Across The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, there are a few key battles where, if things had gone even a slight bit differently, Middle Earth likely would have been claimed by Sauron. One of the most decisive battles in the entire series is the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, but the prelude to it, the Battle of Minas Tirith, is arguably just as important. Key figures were involved on both sides, and this conflict set the stage for the potential defeat of Men.

There are battles in the series that are even more tense, like the Battle of Helm’s Deep, but no single battle should have its importance understated. Each and every part of the war is crucial to the story of The Lord Of The Rings and the many characters that the war touches. Known additionally as the Siege of Gondor, the Battle of Minas Tirith was the beginning of the end for Sauron and a major morale boost for the armies of Men.

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When Did The Battle Of Minas Tirith Take Place?

The Battle of Minas Tirith occurred during the Third Age in the year 3019, or for viewers of the movies, in the third film of the trilogy The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King. The battle itself would set the stage for even grander battles, though it would be one of the final and decisive battles in the War of the One Ring. This battle was actually a long time coming as the whole of Gondor had been under a great deal of pressure from Sauron’s forces for quite a while. In the previous year, Osgiliath was under siege in a battle that helped turn Boromir into a legendary hero, and that would prove to only be the early stages of the potential destruction of Gondor and Minas Tirith.

With Aragorn, Theoden, and Gandalf all having successfully defended and driven back Sauron’s armies in the Battle of Helm’s Deep, the Men of the land were in high spirits despite the seemingly hopeless odds. Knowing that Sauron had the capability to outnumber any force, it was only a matter of time before his armies launched an assault that would seek to wipe out the final embers of resistance fighting against the dark lord. With a mighty force, Sauron’s army would quickly steamroll the once-mighty city of Osgiliath in early March, forcing those fighting to retreat or die trying. From there, it was only a matter of time before the enemy arrived at Minas Tirith to begin the battle for real.

Who Fought In The Battle Of Minas Tirith?

The Battle of Minas was primarily fought between the forces of Gondor and the armies of Mordor. While the likes of Sauron and Theoden could be seen as the true leaders of each army, neither were major factors in this initial skirmish. Two men who could be seen as major commanders within the battle and additionally had the biggest impacts were Gandalf for the forces of good, and the Witch-King of Angmar. Both armies clashed with ferocity, but it would be the Men of Minas Tirith who would feel as if all was lost long before the war would be done for good.

The Witch-King of Angmar marched on Minas Tirith with a massive force of Orcs, Easterlings, and Nazgul. Their plan was to cut off all hope for the city by ensuring there would be no possibility of reinforcement from nearby lands. The large force was, at least initially, more than enough to eventually topple the city of Minas Tirith, though help would eventually arrive before too much damage could be done.

Within the walls of Minas Tirith, Gandalf was doing everything he could to keep the morale of the people high, despite their seemingly impending doom. Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, fell into the belief that all was lost within the city, believing both of his sons killed and the time of Men to be coming to an end. Gandalf would take control of the forces of Minas Tirith in order to keep them from foolishly giving in to their enemy, a key factor in the battle itself.

What Happened In The Battle Of Minas Tirith?

The Battle of Minas Tirith could be said to have officially begun through the vile taunting and violence of the Orcs. Instead of their usual deadly brutality, Sauron’s forces demoralized the Men of Minas Tirith by launching the heads of those who were lost during the siege of Osgiliath. Between that, the loss at Osgliath, and the massive army at what seemed to be the final bastion of Men, the army within Minas Tirith was in a hopeless and terrified state. Luckily, after Denethor joins in on the loss of morale, Gandalf strikes the steward and begins rallying the Men of Minis Tirith to combat the threat.

Thanks to the fortifications of Minas Tirith, fewer soldiers were lost on the side of Men as the two sides traded catapult fire. The issue was that the Orcs grew ever closer to the walls of the city, and the mighty Nazgul were doing everything in their power to weaken Minas Tirith before any Orcs had even infiltrated properly. Despite all of this, the Men of Minas Tirith were able to respond with precision against the Orc army, taking out plenty of foes before they eventually reached the gates of the city with a large and dangerous battering ram. Once, the ram reached the gate, it would only be a short while later that the city would begin to be overrun.

Despite overwhelming odds and hours of fighting, the Men of Gondor never gave up, though Denethor certainly had. Gandalf and the Hobbit Pippin rushed to confront the mad steward yet again but were halted by the approach of the Witch-King of Angmar. The Witch-King’s power would prove so great that Gandalf’s staff would be destroyed, though everything would turn out alright thanks to the arrival of reinforcements. With the arrival of a new hope, the next phase of battle would begin, eventually leading to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.

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