~The History Of Middle-earth~

The history of Middle-earth stretches far back into the deep past, which only the lore-masters now remember. The histories given here are but the briefest of summaries. Put simply, the history of Middle-earth can be divided into three Ages: the First Age, the Second Age and the Third Age. The events described in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings took place at the end of the Third Age. The events related in The Silmarillion took place in the First Age of the world.

The First Age ended with the Great Battle, in which the Host of Valinor broke Thangorodrim and overthrew Morgoth. Then most of the Noldorin Elves returned into the Far West and dwelt in Eressea within sight of Valinor; and many of the Sindarin Elves went over Sea also.

The Second Age ended with the overthrow of Sauron, servant of Morgoth, and the taking of the One Ring.

The Third Age came to its end in the War of the Ring; but the Fourth Age was not held to have begun until Master Elrond departed, and the time was come for the dominion of Men and the decline of all other 'speaking-peoples' in Middle-earth.

In the Fourth Age the earlier ages were often called the Elder Days; but that name was properly given only to the time before the casting out of Morgoth at the end of the First Age.

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