Vardamir

From Tolkien Gateway
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
Vardamir
Númenórean
Biographical Information
Other namesNólimon (Q)
TitlesKing of Númenor (de jure)
LocationNúmenor
LanguageAdûnaic, Sindarin and Quenya
BirthS.A. 61[1]
Númenor
RuleS.A. 442 (immediately abdicated)
S.A. 442 - 443 (de jure)[1]
DeathS.A. 471[1] (aged 410)
Númenor
Family
HouseHouse of Elros
ParentageElros[2]
SiblingsTindómiel, Manwendil and Atanalcar[2]
ChildrenAmandil, Vardilmë, Aulendil and Nolondil[2]
Physical Description
GenderMale

Vardamir Nólimon (Q, pron. [ˈvardamir ˈnoːlimɔn]) was the brief second King of Númenor.[1]

History

As the eldest of the four children of Elros Tar-Minyatur,[2] Vardamir was the heir to the Sceptre of Númenor. He was called Nólimon, because his chief love was for ancient lore gathered from Elves and Men.[1] Throughout his life, Vardamir had four children: three sons, Amandil, Aulendil, and Nolondil; and one daughter, Vardilmë.[2]

Upon the death of Elros, the Sceptre of Númenor fell to Vardamir. However, due to the extraordinary length of Elros' life, Vardamir was 381 years old at the time in which he inherited the Scepter - old even for a Númenórean of royal blood. Instead of ascending the throne, Vardamir immediately passed on the Sceptre to his eldest son Amandil, who would rule as Tar-Amandil. Probably because of this decision, unlike all the rulers of Númenor who took royal titles in Quenya, the prefix tar- ("high") was not added to his name. Despite this decision, Vardamir was still officially counted as the second King of Númenor, being deemed to have ruled nominally for a single year.[1]

Legacy

Vardamir's abdication of the Scepter to his son Amandil, began the custom wherein which future rulers of Númenor would pass on the Scepter to their heir before dying of their own free will while still being in good health and mind. This tradition lasted for many generations until the reign of Tar-Atanamir.[1]

Etymology

Vardamir is Quenya. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it probably means "Varda-jewel". It is probably a compound of Varda ("the name of the Valië of the stars, the spouse of Manwë", "exalted", "lofty", "sublime") and mírë ("jewel").[3]

His sobriquet Nólimon is Quenya. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Learned One". It seems to be a compound of nólë ("lore, knowledge") and the agental suffix -mo ("one", "anyone", "someone", "somebody").[4]

Genealogy

 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil
b. F.A. 503
 
Elwing
b. F.A. 503
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elros Tar-Minyatur
F.A. 532 - S.A. 442
 
Elrond
b. F.A. 532
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VARDAMIR
S.A. 61 - 471
 
Tindómiel
after 61
 
Manwendil
after 61
 
Atanalcar
after 61
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Amandil
192 - 603
 
Vardilmë
b. 203
 
Aulendil
b. 213
 
Nolondil
b. 222
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Elendil
350 - 751
 
Eärendur
b. 361
 
Mairen
b. 377
 
Yávien
b. 371
 
Oromendil
b. 382
 
Axantur
b. 395


Other versions of the legendarium

In a text written around 1959 and published in The Nature of Middle-earth, it is said that either the slow maturity of the Half-elven, or the "choice of kindred" extended to the second generation, suggesting that Vardamir, like Arwen, was among the Half-elven.[5]:78 In the same text, Vardamir was said to have lived to be 391, apparently being ninety-one years older than the usual Númenórean age of 300.[5]:79

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry II Vardamir Nólimon
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "The earlier generations of the Line of Elros"
  3. Paul Strack, "Q. Vardamir m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 December 2021)
  4. Paul Strack, "Q. Nólimon m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 December 2021)
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part One. Time and Ageing: XI. Ageing of Elves"
Vardamir
House of Elros
Born: S.A. 61 Died: S.A. 471
Preceded by:
Elros Tar-Minyatur
2nd King of Númenor (de jure)
S.A. 442 - 443
Followed by:
Tar-Amandil


Kings of Númenor
Elros Tar-Minyatur (S.A. 32 - 442) · Tar-Vardamir* (442) · Tar-Amandil (442 - 590) · Tar-Elendil (590 - 740) · Tar-Meneldur (740 - 883) · Tar-Aldarion (883 - 1075) · Tar-AncalimëQ (1075 - 1280) · Tar-Anárion (1280 - 1394) · Tar-Súrion (1394 - 1556) · Tar-TelperiënQ (1556 - 1731) · Tar-Minastir (1731 - 1869) · Tar-Ciryatan (1869 - 2029) · Tar-Atanamir (2029 - 2221) · Tar-Ancalimon (2221 - 2386) · Tar-Telemmaitë (2386 - 2526) · Tar-VanimeldëQ (2526 - 2637) · Tar-Anducal (2637 - 2657) · Tar-Alcarin (2657 - 2737) · Tar-Calmacil (2737 - 2825) · Tar-Ardamin (2825 - 2899) · Ar-Adûnakhôr (2899 - 2962) · Ar-Zimrathôn (2962 - 3033) · Ar-Sakalthôr (3033 - 3102) · Ar-Gimilzôr (3102 - 3177) · Tar-Palantir (3177 - 3255) · Ar-Pharazôn (3255 - 3319)
* Immediately abdicated in favour of his son · Q Ruling Queens · Usurped throne. Later struck off the Line of Kings · Usurped throne from his cousin Tar-Míriel