The Peoples of Middle-earth (36 page)

On the death of Ondohir [> Ondonir] and his sons Arvedui of the North claimed the crown of Gondor as the 'direct descendant of Elendil', and as husband of Firiel. The claim was rejected by Gondor. At length Earnil the victorious Captain received the crown (in 1945), since he was of the royal house.

32 Earnil II born 1883 lived 160 years died 2043

He was son of Siriondil, son of Kalimmakil, son of Narmakil II.

In his time the North-kingdom came to an end with the overthrow and death of Arvedui, claimant to both crowns. He sent

[some help north by sea >] his son Earnur north with a fleet, and so aided in the destruction of the realm of Angmar. But, though not revealed until later, the Witch-king fled south and joined the other Ringwraiths in Mordor, becoming their Lord. When they were ready the Ulairi suddenly issued from Mordor over the pass of Kirith Ungol. They took Minas Ithil, and were never again expelled from it during that Age. It became a place of great fear, and was renamed Minas Morgul. Few people were willing any longer to dwell in Ithilien, but this was still held and garrisoned by Gondor. At this time probably the palantir of Minas Ithil was captured and so came to the hands of Sauron.

33. and last of the Third Age.

Earnur. born 1928 lived 122 years +slain 2050.

He renamed Minas Anor Minas Tirith, as the city on guard against the evil of Minas MorguL On the death of his father the Lord of the Ringwraiths challenged Earnur to single combat to make good his claim to the throne. Mardil the Steward restrained him.

The challenge was repeated with taunts in 2050, seven years later, and against the counsel of Mardil Earnur accepted. He rode with a small escort of knights to Minas Morgul, but neither he nor his company were ever heard of again. It was thought that the faithless enemy had merely decoyed him to the gates and then trapped him and either slain him or kept him in torment as a prisoner.

Since his death was not certain Mardil the Good Steward ruled Gondor in his name for many years. In any case no male descendants of the royal line, among those whose blood was little mixed, could be found.

For a long time before Mardil's day the Stewardship had usually been held by a member of his family (the Hurinionath, descended from Hurin, Steward to King Minardil). It now became hereditary like a kingship; but each new Steward took office with the formula: 'to hold rule and rod in the King's name and until the King's return'. Though this soon became a mere formality and the Stewards exercised all the power of kings, it was believed by many in Gondor that a king would return, and the Stewards never sat on the ancient throne nor used the royal standard and emblems. The banner of the Stewards was plain white. The royal standard was sable with a silver tree in blossom beneath seven stars.

34. Elessar. born 2931 lived 190 years died 3121.

or the Fourth Age 100.

After a lapse of 969 years Aragorn, son of Arathorn, 16th chieftain of the Dunedain of the North, and 41st heir of Elendil in the direct line through Isildur, being also in the direct line a descendant of Firiel daughter of Ondohir [> Ondonir] of Gondor, claimed the crown of Gondor and of Arnor, after the defeat of Sauron, the destruction of Mordor, and the dissolution of the Ringwraiths. He was crowned in the name of Elessar at Minas Tirith in 3019. A new era and calendar was then begun, beginning with 25 March (old reckoning) as the first day. He restored Gondor and repeopled it, but retained Minas Tirith as the chief city. He wedded Arwen Undomiel, daughter of Elrond, brother of Elros first King of Numenor, and so restored the majesty and high lineage of the royal house, but their life-span was not restored and continued to wane until it became as that of other men.

The Third Age ended according to the reckoning of the Eldar in 3021 and the same year Elrond departed. In 3022 the Fourth Age started and the Elder Days and their Twilight were over.

The son of Elessar and Arwen was Eldarion, first king of the Fourth Age, whose realm was great and long-enduring, but this roll does not contain the names of the Fourth Age.

Here follows the roll of the Stewards of Gondor

that ruled the realm and city between the going of Earnur and the coming of Elessar.

The Ruling Stewards of Gondor.

The names of these rulers are here added; for though the Hurinionath were not in the direct line of descent from Elendil, they were ultimately of royal origin, and had in any case kept their blood more pure than most other families in the later ages.

They were descended, father to son, from Hurin, Steward to King Minardil, who had laboured greatly for the ordering of the realm in the disastrous days of the plague, when King Telemnar died within two years of the slaying of King Minardil by the Corsairs. From that time on the kings usually chose their steward from this family, though a son did not necessarily succeed a father. But in fact it had descended from father to son since Pelendur, Steward to King Ondohir, and after the ending of the kings it became hereditary, though if a Steward left no son, the office might pass in the female line, that is to his sister-son, or to his father's sister-son.

The choice was made according to their worth among the near kin by the Council of Gondor. But the Council had no power of choice if there was a son living.

The Stewards belonged to a family of the ancient Elf-friends who used (beside the Common Speech) the Noldorin tongue after the fashion of Gondor.* Their official names (after Mardil) were in that tongue and drawn mostly from the ancient legends of the Noldor and their dealings with the Edain.

All the time of the Stewards was one of slow dwindling and waning both of the power and numbers of the Men of Gondor, and of the lore and skill of Numenor among them. Also the life-span of those even of the purer blood steadily decreased. They were never free from war or the threat of war with the evil that dwelt in Minas Morgul and watched them. They counted it glory and success to hold that threat at bay. Osgiliath became a ruin, a city of shadows, often taken and re-taken in petty battles. For a while, during the 300 years peace, after the (* Since this had long ceased to be a 'cradle-tongue' in Gondor, but was learned in early youth (by those claiming Numenorean descent) from loremasters, and used by them as a mark of rank, it had changed very little since the Downfall; and though the Men of Gondor altered a little some of the sounds, they could still understand the Eldar and be understood by them. In the later days, however, they saw them seldom.)

formation of the White Council, Ithilien was reoccupied and a hardy folk dwelt there, tending its fair woods and fields, but after the days of Denethor I (2435 - 77) most of them fled west again. But it is true that but for Minas Tirith the power of Mordor would much sooner have grown great and would have spread over Anduin into the westlands. After the days of Earnur the White Tree waned and seldom flowered. It slowly aged and withered and bore no fruit, so far as men knew.

