Angband

Evil Lair
Full Name	Angband
Alias	Iron Prison
Origin	The Silmarillion
Edifice	Giant prison-like fortress
Location	Beneath Thrangorodrim and the Iron Mountains
Residents	Morgoth Sauron Gothmog Balrogs Orcs Dragons
Properties	Subterranean halls Dungeons Throne room Mines
Purposes	For Melkor to use as his seat of power to rule all of Arda.
Status	Destroyed
Type of Evil Lair	Soulless Fortress

Angband, also known as the Iron Prison, was Melkor's 2nd (and last) fortress of Middle-earth. It was destroyed at the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age.

It appeared in The Silmarillion.

Structure

Angband was a stronghold that was built beneath the Iron Mountains, and under the three gigantic volcanoes of Thrangorodrim, the largest mountains in Middle-earth at the time. The entrance to Morgoth's throne room was in the Nethermost Hall. There were also mines that have extended deeper than Morgoth's throne room, possibly extending into the lava beneath the world.

History

At first, Melkor built Angband to guard against possible attacks by the other Valar, but after Utumno was destroyed, he and his minions had to move there. Angband soon became Melkor's new seat of power, and the Orcs bred faster. They soon went south to Beleriand, threatening Thingol's kingdom of Doriath. It's possible that Sauron stayed behind at Angband with Gothmog and the other Balrogs, as he presumably commanded the stronghold when Beleriand was attacked, but it's unknown if he dwelt there during Melkor's 3,000-year imprisonment. After 3,000 years, Melkor was free, and he and Ungoliant destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor.

Then, Melkor stole the Silmarils, which caused Fëanor to rename him "Morgoth". Soon, Morgoth came back to Middle-earth, and raised the peaks of Thrangorodrim over it. Morgoth then directed the war against the Ñoldor, and all the Free Peoples that supported them in Beleriand. His attack on them was a success. Soon, the Valar took pity on them, and instigated the War of Wrath.

During the War of Wrath, almost all of Morgoth's armies, including the Balrogs, were destroyed, so he released his final weapons: the dragons, led by Ancalagon the Black. Their onslaught was so terrible that the Valar were driven back from Angband, but Eärendil came in his ship, Vingilot, accompanie by the Great Eagles of Middle-earth, led by Thorondor. He was successful in slaying Ancalagon, and his bulk fell upon Thrangororim and destroyed it, and the fortress of Angband was no more.

Trivia

• Angband was Morgoth's second fortress.
  • The first was Utumno.