The Black Easterling

A title given to Khamûl, the Second Chief of the Nazgûl, and the only one whose name is given by Tolkien. This title gives us some vague knowledge of Khamûl's history: he was clearly one of the eastern peoples brought under Sauron's sway during the Dark Years, though no more detail about his life is known. It is known, however, that of all the Nine his powers were most confounded by sunlight, and that, perhaps, is the source of the 'Black' in the title 'Black Easterling' (though it seems at least as likely that this is simply a reference to his evil nature).