List of kings of Gondor
This is a list of the ruling kings of Gondor, one of the realms in Middle-earth in the fantasy works of J. R. R. Tolkien.
History[edit]
The kings of Gondor claimed descent through Amandil from the Lords of Andúnië, and from there to Silmariën and the Kings of Númenor. The line of Kings began with Elendil, who fled the downfall of Númenor with his sons Isildur and Anárion and established the twin realms-in-exile of Arnor and Gondor.[1] For several hundred years after its foundation, Gondor was ruled by the High-King of both Arnor and Gondor, but after Isildur's death early in the Third Age, the connection between the two kingdoms was severed and Gondor was ruled independently of Arnor.
The Line of Kings in Gondor continued through the descendants of Anárion for over two thousand years. Several calamities befell the house, such as the civil war of the Kin-Strife from T.A. 1432 to 1447 and the death of the King and his close family in the Great Plague of T.A. 1636.[2] In addition, through inter-marriage over several generations the Númenorean blood of the Kings of Gondor was mingled with that of lesser men of Middle-Earth.
After King Ondoher and his two sons were slain in battle with the Wainriders, Arvedui (heir of the North Kingdom) claimed the throne of Gondor.[3] Arvedui's claim rested on his descent from Isildur and his marriage to Fíriel, the only surviving child of Ondoher. His claim was rejected by Gondor, who elected instead Eärnil II, a male descendant of Telumehtar and victor over the Wainriders.
The line of Kings finally came to an end in T.A. 2050 when the last King of Gondor, Eärnur son of Eärnil II, disappeared after riding to answer the challenges of the Witch-King in Minas Morgul.[4] In the absence of the king, Gondor was ruled first by the Steward Mardil, and thereafter by the Line of the Stewards until the return of King Aragorn II.
Kings of Gondor[edit]
Each king was a son of the previous king, unless otherwise indicated.
- Elendil, son of Amandil. He reigned titularly as High King from S.A. 3320–3441.[5] His sons Isildur and Anárion were the co-rulers of Gondor itself (until Anárion's death in S.A. 3440.)
- Isildur officially ruled Gondor from S.A. 3441–T.A. 2
- Meneldil fourth child and son of Anárion, born S.A 3318, reigned T.A. 2–158. Meneldil was the last person born in Númenor before its destruction.[6]
- Cemendur b. S.A 3399 r. T.A. 158–238
- Eärendil b. T.A. 48 r. 238–324
- Anardil b. 136 r. 324–411
- Ostoher b. 222 r. 411–492. In 420 he rebuilt Minas Anor as his summer residence, and during his reign the Easterlings started to attack Gondor.
- Rómendacil I (Tarostar) b. 310 r. 491–541. As crown prince, he rode against the Easterlings and defeated them (thus, his regnal name means "victorious in the East"). Later the Easterlings invaded once again, and he rode to meet them in battle but was slain.
- Turambar b. 397 r. 541–667. Avenged the death of his father by conquering large parts of Rhovanion from the Easterlings.
- Atanatar I b. 480 r. 667–748
- Siriondil b. 570 r. 748–840
- Tarannon Falastur b. 654 r. 840–913. First of the Ship-kings, died childless. Began a policy of exploration and expansion which greatly increased the power of Gondor. His Queen-consort was the notorious Berúthiel, whom Tarannon was forced to send into exile.
- Eärnil I b. 736 r. 913–936. Nephew of Tarannon. Second of the Ship-kings. He captured Umbar for Gondor, but was lost in a storm off its coast.
- Ciryandil b. 820 r. 936–1015. Third of the Ship-kings. Died in the defence of Umbar against the Haradrim and Black Númenóreans.
- Hyarmendacil I (Ciryaher) b. 899 r. 1015–1149. Last of the Ship-kings. He took a great army to avenge his father's death and conquered the southern lands of the Harad (his regnal name means "victorious in the South"). During his reign Gondor reached the height of its power and extended from the Misty Mountains south to Umbar and from the Great Sea east to the Sea of Rhûn.
- Atanatar II Alcarin b. 977 r. 1149–1226. From this point Gondor began a long decline in power and prestige, which was not halted until the reign of Elessar Telcontar at the beginning of the Fourth Age.
- Narmacil I b. 1058 r. 1226–1294. Second childless King. He soon tired of being a king and in III 1240, after just fourteen years on the throne, he turned over the rule of Gondor to his nephew Minalcar, who ruled as Regent through the rest of Narmacil's titular Kingship.
- Calmacil b. 1058 r. 1294–1304. Younger brother of Narmacil. The actual power of the realm during his reign was wielded by his tireless son and regent Minalcar.
