And for a while there was peace and it was believed that Sauron had perished in the drowning of Númenor.
Gondor:
Thirty one kings ruled Gondor after Anárion's death during the Last Alliance. During this time, war constantly raged on its borders. One of the first threats was the bay of Umbar. Gondor and the Men of Harad fought often over this bay and it frequently changed hands. But in the earlier days of Gondor, the Númenorean's skill of making ships was greater and Umbar was easily taken. But some of the later kings were to fond of peace and did nothing to protect Gondor and the watch that was placed on Mordor just in case Sauron returned was abandoned. This began the waning of Gondor.
Gondor was under attack by the Easterlings during the reign of King Rómendacil. The King showed favor to the Northmen or the Men of Rhovanion, because they were decendants from the House of Hador and therefore distantly related to the Edain of Gondor. He also tried to persuade them to ally themselves with Gondor so that they could help them defeat the Easterlings. He sent his son, Valacar as an ambassador to the North. His son then grew to love the Northmen and married married the daughter of Vidugavia, King of Rhovanion. From this marriage the Kin Strife resulted.
Many believed that their son, Eldacar, would be short lived like his mother and would not have the long life that was a blessing of the Númenoreans. They refused to accept him as thier king. Therefore, civil war broke out in Gondor when Eldacar took the throne. He held out in Osgiliath, but the city was destroyed and the first palantír was lost. He fled to Rhovanion. His userper, Castamir, was a cruel man and cause much more slaughter during the Siege of Osgiliath than was necessary for victory in war. The people started to resent his rule. Eldacar soon attacked with an army of Northmen. During this battle, most of the high blood of Númenor was spilled. Castamir was slain, but his sons held out at the bay of Pelargir. They allied themselves with Umbar and became enemies of Gondor.
But the greatest evil was a deadly plague that slayed thousands, even the King and his family. All watch on Mordor had now ceased. The capital was moved to Minas Anor, or Minas Tirith. Then came the invasion of the Wainriders rom the east, and the King and all his sons were killed. It was then that Arvedui, the king of the Northern realm of Arnor, sought to unite Gondor and Arnor by replacing the King. But his claim was rejected and the crown was given to the victorious general, Earnil. With the help of Rhovanion, the Wainriders were defeated.
Earnil's son, Earnur, was a brave man who was challenged by the Witch King to come to Mordor and fight him. Earnur, having been embarassed in a previous battle, decided to take the challenge but was never seen again. So began the rule of the Stewards in Gondor until Aragorn came to the throne during the Fourth Age after the War of the Ring.
Arnor:
After Elendil and Isildur ruled in the Northern Kingdom, or Arnor, there were High Kings. But after the their rule, Arnor split into three kingdoms: Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Cardolan. Only in Arthedain was the line of Isildur kept, for it soon perished in the other two kingdoms. There was little peace between the warring kingdoms, which fought for the watchtower of Amon Sul (Weathertop) which held the chief Palantir of the North. Arthedain kept the other two Palantiri. But soon, the three kingdoms would face another enemy to the North.
In the realm of Angmar, the Witchking chief of the Ringwraiths built up a a fortress and assailed the Dunedain of the North (the decendants of the Faithful of Númenor). Although Angmar was for a while subdued by the Elves of Lindon and Rivendell, a great plague came into Arnor and the Dúnedain of Cardolan and Rhudaur soon perished. Only one ruler remained of Isildur's blood line, Arvedui of Arthedain. He almost became the High King Northern and Southern kingdom, but his claim to the throne of Gondor was rejected by the Dunedain of the South.
The Witchking of Angmar then struck out at Arthedain and Arvedui fled with the last of his guard to Lossath and sought the help of the Snowmen of Forochel in the cold remote parts of the North. They feared Angmar, but pity drove them to offer food and shelter to the King and his men. When Cirdan heard from Arvedui's son that he had fled to the North, he imediately sent ships to rescue him. When the Snowmen of Forochel saw the ships, they warned him not to go. But Arvedui, eager to set forth did not take his councel and his ship sunk and with it the two Palantiri of Arthedain. Eventually Angmar was overthrown with the aid of Gondor and the Elves of Rivendell.
After the fall of Arnor, the Dúnedain of the north kept the heirlooms of their kingdom: the Ring of Barahir, the shards of Narsil, the star of Elendil, and the
sceptre of Anúminas. They became a wandering and secret people, and their Chieftains (beginning with Arvedui's son, Aranarth) were brought up in Rivendell. They kept a Watchful Peace over Eriador and fought many evil things that began to attack the North.
Rohan:
In the North of Middle-earth, or Rhovanion, dwelt decendants of the House of Hador the Golden-haired. They delighted in horses and riding. During the rein of Cirion, Steward of Gondor, the Northmen, led by Eorl, came to the aid of Gondor and played a cruicial role in the defeat of the the wild men and orcs that were assailing Gondor. In reward for their aid, Cirion granted them land, for their numbers were large and they welcomed more land. This land was called Rohan by Gondor, but heir own people called it the Mark or the Riddermark. Eorl, whose horse Felaróf became the first of the mearas, became the first King of the Mark and they lived as free men under their own king and laws, but they were now allies to Gondor. Cirion and Eorl swore and oath promising that each country would come to each other's aid when needed. The oath was fulfilled during the War of the Ring when King Theoden rode to Gondor's aid in the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
Perhaps the most famous King of the Mark was Helm Hammerhand. He was a strong and powerful king and dealt with his enemies forcefully. For example, he killed Freca, one of the Rohirrim with Dunlendish blood, who wished to usurp the throne with his fist. Four years later, Rohan was invaded in the East and the Dunlendings saw their chance to to defeat Helm. They beseiged him at Helm's deep during a bitterly cold winter. The people were starving, so Helm's younger son decided to lead a small force to attack the Dunlendings. He never came back. Helm, filled with grief and suffering from hunger, went out himself in white robes. The Dunlendings feared him so much (there were rumors that no weapon would kill him when he killed men with his bare hands and that he when he was hungry he ate men) that when he blew his great horn they fled. But Helm never returned to Helm's Deep. He froze to death but remained standing. At the grave of Helm the simbelmynë grew the thickest.
