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'''Heir of Isildur''' was the title of thirty-nine lords of the [[Dúnedain]] descended in right line from [[Isildur]] the son of [[Elendil]], from his son [[Valandil of Arnor|Valandil]] to [[Aragorn Elessar]], who [[Reunited Kingdom|reunited the Kingdoms]] of the Dúnedain in [[Middle-earth]].
'''Heir of Isildur''' was the title of thirty-nine lords of the [[Dúnedain]] descended in right line from [[Isildur]] the son of [[Elendil]], from his son [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]] to [[Aragorn|Aragorn Elessar]],<ref>{{App|North}}</ref> who [[Reunited Kingdom|reunited the Kingdoms]] of the Dúnedain in [[Middle-earth]].


[[Isildur]] was the eldest son of [[Elendil]], and so by right he and his heirs should have inherited the title of [[High King]] and ruled the [[Two Kingdoms]] of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]]. Soon after the defeat of [[Sauron]] at the end of the [[Second Age]], though, Isildur and his three elder sons all perished in the [[Disaster of the Gladden Fields]].
[[Isildur]] was the eldest son of [[Elendil]], and so by right he and his heirs should have inherited the title of [[High King of the Dúnedain|High King]] and ruled the [[Reunited Kingdom|Two Kingdoms]] of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]]. Soon after the defeat of [[Sauron]] at the end of the [[Second Age]], Isildur and his three elder sons all perished in the [[Disaster of the Gladden Fields]].<ref>{{UT|Gladden}}</ref>


Isildur's only remaining Heir was [[Valandil]], kept safe in [[Rivendell]] but only eleven years old at that time, and unable to take up his rule. So, Isildur's nephew [[Meneldil]] took control of the kingdom of Gondor, and the Two Kingdoms split from one another. In the south, Gondor remained strong under the rule of Meneldil's descendants, but the [[North-kingdom]] was not so fortunate. It broke into three separate kingdoms, and was slowly overcome by dark forces of the neighbouring land of [[Angmar]]. [[Arvedui]], Isildur's Heir through twenty-three generations, was the last King to rule in the north; he attempted to reclaim the High Kingship, but failed, and the last remnant of royal Arnor was overrun by its enemies.
Isildur's only remaining Heir was [[Valandil (King of Arnor)|Valandil]], kept safe in [[Rivendell]] but only eleven years old at that time, and unable to take up his rule. So, Isildur's nephew [[Meneldil]] took control of the kingdom of Gondor, and the Two Kingdoms split from one another as Gondor's rule went to the [[House of Anárion]]. In the south, Gondor remained strong under the rule of Meneldil's descendants, but the [[Arnor|North-kingdom]] was not so fortunate. The sons of [[Eärendur (King of Arnor)|Eärendur]] quarreled, and while [[Amlaith]] was the Heir of Isildur and his father, the other sons broke the kingdom into three separate realms. Of these, Amlaith ruled [[Arthedain]], the only that [[Kings of Arthedain|was ruled]] by the Heir of Isildur. The other kingdoms were slowly overcome by dark forces of the evil land of [[Angmar]]. By the time [[Argeleb I]] of Arthedain came to power, the line of kings had failed in those kingdoms, so Argeleb claimed sovereignty over all of [[Arnor]]<ref name="Eriador">{{App|Eriador}}</ref> (taking the royal prefix ''[[ar|ar(a)-]]'' as a token of this<ref>{{App|North}}, note 4</ref>).


Now the line of Isildur in the north became forgotten by nearly all. Though their royal cities were wasted, and their people dwindled, the line of Isildur's Heirs continued for another sixteen generations under the title '[[Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]'. The last Chieftain was [[Aragorn II]] of the [[War of the Ring]], who famously came to [[Minas Tirith]] and reclaimed the High Kingship of all the western lands.
[[Arvedui]], Isildur's Heir through twenty-three generations, was the last King to rule in the north; he was also notable for marrying [[Fíriel]], daughter of the [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]] [[Ondoher]], thus uniting the [[House of Isildur]] and [[House of Anárion]]. He later attempted to reclaim the [[High King of the Dúnedain|High Kingship]], but failed,<ref name=gondor>{{App|Gondor}}</ref> and the last remnant of royal Arnor was overrun by its enemies.


Though their royal cities were wasted, and their people dwindled, the line of Isildur's Heirs continued for another sixteen generations under the title '[[Chieftains of the Dúnedain|Chieftain of the Dúnedain]]', who were Arvedui's descendants and ruled the remnants of the [[Dúnedain of Arnor]]. When the line of the Kings of Gondor also failed and the [[Ruling Steward|Ruling Stewards]] ruled the Kingdom, it was the Chieftains who held the line of Anárion alive, but they were hidden in the north, forgotten by all except in [[Rivendell|Imladris]] where heirs of Isildur were harboured as well as their heirlooms were kept.<ref name=gondor/>
The Heir of Isildur was a target of [[Sauron]], if any remained in [[Middle-earth]]; when [[Arathorn II]] died, the [[Wise]] decided to protect his son [[Aragorn]] by raising him without telling him of his name and heritage.<ref>{{App|Tale}}</ref>
The last Chieftain was [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]] of the [[War of the Ring]], who famously came to [[Minas Tirith]] and reclaimed the High Kingship of all the western lands as the [[Reunited Kingdom]].<ref name="Eriador"/>
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[[Category:Dúnedain of the North]]
[[Category:Dúnedain of the North]]
[[Category:Mannish Titles]]
[[Category:Mannish titles]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/dunedain/dunedain_du_nord/heritier_d_isildur]]
[[fi:Isildurin perijä]]

