the Ring, Umbar was conquered by King Elessar and incorporated into the Reunited Kingdom, ending the Corsair threat for good.
Translations[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Danish | Sørøverkrigene |
References[]
- The Lord of the Rings: Appendix A, iv: "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion"