Ar-Gimilzôr

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Ar-Gimilzôr
Númenórean
Biographical Information
Other namesTar-Telemnar (Q)
TitlesKing of Númenor
LocationNúmenor
AffiliationKing's Men
LanguageAdûnaic
BirthS.A. 2960[1]
RuleS.A. 3102 - 3177 (75 years)[1]
DeathS.A. 3177[1] (aged 217)
Family
HouseHouse of Elros
ParentageAr-Sakalthôr[2]
SpouseInzilbêth[1]
ChildrenInziladûn and Gimilkhâd[1]
Physical Description
GenderMale

Ar-Gimilzôr was the twenty-third King of Númenor[1] and the grandfather of Tar-Míriel and of Ar-Pharazôn, the last King.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

Ar-Gimilzôr was a great enemy of the Faithful. He completely outlawed the use of the Elven tongues. In addition, he did not permit the Eldar to come to Númenor and punished those who still welcomed the Elven ships[1] that still came secretly from Eressëa to the western shores of Númenor where most of the Faithful lived, because he considered these Elves to be the "spies of the Valar" and hoped to keep his deeds and counsels hidden from the Valar. Eventually, Ar-Gimilzôr's distrust of the Faithful caused him to exile all the Faithful that he could identify to the east of Númenor near the haven of Rómenna. There he kept them under surveillance.[4]

Because of Ar-Gimilzôr's harsh treatment of them, many of the Faithful emigrated to the northern shores of Middle-earth where they could speak to the Eldar in the kingdom of Gil-galad.[4]

In addition to his heavy-handed policies against the Faithful, Ar-Gimilzôr completely neglected traditions long held even by the rebellious Kings before him, such as the tending of the White Tree of Númenor. The beautiful Tree, a symbol of the ancient friendship between Númenor and the West, fell into a decline. Ar-Gimilzôr was also the first of the Kings to never ascend the Meneltarma and display reverence to Eru.[4]

Ar-Gimilzôr wed a woman "renowned for her beauty"[4], whose name was Inzilbêth and who was a descendant of Tar-Calmacil.[1] He did not know at the time that she herself was of the Faithful, and thus later in their marriage "there was small love between them". Inzilbêth passed on her beliefs to their elder son Inziladûn, whereas their second son Gimilkhâd was much more like his father. Ar-Gimilzôr would thus have preferred to see the Sceptre go to the hand of his younger son, but he could not change the laws of Númenor, and was succeeded by Inziladûn, who took the Quenya name of Tar-Palantir.[1][4]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Gimilzôr is an Adûnaic name. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Star-foam" and is a compound of gimil ("stars") and zôr ("foam"), because Gimilzor was the Adûnaic name of Elros.[5][6] The meaning of the Adûnaic prefix Ar- is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "king" and is a prefixal form of ârû ("king") or derived from the same root.[7]

His Quenya name was Telemnar. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Silver Fire" and is a compound of an assimilated form of telpë (telep-) ("silver") and nár ("fire").[8] Like for all the rulers of Númenor whose name was inscribed in the Scroll of Kings, the prefix tar- ("high") was added to his name.[9]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Ar-Zimrathôn
2798 - 3033
 
 
 
14th Lord
of Andúnië
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ar-Sakalthôr
2876 - 3102
 
Lindórië
unknown
 
Eärendur
unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AR-GIMILZÔR
2960 - 3177
 
Inzilbêth
unknown
 
16th Lord
of Andúnië
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Palantir
3035 - 3255
 
Gimilkhâd
3044 - 3243
 
Númendil
unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Míriel
3117 - 3319
 
Ar-Pharazôn
3118 - 3319
 
Amandil
Sailed west 3316
 


Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

Ar-Gimilzôr's date of death is given by the Tale of Years in Appendix B as Second Age 3175[10] but by The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor as Second Age 3177.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XXIII Ar-Gimilzôr (Tar-Telemnar)
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XXII Ar-Sakalthôr (Tar-Falassion)
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XXIV Tar-Palantir (Ar-InzilAdûn)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
  5. Paul Strack, "Ad. Gimilzôr m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 25 June 2022)
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part Three: The Drowning of Anadûnê: (iii) The second text: Commentary", §20, p. 380
  7. Paul Strack, "Ad. Ar- pref.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 January 2022)
  8. Paul Strack, "Q. Telemnar m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 13 January 2022)
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", first paragraph and entry I to XXV
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 3175 of the Second Age
Ar-Gimilzôr
House of Elros
Born: S.A. 2960 Died: S.A. 3177
Preceded by:
Ar-Sakalthôr
23rd King of Númenor
S.A. 3102 - 3177
Followed by:
Tar-Palantir


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