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ANNALS OF THE KINGS AND RULERS

Concerning the sources forAppendices, especially A to D, see the note at the end of the Prologue The section A III, Durin’s Folk, was probably derived frorin and Meriadoc and ain ends, histories, and lore to be found in the sources are very extensive Only selections froed, are here presented Their principal purpose is to illustrate the War of the Ring and its origins, and to fill up soends of the First Age, in which Bilbo’s chief interest lay, are very briefly referred to, since they concern the ancestry of Elrond and the NUer annals and tales are placed within quotation marks Insertions of later date are enclosed in brackets Notes within quotation marks are found in the sources Others are editorial4

The dates given are those of the Third Age, unless they are e was held to have ended when the Three Rings passed away in Septean on March 25, 3021 On the equation of the dating of Gondor and Shire Reckoning see Vols I 23 and III 486 In lists the dates following the nas and rulers are the dates of their deaths, if only one date is given The sign ( indicates a preh an annal of the event is not always included

I

The NUs

(i) NUreatest of the Eldar in arts and lore, but also the proudest and ht the Three Jewels, the Silmarilli, and filled them with the radiance of the Two Trees, Telperion and Laurelin,6 that gave light to the land of the Valar The Jeere coveted by Morgoth the Ene the Trees, took thereat fortress of Thangorodriainst the will of the Valar Feanor forsook the Blessed Realreat part of his people; for in his pride he purposed to recover the Jewels frooth by force Thereafter followed the hopeless war of the Eldar and the Edain against Thangorodrim, in which they were at last utterly defeated The Edain (Atani) were three peoples of Men who, co first to the West of Middle-earth and the shores of the Great Sea, becaainst the Enemy

There were three unions of the Eldar and the Edain: LUthien and Beren; Idril and Tuor; Arwen and Aragorn By the last the long-sundered branches of the Half-elven were reunited and their line was restored

LUthien TinUviel was the daughter of King Thingol Grey-cloak of Doriath in the First Age, but her mother was Melian of the people of the Valar Beren was the son of Barahir of the First House of the Edain Together they wrested a siloth8 LUthien beca was his daughter and had in her keeping the silon, king of the hidden city of Gondolin9 Tuor was the son of Huor of the House of Hador, the Third House of the Edain and the oth Eärendil the Mariner was their son

E&au, and with the power of the silmaril passed the Shadows10 and ca as ambassador of both Elves and Men obtained the help by which Morgoth was overthrown Eärendil was not per the siln of hope to the dwellers in Middle-earth oppressed by the Great Enemy of his servants11 The silht of the Two Trees of Valinor before Morgoth poisoned thee Of these things the full tale, andElves and Men, is told in The Silmarillion

The sons of Eärendil were Elros and Elrond, the Peredhil or Half-elven In them alone the line of the heroic chieftains of the Edain in the First Age was preserved; and after the fall of Gil-galad12 the lineage of the High-elven Kings was also in Middle-earth only represented by their descendants

At the end of the First Age the Valar gave to the Half-elven an irrevocable choice to which kindred they would belong Elrond chose to be of Elven-kind, and becarace as to those of the High Elves that still lingered in Middle-earth: that eary at last of the mortal lands they could take ship frorace continued after the change of the world But to the children of Elrond a choice was also appointed: to pass with him from the circles of the world; or if they remained, to become mortal and die in Middle-earth For Elrond, therefore, all chances of the War of the Ring were fraught with sorrow13

Elros chose to be of Man-kind and reranted to him many times that of lesser s in the cause against Morgoth, the Valar, the Guardians of the World, granted to the Edain a land to dwell in, reers of Middle-earth Most of theuided by the Star of E&aureat Isle of Elenna, westernmost of all Mortal lands There they founded the realm of NUmenor

There was a tall mountain in the midst of the land, the Meneltarhted could descry the white tower of the Haven of the Eldar in Eressea Thence the Eldar caifts; but one command had been laid upon the NUmenoreans, the ’Ban of the Valar’: they were forbidden to sail west out of sight of their own shores or to atte span of life had been granted to the thrice that of lesser Men, they must remain mortal, since the Valar were not permitted to take from them the Gift of Men (or the Doom of Men, as it was afterwards called)

Elros was the first King of NUh-elven na-lived but ed the choice of their forefather, desiring the immortality within the life of the world that was the fate of the Eldar, and an their rebellion which, under the evil teaching of Sauron, brought about the Downfall of NUmenor and the ruin of the ancient world, as is told in the Akallabeth

These are the nas and Queens of NUmenor: Elros Tar-Minyatur, Vardamir, Tar-Amandil, Tar&8209;Elendil, Tar-Meneldur, Tar-Aldarion, Tar-Ancali Queen) Tar-Anarion, Tar-SUrion, Tar&8209;Telperien (the second Queen), Tar-Minastir, Tar-Ciryatan, Tar-Atanamir the Great, Tar-Ancalimon, Tar&8209;Telemmaite, Tar-Vanimelde (the third Queen), Tar-Alcarin, Tar-Cals took the sceptre in naue: Ar-Adûnakhôr, Ar-Zimrathôn, Ar-Sakalthôr, Ar-Gimilzôr, Ar-Inziladûn Inziladûn repented of the ways of the Kings and changed his nahter should have been the fourth Queen, Tar-Miriel, but the King’s nephew usurped the sceptre and beca of the NUmenoreans

In the days of Tar-Elendil the first snips of the NUmenoreans cahter, Silmarien Her son was Valandil, first of the Lords of Andunie in the west of the land, renowned for their friendship with the Eldar From him were descended Amandil, the last lord, and his son Elendil the Tall

The sixth King left only one child, a daughter She became the first Queen; for it was then made a law of the royal house that the eldest child of the King, whether man or woman, should receive the sceptre

The reale and increased ever in power and splendour, and until half the Age had passed the NUn of the shadow that was to fall upon the He it was that sent a great force to the aid of Gil galad He loved the Eldar but envied the all the seas eastward, and they began to yearn for the West and the forbidden waters; and thefor the immortality of the Eldar

Moreover, after Minastir the Kings becareedy of wealth and power At first the NUmenoreans had come to Middle-earth as teachers and friends of lesser Men afflicted by Sauron; but now their havens beca wide coast-tends in subjection Atanamir and his successors levied heavy tribute, and the ships of the NUmenoreans returned laden with spoil

