Vëantur

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Vëantur
Númenórean
Biographical Information
TitlesCaptain of the King's Ships
LanguageAdûnaic, Sindarin
BirthS.A. 451[1]
Númenor
DeathAfter S.A. 727
Family
ChildrenAlmarian
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Vëantur

Vëantur (Q, pron. [veˈantur]) was the Captain of the King's Ships during the reign of Tar-Elendil, the fourth King of Númenor.

In S.A. 600 Vëantur commanded the first Númenórean ship to venture back to Middle-earth.[2] There he sailed the Entulessë or "Return" into the Grey Havens and became acquainted with Círdan[3], the Elven King Gil-galad, and twelve Men from Eriador (who came to see the those "who had returned from death in the deeps of the Sea").[1]

Vëantur's daughter, Almarian, married Meneldur, who would be the fifth King of Númenor, and bore him a son called Aldarion. Vëantur greatly loved his grandson and welcomed him often to his house, where Aldarion learned how to row, to sail, and then to captain his own ship. In S.A. 725, when Aldarion was twenty-five years old, the aging Vëantur invited him to sail to Middle-earth to meet Círdan and Gil-galad. Aldarion obtained Meneldur's permission and in the great ship Númerrámar or "West-wings", Vëantur and Aldarion proceeded to journey to the eastern lands on a voyage that lasted two years.[4]

Etymology

Vëantur's name means either "Commander of Men" or "Manly Commander" in Quenya (from vëan, 'man', 'manliness' and -ntur, meaning 'commander').

References