Elendil: Difference between revisions

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| name=Elendil
| name=Elendil
| othernames=Elendil the Tall,  Elendil the Fair
| othernames=Elendil the Tall,  Elendil the Fair
| birth= II 3119
| birth= [[Second Age|II]] 3119
| rule= II 3320
| rule= II 3320
| death= II 3441
| death= II 3441

Revision as of 22:30, 4 December 2006

Template:Royalty infobox Elendil was the father of Isildur and Anárion, a survivor of the Downfall of Númenor, and the founder and first king of Arnor and Gondor. Elendil was also known as Elendil the Tall (Tolkien put his height at a lofty 7'11" or 2.41 meters) and Elendil the Fair,

Elendil was born in Númenor, son of Amandil, Lord of Andúnië and leader of the "Faithful", who maintained a strong friendship with the Elves and preserved the old ways against the barbarous practices of Ar-Pharazôn and Sauron. Elendil's name means "Devoted to the Stars" in Quenya.

Elendil, his sons Isildur and Anárion, and their supporters fled to Middle-earth at the Downfall of Númenor, sailing east in seven ships and founding the realms of Arnor and Gondor in Second Age 3320. With them they took the palantíri, the "Seeing Stones" that were given to the Lords of Andúnie by the Elves of Tol Eressëa, and a seedling of Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor.

As he landed on Middle-earth he proclaimed in Quenya: "Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta" ("Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I have come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world"). His heir and great-grandson by 39 generations Aragorn II spoke these words again when he took up the crown of Gondor as King Elessar at the beginning of the Fourth Age.

Elendil lived in Arnor, where he founded the city of Annúminas. His son Anárion founded the city of Minas Anor in Anórien, and his son Isildur founded Minas Ithil in Ithilien. Across the Anduin the city of Osgiliath was built. In both realms were built towers for the palantíri, with which the lords kept contact.

In time the evil lord Sauron returned to Middle-earth, establishing a stronghold in Mordor, next to Gondor. In 3428 Sauron attacked, seizing Minas Ithil. Isildur fled north to his father, leaving Anárion in charge of Gondor. In 3434, King Elendil and Isildur returned south together with the Elven High King Gil-galad and their combined armies, in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. At the end of the long siege of Barad-dûr, in the year 3441 of the Second Age, Sauron came out to personally do battle. Gil-galad and Elendil fought Sauron and cast him down, but were both slain, and Elendil's sword Narsil was broken when he fell. His son Isildur used the broken sword to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. However, despite the urgings of Elrond, Isildur chose not to destroy the Ring at Mount Doom and was eventually betrayed by the Ring in the Disaster of the Gladden Fields, slain by Orcs.

Elendil was a great warrior, a wise king, and a heroic figure among the Dúnedain and other Men of the West. Isildur built a hidden tomb for his father on the summit of the beacon hill of Halifirien.

Aragorn's battle-cry was "Elendil!"

Portrayal in Adaptations

In the opening exposition of Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring, Elendil is played by Peter McKenzie. Unlike in the books, Elendil is killed by a blow of Sauron, instead of having a part in destroying him with Gil-galad. Instead, Isildur deals the fatal blow to the still-living Sauron by cutting off his Ring.

Preceded by:
none
1st King of Arnor
II 3320 – 3441
Followed by:
Isildur
Preceded by:
none
1st King of Gondor
II 3320 – 3441
Followed by:
Isildur
Preceded by:
none
1st High King of the Two Kingdoms
II 3320 – 3441
Followed by:
Isildur