It was Tar-Atanaainst the Ban and declared that the life of die Eldar was his by right Thus the shadow deepened, and the thought of death darkened the hearts of the people Then the NUs and those who followed theed from the Eldar and the Valar; on the other were the feho called themselves the Faithful They lived s and their follower little by little abandoned the use of the Eldarin tongues; and at last the twentieth King took his royal na himself Ar-Adunakhor, ’Lord of the West’ This seeiven that title only to one of the Valar, or to the Elder King hian to persecute the Faithful and punished those who used the Elven-tongues openly; and the Eldar came no more to NUmenor

The power and wealth of the NUmenoreans nonetheless continued to increase; but their years lessened as their fear of death grew, and their joy departed Tar-Palantir attempted to amend the evil; but it was too late, and there was rebellion and strife in NUmenor When he died, his nephew, leader of the rebellion, seized the sceptre, and beca Ar-Pharazôn Ar-Pharazôn the Golden was the proudest and ship of the world was his desire

He resolved to challenge Sauron the Great for the supreth he hireat was the ht and splendour of the NUmenoreans that Sauron’s own servants deserted hi pardon Then Ar-Pharazôn in the folly of his pride carried hi before he had bewitched the King and was master of his counsel; and soon he had tamed the hearts of all the NUmenoreans, except the remnant of the Faithful, back towards the darkness

And Sauron lied to the King, declaring that everlasting life would be his who possessed the Undying Lands, and that the Ban was i the Valar ’But great Kings take what is their right,’ be said

At length Ar-Pharazôn listened to this counsel, for he felt the waning of his days and was besotted by the fear of Death He prepared then the greatest armament that the world bad seen, and when all was ready he sounded his tru up ar to wrest everlasting life from the Lords of the West But when Ar-Pharazôn set foot upon the shores of Aman the Blessed, the Valar laid down their Guardianship and called upon the One, and the world was changed NUmenor was thron and sed in the Sea, and the Undying Lands were relory of NUmenor

The last leaders of the Faithful, Elendil and his sons, escaped fro of Niifts of the Eldar to their House);15 and they were borne on the wings of a great storm and cast up on the shores of Middle-earth There they established in the North-west the NUmenorean real and dwelt in the North at Annuminas; and the rule in the South was committed to his sons, Isildur and Anarion They founded there Osgiliath, between Minas Ithil and Minas Anor,17 not far froood at least they believed lad come out of ruin, that Sauron also had perished

But it was not so Sauron was indeed caught in the wreck of NU had walked perished; but he fled back to Middle-earth, a spirit of hatred borne upon the dark wind He was unable ever again to assume a form that seemed fair to men, but becah terror alone He re-entered Mordor, and hid there for a tireat when he learned that Elendil who a realm upon his borders

Therefore, after a time he made war upon the Exiles, before they should take root Orodruin burst once more into flame, and was named anew in Gondor Amon Amarth, Mount Doom But Sauron struck too soon, before his oas rebuilt, whereas the power of Gil-galad had increased in his absence; and in the Last Alliance that waswas taken froe

(ii) The realms in exile

The Northern Line

Heirs of Isildur

Arnor Elendil (SA 3441, Isildur (2, Valandil 249,19 Eldacar 339, Arantar 435, Tarcil 515, Tarondor 602, Valandur (652, Elendur 777, Earendur 861

Arthedain A 1029, Mallor 1110, Celepharn 1191, Celebrindor 1272, Malvegil 1349,21 Argeleb I &8224;1356, Arveleg I 1409, Araphor 1589, Argeleb II 1670, Arvegil 1743, Arveleg II 1813, Araval 1891, Araphant 1964, Arvedui Last-king ( 1974 End of the North-kingdom

Chieftains Aranarth (elder son of Arvedui) 2106, Arahael 2177, Aranuir 2247, Aravir 2319, Aragorn I &8224; 2327, Araglas 2455, Arahad I 2523, Aragost 2588, Aravorn 2654, Arahad II 2719, Arassuil 2784, Arathorn I &8224; 2848, Argonui 2912, Arador &8224; 2930, Arathorn II &8224; 2933, Aragorn II FA120

The Southern Line

Heirs of Anarion

Kings of Condor Elendil, (Isildur and) Anarion &8224;SA 3440, Meneldil son of Anarion 158, Cemendur 238, Eärendil 324, Anardil 411, Ostoher 492, Romendacil I (Tarostar) 1541, Turambar 667, Atanatar I 748, Siriondil 830 Here followed the four ’Ship-kings’:

Tarannon Falastur 913 He was the first childless king, and was succeeded by the son of his brother Tarciryan Eärnil I &8224;936, Ciryandil &8224;1015, Hyarht of its power

Atanatar II Alcarin ’the Glorious’ 1226, Nar and was succeeded by his younger brother Calent 1240-1304), crowned as Romendacil II 1304, died 1366, Valacar In his tian, the Kin-strife

Eldacar son of Valacar (at first called Vinitharya) deposed 1437 Castamir the Usurper &8224;1447 Eldacar restored, died 1490

Aldamir (second son of Eldacar) &8224;1540, Hyarmendacil II (Vinyarion) 1621, Minardil &8224;1634, Telemnar &8224;1636 Teleue; he was succeeded by his nephew, the son of Minastan, second son of Minardil Tarondor 1798, Telumehtar Umbardacil 1850, Narmacil II &8224;1856, Calimehtar 1936, Ondoher &8224;1944 Ondoher and his two sons were slain in battle After a year in 1945 the croas given to the victorious general Eärnil, a descendant of Telumehtar Umbardacil, E&aus came to an end, until it was restored by Elessar Telcontar in 3019 The realm was then ruled by the Stewards

Stewards of Gondor The House of Hurin: Pelendur 1998 He ruled for a year after the fall of Ondoher, and advised Gondor to reject Arvedui’s claim to the crown Vorondil the Hunter 202922 Mardil Voronwe ’the Steadfast’, the first of the Ruling Stewards His successors ceased to use High-elven na Stewards Mardil 2080, Eradan 2116, Herion 2148, Belegorn 2204, Hurin I 2244, Turin I 2278, Hador 2395, Barahir 2412, Dior 2435, Denethor I 2477, Boromir 2489, Cirion 2567 In his time the Rohirrim came to Calenardhon

