The Kings of Gondor – LOTRO Players

Greetings Middle Earth Wanderers,

It has literally been months since I wrote episode seven and that is mainly due to a needing a break from writing. During this series I have also been in the middle of writing my own novel along with a couple of other projects. Needless to say I was burning out and had to trim some of the projects. Unfortunately this was one that I had to pause, but we are back on track once again.

In our last episode we left off with with Gondor retaking Umbar and king Telumehtar defeating the Corsairs and this this week we pick up with week we pick up with Telumehtar’s son, Narmacil who became the 29th king of Gondor.

The Tower of Ecthelion

We don’t have a great deal of information on Narmacil, but what we do know is He had a very brief reign as king. During his sixth year a group of Easterlings called the Wainriders overran the territories of Gondor’s eastern bank of the Anduin. Narmacil prepared his armies and marched to Rhovanion to confront the invaders, but he was unsuccessful and was slain during the Battle of the Plains. His son Calimethar took the throne in early in the third age after his fathers death becoming the 30th king of Gondor.

During his reign as king the Wainriders once again became a threat to Gondor and the lands to the west. In this time Calimehtar built the White Tower of Ecthelion which was the tall tower in the Citadel of Minas Tirith, and on top of this great tower waved the banner of Gondor that arose one thousand feet into the air. The king was also tipped off to the impending invastion from the Wainriders by his good friends and ally’s the Eotheod. They were a race of Northmen and were the ancestors of the Rohirrim. It was The Eotheod leader Marhwini who warned the king about the invasion, which gave Gondor the time needed to assemble an army in Ithillien which was the eastern most province of Gondor.

Calimehtar took his army and marched north, sending his calvary to attack the unguarded enemy in the undeeps which were two great westward lands of the Anduin, located between the Brown Lands and the great Wold of Rohan. The king and his Eothod allies finally met the Wainriders in Dagorlad and defeated them. He had avenged his fathers death, and the great victory inspired the slaves in Rhovanion to rebel against the Easterling slavers. Calimehtar ruled Gondor for eighty years, and died in the third age passing the crown to his only son Ondoher.

The Wainriders Return

Ondoher succeeded his father Calimehtar and his daughter Fíriel married Prince Arvedui of Arthedain. Not to long after Ondoher took the crown, the Wainriders invaded Gondor from the east while their allies, the Haradrim invaded Gondor from the south. Ondoher and his eldest son Artamir led the main army close to the Black Gate where they clashed with the Wainriders. The left wing of Ondoher’s army was commanded by Adrahil, the Prince of Dol Amroth. The right wing was commanded by Minothar, the captain of Gondor’s armies. The center was commanded by Ondoher himself.

In the ensuing battle Ondoher was slain together with his eldest son and heir Artamir, and Gondor defeated. The rearguard of the army defended Ithilien while Adrahil got help from General Earnil who defeated the Haradrim. Though Earnil finally defeated the Wainriders it was learned that Ondoher’s second son Faramir (not to be confused with Faramir, brother of Boromir) was slain with his father, while law required that at least one heir to the throne be left behind.

No-one with a valid claim to the throne could be found, and Arvedui of Arthedain claimed the throne. Although Arvedui had a strong claim by his way of his wife Fíriel, who by ancient Numenorean law now should have become Ruling Queen. Earnil II was selected to become king after his predecessor, King Ondoher and his heirs, were slain in battle. In the previous year an attack had been launched upon Gondor by the Haradrim and the Wainriders. In response, King Ondoher led the main army north to counter the Easterling invasion at Dagorlad and was defeated. Earnil was commander of Gondor’s southern army and guarded Pelargir. Earnil led his army to the Crossings of the Poros where he defeated the Haradrim. This enabled him to turn his attention to the invading Wainriders. The Wainriders, certain of victory, were celebrating their success before they would enter Minas Anor. They were unaware of Earnil’s victory in the south and were taken by surprise when Earnil attacked them and resulted in the victory of the Battle of the Camp

Gondor’s Long Wait For a King

After the threat was eliminated Gondor’s attention shifted towards Steward Pelendur and the Council of Gondor, for King Ondoher along with his two sons were slain at Dagorlad. Both he and prince Arvedui had claim to the throne. Arvedui based his claim on that he was the direct descendant of Isildur (second High King of Arnor and Gondor and uncle to Meneldil first King of Gondor), and as the husband of Firiel, only surviving child of King Ondoher. The claim was rejected and Earnil of the House of Anarion was elected king for his deeds, heritage, and because the Steward, Pelendur, claimed that “The crown and royalty of Gondor belongs solely to the heirs of Meneldil, son of Anarion, to whom Isildur relinquished this realm. In Gondor, this heritage is reckoned through the sons only; and we have not heard that the law is otherwise in Arnor”.

