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xerxes · 04-04-2007, 22:58 PM

Pari, I dont know if you had this post that I made back before ,,, it is in regards to the Witchking of Angmar and the siege of Gondor

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JRR Tolkein ultimately based the begining of the seige of Gondor as the siege of Constantinople by the Mehmed the Second, while he based the conclusion of seige of Gondor as the siege of Vienna by the Turks under the sceptre of the grand vizier in 1683 (?), and the rout of the Turkish host.

In fact the scene where the witchking is sitting upon his black horse with an iron mace directing the battle is described by Edward Gibbsons's (the history of the decline and fall of roman empire), as Mehmed the Second with an iron mace seating upon a black horse and commanding the war effort with every gesture of his body movements. It is right out of Edward Gibbsons's book.

Tolkein took a lot of stuff from the Ottomans and the West as whole. Also, although, the Turks didnt use elephants, the Enemy in Middle Earth used elephant of the Haradrim probably based on the armies of Shahpur II of the Sassanides which had large number of Indian elephants. The shape of the mountain surrounding the Land of Morder looks a lot like today's Turkey, where the Black Gate in where the Golden Horne is.

Gondor - the south kingdom - and Arnor - the north kingdom - represent the West and Eastern Roman Empire. Where the West has fallen by the time of the siege of Constantinople, whereas equally the Arnor - the north kingdom - has fallen by the time of the siege of Gondor. The double cities of Minas Arnor (Tirith) and Minas Ithil (Morgul), represent Constantinople before and after its fall to the Mehmed the Second.

Generally, the East is the combination of Turks, Persians, Corsairs and Indians where the West is the the West, with Hobbiton representing the English folk, and the Arnor and Gondor as the once mighty Roman Empires. The Rohan represent the Scandanavian folks from the north.

04-04-2007, 22:58 PM	#167 (permalink)
xerxes Padishah Shahanshah *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 01-23-07 Location: Canada Posts: 1,240 Country:	Pari, I dont know if you had this post that I made back before ,,, it is in regards to the Witchking of Angmar and the siege of Gondor ************************************************ JRR Tolkein ultimately based the begining of the seige of Gondor as the siege of Constantinople by the Mehmed the Second, while he based the conclusion of seige of Gondor as the siege of Vienna by the Turks under the sceptre of the grand vizier in 1683 (?), and the rout of the Turkish host. In fact the scene where the witchking is sitting upon his black horse with an iron mace directing the battle is described by Edward Gibbsons's (the history of the decline and fall of roman empire), as Mehmed the Second with an iron mace seating upon a black horse and commanding the war effort with every gesture of his body movements. It is right out of Edward Gibbsons's book. Tolkein took a lot of stuff from the Ottomans and the West as whole. Also, although, the Turks didnt use elephants, the Enemy in Middle Earth used elephant of the Haradrim probably based on the armies of Shahpur II of the Sassanides which had large number of Indian elephants. The shape of the mountain surrounding the Land of Morder looks a lot like today's Turkey, where the Black Gate in where the Golden Horne is. Gondor - the south kingdom - and Arnor - the north kingdom - represent the West and Eastern Roman Empire. Where the West has fallen by the time of the siege of Constantinople, whereas equally the Arnor - the north kingdom - has fallen by the time of the siege of Gondor. The double cities of Minas Arnor (Tirith) and Minas Ithil (Morgul), represent Constantinople before and after its fall to the Mehmed the Second. Generally, the East is the combination of Turks, Persians, Corsairs and Indians where the West is the the West, with Hobbiton representing the English folk, and the Arnor and Gondor as the once mighty Roman Empires. The Rohan represent the Scandanavian folks from the north. __________________ If we contrast the rapid progress of this mischievous discovery of gunpowder with the slow and laborious advances of reason, science, and the arts of peace, a philosopher, according to his temper, will laugh or weep at the folly of mankind. - Edward Gibbon