King of Angmar

A title given to the Lord of the Nazgûl during the centuries when he ruled over the northern kingdom of Angmar, and made war on the surviving Dúnedain of the divided realm of Arnor. 'King of Angmar' is a rare abbreviated form of the more common title associated with this time: the Nazgûl ruler of this northern land is more usually called the 'Witch-king of Angmar'.

The Lord of the Nazgûl established himself as King of Angmar in about the year III 1300. More than four centuries earlier, The North-kingdom of the Dúnedain had broken into three minor lands, and Sauron saw hope of victory in the disunity of these Northern Dúnedain. He therefore sent his chief servant into the North, where the Witch-king established himself at Carn Dûm and built up the land of Angmar in the northern reaches of the Misty Mountains.

Over the nearly seven hundred years that followed, the King of Angmar wore down the surviving kingdoms of the Dúnedain. Rhudaur was subverted and made into a client kingdom of Angmar, and Cardolan was overrun in a direct assault. In III 1974 the King of Angmar led his forces against Arthedain, the last realm of the Northern Dúnedain. The Dúnedain were defeated, losing Fornost and being driven into the wilds, but the Witch-king's victory was short-lived. The following year, Gondor sent a fleet northward, and an army of Elves and Men marched to avenge the loss of Arnor. In the fighting that followed, the realm of Angmar was destroyed, but its King escaped into the south and returned to Minas Morgul.