City of the Corsairs - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

steve · 07-25-2002, 08:00 PM

this was probably answered in the silm or one of the untold tales or something but i never got them and im not done the silm yet, but im curious, what exactly were the corsairs, i know they were human soldiers, but still what were they

i no i seem newbish askin qs like these, plz forgive me for it, but im just doing some reashearch for a side project im working on, so plz be patient with me, im just as big of a tolkien fan as most of you are, for god sakes, i failed chemestry cause i read the tolkien reader and half of the silm in class, i love his poems in the reader, princess mee, oh look, i started rambleing [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

[ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: steve ]

Lindolirian · 07-25-2002, 08:05 PM

I've always wondered about Corsairs too. I think they are enemy ships. Just an old english term for them. The City of Corsairs was another name for The haven of Umbar which lay on the coast South of Gondor and Mordor. These haves where originally founded by the Numenoreans I think, and then were a part of southern Gondor. But evil Haradrim with the help of Sauron took over the City. From there came some of the most dangerous threats to Minas Tirith. When Aragorn was younger, he lived in Minas Tirith as a great captain named Thorongil. He secretly attacked the City of Corsairs and burnt all the ships. In the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the ships that Aragorn took over with the help of the Dead were from that City. Hope that helps some. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: Lindolirian ]

steve · 07-25-2002, 08:09 PM

it does, it does, but i have seen somewhere on some tolkien site, metal figgurines of umbar corsairs, which were men with bows, i dont know if they were something someone decided they were or not, but im curious

Birdland · 07-25-2002, 08:27 PM

Corsair is an archaic word for "pirate". In particular, The Corsairs of Umbar were the descendents of the followers of Castamir the Usurper. Here's what The Encyclopedia of Arda has to say about that particular baddie:

Castamir
The Usurper of Gondor

"A Gondorian noble, the great-grandson of the King Calmacil. When Eldacar became King in Gondor, there was popular unrest because his mother Vidumavi belonged to the Northmen, (Specifically; a Rohanian - Birdie) and so he carried only half-Gondorian blood. Castamir took advantage of this unrest to launch a rebellion, and he succeeded in deposing Eldacar and sending him into exile. For ten cruel years he ruled Gondor, but Eldacar the rightful King built an army in exile, and returned to oust Castamir and reclaim his throne."

Castamir and his followers fled to the Cape of Umbar, where they continued to wage a sort of guerilla warfare against Gondor, until their descendents were finally defeated by Aragorn and his allies from the Paths of the Dead.

07-25-2002, 08:00 PM	#1
steve Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edoras... er, Philadelphia Posts: 191	City of the Corsairs this was probably answered in the silm or one of the untold tales or something but i never got them and im not done the silm yet, but im curious, what exactly were the corsairs, i know they were human soldiers, but still what were they i no i seem newbish askin qs like these, plz forgive me for it, but im just doing some reashearch for a side project im working on, so plz be patient with me, im just as big of a tolkien fan as most of you are, for god sakes, i failed chemestry cause i read the tolkien reader and half of the silm in class, i love his poems in the reader, princess mee, oh look, i started rambleing [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: steve ] __________________ MAGIC SHOP! Spells of Mass Destruction 20% off! Today Only!

07-25-2002, 08:05 PM	#2
Lindolirian World's Tallest Hobbit Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Where the view is long Posts: 2,117	I've always wondered about Corsairs too. I think they are enemy ships. Just an old english term for them. The City of Corsairs was another name for The haven of Umbar which lay on the coast South of Gondor and Mordor. These haves where originally founded by the Numenoreans I think, and then were a part of southern Gondor. But evil Haradrim with the help of Sauron took over the City. From there came some of the most dangerous threats to Minas Tirith. When Aragorn was younger, he lived in Minas Tirith as a great captain named Thorongil. He secretly attacked the City of Corsairs and burnt all the ships. In the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the ships that Aragorn took over with the help of the Dead were from that City. Hope that helps some. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [ July 25, 2002: Message edited by: Lindolirian ] __________________ 'They say that the One will himself enter into Arda, and heal Men and all the Marring from the beginning to the end."

07-25-2002, 08:09 PM	#3
steve Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edoras... er, Philadelphia Posts: 191	it does, it does, but i have seen somewhere on some tolkien site, metal figgurines of umbar corsairs, which were men with bows, i dont know if they were something someone decided they were or not, but im curious __________________ MAGIC SHOP! Spells of Mass Destruction 20% off! Today Only!

07-25-2002, 08:27 PM	#4
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	Corsair is an archaic word for "pirate". In particular, The Corsairs of Umbar were the descendents of the followers of Castamir the Usurper. Here's what The Encyclopedia of Arda has to say about that particular baddie: Castamir The Usurper of Gondor "A Gondorian noble, the great-grandson of the King Calmacil. When Eldacar became King in Gondor, there was popular unrest because his mother Vidumavi belonged to the Northmen, (Specifically; a Rohanian - Birdie) and so he carried only half-Gondorian blood. Castamir took advantage of this unrest to launch a rebellion, and he succeeded in deposing Eldacar and sending him into exile. For ten cruel years he ruled Gondor, but Eldacar the rightful King built an army in exile, and returned to oust Castamir and reclaim his throne." Castamir and his followers fled to the Cape of Umbar, where they continued to wage a sort of guerilla warfare against Gondor, until their descendents were finally defeated by Aragorn and his allies from the Paths of the Dead.