The Lord of the Nazgûl: The Witch-king
The Witch-king was the Captain of [[Mordor]] and the feared sorcerer-king who broke the North-kingdom of [[Arnor]]. Throughout the [[Third Age]], he was the primary instrument of Sauron's will, characterized by a voice like a "rending of thin iron" and a presence that could freeze the blood of the bravest warriors.
The Rise of Angmar
In the year [[1300 Third Age]], the Lord of the Nazgûl appeared in the north and established the realm of [[Angmar]]. His mission was to destroy the fractured successor states of Arnor while Sauron gathered strength in secret. From his capital at [[Carn Dûm]], he waged a centuries-long war of attrition.
- The Fall of Arnor: He systematically toppled the kingdoms of [[Rhudaur]] and [[Cardolan]] before finally sacking [[Arthedain]] in [[1974 Third Age]].
- The Prophecy: After his forces were defeated at the [[Battle of Fornost]], the Elf-lord [[Glorfindel]] spoke a famous prophecy regarding the Witch-king's end: "Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall."
The Lord of Morgul
Following the ruin of the North, the Witch-king returned to the South and besieged [[Minas Ithil]], capturing it and renaming it [[Minas Morgul]] (the Tower of Sorcery). It was here that he challenged the last King of Gondor, [[Eärnur]], to a duel from which the King never returned, leaving Gondor to be ruled by the [[Stewards of Gondor]].
The Hunt for the Ring
In [[3018 Third Age]], the Witch-king led the Nine in the hunt for the [[One Ring]]. He personally wounded [[Frodo Baggins]] at [[Weathertop]] with a [[Morgul-blade]], nearly turning the Hobbit into a wraith. During the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], he commanded the Great Host of Mordor, wielding a mace and a pale sword of fire.
The Fulfillment of Prophecy
At the height of the siege of [[Minas Tirith]], the Witch-king faced the Lady [[Éowyn]] and the Hobbit [[Merry Brandybuck]]. Believing himself invincible due to Glorfindel's prophecy, he was stunned when Merry stabbed him with an ancient [[Barrow-blade]]—the only weapon capable of breaking his undead enchantments. This allowed Éowyn to deliver the final strike. The prophecy was fulfilled: he fell not by the hand of a "man," but by a woman and a halfling.