J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, was a philologist first and foremost. Ever since he was a child, he loved words and etymology. His Middle-earth stories began largely as an excuse to utilize the fictional Elvish languages that he had created and explore the histories of those who spoke them. As such, Tolkien put a great deal of thought into the names of The Lord of the Rings‘ many characters. Tolkien created some of the fantasy genre’s most memorable and compelling names, and nearly all of them had relevant meanings based either on his fictional languages or on real-world etymology. Yet one of The Lord of the Rings‘ major antagonists did not even have a name. The Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths, were Sauron’s most loyal and deadly servants, and their leader was known only by his ominous title: the Witch-king of Angmar.

The latter part of the Witch-king’s name was straightforward, especially for those familiar with Middle-earth’s history. Over a thousand years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, the Witch-king ruled over a kingdom called Angmar, which was located in the northwest of Middle-earth. From Angmar, the Witch-king waged war against the Dúnedain. He destroyed Arnor, the sister kingdom of Gondor, though his own kingdom was destroyed in retaliation. By the time of The Lord of the Rings, the Witch-king instead spent most of his time in Mordor and Minas Morgul, but his old homeland remained part of his title. The first part of his name is more curious, and it ties into the evolving lore of Middle-earth. What exactly is a Witch-king, and why did Tolkien choose to refer to the leader of the Nazgûl as such in The Lord of the Rings?

The Witch-king Was a Master of Dark Magic

Tolkien did not state the meaning of the name Angmar, but it was likely related to anga, which meant “iron” in the Elvish language of Quenya.

Throughout The Lord of the Rings, the Witch-king mainly relied on intimidation and physical strength. He carried a Morgul knife that could poison his enemies and, under certain circumstances, turn them into wraiths much like himself. He used one such knife to stab Frodo on Weathertop in The Fellowship of the Ring, though Aragorn and Elrond treated the wound quickly enough to save Frodo’s life. In The Return of the King, the Witch-king opted for some heavier weaponry. The chapter “The Battle of the Pelennor Fields” described him as wielding “a great black mace.” In the film adaptation, Peter Jackson instead gave the Witch-king a massive flail to visually differentiate him from Sauron, who used a mace in the prologue of the first film. Either way, the Witch-king fought by overwhelming his opponents with brute force. His attacks were so devastating that he shattered Éowyn’s shield and broke her arm with a single swing. Adding to the Witch-king’s combat prowess was the ferocious fell beast upon which he rode. It could tear into its master’s enemies using its razor-sharp teeth and claws.

None of this called witchcraft to mind, but the Witch-king was far more than a warrior; he also possessed powerful magic. In The Lord of the Rings, members of the race of Men were usually unable to cast spells, but the Nazgûl were exceptions due to the Rings of Power that Sauron gave them. As Tolkien described in the section “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age” from The Silmarillion, “Those who used the Nine Rings became mighty in their day, kings, sorcerers, and warriors of old.” All the Nazgûl could spread a poisonous miasma known as the Black Breath, which instilled those around them with dread. Prolonged exposure to the Black Breath could cause unconsciousness or even death. Additionally, the Witch-king wielded a form of magic that the other Nazgûl seemingly lacked or at least did not display.

Like Sauron, the Witch-king Had Many Names

Much like Sauron, the Witch-king was a necromancer. He did not use this ability during the War of the Ring, but it played an important part in the aforementioned conflict between Angmar and Arnor. After driving the Dúnedain out of Cardolan — one of the three major regions of Arnor — the Witch-king sent evil spirits to inhabit the graves of those who died there so that none would dare try to reclaim the territory. These spirits reanimated the skeletons of the fallen Dúnedain, becoming the Barrow-wights whom the hobbits encountered in the novel version of The Lord of the Rings. Barow-wights made their live-action debut in the second season of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, though they must have a different origin in that adaptation, as the Nine Rings were not even created until after the Barrow-wights appeared.

The term “Witch-king” was meant to convey these spellcasting abilities, but there are several other words that Tolkien could have used besides “witch.” The author was well aware of this, as he frequently changed his mind about the Witch-king’s title while writing The Lord of the Rings. In one early draft, the Witch-king was an Istar like Gandalf, and as such, he was called the Wizard-king. In Tolkien’s legendarium, the term “Wizard” specifically referred to the Istari, so once he changed the lore surrounding the character who would come to be known as the Witch-king, he needed a new name. In later drafts, the leader of the Nazgûl was instead called the Sorcerer-king, which appeared once in the published version of the text. This was a logical choice, as Tolkien typically used the word “sorcery” about the evil magic employed by Sauron and his minions. This was most evident in the names of their strongholds; Minas Morgul meant “Tower of Black Sorcery” in the Elvish language of Sindarin, and Dol Guldur meant “Hill of Sorcery.” Sorcery had a more negative connotation than other magic, as Éomer insultingly referred to Galadriel as a sorceress in the novel.

The Witch-king Used to Have a Connection to Gandalf and Saruman

Image vis New Line Cinema

Official Translations of “Witch-king of Angmar”
Language

Rey Brujo de Angmar
Spanish

Re Stregone di Angmar
Italian

Roi-sorcier d’Angmar
French

Hexenkönig von Angmar
German

It is unknown why Tolkien ultimately did away with this title in favor of Witch-king, but there are some plausible theories. In keeping with Tolkien’s passion for etymology, it may have come down to the words’ origins. The word “witch” was derived from the Old English wiċċa and is ultimately German in origin, while “sorcerer” was derived from the Old French sorcier and is ultimately Latin in origin. The word “king” also comes from Old English, so he may have believed that “Witch-king” was more etymologically sound than “Sorcerer-king.” Tolkien also preferred Old English to Old French in general. A simpler explanation is that Tolkien thought “Witch-king” sounded better. The words “witch” and “king” are both one-syllable words with a short “i” in the middle, so “Witch-king” rolls off the tongue. This repetition of vowel sounds is known as assonance, and Tolkien was fond of using it, especially in his poetry.

In the novel, the Witch-king’s title was used surprisingly infrequently. It did not even appear until the appendices were in the back of the book. Within the main text of The Lord of the Rings, the Witch-king was referred to by a wide range of other titles and epithets, including Witch-lord, Morgul-lord, Wraith-lord, Wraith-king, and, as previously mentioned, Sorcerer-king. This emphasized the importance and mystery of the Witch-king. It was as if horror stories about the leader of the Nazgûl had spread far and wide across Middle-earth, giving rise to many titles over the years. However, it could also be confusing for new readers. Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies used the term “Witch-king” far more consistently, which kept his identity clearer. This history of the Witch-king’s title is proof of how complex even seemingly simple aspects of The Lord of the Rings can become for those who want to delve into the lore of Middle-earth.