Rivendell

Second Age

Foundation

During the War of the Elves and Sauron, and as Sauron was moving against Eriador, Elrond led an army of Elves of Lindon to the region. They arrived late but were joined by a detachment out of Eregion led by Celeborn. Despite this, Sauron's armies overwhelmed the Elves, and Elrond was unable to reach Eregion. Forced northward toward the headwaters of Bruinen, Elrond established a stronghold.

This became a refuge for those seeking shelter from Sauron's onslaught in Eriador, and Elrond's and Celeborn's Elves were soon joined by many fleeing the Sack of Eregion. More came as Sauron ravaged Eriador on his march toward Lindon. By S.A. 1700, Sauron had overrun all of Eriador and Imladris was besieged. The siege ended when Gil-galad's forces, strengthened by the armament sent by Tar-Minastir, routed Sauron's armies and drove him out of Eriador.

A Council held at that time made Elrond Gil-galad's vice-regent in Eriador, and Imladris his seat. Gil-galad bestowed Vilya upon Elrond in secret. Aided by the power of the Elven ring, Elrond made Imladris one of the chief seats of Elvish strength in the west in the latter part of the Second Age. Imladris remained an Elvish stronghold in Eriador to the end of the Second Age and into the Third.

Last Alliance

At the end of the Second Age, Elendil and Gil-galad formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men to challenge Sauron, and their host halted for a while at Imladris in S.A. 3431 and they stayed there for 3 years, gathered their forces before crossing the Misty Mountains.

Isildur's wife and his youngest son, Valandil, were in Imladris at that time, and Isildur was journeying back to them after Sauron's defeat when he was ambushed at the Gladden Fields. After receiving the shards of Narsil, Valandil took up his role as King of Arnor and left Imladris for Annúminas.

Third Age

After the fall of Gil-galad, Elrond remained in Imladris. During the Third Age, it was a refuge and sanctuary; many Elves gathered there, and it was the chief dwelling of the High Elves in Eriador, except the Elves of Lindon, but also wise and powerful people of all the races. Most of the Elves who lived in Rivendell were High Elves. The Heirs of Isildur were also harboured there due to their kinship with Elrond, as descendants of his brother Elros.

Danger came to Eriador around T.A. 1300 when Angmar was established in the north-east beyond the Ettenmoors. It was late in the reign of Arveleg I that Rivendell was besieged by Angmar. After an incursion by Angmar into Eriador in T.A. 1409, the Elves of Rivendell joined those of Lindon and the Galadhrim, whom Elrond brought over the Mountains, in subduing the power of the Witch-king for many years.

After the end of the North-kingdom in T.A. 1975 Aranarth, the first Chieftain of the Dúnedain, had his son fostered in Rivendell, as were all subsequent sons of the chieftains. The heirlooms and treasures of the house of Isildur, including the shards of Narsil, were also kept there after Arvedui's death. Among these were also some of the few remaining documents containing the history of Númenor.

There was traffic across the Misty Mountains in the Third Age between Imladris and Lothlórien, for Elrond's wife was Celebrían, daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn.

In the Quest of Erebor, Bilbo Baggins stopped off at Rivendell with the Dwarves on the way to the Lonely Mountain and also on the way back to the Shire with Gandalf. Bilbo retired there after his 111th birthday, writing his memoir There and Back Again.

Years later, Frodo Baggins and his companions journeyed to Rivendell, where they met Bilbo. Several other Elves, Dwarves and Men had also arrived at Rivendell on separate errands; at the Council of Elrond they learned that all of their errands were related to the fate of the One Ring, and they had to decide what to do about it. In the end, the Hobbits influenced the decision.

Following the destruction of the One Ring at the end of the Third Age, Elrond's ring lost its power, and Elrond, with many of his household, left Rivendell to sail for Valinor from the Grey Havens; this marked the start of the Fourth Age.

Later history

Although Elrond departed from Rivendell, Elladan and Elrohir remained for a while with some of the remaining Noldor. It is believed that Celeborn also relocated to Rivendell after the departure of Galadriel and having also grown weary of East Lórien.

It is not known when Rivendell was finally abandoned, but shortly before Aragorn died in Fo.A. 120, he said to Arwen that "none now walk" in the garden of Elrond, indicating that the last of the Noldor had departed to Valinor.