Pelendur. born 1879 lived 119 years died 1998.

He was steward to King Ondohir and advised the rejection of the claim of Arvedui, and supported the claim of Earnil who became king in 1945. He remained steward under Earnil, and was succeeded by his son.

Vorondil. boin 1919 lived 110 years died 2029.

He was succeeded by his son. [Added: Vorondil was a great hunter and he made a great horn out of the horn of the wild oxen of Araw, which then still roamed near the Sea of Rhun.]

1. Mardil Voronwe ('steadfast').

born 1960 lived 120 years died 2080.

He became steward to King Earnil in his later days, and then to King Earnur. After the disappearance of Earnur he ruled the realm for thirty years from 2050, and is reckoned the first of the line of Ruling Stewards of Gondor.

2. Eradan. born 1999 lived 117 years died 2116

3. Herion. 2037 111 2148

4. Belegorn. 2074 130 2204

5. Hurin I. 2124 120 2244

6. Turin I. 2165 113 2278

He was the third child of Hurin. He was wedded twice and had several children (a thing already rare and remarkable among the nobles of Gondor); but only the last, a child born in his old age, was a son.

7. Hador. born 2245 lived 150 years died 2395.

The last recorded Man of Gondor to reach such an age. After this time the life-span of those of Numenorean blood waned more rapidly.

8. Barahir. born 2290 lived 122 years died 2412.

9. Dior. 2328 107 2435.

He was childless and was succeeded by the son of his sister Rian.

10. Denethor I. born 2375 lived 102 years died 2477.

Great troubles arose in his day. The Morgul-lords having bred in secret a fell race of black Orcs in Mordor assail Ithilien and overrun it. They capture Osgiliath and destroy its renowned bridge.

Boromir son of Denethor in 2475 defeated the host of Morgul and recovered Ithilien for a while.

11. Boromir.

born 2410 lived [89 >] 79 years died [2499 >] 2489.

He was third child of Denethor. His life was shortened by the poisoned wounds he received in the Morgul-war.

12. Cirion. born 2449 lived 118 years died 2567.

In his time there came a great assault from the North-east. Wild men out of the East crossed Anduin north of the Emyn Muil and joining with Orcs out of the Misty Mountains overran the realm (now sparsely populated) north of the White Mountains, pouring into the wold and plain of Calenardon. Eorl the Young out of Eotheod brings great help of horsemen and the great victory of the Field of Celebrant (2510) is won. Eorl's people settle in Calenardon, which is after called Rohan, a free folk but in perpetual alliance with the Stewards of Gondor. (According to some Eorl was a descendant of the Northmen that were allied with the royal house in the days of Eldakar.) [Added: Eorl was slain in battle in the 'Wold of Rohan' (as it was later called), 2545.]

13. Hallas. born 2480 lived 125 years died 2605

14. Hurin II. 2515 113 2628

15. Belecthor I. 2545 110 2655

16. Orodreth. 2576 109 2685

17. Ecthelion I. 2600 98 2698.

He repaired and rebuilt the White Tower in Minas Tirith, which was afterwards often called Ecthelion's Tower. He had no children and was followed by Egalmoth, grandson of Morwen sister of Orodreth.

18. Egalmoth. born 2626 lived 117 years died 2743.

In this time there was renewed war with the Orcs.

19. Beren. born 2655 lived 108 years died 2763

In his time [there was a renewed attack on Gondor by the pirates of Umbar. o] there was a great attack on Gondor (2758) by three fleets of the pirates of Umbar. All the coasts were invaded. I Gondor received no help from Rohan, and could send no help thither. Rohan was invaded from the North-east, and also from the West (by rebelling Dunlendings). The Long Winter 2758-9. Rohan lies for five months under snow. [Added: Saruman comes to Orthanc.]

20. Beregond. born 2700 lived 111 years died 2811.

In his time the War of the Dwarves and Orcs in the Misty Mountains occurred [(2766 - 9) >] (2793-9). Many Orcs flying south are slain and they are prevented from establishing themselves in the White Mountains.

21. Belecthor II. born 2752 lived 120 years died 2872.

Only child, late-born, of Beregond. The last of his line to pass the age of 100 years. At his death the White Tree finally dies in the citadel, but is left standing 'until the King come'. No seedling can be found.

22. Thorondir. born 2782 lived 100 years died 2882

23. Turin II. 2815 99 2914.

In his time [folk finally fled >] many more folk removed west over Anduin from Ithilien, which became wild and infested by Mordor-orcs. But Gondor makes and keeps up secret strongholds there, especially in North Ithilien. The ancient refuge of Henneth Annun is rebuilt and hidden. The isle of Cair Andros in Anduin is fortified. The Men of Harad are stirred up by the servants of Sauron to attack Gondor. In 2885 Turin fought a battle with the Haradrim in South Ithilien and defeated them with aid from Rohan; but the sons of King Folcwine of Rohan, Folcred and Fastred, fell in this battle. Turin paid Folcwine a rich weregild of gold.

24. Turgon. born 2855 lived 98 years died 2953.

In the last year of his rule Sauron declared himself again, and re-entered Mordor, long prepared for him. Barad-dur rose again.

Mount Doom long dormant bursts into smoke and flame.

[Added: Saruman takes possession of Orthanc, and fortifies it.]

25. Ecthelion II. born 2886 lived 98 years died 2984.

He is visited by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to whom he is friendly.