Hallas 2605, Hurin II 2628, Belecthor I 2655, Orodreth 2685, Ecthelion I 2698, Egalond 2811, Belecthor II 2872, Thorondir 2882, Turin II 2914, Turgon 2953, Ecthelion II 2984, Denethor II He was the last of the Ruling Stewards, and was followed by his second son Fara Elessar, FA 82

(iii) Eriador, Arnor and the heirs of Isildur

’Eriador was of old the name of all the lands between the Misty Mountains and the Blue; in the South it was bounded by the Greyflood and the Glanduin that flows into it above Tharbad

’At its greatest Arnor included all Eriador, except the regions beyond the Lune, and the lands east of Greyflood and Loudwater, in which lay Rivendell and Hollin Beyond the Lune was Elvish country, green and quiet, where no Men went; but Dwarves dwelt, and still dwell, in the east side of the Blue Mountains, especially in those parts south of the Gulf of Lune, where they have mines that are still in use For this reason they were accusto the Great Road, as they had done for long years before we caht, and some say he dwells there still, until the Last Ship sets sail into the West In the days of the Kings ered in Middle-earth dith Cirdan or in the seaward lands of Lindon If any now redom and the Dunedain

After Elendil and Isildur there were eight High Kings of Arnor After Earendur, owing to dissensions a his sons their realm was divided into three: Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Cardolan Arthedain was in the North-west and included the land between Brandywine and Lune, and also the land north of the Great Road as far as the Weather Hills Rhudaur was in the North-east and lay between the Ettenmoors, the Weather Hills, and the Misty Mountains, but included also the Angle between the Hoarwell and the Loudwater Cardolan was in the South, its bounds being the Brandywine, the Greyflood, and the Great Road

In Arthedain the line of Isildur was maintained and endured, but the line soon perished in Cardolan and Rhudaur There was often strife between the kingdo of the Dunedain The chief matter of debate was the possession of the Weather Hills and the land ard towards Bree Both Rhudaur and Cardolan desired to possess Amon Sul (Weathertop), which stood on the borders of their realms; for the Tower of Amon Sul held the chief Palantir of the North, and the other tere both in the keeping of Arthedain

’It was in the beginning of the reign of Malvegil of Arthedain that evil camar arose in the North beyond the Ettenmoors Its lands lay on both sides of the Mountains, and there were gathered many evil men, and Orcs, and other fell creatures [The lord of that land was known as the Witch-king, but it was not known until later that he was indeed the chief of the Ringwraiths, who ca the Dunedain in Arnor, seeing hope in their disunion, while Gondor was strong]’

In the days of Argeleb son of Malvegil, since no descendants of Isildur reain claimed the lordship of all Arnor The claim was resisted by Rhudaur There the Dunedain were few, and power had been seized by an evil lord of the Hill-eleb therefore fortified the Weather Hills;23 but he was slain in battle with Rhudaur and Angeleb, with the help of Cardolan and Lindon, drove back his enemies from the Hills; and for many years Arthedain and Cardolan held in force a frontier along the Weather Hills, the Great Road, and the lower Hoarwell It is said that at this tireat host ca the river entered Cardolan and surrounded Weathertop The Dunedain were defeated and Arveleg was slain The Tower of Amon Sul was burned and razed; but the palantir was saved and carried back in retreat to Fornost, Rhudaur was occupied by evil Men subject to Angmar,24 and the Dunedain that reed Araphor son of Arveleg was not yet full-grown, but he was valiant, and with aid from Cirdan he repelled the enemy fro the Dunedain of Cardolan also held out in Tyrn Gorthad (the Barrons), or took refuge in the Forest behind

It is said that Ang froht help over the Mountains out of Lorien It was at this tile (between Hoarwell and Loudwater) fled west and south, because of the wars, and the dread of Angmar, and because the land and clime of Eriador, especially in the east, worsened and became unfriendly Some returned to Wilderland, and dwelt beside the Gladden, beco a riverside people of fishers

In the days of Argeleb II the plague came into Eriador from the Southeast, and most of the people of Cardolan perished, especially in Minhiriath The Hobbits and all other peoples suffered greatly, but the plague lessened as it passed northwards, and the northern parts of Arthedain were little affected It was at this time that an end camar and Rhudaur entered into the deserted mounds and dwelt there

It is said that the mounds of Tyrn Gorthad, as the Barroere called of old, are very ancient, and that e by the forefathers of the Edain, before they crossed the Blue Mountains into Beleriand, of which Lindon is all that now remains Those hills were therefore revered by the Dunedain after their return; and there s were buried [So-bearer was irave of the last prince of Cardolan, who fell in the war of 1409]’

’In 1974 the power of Ang came down upon Arthedain before winter was ended He captured Fornost, and drovethe Arvedui held out upon the North Downs until the last, and then fled north with souard; and they escaped by the swiftness of their horses

’For a while Arvedui hid in the tunnels of the old dwarf-mines near the far end of the Mountains, but he was driven at last by hunger to seek the help of the Lossoth, the Snowmen of Forochel25 Some of these he found in caly, for he had nothing to offer them, save a fehich they did cat value; and they were afraid of the Witch-king, who (they said) could make frost or thaw at his will But partly out of pity for the gaunt king and his ave them a little food and built for the for help from the south; for his horses had perished

’When Cirdan heard froht to the north, he at once sent a ship to Forochel to seek for him The ship came there at last after many days, because of contrary winds, and the mariners saw from afar the little fire of drift-hich the lostin loosing its grip that year; and though it was then March, the ice was only beginning to break, and lay far out from the shore

’When the Snowmen saw the ship they were amazed and afraid, for they had seen no such ship on the sea within their memories; but they had beco and those that survived of his co carts, as for as they dared In this way a boat from the ship was able to reach them

’But the Snoere uneasy; for they said that they ser in the wind And the chief of the Lossoth said to Arvedui: "Do not mount on this sea- us food and other things that we need, and you oes home For in summer his poanes; but now his breath is deadly, and his cold ar"

’But Arvedui did not take his counsel He thanked hi of worth beyond your reckoning For its ancientry alone It has no power, save the esteem in which those hold it who love my house It will not help you, but if ever you are in need, reat store of all that you desire"26

