Nazgûl

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The Nazgûl (also known as Ringwraiths, the Black Riders, the Nine; Nunbolg; or the Ulairi in Quenya) were the dreaded ring-servants of the Dark Lord Sauron in Middle-earth throughout the Second and Third ages, and in the later years of the Third Age they dwelt in Minas Morgul and Dol Guldur.

The Nazgûl were once nine great Kings of Men, all of whom were given Rings of Power by Sauron. The Nine took them and used them to achieve great power, wealth and prestige in life. But as time passed, the Rings continued to exert their corrupting influence. The Rings eventually left the kings spectral, invisible to all but those who could see into the wraith world, and slaves to the will of Sauron. Their lives and power became bound to Sauron's via the One Ring; as Sauron grew or diminished in power, so too did the Nazgûl.

The Nine were first seen around 2251 of the Second Age, and soon became established as Sauron's primary servants. Despite being Sauron's most useful servants, not much is known of their activities during the Second Age. They were temporarily dispersed after Sauron's downfall in SA 3434 during the war of Last Alliance of Elves and Men, losing the ability to maintain any sort of physical form as Sauron did after losing the One Ring. However, the Ring was not destroyed, and as such, both the Nazgûl and Sauron were able to endure.

Only two of the Nine were ever named: the Witch-king of Angmar and Khamûl the Easterling.