 | |
| Númenórean | |
| Tar-Míriel | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Other names | Ar-Zimraphel (A) |
| Titles | Queen of Númenor (not ruling) |
| Location | Númenor |
| Affiliation | The Faithful |
| Language | Quenya |
| Birth | S.A. 3117 |
| Rule | None: Queenship usurped |
| Death | S.A. 3319 (aged 202 years) Slopes of Meneltarma |
| Family | |
| House | House of Elros |
| Parentage | Tar-Palantir |
| Spouse | Ar-Pharazôn |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Female |
| Gallery | Images of Tar-Míriel |
And last of all the mounting wave... took to its bosom Tar-Míriel the Queen, fairer than silver or ivory or pearls.
Tar-Míriel was the only child of the late-marrying Tar-Palantir, the twenty-fourth King of Númenor.[1]
History
By the Law of Succession, established by Tar-Aldarion, she should have become the fourth Ruling Queen of Númenor. However, after her father's death, Míriel's cousin Pharazôn took her unwillingly as his wife and seized the Sceptre of Númenor for himself, taking the title of Ar-Pharazôn the Golden. He changed Míriel's name to Ar-Zimraphel.
Ar-Pharazôn in his pride brought a mighty fleet to Middle-earth to challenge Sauron for dominion of the land. Sauron pretended to humble himself before the King and was taken as captive to Númenor. Soon Sauron had fully corrupted the King and had persuaded the aging king to seek immortality and assail Valinor itself. The Valar called upon the One, who cast Númenor into the sea. It is said that Tar-Míriel strove to reach the sacred peak of the Meneltarma before the inundation of the island, but the great wave swept her away from the steep side of the Holy Mountain.[2]
Etymology
Míriel, a Quenya name, had an approximate meaning of "Jewel-daughter". The first element mírë most probably means "jewel" while the second element -iel either means "daughter" or is a general feminine suffix.[3] The prefix tar- means "high" in Quenya.[4]
If her Adûnaic name Ar-Zimraphel, has the same meaning, the first element zimra may mean "jewel" and the second element -phel may mean "daughter" or could be a general feminine suffix.[5] 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.[6]
Genealogy
| 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† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elendil 3119 - 3441† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Isildur 3209 - T.A. 2† | Anárion 3219 - 3440† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other versions of the legendarium
In the first ever writings about Númenor, the last queen of Númenor, who witnessed the coming of Thû/Sauron, was "Queen Istar", wife of "King Angor".[7] In a rewrite, their names are changed to "Tar-kalion" and "Tar-ilien". Unlike in the later Akallabêth, both Tar-ilien and her husband believe Sauron's lies.[8]
In one version of the Akallabêth, Míriel was named Zimrahil and was betrothed to Elentir, the brother of Amandil (the last Lord of Andúnië). However, she fell desperately in love with Pharazôn and chose to marry him when he took up the Sceptre. This story is very different than the tale in the published The Silmarillion, where Ar-Pharazôn takes Míriel very much against her will in order to claim the Sceptre.[9]
Portrayal in adaptations
_-_Queen_Regent_M%C3%ADriel.jpg)
Television
2022: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:
- Queen Regent Míriel is portrayed by Cynthia Addai-Robinson in the Amazon TV series.[10] She first appears on the series in it's third episode, where she meets Galadriel. In the second to last episode, she becomes physically blind, but she refuses to be patronized in the final episode, threatening to put Elendil in his place to shame should he attempt to do so.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", Tar-Palantir
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. Míriel f.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 3 March 2026
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. tar- affix.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 3 March 2026
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Ad. Zimraphel f.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 3 March 2026
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Ad. Ar- pref.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon, accessed 3 March 2026
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part One: II. The Fall of Númenor, (ii) The first version of The Fall of Númenor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part One: II. The Fall of Númenor, (iii) The second version of The Fall of Númenor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth"
- ↑ Devan Coggan, "Welcome to Númenor: Get an exclusive look at The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" 13 July 2022, Entertainment Weekly, accessed 13 July 2022
| Kings of Númenor |
|---|
| Elros Tar-Minyatur (S.A. 32 - 442) · Vardamir Nólimon* (442 - 443) · Tar-Amandil (443 - 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, though was recorded as ruling for a year · Q Ruling Queens · † Usurped throne. Later struck off the Line of Kings · ‡ Usurped throne from his cousin Tar-Míriel |