’Yet the counsel of the Lossoth was good, by chance or by foresight; for the ship had not reached the open sea when a great stor snow out of the North; and it drove the ship back upon the ice and piled ice up against it Even the ht the ice crushed the hull, and the ship foundered So perished Arvedui Last-king, and with hi afterwards that news of the shipwreck of Forochel was learned from the Snowh ept over the they sent some archers who never returned; and others went also to the battle in which Angmar was overthrown (of which more is said in the annals of the South) Afterwards in the peace that followed the Shire-folk ruled themselves and prospered They chose a Thain to take the place of the King, and were content; though for a long ti But at last that hope was forgotten, and re coood that could not be achieved, or of some evil that could not be amended The first Shire thain was one Bucca of the Marish, from whom the Oldbucks clai (1979)

After Arvedui the North-kingdom ended, for the Dunedain were no and all the peoples of Eriador dis was continued by the Chieftains of the Dunedain, of whom Aranarth son of Arvedui was the first Arahael his son was fostered in Rivendell, and so were all the sons of the chieftains after him; and there also were kept the heirloo of Barahir, the shards of Narsil, the star of Elendil, and the sceptre of Annudom ended the Dunedain passed into the shadows and beca people, and their deeds and labours were seldo or recorded Little now is reh even before the Watchful Peace ended evil things again began to attack Eriador or to invade it secretly, the Chieftains for the orn I, it is said, was slain by wolves, which ever after remained a peril in Eriador, and are not yet ended In the days of Arahad I the Orcs, who had, as later appeared, long been secretly occupying strongholds in the Misty Mountains, so as to bar all the passes into Eriador, suddenly revealed the to Lorien when she aylaid in the Redhorn Pass, and her escort being scattered by the sudden assault of the Orcs, she was seized and carried off She was pursued and rescued by Elladan and Elrohir, but not before she had suffered torht back to Iht in Middle-earth, and the next year went to the Havens and passed over Sea And later in the days of Arassuil, Orcs, e the lands, and the Dunedain and the sons of Elrond fought with thee band came so far west as to enter the Shire, and were driven off by Bandobras Took’30

There were fourteen Chieftains, before the fifteenth and last was born, Aragorn II, who beca, we call him; and when he comes north to his house in Annuminas restored and stays for a while by Lake Evendilad But he does not enter this land and binds hi People shall pass its borders But he rides often with e, and there he welcomes his friends, and any others ish to see hi as they have a rin has been there hter Elanor the Fair is one of the maids of Queen Evenstar’

It was the pride and wonder of the Northern Line that, though their power departed and their people dwindled, through all the enerations the succession was unbroken froth of the lives of the Dunedain grew ever less in Middle-earth, after the ending of their kings the waning ifter in Gondor; and many of the Chieftains of the North still lived to twice the age of Men, and far beyond the days of even the oldest aorn indeed lived to be two hundred and ten years old, longer than any of his line since King Arvegil; but in Aragorn Elessar the dignity of the kings of old was renewed

(iv) Gondor and the heirs of Anarion

There were thirty-one kings in Gondor after Anarion as slain before the Barad-dur Though war never ceased on their borders, for reealth and power by land and sea, until the reign of Atanatar II, as called Alcarin, the Glorious Yet the signs of decay had then already appeared; for the high men of the South married late, and their children were few The first childless king was Falastur, and the second Narmacil I, the son of Atanatar Alcarin

It was Ostoher the seventh king who rebuilt Minas Anor, where afterwards the kings dwelt in suiliath In his time Gondor was first attacked by wild men out of the East But Tarostar, his son, defeated them and drove them out, and took the name of Romendacil ’East-victor’ He was, however, later slain in battle with fresh hordes of Easterlings Turaed him, and won much territory eastwards

With Tarannon, the twelfth king, began the line of the Ship-kings, who built navies and extended the sway of Gondor along the coasts west and south of the Mouths of Anduin To commemorate his victories as Captain of the Hosts, Tarannon took the crown in the name of Falastur ’Lord of the Coasts’

Eärnil I, his nepheho succeeded hireat navy He laid siege by sea and land to Ureat harbour and fortress of the power of Gondor31 But E&au survive his triureat stor of ships; but the Men of the Harad, led by the lords that had been driven frohold, and Ciryandil fell in battle in Haradwaith

For many years Umbar was invested, but could not be taken because of the sea-power of Gondor Ciryaher son of Ciryandil bided his tith he ca the River Harnen his ars were coe the overlordship of Gondor (1050) Ciryaher then took the name of Hyarht of Hyar the re for one hundred and thirty-four years, the longest reign but one of all the Line of Anarion In his day Gondor reached the summit of its power The realm then extended north to Celebrant and the southern eaves of Mirkwood; west to the Greyflood; east to the inland Sea of Rhun; south to the River Harnen, and thence along the coast to the peninsula and haven of Ued its authority; and the kings of the Harad did hoes in the court of its King Mordor was desolate, but atched over by great fortresses that guarded the passes

So ended the line of the Ship-kings Atanatar Alcarin son of Hyarreat splendour, so that men said precious stones are pebbles in Gondor for children to play with But Atanatar loved ease and did nothing to maintain the power that he had inherited, and his two sons were of like teun before he died, and was doubtless observed by its enelected Nonetheless it was not until the days of Valacar that the first great evil careat loss and ruin was caused and never fully repaired

Minalcar, son of Calour, and in 1240 Narent of the realoverned Gondor in the nas until he succeeded his father His chief concern ith the Northreatly in the peace brought by the power of Gondor The kings showed them favour, since they were the nearest in kin of lesser Men to the Dunedain (being for the most part descendants of those peoples froave them wide lands beyond Anduin south of Greenwood the Great, to be a defence against s had come mostly over the plain between the Inland Sea and the Ash Mountains

In the days of Narh at first with little force; but it was learned by the regent that the Northmen did not always remain true to Gondor, and soreed for spoil, or in the furtherance of feuds areat force, and between Rhovanion and the Inland Sea he defeated a large ars and destroyed all their camps and settlements east of the Sea He then took the name of Romendacil

On his return Romendacil fortified the west shore of Anduin as far as the inflow of the Lier: to pass down the River beyond the Eonath at the entrance to Nen Hithoel But since he needed then the bond between Gondor and the Northave to soh rank in his aravia, who had aided hi of Rhovanion, and was indeed the h his own realm lay between Greenwood and the River Celduin32 In 1250 Romendacil sent his son Valacar as an aavia and e, manners, and policies of the Northrew to love the Northern lands and people, and he avia It was soe came later the war of the Kin-strife

