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| The '''King of Gondor''' was the [[Númenórean]] ruler of [[Gondor]].
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| The King of Gondor governed the realm with the frame of ancient law, of which he was administrator (and interpreter) but not the maker.<ref name="politics">{{L|244}}</ref> The Kings were buried in the [[Hallows]] of Minas Tirith. Stone statues of the Kings were in the [[Tower Hall]]. The symbol of his authority was the [[Crown of Gondor]].
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| ==History==
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| Through [[Amandil]] the Kings claimed descent from the [[Lords of Andúnië]], and from there to [[Silmariën]] and the [[King of Númenor|Kings of Númenor]]. The line of the Kings of Gondor was associated with the [[House of Anárion]].
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| Elendil was the first King of [[Arnor]] and was succeeded by Isildur. Elendil ruled over both realms as High King of the Dúnedain-in-exile Isildur succeeded as High King as well upon his father's death. Isildur committed Gondor to the rule of Meneldil the son of Anarion as sole King of Gondor, but Isildur's royalty in the South-realm remained, as his line was by right High King over both [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]], though after Isildur's death, the realms were split. Isildur's heirs ruled Arnor and Anárion's heirs ruled Gondor.
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| The kingship of Gondor, unlike Arnor which had a direct line from Isildur to [[Arvedui]], underwent several succession crises even before they eventually failed altogether. The first king of Gondor who had no direct offspring was [[Falastur]], who had to be succeeded by his nephew [[Eärnil I]]. The next childless king was [[Narmacil I]], who had to be succeeded by his brother
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| [[Calmacil]]. The worst crisis, however, was that of the [[Kin-strife]], a civil war which resulted in both the loss of [[Umbar]] and the shedding of royal blood. From this war, [[Eldacar]] emerged victorius, but the House of Anárion was greatly weakened. The house suffered further in the [[Great Plague]] until at last, after the death of [[Ondoher]], the crown passed to a cousin several times removed named [[Eärnil II]]. After him, the crown lasted only one generation before the last of the kings.
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| The final king was Eärnur, who reigned for only seven years before he was challenged to single combat by the [[Witch-king of Angmar]]. Enraged by this, Eänur accepted the challenge and rode to [[Minas Morgul]], where he vanished and was never seen again. The rule of the Kingdom of Gondor fell to a succession of [[Stewards of Gondor|Stewards]] until the restoration of the line of Kings with Elessar ([[Aragorn]]), the first king of the [[Reunited Kingdom]] of Gondor and Arnor.
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| ==Duties and Office==
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| The King was the ultimate commander of the armies and navies of Gondor. For example, King Eärnil II sent his son Eärnur as the leader of the army who defeated the [[Witch-king of Angmar]]. The King would also be in charge of building projects, such as creating fortifications.<ref>{{App|A1iv}}</ref> The King served as the ultimate arbiter of justice in court matters.<ref>{{RK|VI5}}</ref> The King would have the ability to forge diplomatic alliances and both administer and renew oaths.<ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref> The King was the only one invested with the ability to invoke the name of [[Eru]], though this power was seldom used.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> Finally, the King had the legal right of using the [[palantíri]] available to him in places such as [[Minas Ithil]]. He could also invest others to do this on his behalf if the situation required it.<ref>{{UT|Palantiri}}</ref> However, this practice ended when [[Sauron]] gained control of the [[Ithil-stone]], for fear that he might work evil with it.<ref>{{App|Stewards}}</ref>
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| The King appointed a Steward who would help in both the running of the King's affairs and ruling in the King's stead if he was incapacitated or otherwise away from the kingdom.<ref>{{UT|8e}}This was first done by Rómendicil I, see note 53</ref> There was also a [[Council of Gondor]] who presumably would advise the King, though it is unknown how much authority the King had over the Council and vice versa. The Council was able to appoint a new King after the death of Ondoher and his sons, so the Council's powers were more than just in an advisory capacity.
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| Part of the tradition associated with the King was that he was the only one who knew the location of the [[Tomb of Elendil]]. This burial ground was used as a place of secrecy or meditation by the Kings, and they were sworn not to let the location of it be known. It would remain secret until the days of the Stewards.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref>
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| ==List of Kings==
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| [[Elendil]], son of [[Amandil]], reigned titularly as [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] from {{SA|3320}} – {{SA|3441|n}} while his sons [[Isildur]] and [[Anárion]] were the co-rulers of Gondor itself until Anárion's death in {{SA|3440}}
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| {| rules="all" align="center" style="border:1px solid darkgrey; border-collapse:collapse" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"
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| | colspan="4" style="background:gray; color:white; text-align:center" | '''Kings of Gondor'''
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| | bgcolor="lightgrey" |
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| | bgcolor="lightgrey" style="text-align: center;"| '''Name'''
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| | bgcolor="lightgrey" style="text-align: center;"| '''Reign'''
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| | style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center" | '''Notes'''
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| | 1. || [[Anárion]] & [[Isildur]] || {{SA|3320}} – {{SA|3440}}† || Sons of Elendil and co-rulers.
