The Fantasy Review’s brief history of Ar-Pharazôn.
Born in 3118 in the Second Age, Ar-Pharazôn was a descendant of Elros, the first King of Númenor (and brother to Elrond), and was the last King of Númenor, reigning until 3319 SA.
The Capture of Sauron
As King of Númenor, Ar-Pharazôn married his cousin, Míriel, and renamed her Ar-Zimraphel, usurping the crown from his kin. He learned of Sauron’s hatred and fear of the Númenóreans, and the fallen Maia’s desire to destroy them, and decided to take a large army to destroy Sauron in Middle-earth.
Ar-Pharazôn launched his fleet in 3261 and landed at the Haven of Umbar, then marching on to Mordor. They overwhelmed Sauron’s forces and took the Dark Lord captive.
Sauron’s Manipulation of the Númenóreans
Sauron, on Númenor, quickly rose to a position of power as an advisor to King Ar-Pharazôn. He turned the King and his people even more against the Valar and used his knowledge to bring the King’s Men all they desired.
Sauron convinced the people of Númenor to worship Melkor, the Lord of Darkness, and twisted their minds against the Valar who he claimed created Eru Ilúvatar as a lie to control Men. The Númenóreans then believed that by worshipping Melkor, they could become more powerful than the Valar.
Ar-Pharazôn’s Death
The White Tree of Númenor, a symbol of their friendship with the Elves and the Valar, was destroyed at the behest of Sauron. Ar-Pharazôn feared this would lead to the end of the Line of Kings, as Tar-Palantir’s prophecy foretold, but Sauron had too much control over the King now.
Luckily, Isildur, hearing of the plan to destroy the Tree, stole a fruit from its branches before its destruction. It was after the Tree was felled that the Númenóreans began to persecute the Faithful, sacrificing them to Melkor so he might release them from Death.
As Ar-Pharazôm grew older, his fear of death intensified. Sauron convinced him to sail to the Undying Lands and take immortality for himself. The King obliged, however, once the fleet anchored near the coast of Valinor and he went ashore, the Valar called up on Eru for aid.
Eru broke the world and made it round, so that Men might never be able to sail to Valinor again. Ar-Pharazôn’s fleet was pulled into the chasm and Númenor sank beneath the Sea. Ar-Pharazôn and all his men were killed.
The Line of Kings
The Line of Kings from Númenor was not ended that day, however. Members of the Faithful survived, including Elendil and his son, Isildur, who would go on to rule as High Kings of Arnor and Gondor in Middle-earth.
The fruit from White Tree of Númenor would be planted and become the first White Tree of Gondor.
