Tar-Amandil

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This article is about the third King of Númenor. For the the father of Elendil, see Amandil.
Tar-Amandil
Númenórean
Biographical Information
Other namesAr-Aphanuzîr (A)
TitlesKing of Númenor
LocationNúmenor
LanguageAdûnaic, Sindarin and Quenya
BirthS.A. 192[1]
RuleS.A. 442[2] - 590 (de facto)
S.A. 443[2] - 590 (de jure)[1]
DeathS.A. 603[1] (aged 411)
Family
HouseHouse of Elros
ParentageVardamir[1]
SiblingsAulendil, Nolondil and Vardilmë[3]
ChildrenEärendur, Elendil and Mairen[3]
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Tar-Amandil

Tar-Amandil was the third King of Númenor. He ruled de-facto for 148 years, from 442 to 590 of the Second Age. Tar-Amandil was legally the third King, but actually its second ruler.[1] His father, Vardamir Nólimon, declined to take the Sceptre upon the death of his own father, Elros Tar-Minyatur, and was only a titular King that was deemed to have reigned one year.[2]

Tar-Amandil had three children: two sons, Elendil and Eärendur; and a daughter, Mairen.[3] Just as his father had yielded the Sceptre before his death, Tar-Amandil abdicated in 590[1] and was succeeded by his eldest son Elendil, who would rule as Tar-Elendil.[3] This tradition of renouncing the Sceptre a few years before death was observed by most of the rulers of Númenor until Tar-Atanamir.[4]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Amandil is Quenya. The name is glossed to mean "Lover of Aman".[5] According to Paul Strack, the name is a compound of Aman ("Blessed Realm") and -(n)dil ("friend, lover, devoted to").[6] Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal names in Quenya, Amandil added the prefix tar- ("high") to his name when he received the Sceptre.[7]

The Adûnaic version of his name is Aphanuzîr,[8] which Paul Strack suggests probably means "Bliss-friend".[9]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elros Tar-Minyatur
F.A. 532 - S.A. 442
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vardamir Nólimon
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
 
 
Axantur
b. 395
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Silmariën
b. 521
 
Isilmë
b. 532
 
Tar-Meneldur
543 - 942
 
Caliondo
512 - 900
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cemendur
b. 575
 


Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In the twelfth note to 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"[10]:78 extended to the third generation, suggesting that Tar-Amandil, and Eldarion, were among the Half-elven.[10]:82 However, this was changed to the second generation in the actual text.[10]:78

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry III Tar-Amandil
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry II Vardamir Nólimon
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "The earlier generations of the Line of Elros"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XIII Tar-Atanamir the Great
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
  6. Paul Strack, "Q. Amandil m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 December 2021)
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", first paragraph and entry I to XXV
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part Three: The Drowning of Anadûnê: (iii) The second text: Commentary", p. 389
  9. Paul Strack, "Ad. Aphanuzîr m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 5 October 2019)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part One. Time and Ageing: XI. Ageing of Elves"
Tar-Amandil
House of Elros
Born: S.A. 192 Died: S.A. 603
Preceded by:
Tar-Vardamir
3rd King of Númenor
S.A. 443 - 590
Followed by:
Tar-Elendil


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