Plague in the Third Age

E926323

event in Middle-earth fictional epidemic historical event in the Third Age

Plague in the Third Age was a devastating epidemic in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth that decimated populations and weakened realms such as Gondor.

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All labels observed (3)

Label	Occurrences
Great Plague in Gondor	1
Plague in the Third Age canonical	1
Plague of the Third Age	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T11445146 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: Plague in the Third Age
Context triple: [Osgiliath, sufferedEvent, Plague in the Third Age]

A. The Treason of Isengard
The Treason of Isengard is the seventh volume in Christopher Tolkien’s The History of Middle-earth series, presenting drafts and development of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, particularly the early evolution of its central narrative and characters.
B. Throne of Gondor
The Throne of Gondor is the royal seat and symbol of kingship over the realm of Gondor in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium.
C. Black Gate
Black Gate is the English meaning of "Porta Nigra," the massive ancient Roman city gate in Trier, Germany, renowned as one of the best-preserved Roman monuments north of the Alps.
D. The Disaster of the Gladden Fields
The Disaster of the Gladden Fields is a narrative in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium recounting the ambush and death of Isildur and the loss of the One Ring near the Gladden Fields.
E. Belegaer
Belegaer is the vast western ocean of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, separating its lands from the distant continent of Aman.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: Plague in the Third Age
Target entity description: Plague in the Third Age was a devastating epidemic in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth that decimated populations and weakened realms such as Gondor.

A. The Treason of Isengard
The Treason of Isengard is the seventh volume in Christopher Tolkien’s The History of Middle-earth series, presenting drafts and development of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, particularly the early evolution of its central narrative and characters.
B. Throne of Gondor
The Throne of Gondor is the royal seat and symbol of kingship over the realm of Gondor in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium.
C. Black Gate
Black Gate is the English meaning of "Porta Nigra," the massive ancient Roman city gate in Trier, Germany, renowned as one of the best-preserved Roman monuments north of the Alps.
D. The Disaster of the Gladden Fields
The Disaster of the Gladden Fields is a narrative in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium recounting the ambush and death of Isildur and the loss of the One Ring near the Gladden Fields.
E. Belegaer
Belegaer is the vast western ocean of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, separating its lands from the distant continent of Aman.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (51)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	event in Middle-earth ⓘ fictional epidemic ⓘ historical event in the Third Age ⓘ
affects	Anórien ⓘ Arthedain ⓘ Calenardhon ⓘ Cardolan ⓘ Eriador ⓘ Gondor ⓘ Lebennin ⓘ Lossarnach ⓘ Minas Tirith ⓘ Osgiliath ⓘ Pelargir ⓘ Rhovanion ⓘ Rhudaur ⓘ
alsoKnownAs	Dark Plague ⓘ Great Plague ⓘ linked to: the Great Plague
appearsIn	The Lord of the Rings Appendix A ⓘ linked to: The Lord of the Rings appendices The Lord of the Rings Appendix B ⓘ linked to: The Lord of the Rings appendices The Lord of the Rings appendices ⓘ Unfinished Tales ⓘ
consequence	abandonment of Calenardhon ⓘ decline of the Dúnedain of the South ⓘ desolation of many regions of Eriador ⓘ further decline of the Dúnedain of the North ⓘ increased vulnerability to later invasions ⓘ loss of population in Rhovanion ⓘ mass depopulation of Gondor ⓘ near ruin of Cardolan ⓘ weakening of Gondor’s military strength ⓘ weakening of resistance to Sauron ⓘ
creator	J. R. R. Tolkien ⓘ
fictionalUniverse	Middle-earth ⓘ
followedBy	long decline of Gondor ⓘ
historicalSignificance	major turning point in the decline of the Númenórean realms in exile ⓘ
mortality	very high among Men ⓘ
notableVictimGroup	Dúnedain of Arnor ⓘ linked to: Men of Arnor Dúnedain of Gondor ⓘ
origin	east of Middle-earth ⓘ
possibleCause	influence of Sauron ⓘ
precededBy	years of growing shadow from Mordor ⓘ
relatedTo	Kin-strife in Gondor ⓘ Wainrider invasions ⓘ rise of the Nazgûl in Mordor ⓘ
scale	widespread pandemic across much of Middle-earth ⓘ
spares	Dwarves to a large extent ⓘ most Elves ⓘ the Shire ⓘ linked to: The Shire
timePeriod	Third Age of Middle-earth ⓘ
year	Third Age 1636 ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Osgiliath → sufferedEvent → Plague in the Third Age ⓘ

Third Age of Middle-earth → majorEvent → Plague of the Third Age ⓘ

linked to: Plague in the Third Age

Kings of Gondor → notableEvent → Great Plague in Gondor ⓘ