The Lord Of The Rings: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Nazgûl

10. Three Of The Nazgûl Were Númenóreans

Very little is known about the origins of the Nazgûl. Tolkien gave us the name of the Witch-king, and Khamûl, his second in command. He wrote that Khamûl had once been a king of Rhûn and an Easterling. But the only other information he gave us, was that three others had been great lords of Númenor - the island home of Elendil and Isildur.

During the Second Age of Middle-earth, King Ar-Pharazôn of Númenor led a huge army to defeat and capture Sauron. This worked to the Dark Lord's advantage, however. He corrupted the King and many of his followers, encouraging them to conduct human sacrifices and assault the Undying Lands of the Valar. This led to the destruction of Númenor, and the near extinction of its people. Only Elendil and his followers survived because they had resisted Sauron's allure...

While these events were unfolding, Sauron gifted three Rings to several powerful lords of Númenor who would eventually make up the Nine. Tolkien never specified if King Ar-Pharazon was one such lord, but given he was the mightiest of all the Kings of Númenor, it's very possible...

It's likely we'll see some version of this story in the new Amazon show, as these events fall within the timeline it covers.