Aside from being a gifted general Earnil was also a wise ruler. He sent messages to Arvedui announcing that he received the crown of Gondor, according to the laws and the needs of the South-Kingdom, “but I do not forget the royalty of Arnor, nor deny our kinship, or wish that the realms of Elendil be estranged. I will send to your aid when you have need, so far as I am able.” That time came finally came for Earnil as messages came to Gondor that Arthedain was in grave danger, and that the Witch-King of Angmar was preparing to strike against them. Earnil sent his son Earnur north with a fleet, as swiftly as he could, and with as great a strength as he could spare to aid Arvedui. Earnur arrived too late to save Arthedain and Arvedui who had fled north and drowned in the Ice-Bay of Forochel, but had managed to defeat the host of Angmar’s army in the Battle of Fornost with the help of Cirdan, the Lord of the Grey Havens and Glorfindl with an army from Rivendell. There, Earnur earned the hatred of the Witch-king. Earnil died late in the Third Age after a rule of ninety-eight years and was succeeded by his son Earnur, who was as good a general as his father but lacked his wisdom. This marked a very long void in Gondor’s throne before the heir of Isildur returned.

Until next time, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

Hail and Well Met Everyone!

Last week we left off with Isildur, the high king of both the kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. Since the death of Isildur we see a direct split in the lines and the title of High King did not fall to the House of Anarion.

A Kings Line Divided

Meneldil was born in Numenor a year before its fall. He was the fourth child of Anarion, and was the last recorded child born of Numenor before it’s destruction. He had three older sisters and became the King of Gondor in the second year of the Third Age, after the death of his uncle Isildur. Meneldil was the first “King of Gondor” to rule independently from the High Kingdom of Arnor.

It is uncertain whether Meneldil was King by right, because his father Anarion was only co-ruler of Gondor under his brother Isildur, who was the High King. Meneldil did have a cousin that could have made the rightful claim to the throne of both kingdoms, but he never stepped forward to make such claim. The people of Gondor accepted Meneldil’s claim over Gondor, but King Valandil of Arnor never made any real attempt to take rule over both kingdoms until Anarion’s line had failed. Meneldil did serve Gondor from Arnor for 156 years before his death in year 158, but the title of High King still remained with the northern kingship line.

A Rule of Peace in the Lands

Cemendur took the throne after the death of his father Meneldil, but little is known about his reign. It was a peacful time, and he ruled Gondor for 80 years and died in 238 of the Third Age. He had one son Earendil who continued the reign of peace in the lands. There were no major events recorded during his time as king, but ruled Gondor for 86 years and died in 324 of the Third Age. Earendil’s son Anardil took the throne after his fathers death. The only major event recorded during his reign is he was the last king to dwell in Osgiliath, and his son Ostoher helped rebuild and expand Minas Anor. Anardil died in 411 of the Third Age and ruled Gondor for 87 years.

Ostoher took reign of Gondor and during his time as king he turned Minas Anor into a great dwelling place for his people, and continued to expand Minas Anor until it bacame a city as well as his fortress. This city is one of the most renown of all Middle Earth as most people know it as the captial city of Gondor, or better known as Minas Tirith. The white city became the captial some 1200 years after the great plague that hit the city in 1636.

Ostoher faced some challenges during his reign as in the last two years of his rule the Easterlings planned attacks on Gondor. Because of the advanced technology and fortified keeps the king sent his son Tarostar who commanded his armies and was able to ward off and the Easterling threat. Ostoher ruled Gondor for 81 years and died in 492 of the Third Age in which his son Tarostar took reign of Gondor. Tarostar, fought the Easterlings for almost a hundred years before defeating them, and after the victory renamed himself Romendacil, which means East-Victor.

The Line of Stewards Created

It was Romendacil, that created the line of Stewards for Gondor, as they were to be the men of wisdom and learning that would serve as high councilors to the king. This bloodline of men were known as the House of Hurin, and they would later become the rulers of Gondor when the line of kings failed in 2050 of the Third Age.

Almost 500 years of peace is what the land of Gondor saw but that was about to come to an end as the Easterlings invaded the land once again in 541 and killed Romendacil. His son Turambar took the throne at a very young age, probably as a young teenager and avenged his fathers death. Turambar expanded the lands of Gondor as he took his armies and conquered large parts of Rhun from the Easterlings. This land became known as the East Land province of Gondor. Turambar ruled Gondor for 126 years, which was the longest reign since king Meneldil. He died in 667 of the Third Age at which his son Atanatar took reign over Gondor.

Not much is recorded of Atanatar’s reign other than it was a peacful time of Gondor. He passed in the year 748 of the Third Age and had one son.

Siriondil took the throne after his fathers death in 748 and had two sons, Tarannon, and Tarciyan. There were no major events recorded during his reign and was probably a continued time of peace for the land. He ruled for 82 years and died in 830 of the Third Age. Tarciryan took his place as the King of Gondor after his fathers death, but his brother Tarannon became the first Ship King of Gondor as he built the kingdoms great naval fleet!

Next week we will continue taking a historical look at the kings line of Gondor, and the great Ship Kings.

Until then, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

Tag: The Kings of Gondor

The Kings of Gondor – Part Eight – Battle of the Plains