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THE RING BEARERS
The Nine Rings (Given to Men)
Sauron gave nine rings to leaders of Men, who were mighty in their day: kings, sorcerers and warriors. They were consumed by the rings' power and became the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths, Sauron's most terrible servants.
Only two of the Men are named
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The Witch-king of Angmar: The leader of the Nazgûl, his actual name is not mentioned in The Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion.
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Khamûl the Easterling: Also known as the "Shadow of the East," he was second in command to the Witch-king.
Three of the nine were said to have been great lords of Númenórean descent. The identities of the other seven human kings are not specified in the books.
The Seven Rings (Given to Dwarves)
The seven rings intended for the Dwarves were given to the heads of the seven kindreds of the Dwarves. The Dwarves proved largely resistant to the rings' primary purpose of enslavement, instead using them to amass great wealth, which only intensified their greed. The one most referenced in the books is the ring given to:
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Durin III: King of the Longbeards of Khazad-dûm (Moria). This ring passed down the line of his heirs until it was seized from Thráin II by Sauron in Dol Guldur.
The names of the other six Dwarf-lords were not specified in The Lord of the Rings.
The Three Rings (Held by Elves)
The three Elven Rings (Narya, Nenya and Vilya) were made by Celebrimbor alone, without Sauron's direct involvement, so Sauron never had possession of them to "give" away. They remained hidden from him until the One Ring was destroyed.
The bearers were:
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Narya (Ring of Fire): Originally given to Círdan the Shipwright, who later passed it to Gandalf the Wizard.
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Nenya (Ring of Water): Held by Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien.
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Vilya (Ring of Air): Originally held by the High King Gil-galad, who passed it to Elrond Half-elven.
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