Revision as of 15:44, 8 April 2021

Heir of Isildur was the title of thirty-nine lords of the Dúnedain descended in right line from Isildur the son of Elendil, from his son Valandil to Aragorn Elessar,[1] who reunited the Kingdoms of the Dúnedain in Middle-earth.

Isildur was the eldest son of Elendil, and so by right he and his heirs should have inherited the title of High King and ruled the Two Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. Soon after the defeat of Sauron at the end of the Second Age, Isildur and his three elder sons all perished in the Disaster of the Gladden Fields.[2]

Isildur's only remaining Heir was Valandil, kept safe in Rivendell but only eleven years old at that time, and unable to take up his rule. So, Isildur's nephew Meneldil took control of the kingdom of Gondor, and the Two Kingdoms split from one another as Gondor's rule went to the House of Anárion. In the south, Gondor remained strong under the rule of Meneldil's descendants, but the North-kingdom was not so fortunate. The sons of Eärendur quarreled, and while Amlaith was the Heir of Isildur and his father, the other sons broke the kingdom into three separate realms. Of these, Amlaith ruled Arthedain, the only that was ruled by the Heir of Isildur. The other kingdoms were slowly overcome by dark forces of the evil land of Angmar. By the time Argeleb I of Arthedain came to power, the line of kings had failed in those kingdoms, so Argeleb claimed sovereignty over all of Arnor[3] (taking the royal prefix ar(a)- as a token of this[4]).

Arvedui, Isildur's Heir through twenty-three generations, was the last King to rule in the north; he was also notable for marrying Fíriel, daughter of the King of Gondor Ondoher, thus uniting the House of Isildur and House of Anárion. He later attempted to reclaim the High Kingship, but failed,[5] and the last remnant of royal Arnor was overrun by its enemies.

Though their royal cities were wasted, and their people dwindled, the line of Isildur's Heirs continued for another sixteen generations under the title 'Chieftain of the Dúnedain', who were Arvedui's descendants and ruled the remnants of the Dúnedain of Arnor. When the line of the Kings of Gondor also failed and the Ruling Stewards ruled the Kingdom, it was the Chieftains who held the line of Anárion alive, but they were hidden in the north, forgotten by all except in Imladris where heirs of Isildur were harboured as well as their heirlooms were kept.[5]

The Heir of Isildur was a target of Sauron, if any remained in Middle-earth; when Arathorn II died, the Wise decided to protect his son Aragorn by raising him without telling him of his name and heritage.[6]

The last Chieftain was Aragorn II of the War of the Ring, who famously came to Minas Tirith and reclaimed the High Kingship of all the western lands as the Reunited Kingdom.[3]

The Northern Line and the Heirs of Isildur
Kings of Arnor: Elendil (S.A. 3320 - 3441) · Isildur (S.A. 3441 - T.A. 2) · Valandil (T.A. 2 - 249) · Eldacar (249 - 339) · Arantar (339 - 435) · Tarcil (435 - 515) · Tarondor (515 - 602) · Valandur (602 - 652) · Elendur (652 - 777) · Eärendur (777 - 861)
Kings of Arthedain: Amlaith (861 - 946) · Beleg (946 - 1029) · Mallor (1029 - 1110) · Celepharn (1110 - 1191) · Celebrindor (1191 - 1272) · Malvegil (1272 - 1349) · Argeleb I (1349 - 1356) · Arveleg I (1356 - 1409) · Araphor (1409 - 1589) · Argeleb II (1589 - 1670) · Arvegil (1670 - 1743) · Arveleg II (1743 - 1813) · Araval (1813 - 1891) · Araphant (1891 - 1964) · Arvedui (1964 - 1975) ·
Chieftains of the Dúnedain: Aranarth (1975 - 2106) · Arahael (2106 - 2177) · Aranuir (2177 - 2247) · Aravir (2247 - 2319) · Aragorn I (2319 - 2327) · Araglas (2327 - 2455) · Arahad I (2455 - 2523) · Aragost (2523 - 2588) · Aravorn (2588 - 2654) · Arahad II (2654 - 2719) · Arassuil (2719 - 2784) · Arathorn I (2784 - 2848) · Argonui (2848 - 2912) · Arador (2912 - 2930) · Arathorn II (2930 - 2933) · Aragorn II (2933 - 3019)
Kings of Arnor: Elessar (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 120) · Eldarion (Fo.A. 120 onwards)

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields"
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur", note 4
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen"