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The aptly named "Usurper", usurped the throne of [[Gondor]] from [[Eldacar]], ruling from 1437 to 1447 of the [[Third Age]], until he was violently deposed.
__NOTOC__
{{gondorian infobox
| image=[[File:Liz Danforth - Castamir.jpg|250px]]
| name=Castamir
| pronun=
| othernames="The Usurper"
| titles=[[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| position=
| location=[[Gondor]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth={{TA|1259}}
| birthlocation=
| rule={{TA|1437}} – {{TA|1447|n}} (10 years)
| death={{TA|1447}}
| deathlocation=
| age=188
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Anárion]]
| parentage=''unknown'', grandfather [[Calimehtar (son of Calmacil)|Calimehtar]]
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Castamir "The Usurper"''' ([[Quenya|Q]], pron. {{IPA|[ˈkastamir]}}; {{TA|1259}}<ref>{{PM|Elendil}}</ref> – {{TA|1447|n}},<ref>{{App|South}}</ref> aged 188 years) usurped the throne of [[Gondor]] from [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]], ruling from {{TA|1437|n}} to {{TA|1447|n}}, until he was violently deposed.
 
==History==
Castamir was the grandson of [[Calimehtar (son of Calmacil)|Calimehtar]], the younger son of [[Calmacil (King of Gondor)|Calmacil]], the eighteenth [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]].  Although not a direct heir to the throne he was a noble of realm and became the Captain of Ships.
 
When [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]] ascended to the throne in {{TA|1432}} a civil war broke out in [[Gondor]].  Eldacar's mother had been [[Vidumavi]], a princess from [[Rhovanion]] and not of [[Númenórean]] descent.  It was unheard of for an heir to the throne to come from one of an alien and lesser race, as viewed by the [[Dúnedain]], and many feared that her shorter lifespan would diminish the majesty of the Kings.  Before Eldacar's ascension rebellion brewed in Gondor, especially in the southern parts, and when he became King full civil war broke out.
 
Castamir joined the rebellion and being nearest in blood to the crown as well as having the greatest following (due to his support by the people of the coasts and havens of [[Pelargir]] and [[Umbar]]) he became its leader.  He led the rebel forces that besieged Eldacar in [[Osgiliath]] and forced the King to flee to his kinsfolk in Rhovanion.  The nature of Castamir's character became apparent during the long siege for he not only caused slaughter and destruction in Osgiliath beyond the demands of war, he also had [[Ornendil]], Eldacar's son, put to death when the city fell.
 
In Eldacar's absence, Castamir seized the throne.  After having shown great cruelty during the war, he further alienated his subjects by being haughty and ungenerous.  He also planned to remove the King's seat to Pelargir, a proposal that lowered Castamir in the eyes of the people of [[Minas Anor]] and [[Ithilien]].
The great-grandson of the unremarkable king [[Calmacil]], Castamir was not in line for the throne, but his royal background had made him the ''Lord of Ships'' under the previous king, [[Valacar]]. His lineage and influence left him in a position to challenge the current king, Eldacar, who was only half GondorianAs King [[Valacar]]'s only son, Eldacar was the legitimate heir to the throne, but his half [[Rhovanion]] lineage angered citizens who believed that pure [[Númenórean]] blood must be maintainedCapitalizing on what became outright protest against the current king, Castamir was able to incite rebellion and besiege Eldacar within the city [[Osgiliath]] in 1437 of the [[Third Age]].  The city was set on fire by Castamir's troops, destroying the famed [[Dome of Stars]]. Shortly thereafter, Eldacar fled the city and into exile in Rhovanion, to the northWith the defeat of the king, Castamir seized the throne.  
In the north, Eldacar forged an army composed of his kinsfolk, those Northmen who had been in the service of Gondor, and a growing number of disaffected Dúnedain from the northern parts of the realmIn {{TA|1447}} Eldacar marched south and his army was augmented by folks from [[Calenardhon]], [[Anórien]], and Ithilien.  Castamir's forces met Eldacar's army in [[Lebennin]] where the [[Battle of the Crossings of Erui]] was foughtMuch of the best blood of Gondor was lost in the fray.  Eldacar himself slew Castamir in the fight and thus reclaimed his Kingship.
 
However, Castamir's sons escaped from the battle and withdrew their father's forces into Pelargir.  There they withstood a siege until they could sail away to UmbarThis city and haven became a lordship independent of Gondor and a refuge for all enemies of the realm, a threat that would last for centuries.<ref>{{App|Gondor}}</ref>
For ten years Castamir ruled Gondor with an iron fist, while Eldacar quietly regained power.  Castamir ruled cruelly, and committed many foul deeds, including executing Eldacar's own son, Ornendil.  At first the people of Gondor tolerated Castamir because of his pure Númenórean blood.  Then, in 1447, after a decade under the wicked rule of the Usurper (as Castamir was now called), the people of Gondor rallied around the true king, Eldacar.  Castamir was slain by Eldacar's forces at the [[Battle of Erui]], the decisive battle of the [[Kin-strife]], as this period came to be known.  At the Crossings of [[Erui]], Eldacar personally slew Castamir.
==Etymology==
His name is [[Quenya]] and apparently includes ''-[[mir]]'' "jewel".
Castamir's influence did not end there. Remnants of his forces, and his surviving sons, retreated from the Battle of Erui to the port of [[Pelargir]] and escaped by ship to [[Umbar]], far to the south.  These descendants of Castamir became the so called "[[Corsairs of Umbar]]", fierce pirates who terrorized the ports of Gondor with the help of the men of [[Harad]].  They were perhaps the greatest threat to Gondor for nearly 400 years, commanding massive fleets of ships.  There most infamous exploit was the Raid of Pelargir in 1634, in which a Corsair armada sailed up the river [[Anduin]] to the port of Pelagar, deep in Gondorian territory.  This raid coincided with the young king [[Minardil]]'s visit, and he was slain in by the Corsairs as they attacked.
 
The first element, *''casta'', is not translated but it could be a variant of ''[[cassa]]'' "helmet". In that case, his name means "helmet-jewel" or "jeweled helmet"
They remained a significant threat until 1810, when King [[Telumehtar]] retook Umbar for Gondor.  In this battle the last descendants of Castamir were finally killed.  So great a victory was this, that forever after Telumehtar was known as [[Umbardacil]], which literally means "victor over Umbar".
 
== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | | | | |CAL| | |CAL=[[Calmacil (King of Gondor)|Calmacil]]}}
{{familytree| | | | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}
{{familytree| | | | |MIN| |CLM|MIN=[[Rómendacil II]]|CLM=[[Calimehtar (son of Calmacil)|Calimehtar]]}}
{{familytree| | | | | |!| | | |:| |}}
{{familytree|VID|y|VAL| | |:| |VID=[[Vidumavi]]|VAL=[[Valacar]]}}
{{familytree| | | |!| | | | | |:| |}}
{{familytree| | |VIN| | | |CAS|VIN=[[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]]|CAS='''CASTAMIR'''}}
{{familytree| |,|-|^|-|.| | | |!| |}}
{{familytree|ORN| |ALD| |SNS|ORN=[[Ornendil]]|ALD=[[Aldamir]]|SNS=Sons}}
{{familytree/end}}
 
{{references}}


{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=gondorian
| house=[[House of Anárion]]
| born={{TA|1259}}
| died={{TA|1447}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]]
| list=22nd [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| dates={{TA|1437}} – {{TA|1447}}
| next=[[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Gondorians]]
[[Category:House of Anárion]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Rulers of Gondor]]
[[Category:Rulers of Gondor]]
[[de:Castamir]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:hommes:3a:dunedain:gondoriens:castamir]]
[[fi:Castamir]]

Revision as of 00:48, 29 May 2014

Castamir
Gondorian
Liz Danforth - Castamir.jpg
Biographical Information
Other names"The Usurper"
TitlesKing of Gondor
LocationGondor
LanguageWestron
BirthT.A. 1259
RuleT.A. 14371447 (10 years)
DeathT.A. 1447 (aged 188)
Family
HouseHouse of Anárion
Parentageunknown, grandfather Calimehtar
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Castamir

Castamir "The Usurper" (Q, pron. [ˈkastamir]; T.A. 1259[1]1447,[2] aged 188 years) usurped the throne of Gondor from Eldacar, ruling from 1437 to 1447, until he was violently deposed.

History

Castamir was the grandson of Calimehtar, the younger son of Calmacil, the eighteenth King of Gondor. Although not a direct heir to the throne he was a noble of realm and became the Captain of Ships.

When Eldacar ascended to the throne in T.A. 1432 a civil war broke out in Gondor. Eldacar's mother had been Vidumavi, a princess from Rhovanion and not of Númenórean descent. It was unheard of for an heir to the throne to come from one of an alien and lesser race, as viewed by the Dúnedain, and many feared that her shorter lifespan would diminish the majesty of the Kings. Before Eldacar's ascension rebellion brewed in Gondor, especially in the southern parts, and when he became King full civil war broke out.

Castamir joined the rebellion and being nearest in blood to the crown as well as having the greatest following (due to his support by the people of the coasts and havens of Pelargir and Umbar) he became its leader. He led the rebel forces that besieged Eldacar in Osgiliath and forced the King to flee to his kinsfolk in Rhovanion. The nature of Castamir's character became apparent during the long siege for he not only caused slaughter and destruction in Osgiliath beyond the demands of war, he also had Ornendil, Eldacar's son, put to death when the city fell.

In Eldacar's absence, Castamir seized the throne. After having shown great cruelty during the war, he further alienated his subjects by being haughty and ungenerous. He also planned to remove the King's seat to Pelargir, a proposal that lowered Castamir in the eyes of the people of Minas Anor and Ithilien.

In the north, Eldacar forged an army composed of his kinsfolk, those Northmen who had been in the service of Gondor, and a growing number of disaffected Dúnedain from the northern parts of the realm. In T.A. 1447 Eldacar marched south and his army was augmented by folks from Calenardhon, Anórien, and Ithilien. Castamir's forces met Eldacar's army in Lebennin where the Battle of the Crossings of Erui was fought. Much of the best blood of Gondor was lost in the fray. Eldacar himself slew Castamir in the fight and thus reclaimed his Kingship.

However, Castamir's sons escaped from the battle and withdrew their father's forces into Pelargir. There they withstood a siege until they could sail away to Umbar. This city and haven became a lordship independent of Gondor and a refuge for all enemies of the realm, a threat that would last for centuries.[3]

Etymology

His name is Quenya and apparently includes -mir "jewel".

The first element, *casta, is not translated but it could be a variant of cassa "helmet". In that case, his name means "helmet-jewel" or "jeweled helmet"

Genealogy

 
 
 
 
 
 
Calmacil
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rómendacil II
 
Calimehtar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vidumavi
 
Valacar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eldacar
 
 
 
CASTAMIR
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ornendil
 
Aldamir
 
Sons


References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Southern Line: Heirs of Anarion"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
Castamir
House of Anárion
Born: T.A. 1259 Died: T.A. 1447
Preceded by:
Eldacar
22nd King of Gondor
T.A. 1437T.A. 1447
Followed by:
Eldacar