In the year 2 of the Third Age, hard on the heels of the great victories at the end of the second age (when Barad-dûr was cast down and Sauron overthrown) came this miltary disaster, where much of the royal blood of Arnor was spilled.

It began when Isildur was marching north to take up the High-kingship of both Gondor and Arnor, having spent the previous two years in Gondor, instructing his nephew Meneldil, Anárion's son, in kingship. His party (which included his three eldest sons) was ambushed on the banks of the Anduin south of the River Gladden by a mutitude of Orcs of the Mountains.

The Dúnedain were too few to help against so many and most were slain in defence of Isildur (in fact, only three Men ever returned). When all was lost, Isildur jumped into the Great River, hoping to swim to safety, because the Ring on his finger made him invisible. And so he might have escaped - but, of its own accord, the Ring slipped from Isildur's finger, betraying him to the Orcs, who then saw him and shot him with arrows.

The One Ring then sank into the mud at the river bottom, to lie undiscovered for thousands of years.

Also known as Disaster at Gladden Fields.
Encyclopedia entry originally written by Ian