Meneldil: Difference between revisions

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===Succession to Kingship===
===Succession to Kingship===
With the deaths of Elendil and Anárion, [[Arnor]] had no leader and the joint rule in [[Gondor]] was finished.  [[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.  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]].<ref name="Gladden"/>
With the deaths of Elendil and Anárion, [[Arnor]] had no leader and the joint rule in [[Gondor]] was finished.  [[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.  When he was ready he committed the rule of Gondor to Meneldil and departed for [[Rivendell|Imladris]] with his three oldest sons to consult with [[Elrond]].<ref name="Gladden"/>


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.<ref>{{UT| Gladden}}, Note 10</ref>  Then, a month after their departure, Isildur and his three sons were slain in the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].<ref name="Gladden"/>  Arnor would eventually (in {{TA|10}}<ref name="TA"/>) be ruled by Isildur’s fourth son, [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|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]].
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.<ref>{{UT| Gladden}}, Note 10</ref>  Then, a month after their departure, Isildur and his three sons were slain in the [[Battle of the Gladden Fields]].<ref name="Gladden"/>  Arnor would eventually (in {{TA|10}}<ref name="TA"/>) be ruled by Isildur’s fourth son, [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|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]].

Revision as of 12:23, 18 November 2011

Meneldil
Númenórean
Matěj Čadil - Meneldil of Gondor.jpg
Biographical Information
TitlesKing of Gondor
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. He was succeeded by his son Cemendur.

History

Early Life

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 Gondor in his father’s ship where Isildur and Anárion established a new realm 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 know 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

With the deaths of Elendil and Anárion, Arnor had no leader and the joint rule in Gondor was finished. 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. 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.[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.[5] Then, a month after their departure, Isildur and his three sons were slain in the Battle 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.

Genealogy

 
 
Elendil
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isildur
 
Anárion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3 unnamed
children[1]
 
MENELDIL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cemendur
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil


Other Versions of the Legendarium

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

Preceded by:
Isildur
3rd King of Gondor
T.A. 2 - T.A. 158
Followed by:
Cemendur