The Balchoth. During the time of Cirion,the twelfth Ruling Steward of Gondor, some fierce barbarian people lived in Rhovannion on the eastern borders of the realm. They were the Balchoth and they were part of the Easterling race. The Balchoth caused great terror in the southern vales of Anduin, for their deeds were directed by the dark Lord Sauron.

The savagery of the balchoth was legendary and theirnumbers were great. In the year 2510 of the Third Age of the Sun, they at last crossed in the realm of Gondor. They despoiled the province of Calenardhon and slaughtered its people, until they were set upon by the Men of Gondor in a mighty army led by Cirion. Yet a black army of Orcs came from the mountains and attacked the Men of Gondor from behind. In that darkest moment aid came to the Men of Gondor: the Rohirrim sent into battle a great force of cavalry that routed the Balchoth and the Orc. This was the Battle of the Field of celebrat, at which the power of the Balchoth was broken forever. The barbarian army was annihilated and no history tells of the fierce Balchoth after that day. They soon disappeared from the lands of Middle Earth.

The Black Númenóreans.

In the Akallabêth the history of the founding and downfall of Númenor, and preserved through a Gondorian manuscript, copied for the Tooks and kept at Great Smials.is told the story of the land of the Númenóreans, the mightiest kingdom of Men upon Arda. But in the year 3319 of the second Age it was cast down beneath the western sea for ever. Most of the Númenóreans perished, but some had left Middle Earth before the downfall and so survived.

One part of those who were saved from disaster was named the Black Númenóreans.hese people made a great haven in a place named Umbar, in the South of Middle Earth. They were allies of Sauron, for he came among them and corrupted them through their overwhelming pride. To three of the Black Númenóreans he gave Rings of Power, these three were numbered among the wraiths called the Nazgûl To two others , who were named Herumor and Fuinur, he gave other powers and they became Lords amongst the Haradrim.

The Black Númenóreans often came north into the lands of Gondor and Arnor to test their strength against that other noble remnant of the Númenórean race, the Elendili, or Elf Friends. The Black Númenóreans proved to be immensely strong and for more than a thousand years their pillaging was endured. but at last, in the tenth centuary of the Third Age, King Eärnil I arose in Gondor and reduced the sea power of the Black Númenóreans of Umbar to nothing and took the havens. Umbar became a fortress of Gondor, and,though in the years that followed the Black Númenóreans rose again, they were finally broken by Hyarmendacil of Gondor in the year 1050 and never again were they rulers of Umbar

Thereafter the wandering people of this stron race merged with the Haradrim and the Corsairs,and others lived in Morgul and Mordor. But the gifts of power that Sauron gave them vanished with his fall, and the annals of the Fourth Age speak of these people no more..

more to be added in due course