’For the highthe unheard of before that the heir to the crown, or any son of the King, should wed one of lesser and alien race There was already rebellion in the southern provinces when King Valacar grew old His queen had been a fair and noble lady, but short-lived according to the fate of lesser Men, and the Dunedain feared that her descendants would prove the sas of Men Also they were unwilling to accept as lord her son, who though he was now called Eldacar, had been born in an alien country and was named in his youth Vinitharya, a name of his mother’s people

Therefore when Eldacar succeeded his father there ar in Gondor But Eldacar did not prove easy to thrust froe of Gondor he added the fearless spirit of the North more swiftly than his father When the confederates led by descendants of the kings rose against hith At last he was besieged in Osgiliath, and held it long, until hunger and the greater forces of the rebels drove hi the Tower of the Stone of Osgiliath was destroyed, and the palantir was lost in the waters

’But Eldacar eluded his enemies, and caathered to him there, both of the Northmen in the service of Gondor, and of the Dunedain of the northern parts of the realm For many of the latter had learned to esteem him, and randson of Calier brother of Romendacil II He was not only one of those nearest by blood to the crown, but be had the greatest following of all the rebels; for he was the Captain of Ships, and was supported by the people of the coasts and of the great havens of Pelargir and U sat upon the throne before he proved hienerous He was a cruel iliath He caused Ornendil son of Eldacar, as captured, to be put to death; and the slaughter and destruction done in the city at his bidding far exceeded the needs of war This was remembered in Minas Anor and in Ithilien; and there love for Castamir was further lessened when it becaht only of the fleets, and purposed to reir

’Thus he had been king only ten years, when Eldacar, seeing his tireat army out of the north, and folk flocked to hireat battle in Lebennin at the Crossings of Erui, in which much of the best blood in Gondor was shed Eldacar hied for Ornendil; but Castamir’s sons escaped, and with others of their kin and ir

’When they had gathered there all the force that they could (for Eldacar had no ships to beset them by sea) they sailed away, and established thee for all the ene, and a lordship independent of his crown Umbar remained at ith Gondor for many lives of men, a threat to its coastlands and to all traffic on the sea It was never again coion of South Gondor becas’

’The loss of Urievous to Gondor, not only because the realm was diminished in the south and its hold upon the Men of the Harad was loosened, but because it was there that Ar-Pharazôn the Golden, last King of NUreat evil had come after, even the followers of Elendil rereat host of Ar-Pharazôn out of the deeps of the Sea; and on the highest hill of the headland above the Haven they had set a great white pillar as a lobe of crystal that took the rays of the Sun and of the Moon and shone like a bright star that could be seen in clear weather even on the coasts of Gondor or far out upon the western sea So it stood, until after the second arising of Sauron, which now approached, Umbar fell under the domination of his servants, and the memorial of his humiliation was thron’

After the return of Eldacar the blood of the kingly house and other houses of the Dunedain becareat had been slain in the Kin-strife; while Eldacar showed favour to the Northained the crown, and the people of Gondor were replenished by great nu did not at first hasten the waning of the Dunedain, as had been feared; but the waning still proceeded, little by little, as it had before For no doubt it was due above all to Middle-earth itself, and to the sloithdrawing of the gifts of the NUmenoreans after the downfall of the Land of the Star Eldacar lived to his two hundred and thirty-fifth year, and was king for fifty-eight years, of which tea were spent in exile

The second and greatest evil ca, whose father Minardil, son of Eldacar, was slain at Pelargir by the Corsairs of Urandsons of Castaue ca and all his children died, and great numbers of the people of Gondor, especially those that lived in Osgiliath Then for weariness and fewness of men the watch on the borders of Mordor ceased and the fortresses that guarded the passes were uns happened even as the Shado deep in Greenwood, andof Sauron It is true that the eneht have overwhelmed it in its weakness; but Sauron could wait, and itof Mordor hat he chiefly desired

When King Telemnar died the White Tree of Minas Anor also withered and died But Tarondor, his nepheho succeeded hi in the citadel He it ho reiliath was now partly deserted, and began to fall into ruin Few of those who had fled froue into Ithilien or to the western dales illing to return

Tarondor, con of all the Kings of Gondor; but he could achieve littleof his realth But Telu troubled by the insolence of the Corsairs, who raided his coasts even as far as the Anfalas, gathered his forces and in 1810 took Umbar by storm In that war the last descendants of Castas Telumehtar added to his name the title Umbardacil But in the new evils that soon befell Gondor Uain lost, and fell into the hands of the Men of the Harad

The third evil was the invasion of the Wainriders, which sapped the waning strength of Gondor in wars that lasted for almost a hundred years The Wainriders were a people, or a confederacy of er and better arreat wains, and their chieftains fought in chariots Stirred up, as was afterwards seen, by the emissaries of Sauron, theyNarmacil II was slain in battle with them beyond Anduin in 1856 The people of eastern and southern Rhovanion were enslaved; and the frontiers of Gondor were for that time withdrawn to the Anduin and the Ewraiths re-entered Mordor]

Calimehtar, son of Nared his father with a great victory over the Easterlings upon Dagorlad in 1899, and for a while the peril was averted It was in the reign of Araphant in the North and of Ondoher son of Caliain took counsel together after long silence and estrangele power and as directing the assault from many quarters upon the survivors of NUmenor It was at that tihter of Ondoher (1940) But neither kingdomar renewed its attack upon Arthedain at the sareat force

Many of the Wainriders now passed south of Mordor and made alliance with reat assault from north and south, Gondor ca Ondoher and both his sons, Artamir and Faramir, fell in battle north of the Morannon, and the enemy poured into Ithilien But E&aureat victory in South Ithilien and destroyed the ar north, he gathered to hi Northern Arainst theand revelling, believing that Gondor was overthrown and that nothing remained but to take the spoil Eärnil stormed the careat rout out of Ithilien A great part of those who fled before him perished in the Dead Marshes

’On the death of Ondoher and his sons, Arvedui of the North-kingdom claimed the crown of Gondor, as the direct descendant of Isildur, and as the husband of Firiel, only surviving child of Ondoher The clai Ondoher, played the chief part