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| | 2. || [[Meneldil]] || {{TA|2}} – {{TA|158}} || Son of Anárion. First sole ruler of Gondor
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| | 3. || [[Cemendur (King of Gondor)|Cemendur]] || {{TA|158}} – {{TA|238}} ||
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| | 4. || [[Eärendil (King of Gondor)|Eärendil]] || {{TA|238}} – {{TA|324}} ||
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| | 5. || [[Anardil (King of Gondor)|Anardil]] || {{TA|324}} – {{TA|411}} ||
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| | 6. || [[Ostoher]] || {{TA|411}} – {{TA|492}} ||
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| | 7. || [[Rómendacil I]] || {{TA|492}} – {{TA|541}}† || Born [[Tarostar]]
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| | 8. || [[Turambar (King of Gondor)|Turambar]] || {{TA|541}} – {{TA|667}} ||
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| | 9. || [[Atanatar I]] || {{TA|667}} – {{TA|748}} ||
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| | 10. || [[Siriondil (King of Gondor)|Siriondil]] || {{TA|748}} – {{TA|830}} ||
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| | 11. || [[Tarannon Falastur]] || {{TA|830}} – {{TA|913}} || First of the [[Ship-kings]]. Died childless
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| | 12. || [[Eärnil I]] || {{TA|913}} – {{TA|936}} || Nephew of Tarannon
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| | 13. || [[Ciryandil]] || {{TA|936}} – {{TA|1015}}† ||
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| | 14. || [[Hyarmendacil I]] || {{TA|1015}} – {{TA|1149}} || Last of the Ship-kings
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| | 15. || [[Atanatar II|Atanatar II Alcarin]] || {{TA|1149}} – {{TA|1226}} ||
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| | 16. || [[Narmacil I]] || {{TA|1226}} – {{TA|1294}} || Second childless king
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| | 17. || [[Calmacil (King of Gondor)|Calmacil]] || {{TA|1294}} – {{TA|1304}} || Younger brother of Narmacil. His son [[Minalcar]] ruled as prince-regent from 1240 – 1304
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| | 18. || [[Rómendacil II]] || {{TA|1304}} – {{TA|1366}} || Born Minalcar
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| | 19. || [[Valacar]] || {{TA|1366}} – {{TA|1432}} || Married [[Vidumavi]], the daughter of [[Vidugavia]]
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| | 20. || [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]] || {{TA|1432}} – {{TA|1437}} || Born [[Vinitharya]]
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| | || [[Castamir]] || {{TA|1437}} – {{TA|1447}}† || Usurped the throne during the [[Kin-strife]]. Known as the Usurper
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| | 21. || [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]] || {{TA|1447}} – {{TA|1490}} || Won back the throne with aid from the [[Northmen]] and Dúnedain of Gondor
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| | 22. || [[Aldamir]] || {{TA|1490}} – {{TA|1540}}† ||
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| | 23. || [[Hyarmendacil II]] || {{TA|1540}} – {{TA|1621}} || Born [[Vinyarion]]
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| | 24. || [[Minardil]] || {{TA|1621}} – {{TA|1634}}† ||
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| | 25. || [[Telemnar]] || {{TA|1634}} – {{TA|1636}} || Died in the [[Great Plague]] with all his children
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| | 26. || [[Tarondor (King of Gondor)|Tarondor]] || {{TA|1636}} – {{TA|1798}} || Nephew of Telemnar
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| | 27. || [[Telumehtar Umbardacil]] || {{TA|1798}} – {{TA|1850}} ||
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| | 28. || [[Narmacil II]] || {{TA|1850}} – {{TA|1856}}† ||
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| | 29. || [[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|Calimehtar]] || {{TA|1856}} – {{TA|1936}} ||
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| | 30. || [[Ondoher]] || {{TA|1936}} – {{TA|1944}}† || Died in battle with his two sons. His daughter [[Fíriel]] might have been ruling queen but was passed by.
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| | 31. || [[Eärnil II]] || {{TA|1945}} – {{TA|2043}} || Descendant of Telumehtar Umbardacil. Was crowned after a year of rule by the [[Stewards of Gondor|Steward]] [[Pelendur]]
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| | 32. || [[Eärnur]] || {{TA|2043}} – {{TA|2050}}† || Last King of Gondor. Reign of the Stewards begins
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| | 33. || [[Aragorn|Elessar]] || {{TA|3019}} – {{FoA|120}} || First High King of the [[Reunited Kingdom]]
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| | 34. || [[Eldarion]] || {{FoA|120}} – c. {{FoA|220}} ||
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| |}
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| :''For a detailed family tree of the individual Kings of Gondor, see: [[House of Anárion]].''
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| ==Other names==
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| "King of Gondor" was translated as '''''Aran Ondóreo''''' in [[Quenya]],<ref>{{VT|49a}}, p. 27</ref> and '''''Aran Gondor''''' in [[Sindarin]].<ref>{{SD|XI}}, p. 128</ref>
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| ==The ancestry of the Kings of Gondor==
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| {{Dúnedain}}
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| [[Category:Rulers of Middle-earth]]
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| [[Category:Gondor]]
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| [[Category:Mannish titles]]
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| [[de:Gondor#Herrscher_von_Gondor]]
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| [[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/dunedain/gondoriens/rois_du_gondor]]
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| [[fi:Gondorin kuninkaat]]
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| {{references}}
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