- Minalcar was crowned as Rómendacil II, born 1126, Prince-regent 1240–1304, King 1304–1366. Under his reign (c.1240) were carved the pillars of Argonath.
- Valacar b. 1194 r. 1366–1432. In 1250 he was sent as ambassador to the kingdom of Rhovanion, and there married its princess Vidumavi. After living there many years he returned to Gondor, where he became crown prince in 1304. His reign as King saw increasing unrest, developing into rebellion in the coastal provinces.
- Vinitharya,[7] crowned as Eldacar, born 1255, reigned 1432–1437. Deposed and driven into exile in Rhovanion by his distant relative, Castamir.
- Castamir, born 1259, usurped the throne during the Kin-strife in 1437, killed in 1447
- Eldacar restored, r. 1447–1490
- Aldamir b. 1330 r. 1490–1540. His reign was marked with constant warfare with the Corsairs of Umbar.
- Hyarmendacil II (Vinyarion) b. 1391 r. 1540–1621. In 1551 he accomplished an astounding victory over the Haradrim.
- Minardil b. 1454 r. 1621–1634. Slain at Pelargir by the Corsairs of Umbar
- Telemnar b. 1516 r. 1634–1636. Died in the Great Plague with all his children.
- Tarondor b. 1577 r. 1636–1798. Nephew of Telemnar; the longest-reigning King of Gondor. In T.A. 1640 he removed the capital from Osgiliath to Minas Anor.
- Telumehtar Umbardacil b. 1632 r. 1798–1850
- Narmacil II b. 1684 r. 1850–1856
- Calimehtar b. 1736 r. 1856–1936. In T.A. 1900 he built the White Tower in Minas Anor.
- Ondoher b. 1787 r. 1936–1944.[8] Died in battle, together with his two sons.
(interregnum 1944 - 1945)
(interregnum 2050 - 3019; see Stewards of Gondor)
- Elessar (Aragorn) b. 2931 r. T.A. 3019 - F.A. 120, was the first king of the Reunited Kingdom. He was a descendant of Ondoher's daughter, and a direct descendant of Isildur.
- Eldarion r. F.A. 120 – ?
Adaptations[edit]
In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, both Elendil and his son Isildur are shown in the opening prologue depicting the War of the Last Alliance. Aragorn II is portrayed by Viggo Mortensen in all three of the trilogy's films. The film adaptation calls Isildur the Last King of Gondor, while in Tolkien's works the line ended much later with Eärnur, who disappeared in TA 2050.
The Lord of the Rings Online features a few of the Kings of Gondor as non-player characters. Aragorn appears at many in-game locations either as a leader of the Dúnedain rangers or as a member of the Fellowship of the Ring before his crowning as king, and players can interact with him for many different story line quests. Other Kings of Gondor who appear include Isildur in a session instance where the player temporarily controls a soldier of Gondor near the end of the Second Age, and Eärnur, who appears during the Epic Story-line and group instance play as a wraith under the influence of the Witch-king called Mordirith.
Games Workshop produces miniatures of Aragorn, Elendil, and Isildur for The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game.[9]
Aragorn appears in both of The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth real-time strategy games. King Eärnur makes a brief campaign appearance during The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king expansion pack.
See also[edit]
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References[edit]
- ↑ Tolkien, J.R.R. (2005). The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition. Harper Collins. p. 1037. ISBN 0-261-10325-3. Search this book on
- ↑ Tolkien, J.R.R. (2005). The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition. Harper Collins. p. 1086. ISBN 0-261-10325-3. Search this book on
- ↑ Tolkien, J.R.R. (2005). The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition. Harper Collins. p. 1049. ISBN 0-261-10325-3. Search this book on
- ↑ Tolkien, J.R.R. (2005). The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition. Harper Collins. p. 1087. ISBN 0-261-10325-3. Search this book on
- ↑ Tolkien, J.R.R. (2005). The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition. Harper Collins. p. 1038. ISBN 0-261-10325-3. Search this book on
- ↑ J. R. R. Tolkien (1996), The Peoples of Middle-earth, Houghton Mifflin, part 1 ch. VII p. 191; ISBN 0-395-82760-4 Search this book on .
- ↑ According to Jordanes' Getica, there was a Gothic king "Vinitharius" who conquered the Wends.
- ↑ The name appears to be taken from the legendary Burgundian king Gundaharius (the Quenya root ondo, meaning "stone", corresponds to Sindarin gond or gonn).
- ↑ "Aragorn (Black Gate)". Games Workshop. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
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