Mardil

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Mardil Voronwë
Gondorian
Biographical Information
PositionRuling Steward
BirthThird Age 1960
RuleThird Age 2050 - Third Age 2080
DeathThird Age 2080, aged 120 years
Family
ParentageVorondil
ChildrenEradan
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Mardil Voronwë

Mardil Voronwë (Third Age 1960Third Age 2080, aged 120 years) was the first Ruling Steward of Gondor.

The position of Steward was already hereditary since the days of his grandfather Pelendur and Mardil inherited the title of Steward from his father Vorondil the Hunter in Third Age 2029. He was Steward during the last part of the reign of King Eärnil II and throughout the reign of Eärnur, Eärnil's son.

Mardil had the difficult task of restraining Eärnur's urge to fight the Witch-king of Angmar, the chief of the Ringwraiths, who accused Eärnur after the Battle of Fornost of being afraid to fight him.

The King of Minas Morgul reminded Eärnur of this and challenged him at the start of his reign in Third Age 2043. Although Eärnur wanted to fight the King of Morgul he was restrained with difficulty by Mardil. But when the King of Morgul issued another challenge in Third Age 2050, Eärnur would not be restrained. He marched to Minas Morgul and was never seen again.

As the first Ruling Steward

Eärnur had never married and had no children, so Mardil took it upon himself to rule Gondor. There was no one with a clear and unassailable claim to the throne, so the rule of the Stewards was a way of averting civil war. Because the fate of the King was unknown, Mardil made an oath to rule until "the King returns". This oath would be sworn by all of the Ruling Stewards.

Mardil ruled Gondor with a steady hand and earned the epithet Voronwë, which means "the Steadfast" in Quenya.

It was soon learned that Eärnur had met certain death at Minas Morgul, and upon Mardil's death in Third Age 2080, his son Eradan succeeded him as the second Ruling Steward of Gondor.

Etymology

Mardil means “(One) devoted to the House (of the Kings)", from már and -ndil, literally "Friend of the (Royal) House".

See also Voronwe.

Preceded by:
Vorondil
Steward to the King of Gondor
III 2029 – 2050
Followed by:
Faramir, 969 years later
Preceded by:
none
1st Ruling Steward of Gondor
III 2050 – 2080
Followed by:
Eradan
The Southern Line and the Heirs of Anárion
Kings of Gondor: Elendil (S.A. 3320 - 3441) · Isildur (S.A. 3441 - T.A. 2) and Anárion (S.A. 3320 - 3440) · Meneldil (T.A. 2 - 158) · Cemendur (158 - 238) · Eärendil (238 - 324) · Anardil (324 - 411) · Ostoher (411 - 492) · Rómendacil I (492 - 541) · Turambar (541 - 667) · Atanatar I (667 - 748) · Siriondil (748 - 830) · Tarannon Falastur (830 - 913) · Eärnil I (913 - 936) · Ciryandil (936 - 1015) · Hyarmendacil I (1015 - 1149) · Atanatar II Alcarin (1149 - 1226) · Narmacil I (1226 - 1294) · Calmacil (1294 - 1304) · Rómendacil II (1304 - 1366) · Valacar (1366 - 1432) · Eldacar (1432 - 1437) · Castamir the Usurper (1437 - 1447) · Eldacar restored (1447 - 1490) · Aldamir (1490 - 1540) · Hyarmendacil II (1540 - 1621) · Minardil (1621 - 1634) · Telemnar (1634 - 1636) · Tarondor (1636 - 1798) · Telumehtar Umbardacil (1798 - 1850) · Narmacil II (1850 - 1856) · Calimehtar (1856 - 1936) · Ondoher (1936 - 1944) · Eärnil II (1945 - 2043) · Eärnur (2043 - 2050)
Stewards of Gondor: Húrin of Emyn Arnen (c. T.A. 1630s) · Pelendur (before T.A. 1944 - 1998) · Vorondil (1998 - 2029) · Mardil Voronwë (2029 - 2080) · Eradan (2080 - 2116) · Herion (2116 - 2148) · Belegorn (2148 - 2204) · Húrin I (2204 - 2244) · Túrin I (2244 - 2278) · Hador (2278 - 2395) · Barahir (2395 - 2412) · Dior (2412 - 2435) · Denethor I (2435 - 2477) · Boromir (2477 - 2489) · Cirion (2489 - 2567) · Hallas (2567 - 2605) · Húrin II (2605 - 2628) · Belecthor I (2628 - 2655) · Orodreth (2655 - 2685) · Ecthelion I (2685 - 2698) · Egalmoth (2698 - 2743) · Beren (2743 - 2763) · Beregond (2763 - 2811) · Belecthor II (2811 - 2872) · Thorondir (2872 - 2882) · Túrin II (2882 - 2914) · Turgon (2914 - 2953) · Ecthelion II (2953 - 2984) · Denethor II (2984 - 3019) · Faramir (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 82) · Elboron (Fo.A. 82 onwards)
Kings of Gondor: Elessar (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 120) · Eldarion (Fo.A. 120 onwards)
Non-ruling stewards are in italics

References