’The Council of Gondor answered: "The crown and royalty of Gondor belongs solely to the heirs of Meneldil, son of Anarion, to whoe is reckoned through the sons only; and we have not heard that the law is otherwise in Arnor"

’To this Arvedui replied: "Elendil had two sons, of whom Isildur was the elder and the heir of his father We have heard that the name of Elendil stands to this day at the head of the line of the Kings of Gondor, since he was accounted the high king of all the lands of the Dunedain While Elendil still lived, the conjoint rule in the South was committed to his sons; but when Elendil fell, Isildur departed to take up the high kingship of his father, and committed the rule in the South in like manner to the son of his brother He did not relinquish his royalty in Gondor, nor intend that the realm of Elendil should be divided for ever

’"Moreover, in NUmenor of old the sceptre descended to the eldest child of the king, whether man or woman It is true that the law has not been observed in the lands of exile ever troubled by war; but such was the law of our people, to whichrefer, seeing that the sons of Ondoher died childless"33

To this Gondor made no answer The croas clairanted to him with the approval of all the Dunedain in Gondor, since he was of the royal house He was the son of Siriondil, son of Calimmacil, son of Arciryas brother of Narmacil II Arvedui did not press his claim; for he had neither the power nor the will to oppose the choice of the Dunedain of Gondor; yet the claiship had passed away For the tidom would come to an end

’Arvedui was indeed the last king, as his naiven to him at his birth by Malbeth the Seer, who said to his father: "Arvedui you shall call hih a choice will come to the Dunedain, and if they take the one that seee his nareat realm If not, then much sorrow and many lives of ain"

’In Gondor also one king only followed Eärnil It may be that if the crown and the sceptre had been united, then the kingship would have been maintained and much evil averted But E&auant, even if, as to most , for all the lineage of its lords

’He sentthat he received the crown of Gondor, according to the laws and the needs of the South-kingdoet the loyalty of Arnor, nor deny our kinship, nor wish that the realed I will send to your aid when you have need, so far as I a before Eärnil felt hi Araphant continued with dwindling strength to hold off the assaults of Angmar, and Arvedui when he succeeded did likewise; but at last in the autureat straits, and that the Witch-king was preparing a last stroke against it Then Eärnil sent his son Earnur north with a fleet, as swiftly as he could, and with as great strength as he could spare Too late Before Earnur reached the havens of Lindon, the Witch-king had conquered Arthedain and Arvedui had perished

’But when Earnur ca both Elves and Men So great in draught and so e, though both the Harlond and the Forlond also were filled; and from them descended an arreat kings Or so it seeh this was but a sht of Gondor Most of all, the horses were praised, for many of them came from the Vales of Anduin, and with themwere riders tall and fair, and proud princes of Rhovanion

Then Cirdan summoned all ould come to him, from Lindon or Arnor, and when all was ready the host crossed the Lune and , it is said, in Fornost, which he had filled with evil folk, usurping the house and rule of the kings In his pride he did not await the onset of his ene to sweep them, as others before, into the Lune

’But the Host of the West careat battle on the plain between Nenuial and the North Downs The forces of Ang towards Fornost when the main body of the horsemen that had passed round the hills Careat rout Then the Witch-king, with all that he could gather froain the shelter of Carn Du at their head At the same time a force under Glorfindel the Elf-lord camar defeated that not a man nor an orc of that realm remained west of the Mountains

’But it is said that when au was lost suddenly the Witch-king himself appeared, black-robed and black-masked upon a black horse Fear fell upon all who beheld hiled out the Captain of Gondor for the fullness of his hatred, and with a terrible cry he rode straight upon him Earnur would have withstood him; but his horse could not endure that onset, and it swerved and bore him far away before he could hed, and none that heard it ever forgot the horror of that cry But Glorfindel rode up then on his white horse, and in the ht and passed into the shadows For night came down on the battlefield, and he was lost, and none sahither he went

’Earnur now rode back, but Glorfindel, looking into the gathering dark, said: "Do not pursue him! He will not return to this land Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall" These wordsonly to be avenged for his disgrace

’So ended the evil realmar; and so did Earnur, Captain of Gondor, earn the chief hatred of the Witch-king; but many years were still to pass before that was revealed’

It was thus in the reign of King E&au frowraiths, of whom he was the chief But it was not until 2000 that they issued froe to Minas Ithil This they took in 2002, and captured the palantir of the tower They were not expelled while the Third Ago lasted; and Minas Ithil becaul Many of the people that still remained in Ithilien deserted it

’Earnur was a man like his father in valour, but not in wisdo body and hot mood; but he would take no wife, for his only pleasure was in fighting, or in the exercise of arainst hi rather a chaour and skill to a later age than was then usual’

When Earnur received the crown in 2043 the King of Minas Morgul challenged hi him that he had not dared to stand before him in battle in the North For that ti Minas Anor, which had beco Teles, was now renaainst the evil of Morgul

Earnur had held the crown only seven years when the Lord of Morgul repeated his challenge, taunting the king that to the faint heart of his youth he had now added the weakness of age Then Mardil could no longer restrain hiate of Minas Morgul None of that riding were ever heard of again It was believed in Gondor that the faithless ene, and that he had died in torul; but since there were no witnesses of his death, Mardil the Good Steward ruled Gondor in his name for s had becoreatly dis had become jealous and watchful of those near akin Often those on whom suspicion fell had fled to Umbar and there joined the rebels; while others had renounced their lineage and taken wives not of NUmenorean blood So it was that no claimant to the crown could be found as of pure blood, or whose claim all would allow; and all feared thethat if any such dissension arose again, then Gondor would perish Therefore, though the years lengthened, the Steward continued to rule Gondor, and the crown of Elendil lay in the lap of King Eärnil in the Houses of the Dead, where Earnur had left it

The Stewards

The House of the Stewards was called the House of Hurin, for they were descendants of the Steward of King Minardil (1621-34), Hurin of Eh NUs had always chosen their stewards fro his descendants; and after the days of Pelendur the Stewardship becaship, from father to son or nearest kin

Each neard indeed took office with the oath ’to hold rod and rule in the na, until he shall return’ But these soon became words of ritual little heeded, for the Stewards exercised all the power of the kings Yetwould indeed return in some time to come; and some remembered the ancient line of the North, which it was ruhts the Ruling Stewards hardened their hearts

