 After an early period of growth, Gondor gradually declined as the Third Age progressed, being continually weakened by internal strife and conflict with the allies of the Dark Lord Sauron.The kingdom's ascendancy was restored only with Sauron's final defeat and the crowning of Aragorn.Based upon early conceptions, the history and geography of Gondor were developed in stages as Tolkien extended his legendarium while writing of "The Lord of the Rings".