Meneldil

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Meneldil
Númenórean
Matěj Čadil - Meneldil of Gondor.jpg
"Meneldil of Gondor" by Matěj Čadil
Biographical Information
TitlesKing of Gondor
LocationGondor
AffiliationLast Alliance of Elves and Men
LanguageSindarin
BirthS.A. 3318
Rómenna, Númenor
RuleT.A. 2 - T.A. 158 (156 years)
DeathT.A. 158 (aged 281)
Gondor
Family
HouseHouse of Anárion
ParentageAnárion
Siblingsthree unnamed siblings
ChildrenCemendur
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Meneldil

Meneldil (S.A. 3318[1]T.A. 158,[2] aged 281 years), the son of Anárion and grandson of High King Elendil, was the third King of Gondor and the first to rule in his own name. He reigned 156 years, from T.A. 2 until his death.

History[edit | edit source]

Early life[edit | edit source]

Meneldil was the last man born in Númenor[3] and was about one year old at the time of the Downfall. He would have been carried to Middle-earth in his father's ship where Isildur and Anárion established a new realm, Gondor, under their joint leadership.

Meneldil was 111 years old when in S.A. 3429 Sauron sent his army to attack and capture Minas Ithil. It is not known what role Meneldil may have played while his father defended Osgiliath and held the hosts of Mordor at bay. With the arrival of Elendil and Gil-galad's forces, the fortunes of the War of the Last Alliance turned, but in the hard fighting Anárion died (in S.A. 3440), as did Elendil (in S.A. 3441).[4]

Succession to Kingship[edit | edit source]

With the deaths of Elendil and Anárion, Arnor had no leader and the joint rule in Gondor was ended. Isildur returned to Gondor, assumed the Elendilmir as Arnor's king and proclaimed his lordship over all the Dúnedain, North and South. While most of Arnor's forces returned to Eriador the new King remained in the South to restore order and define Gondor's boundaries. With Meneldil and a company of trusted friends, Isildur rode about the boundaries of Gondor and in Anórien created the Tomb of Elendil upon the hill of Eilenaer, thereafter called Amon Anwar.[5]

When he was ready, he committed the rule of Gondor to Meneldil and departed for Imladris with his three oldest sons to consult with Elrond.[2][3] It is said that Meneldil was quite pleased to see his uncle and his sons leave for the North, hoping that they would remain there long.[6] Then, a month after their departure, Isildur and his three sons were slain in the Disaster of the Gladden Fields.[3] Arnor would eventually (in T.A. 10[2]) be ruled by Isildur's fourth son, Valandil, but in the South Meneldil assumed full kingship, which was inherited by his descendants. Gondor would not be ruled by an heir of Isildur until the ascension of Aragorn.

Not much is known about his reign other than that a Gondorian scholar wrote the Ondonóre Nómesseron Minaþurie.[7]

He was succeeded by his son Cemendur.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Meneldil is Quenya for "Astronomer".[8] As Paul Strack explains, it literally means "Lover of the Heavens", being a compound of menel ("the heavens") and -(n)dil ("lover", "friend").[9]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
Elendil
S.A. 3119 - 3441
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isildur
S.A. 3209 - T.A. 2
 
 
 
Anárion
S.A. 3219 - 3440
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kings of
Arnor
 
Three children
unknown
 
MENELDIL
S.A. 3318 - T.A. 158
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cemendur
S.A. 3399 - T.A. 238
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil
T.A. 48 - 324

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In The Peoples of Middle-earth, in Section VII "The Heirs of Elendil", Christopher Tolkien explained that there were three manuscripts in the textual history of this section. Manuscript A contained the information about the Southern Line of Gondor, and from its condition it appeared to be the first stage of composition. Manuscript B added the Northern Line, and began as a fair copy of A for the Southern line but became heavily emended. Manuscript B led to Manuscript C, a fine copy (but with later emendations), which led to a final typescript D. In the earlier Manuscripts A and B, Meneldil's date of birth was S.A. 3299 instead of S.A. 3318. It was Isildur's son Kiryandil who was born in 3318 and thus was the last man born in Númenor.[1]

References

Meneldil
House of Anárion
Cadet branch of House of Elros
Born: S.A. 3318 Died: T.A. 158
Preceded by:
Isildur
(and Anárion)
3rd King of Gondor
T.A. 2158
Followed by:
Cemendur


The Southern Line and the Heirs of Anárion
Kings of Gondor: Elendil (S.A. 3320 - 3441) · Isildur (S.A. 3441 - T.A. 2) and Anárion (S.A. 3320 - 3440) · Meneldil (T.A. 2 - 158) · Cemendur (158 - 238) · Eärendil (238 - 324) · Anardil (324 - 411) · Ostoher (411 - 492) · Rómendacil I (492 - 541) · Turambar (541 - 667) · Atanatar I (667 - 748) · Siriondil (748 - 830) · Tarannon Falastur (830 - 913) · Eärnil I (913 - 936) · Ciryandil (936 - 1015) · Hyarmendacil I (1015 - 1149) · Atanatar II Alcarin (1149 - 1226) · Narmacil I (1226 - 1294) · Calmacil (1294 - 1304) · Rómendacil II (1304 - 1366) · Valacar (1366 - 1432) · Eldacar (1432 - 1437) · Castamir the Usurper (1437 - 1447) · Eldacar restored (1447 - 1490) · Aldamir (1490 - 1540) · Hyarmendacil II (1540 - 1621) · Minardil (1621 - 1634) · Telemnar (1634 - 1636) · Tarondor (1636 - 1798) · Telumehtar Umbardacil (1798 - 1850) · Narmacil II (1850 - 1856) · Calimehtar (1856 - 1936) · Ondoher (1936 - 1944) · Eärnil II (1945 - 2043) · Eärnur (2043 - 2050)
Stewards of Gondor: Húrin of Emyn Arnen (c. T.A. 1630s) · Pelendur (before T.A. 1944 - 1998) · Vorondil (1998 - 2029) · Mardil Voronwë (2029 - 2080) · Eradan (2080 - 2116) · Herion (2116 - 2148) · Belegorn (2148 - 2204) · Húrin I (2204 - 2244) · Túrin I (2244 - 2278) · Hador (2278 - 2395) · Barahir (2395 - 2412) · Dior (2412 - 2435) · Denethor I (2435 - 2477) · Boromir (2477 - 2489) · Cirion (2489 - 2567) · Hallas (2567 - 2605) · Húrin II (2605 - 2628) · Belecthor I (2628 - 2655) · Orodreth (2655 - 2685) · Ecthelion I (2685 - 2698) · Egalmoth (2698 - 2743) · Beren (2743 - 2763) · Beregond (2763 - 2811) · Belecthor II (2811 - 2872) · Thorondir (2872 - 2882) · Túrin II (2882 - 2914) · Turgon (2914 - 2953) · Ecthelion II (2953 - 2984) · Denethor II (2984 - 3019) · Faramir (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 82) · Elboron (Fo.A. 82 onwards)
Kings of Gondor: Elessar (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 120) · Eldarion (Fo.A. 120 onwards)
Non-ruling stewards are in italics