Nonetheless the Stewards never sat on the ancient throne; and they wore no crown, and held no sceptre They bore a white rod only as the token of their office; and their banner hite without charge; but the royal banner had been sable, upon which was displayed a white tree in blossom beneath seven stars

After Mardil Voronas reckoned the first of the line there folloenty-four Ruling Stewards of Gondor, until the time of Denethor II, the twenty-sixth and last At first they had quiet, for those were the days of the Watchful Peace, during which Sauron withdrew before the power of the White Council and the Ringwraiths reul Vale But froain, and even when Gondor had no great or open war its borders were under constant threat

In the last years of Denethor I the race of uruks, black orcs of great strength, first appeared out of Mordor, and in 2475 they swept across Ithilien and took Osgiliath Boromir son of Denethor (after whom Boroained Ithilien; but Osgiliath was finally ruined, and its great stone-bridge was broken No people dwelt there afterwards Boro feared hi in body and in will, but he received a Morgul-wound in that hich shortened his days, and he became shrunken with pain and died twelve year after his father

After hi rule of Cirion He atchful and wary, but the reach of Gondor had grown short, and he could do little more than defend his borders, while his eneainst him that he could not hinder The Corsairs harried his coasts, but it was in the norm mat his chief peril lay In the wide lands of Rhovanion, between Mirkwood and the River Running, a fierce people noelt, wholly under the shadow of Dol Guldur Often they h the forest, until the vale of Anduin south of the Gladden was largely deserted These Balchoth were constantly increased by others of like kind that came in from the east, whereas the people of Calenardhon had dwindled Cirion was hard put to it to hold the line of the Anduin

’Foreseeing the storm, Cirion sent north for aid, but over-late; for in that year (2510) the Balchoth, having built reat boats and rafts on the east shores of Anduin, swarmed over the River and swept away the defenders An ar up froht, and there it was suddenly attacked by a horde of Orcs from the Mountains and pressed towards the Anduin Then out of the North there came help beyond hope, and the horns of the Rohirri came with his riders and swept away the enemy, and pursued the Balchoth to the death over the fields of Calenardhon Cirion granted to Eorl that land to dwell in, and he swore to Cirion the Oath of Eorl, of friendship at need or at call to the Lords of Gondor’

In the days of Beren, the nineteenth Steward, an even greater peril ca prepared, came up froreat force; and the enes, even as far north as the mouth of the Isen At the lame time the Rohirrim were assailed from the west and the east, and their land was overrun, and they were driven into the dales of the White Mountains In that year (2758) the Long Winter began with cold and great snows out of the North and the East which lasted for almost five months Helm of Rohan and both his sons perished in that war; and there was misery and death in Eriador and in Rohan But in Gondor south of the ond son of Beren bad overcoreatest captain that had arisen in Gondor since Boroan to recover its strength But Rohan was slower to be healed of the hurts that it had received It was for this reason that Beren welcoave to him the keys of Orthanc; and froard

It was in the days of Beregond that the War of the Dwarves and Orcs was fought in the Misty Mountains (2793 9), of which only ru from Nanduhirion attempted to cross Rohan and establish the for er was ended

When Belecthor II, the twenty-first Steward, died, the White Tree died also in Minas Tirith; but it was left standing ’until the King returns’, for no seedling could be found

In the days of Turin II the eneain to power and the day of his arising was drawing near All but the hardiest of its people deserted Ithilien and removed west over Anduin, for the land was infested by Mordor-orcs It was Turin that built secret refuges for his soldiers in Ithilien, of which Kenneth Annun was the longest guarded and ain the isle of Cair Andros34 to defend Anorien But his chief peril lay in the south, where the Haradri the Poros When Ithilien was invaded in great strength King Folcwine of Rohan fulfilled the Oath of Eorl and repaid his debt for the aid brought by Beregond, sending many men to Gondor With their aid Turin won a victory at the crossings of the Poros; but the sons of Folcwine both fell in the battle The Riders buried them after the fashion of their people, and they were laid in oneit stood, Haudh in Gwanur, high upon the shore of the river, and the eneon followed Turin, but of his time it is chiefly reain, and declared hi prepared for him Then the Barad-dur was raised once more, and Mount Doom burst into flame, and the last of the folk of Ithilien fled far away When Turgon died Saruard for his own, and fortified it

’Ecthelion II, son of Turgon, was a an to strengthen his realed all men of worth from near or far to enter his service, and to those who proved trustworthy he gave rank and reward In reat captain whoil le of the Star, for he ift and keen-eyed, and wore a silver star upon his cloak; but no one knew his true name nor in what land he was born He cael, but he was not one of the Rohirrireat leader of men, by land or by sea, but he departed into the shadohence he came, before the days of Ecthelion were ended

’Thorongil often counselled Ecthelion that the strength of the rebels in Ureat peril to Gondor, and a threat to the fiefs of the south that would prove deadly, if Sauron athered a sht, and there burned a great part of the ships of the Corsairs He himself overthrew the Captain of the Haven in battle upon the quays, and then he withdrew his fleet with srief and wonder, he would not return to Minas Tirith, where great honour awaited hie of farewell to Ecthelion, saying: "Other tasks now call me, lord, and ain to Gondor, if that be ht be, nor what summons he had received, it was knohither he went For he took boat and crossed over Anduin, and there he said farewell to his companions and went on alone; and when he was last seen his face was towards the Mountains of Shadow

There was disil, and to all reat loss, unless it were to Denethor, the son of Ecthelion, a man now ripe for the Stewardship, to which after four years he succeeded on the death of his father

’Denethor II was a proud ly than any man that had appeared in Condor for hted, and learned in lore Indeed he was as like to Thorongil as to one of nearest kin, and yet was ever placed second to the stranger in the hearts of ht that Thorongil had departed before his rival becail had never hiher than the servant of his father And in one matter only were their counsels to the Steward at variance: Thorongil often warned Ecthelion not to put trust in Saruard, but to welcome rather Gandalf the Grey But there was little love between Denethor and Gandalf; and after the days of Ecthelion there was less welcorim in Minas Tirith Therefore later, when all was made clear, many believed that Denethor, as subtle in mind and looked further and deeper than other il in truth was, and suspected that he and Mithrandir designed to supplant him

