"There is only one Lord of the Ring, only one who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power." —Gandalf to Saruman, The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings, also called Lord of the Ring, was a title held by Sauron. It was given to the Dark Lord, who was the only true master of the One Ring and, through it, of the other nineteen Rings of Power.
Sauron's chief vassal, Saruman, mistakenly believed he could supplant his liege as Lord of the Ring given the chance. The Wise, however, knew the Ring answered to the Dark Lord alone.
History[]
In the Second Age, Sauron guided the Ñoldor smiths of Eregion in making the first nineteen Rings of Power, before he forged the Ruling Ring for himself in Mordor. Thus, the Enemy became the "Lord of the Rings", for through his own he could influence the minds of the other Ring-bearers and gradually bend them to his will. The kings of Men who were gifted Nine Rings of Power fell under his sway as the Nazgûl - his deadliest wraith servants. Though the Ring was cut from Sauron's hand by Isildur in the War of the Last Alliance, it brooked no other master save its maker; the One Ring betrayed all other wielders and longed to return to the Dark Lord.[1]
In the late Third Age, Saruman swore his allegiance to Sauron, becoming his chief vassal (puppet) at Isengard by the War of the Ring.[2] Driven by delusions of grandeur, the corrupted Wizard sought to achieve a quasi-equal status to his new Lord by rising as his favored servant, or by claiming the One Ring first to try usurp him as Lord of the Ring.[1][3] Others too failed to understand the Ring could only be controlled by Sauron, chiefly Gollum, but also both Denethor and Boromir of Gondor. Galadriel of Lothlórien was also tempted by the Ring, with promises of becoming a "Queen" only less terrible than Sauron himself, but she refused to give in and so passed the test of the Valar.[1]