Guards of the Citadel

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Tower Guard of Minas Tirith by Angelo Montanini

The Guards of the Citadel or Tower of Gondor were those honoured guards of Minas Tirith who were charged with protecting the Citadel, the highest and most important tier of the city, and participated in official functions.

They also guarded the White Tree that stood in the Court of the Fountain. At the time of the War of the Ring it had been dead for nearly 150 years, until the new King Elessar and Gandalf found a new seedling of the Tree, and the Guards' great duty was refounded.

Appearance and attire

At the end of the Third Age, they were the only soldiers of Gondor to wear the Livery of Elendil himself - a white tree in blossom, surmounted by a silver crown and stars, all embroidered on a field of black. They also bore heirlooms of Gondor's ancient wealth, tall helmets wrought out of mithril, and bearing the carved wings of sea-birds.

Organisation

There seem to have been at least three companies, each of which had its own storehouse; Beregond, son of Baranor belonged to the Third Company.[1] The Captain-general of the Guards was probably the heir of the throne; during the time of the Ruling Stewards it was the heir of the Steward.

References