Third Age and beyond

Third Age

The Third Age was 3,021 years long. All entries are derived from Appendix B (see references) unless otherwise noted.

Note on Shire Reckoning: Year 1601 of the Third Age, in which the Shire was founded, is year 1 of the Shire Reckoning. Thus, Third Age years can be converted into their Shire equivalents by deducting 1600.

“The Great Years”

All entries are derived from Appendix B (see references) unless otherwise noted.

3018
  • The Ringwraiths are given the task of retrieving the One Ring;
  • April 11 – Gandalf reaches Hobbiton. He returns to the Shire, telling Frodo Baggins he must take the Ring away
  • June 20 – Sauron attacks Osgiliath.
  • July 4 – Boromir leaves Minas Tirith
  • July 10 – Saruman imprisons Gandalf in Orthanc
  • September 18 – Gandalf escapes from Orthanc
  • September 19–21 – Gandalf reaches Edoras and is given Shadowfax the horse
  • September 23 – Frodo leaves Bag End
  • September 26 – Frodo meets Tom Bombadil
  • September 30 – Aragorn meets Frodo Baggins in the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree.
  • October 6 – Frodo wounded at Weathertop
  • October 20 – Frodo crosses the ford of Bruinen
  • October 25 – Council of Elrond at Rivendell
  • December 25 – The Fellowship of the Ring sets out in the evening from Rivendell
3019
  • January 15 – Gandalf falls in Khazad-dûm while fighting a Balrog.
  • February 25 – The Fellowship pass the Argonath and camp at Parth Galen. First Battle of Fords of Isen; Théodred son of Théoden is slain.
  • February 26 – The breaking of the Fellowship; Boromir is killed.
  • February 29 – Merry and Pippin escape the orcs and meet Treebeard.
  • March 1 – Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meet the resurrected Gandalf the White in Fangorn Forest while looking for Merry and Pippin, and they head off for Edoras. Frodo and Sam begin travelling through the Dead Marshes.
  • March 3 – Battle of the Hornburg.
  • March 5 – Rohan army reaches Isengard.
  • March 7 – Faramir takes Frodo and Sam to Henneth Annûn.
  • March 8 – Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli enter the Paths of the Dead.
  • March 9 – Gandalf and Pippin arrive in Minas Tirith.
  • March 10 – Frodo and Sam see the Morgul host lead by the Witch-king leave Minas Morgul. An army from Morannon takes Cair Andros and marches in Anórien.
  • March 11 – First assault on Lórien by Dol Guldur.
  • March 12 – Gollum leads Frodo into Shelob‘s lair.
  • March 13 – Frodo captured by Cirith Ungol orcs. Aragorn captures the Umbar fleet at Pelargir.
  • March 15 – Witch-king breaks the gate of Minas Tirith in the early hours. Denethor burns himself on a pyre. Confrontation between Gandalf and the Witch-king at the gate; Horns of the Rohirrim are heard at a cockcrow. Battle of the Pelennor Fields: Théoden King of Rohan is killed by the Witch-king; Éomer succeeds him as the eighteenth king of Rohan. Éowyn and Merry kill the Witch-king. Aragorn, Rangers, sons of Elrond and men from the southern fiefdoms of Gondor arrive in the black ships and turn the tide of battle. Sam and Frodo escape and journey along the Morgai. Battle under the trees in Mirkwood; second assault on Lórien.
  • March 16 – Debate of the Captains of the West.
  • March 17 – Battle of Dale. King Brand and Dáin Ironfoot fall in battle against invading Easterlings. Many Men and Dwarves take refuge in Erebor.
  • March 18 – Armies leave Minas Tirith. Frodo and Sam join the orc company.
  • March 25 – The Host is surrounded on the Slag-hills. Frodo and Sam reach the Sammath Naur. Gollum (Sméagol) seizes the One Ring and falls into the Cracks of Doom. Downfall ofBarad-dûr and the passing of the Dark Lord Sauron.
  • May – Arwen Undómiel and her father Lord Elrond of Imladris arrive in Lórien, where they are welcomed at Caras Galadhon by the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, grandparents of Lady Arwen through her mother, the Lady Celebrían.
  • May – Aragorn is crowned King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. Gandalf helps Aragorn to find the sapling of the new White Tree.
  • (Date unspecified) – Faramir marries Éowyn.
  • Mid-year’s Day (between June and July) – Aragorn marries Arwen Undómiel.
  • July – King Théoden is laid to rest beside other Kings of Rohan in Edoras.
  • September 21 – Hobbits arrive in Rivendell.
  • September 22 – Saruman arrives in the Shire.
  • November 1 – The four hobbits arrested at Frogmorton.
  • November 3 – Battle of Bywater; death of Saruman and Wormtongue, final end to the War of the Ring.
[edit]3020-21

Fourth Age

— length uncertain. All entries are derived from the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings, unless otherwise noted.

In the reckoning of Gondor, the Fourth Age began on March 25, T.A. 3021. Since most of the following events were dated according to the Shire-reckoning, their years in the Fourth Age cannot be stated with certainty. Some events may have occurred in the following year of the Fourth Age.

  • 6 – Peregrin Took marries Diamond of Long Cleeve
  • (Date Uncertain) – Birth of Elfwine, son of Éomer and Lothíriel
  • (Date Uncertain) – Birth of Elboron, son of Faramir and Éowyn
  • (Date Uncertain) – Birth of Durin VII, descendant (perhaps son) of Thorin III Stonehelm
  • 13 – Peregrin Took becomes thirty-second Thain of the Shire
  • 15 – Death of Glóin, father of Gimli.
  • 34 – Death of Prince Imrahil. Imrahil’s son Elphir assumes the Principality.
  • 41 – Birth of Holfast Gardner, son and heir of Frodo Gardner
  • 61 – Samwise Gamgee leaves Middle-earth via Mithlond
  • 63 – Meriadoc Brandybuck, aged 102, and Pippin leave the Shire to live in Gondor; death of Éomer, aged 93, whose son Elfwine ascends the throne of Rohan.
  • 67 – Death of Prince Elphir son of Imrahil, twenty-third Prince of Dol Amroth. Elphir’s son Alphros assumes the Principality.[17]
  • 80 – Birth of Harding of the Hill, Sam Gamgee’s heir and great-grandson
  • 82 – Death of Faramir, aged 120. His son Elboron assumes the Principality.[17]
  • 91 – Death of Dwalin, brother of Balin, aged 341.
  • 95 – Death of Prince Alphros of Dol Amroth, son of Elphir.[17]
  • 120 – Death of Aragorn, King of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor, after 210 years of life and 122 years of reign; Aragorn‘s son Eldarion ascends the throne. According to legend, on the death of Aragorn, Legolas builds a ship and sails into the west to the Undying Lands, taking Gimli (now a very old Dwarf) with him
  • 121 – Death of Arwen, aged 2901
  • 172 – A copy of the Red Book of Westmarch is made[18]
  • 185 – Death of Harding of the Hill, Sam Gamgee’s heir[19]