Witch-realm of Angmar

At the end of the first millennium of the Third Age, the South-kingdom of Gondor was at the height of its power, but in the North-kingdom of Arnor, the Dúnedain had become divided. The old high kingdom of Arnor had already broken apart into three lesser realms, and in this disunity, Sauron saw an opportunity to destroy one of the two Kingdoms of the Dúnedain in Middle-earth.

The Dark Lord therefore sent his chief servant, the Lord of the Nazgûl, into the north, where he would establish a realm to challenge the lands of the Dúnedain. This new realm was established among the cold northern peaks of the Misty Mountains, with its chief stronghold at Carn Dûm. It was named Angmar, and as its ruler the Lord of the Nazgûl came to be known as the Witch-king, and his land was therefore occasionally referred to as the 'Witch-realm'.

The Witch-realm was founded in about the year III 1300, and the Witch-king soon allied himself with the Hill-men of Rhudaur, one of the three remnant kingdoms of old Arnor. War then broke out along the Weather Hills, which formed the western border of Rhudaur. In the battles of III 1409, the Witch-king scored decisive victories, destroying the Tower of Amon Sûl and slaying the King of Arthedain before overrunning Cardolan.

After this point, only the kingdom of Arthedain stood against the Witch-realm of Angmar. Its Kings were direct descendants of Isildur, and despite the Witch-king's early victories, Arthedain stood against him for the next five centuries. During this time, the Witch-realm built up a vast army, which was launched at last against Arthedain with devastating consequences. Arthedain's capital of Fornost was taken, and King Arvedui - appropriately surnamed 'Last-king' - was forced to flee into the icy wastes to the North.

At the point that the Witch-king's absolute victory seemed assured, a new force entered the wars. The Kings of Arthedain had called on their fellow Dúnedain in Gondor for aid against the Witch-realm, but the Gondorians had been delayed by wars of their own. Now their fleets came into the North, and a great army of the southern Dúnedain landed in Lindon. Too late to save the North-kingdom, they were at least able to avenge its loss. In the Battle of Fornost that followed in III 1975, the Witch-king was driven out of the North. The Witch-realm itself came to an end at this time, though its evil creatures remained to haunt the northern lands for many years afterward.