Emyn Uial

A range of hills, called the Hills of Evendim by Men, that ran for some hundred and fifty miles north to south in the northern regions of Middle-earth. At their southern end, the range gave rise to a shorter branch running eastward, and in the angle between the two arms of Emyn Uial was a huge lake, Nenuial, which was the source of the river Baranduin. Another river rose in the heights of Emyn Uial, running westward to meet the Lhûn on its journey to the Sea at the Grey Havens.

On the southern shores of Nenuial, beneath the eastern branch of the hills, the Exiles of Númenor chose to build their great capital Annúminas in the closing years of the Second Age. This was the seat of the High Kings, and of their successors the Kings of Arnor, but at some point (probably at the time of the division of Arnor in III 861) Annúminas was abandoned for Fornost to the east.

The hills played a part in history more than a thousand years later. After the fall of Arthedain, it was here that the Gondorians and the Eldar massed their troops for an attack on Fornost, now in the hands of the Witch-king of Angmar. Charging down onto the plain to the east, they defeated the Witch-king's forces, and avenged the loss of Arthedain.

Another thousand years and more would pass before the War of the Ring and the re-establishment of the High Kingship under Aragorn Elessar. As King of the Reunited Kingdom, Elessar chose ancient Annúminas as his capital in the north, so that once more a High King ruled in the shadow of Emyn Uial.