’When Denethor beca the rule of all things in his own hand He said little He listened to counsel, and then followed his ownas wife Finduilas, daughter of Adrahil of Dot Aentle heart, but before twelve years had passed she died Denethor loved her, in his fashion, more dearly than any other, unless it were the elder of the sons that she bore hiuarded city, as a flower of the seaward vales set upon a barren rock The shadow in the east filled her with horror, and she turned her eyes ever south to the sea that she missed

’After her death Denethor beca alone in his tower deep in thought, foreseeing that the assault of Mordor would co knowledge, but being proud, and trusting in his own strength of will, he dared to look in the palantir of the White Tower None of the Stewards had dared to do this, nor even the kings Eärnil and Earnur, after the fall of Minas Ithil when the palantir of Isildur came into the hands of the Enemy; for the Stone of Minas Tirith was the palantir of Anarion, most close in accord with the one that Sauron possessed

’In this way Denethor gained his great knowledge of things that passed in his realm, and far beyond his borders, at which ed before his time by his contest with the will of Sauron Thus pride increased in Denethor together with despair, until he saw in all the deeds of that tile combat between the Lord of the White Tower and the Lord of the Barad-dur, and mistrusted all others who resisted Sauron, unless they served himself alone

’So tirew to manhood Boromir, five years the elder, beloved by his father, was like him in face and pride, but in little else Rather he was ano wife and delighting chiefly in ar little for lore, save the tales of old battles Faraer was like him in looks but otherwise in mind He read the hearts of men as shrewdly as his father, but what he read entle in bearing, and a lover of lore and of e was judged less than his brother’s But it was not so, except that he did not seek glory in danger without a purpose He welcomed Gandalf at such times as he came to the City, and he learned what he could from his wisdom; and in this as in many other matters he displeased his father

’Yet between the brothers there was great love, and had been since childhood, when Boromir was the helper and protector of Faramir No jealousy or rivalry had arisen between them since, for their father’s favour or for the praise of men It did not seem possible to Faramir that any one in Gondor could rival Boromir, heir of Denethor, Captain of the White Tower; and of like mind was Boromir Yet it proved otherwise at the test But of all that befell these three in the War of the Ring much is said elsewhere And after the War the days of the Ruling Stewards came to an end; for the heir of Isildur and Anarion returned and the kingship was renewed, and the standard of the White Tree flew once more from the Tower of Ecthelion’

(v) here follows a part of the tale of Aragorn and Arwen

’Arador was the grandfather of the King His son Arathorn sought in hter of Dirhael, as hie Dirhael was opposed; for Gilraen was young and had not leached the age at which the women of the Dunedain were accustomed to marry

’"Moreover," he said, "Arathorn is a stern e, and will be chieftain sooner than men looked for; yet my heart forebodes mat he will be shortlived"

’But Ivorwen, his wife, as also foresighted, answered: "Thebefore the stors are to come If these ted now, hope may be born for our people; but if they delay, it will not coe lasts"

’And it happened that when Arathorn and Gilraen had been married only one year, Arador was taken by hill-trolls in the Coldfells north of Rivendell and was slain; and Arathorn became Chieftain of the Dunedain The next year Gilraen bore hiorn was only two years old when Arathorn went riding against the Orcs with the sons of Elrond, and he was slain by an orc-arrow that pierced his eye; and so he proved indeed shortlived for one of his race, being but sixty years old when befell

Then Aragorn, being now the Heir of Isildur, was taken with his mother to dwell in the house of Elrond; and Elrond took the place of his father and came to love him as a son of his own But he was called Estel, that is "Hope", and his true na of Elrond; for the Wise then knew that the Ene to discover the Heir of Isildur, if any remained upon earth

’But when Estel was only twenty years of age, it chanced that he returned to Rivendell after great deeds in the company of the sons of Elrond; and Elrond looked at him and was pleased, for he saw that he was fair and noble and was early coreater in body and in mind That day therefore Elrond called him by his true name, and told him who he was and whose son; and he delivered to him the heirloo of Barahir," he said, "the token of our kinship from afar; and here also are the shards of Narsil With these you reat deeds; for I foretell that the span of your life shall be greater than the measure of Men, unless evil befalls you or you fail at the test But the test will be hard and long The Sceptre of Annuminas I withhold, for you have yet to earn it"

’The next day at the hour of sunset Aragorn walked alone in oods, and his heart was high within hi, for he was full of hope and the world was fair And suddenly even as he sang he saw athe white ste that he had strayed into a dreaift of the Elf- appear before the eyes of those that listen

’For Aragorn had been singing a part of the Lay of LUthien which tells of theof LUthien and Beren in the forest of Neldoreth And behold! there LUthien walked before his eyes in Rivendell, clad in a ht in Elven-home; her dark hair strayed in a sudden wind, and her broere bound with geazed in silence, but fearing that she would pass away and never be seen again, he called to her crying, TinUviel, TinUviel! even as Beren had done in the Elder Days long ago

’Then the maiden turned to him and smiled, and she said: "Who are you? And why do you call the by that name?"

’And he answered: "Because I believed you to be indeed LUthien TinUviel, of who But if you are not she, then you walk in her likeness"

’"So ravely "Yet her nah maybe my doom will be not unlike hers But who are you?"

’"Estel I was called," he said; "but I aorn, Arathorn’s son, Isildur’s Heir, Lord of the Dunedain"; yet even in the saying he felt that this high lineage, in which his heart had rejoiced, was now of little worth, and as nothing conity and loveliness

’But she laughed merrily and said: "Then we are akin frohter, and am named also Undoorn, "that in dangerous days men hide their chief treasure Yet I h I have dwelt in this house from childhood, I have heard no word of you How comes it that we have never met before? Surely your father has not kept you locked in his hoard?"

’"No," she said, and looked up at the Mountains that rose in the east "I have dwelt for a time in the land of my mother’s kin, in far Lothlorien I have but lately returned to visit ain It is many years since I walked in Iorn wondered, for she had seee than he, who had lived yet no more than a score of years in Middle-earth But Arwen looked in his eyes and said: "Do not wonder! For the children of Elrond have the life of the Eldar"

’Then Aragorn was abashed, for he saw the elven-light in her eyes and the wisdom of hter of Elrond