First off - sorry if these questions have clear answers that I have somehow missed.

How much did Ar-Pharazôn know about Sauron before taking him captive? Did Pharazôn have any idea that Sauron was a Maia? If not, who would Pharazôn have understood Sauron to be?

When Sauron tells Pharazôn about Melkor (that he resides in the darkness and he might build you your own world if he likes you), is that the first that Pharazôn is hearing of Melkor or does it contradict beliefs Pharazôn already would have held?

I guess my questions boil down to how educated Numenorians were in lore of the First Age and the Ainulindalë, etc.

I’ve been thinking about how both negligence and recklessness contributed to Pharazôn’s failure.