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'''Pelargir''' was a great harbour city in southern [[Gondor]].
{{location infobox
| name=Pelargir
| image=[[File:Roger Garland - Middle-earth Panorama (Pelargir).jpg|250px]]
| caption="Middle-earth Panorama" showing Pelargir by [[Roger Garland]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=Southern [[Gondor]] ([[Lebennin]]), on the [[Anduin]]
| type=City
| description=Main harbour of [[Gondor]]
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Gondorians]]
| created={{SA|2350}}<ref name=b1>{{App|B1}}</ref>
| destroyed=
| events=[[Kin-strife]]<br/>[[War of the Ring]]
}}


Pelargir was the chief city of the region of [[Lebennin]], built where the river [[Sirith]] joined with the [[Anduin|Great River]].  It was the primary port of Gondor. The name means "Garth of Royal Ships" in [[Sindarin]].
{{quote|At Pelargir the Heir of Isildur will have need of you.|[[Aragorn]] in ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[The Last Debate]]"}}


Pelargir was one of the oldest cities in Gondor, founded by the Faithful [[Númenóreans]] in the year 2350 of the [[Second Age]]. During the [[Third Age]], it was under continual threat from the [[Southrons]] and the [[Corsairs of Umbar]].
'''Pelargir''' was a great city on the river [[Anduin]], and the main harbour of [[Gondor]].


During the [[Kin-strife]], the rebel followers of [[Castamir]] retreated there after his death, led by his sons. At Pelargir they fought a lengthy siege against the rightful King of Gondor, before fleeing to the [[Haven of Umbar]].
==History==
Pelargir was built in {{SA|2350}} as a haven of the [[Faithful]].<ref name=b1>{{App|B1}}</ref> The [[King's Men]] established havens farther South.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref> It had in its early days been a city only a few miles away from the coasts, but after the [[Downfall of Númenor]] the coasts along the [[Bay of Belfalas]] had retreated a great distance and the city was left far inland.<ref>{{PM|Second}}</ref> Pelargir was one of the cities that assembled [[Gondor]] when it was founded in {{SA|3320}} by the Faithful.<ref name=b1/>


During the [[War of the Ring]], Pelargir was besieged by the Black Ships of the Corsairs, but was liberated by [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] and the Army of the Dead.
It became an even greater haven in the days of the [[Ship-kings]]. [[Tarannon Falastur]] built a great house there, with its roots in the water which he so dearly loved. His wife, [[Berúthiel]], did not, however, and preferred to live in [[Osgiliath]] with her [[Cats of Queen Berúthiel|cats]].<ref name=Cirion>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref> Tarannon's nephew [[Eärnil I]], who succeeded him, rebuilt Pelargir and built a great navy to conquer [[Umbar]].<ref name="Anarion">{{App|Gondor}}</ref>


[[Castamir]] was highly loved in the shore regions of the land, and when he usurped the throne, he purposed to move the throne from Osgiliath to Pelargir.<ref name="Anarion"/> Though he did not do so, he did move his base there. [[Eldacar (King of Gondor)|Eldacar]] turned the tide in the [[Kin-strife]] at the [[Battle of the Crossings of Erui]] in {{TA|1447}}, and Castamir's family, supporters and ships retreated to Pelargir. Eldacar [[Siege of Pelargir|besieged them by land]] until they were driven out, making their way to Umbar.<ref name="Anarion"/><ref name="tTA">{{App|TA}}</ref> Castamir's great-grandsons [[Angamaitë]] and [[Sangahyando]] eventually retook Pelargir in {{TA|1634|n}}, and slew king [[Minardil]].<ref name="Anarion"/><ref name="tTA"/>
Like his namesake, the great general [[Eärnil II|Eärnil]] took up residence in Pelargir. His Army of the South was stationed there during the [[Wainrider/Balchoth War|long war with the Wainriders]]. News of the [[Disaster of the Morannon]] reached him on [[9 July]] {{TA|1944|n}}, and he set out to [[Battle of the Camp|battle]]. He returned victorious, and with the King and his sons slain, the general (of royal blood) was crowned King Eärnil II.<<ref name=Cirion/>
During the [[War of the Ring]], Pelargir was overrun by [[Corsairs of Umbar|Corsairs]] once again. Their fleet of some fifty great ships and many more smaller vessels laid in dock, ready to sail to [[Harlond (Gondor)|Harlond]]. It was not to be: On [[12 March]]<ref name=great>{{App|Great}}</ref> [[Aragorn]] and the [[Oathbreakers|Dead Men of Dunharrow]] struck fear into the men of Umbar, drove the enemy towards Pelargir and [[13 March|the next day]] they followed the enemy there,<ref name=great/> causing them to flee or dive into the river [[Anduin]]. After manning the Black Ships with [[Grey Company|his own troops]], Aragorn lifted the curse that followed the Dead Men since the day of [[Isildur]].<ref name="tLD">{{RK|Debate}}</ref>
==Etymology==
''Pelargir'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Garth of Royal Ships".<ref>{{HM|UI}}, p. 535</ref><ref>{{S|Index}}, entry ''Pelargir''</ref> [[Christopher Tolkien]] has noted that the first element derives from the [[Elvish]] element/root ''[[PEL|pel-]]'' ("go round", "encircle").<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''pel-''</ref> [[Paul Strack]] suggests that it is a compound of ''[[pêl]]'' ("fenced field") + the prefix ''[[ara|ar(a)-]]'' ("royal", "noble", "high") + [[lenition|lenited]] form of the plural ''cîr'' of ''[[cair]]'' ("ship").<ref name=Eldamo>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-363270689.html|articlename=S. ''Pelargir'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=07 February 2022}}</ref>
==Inspiration==
[[Letter to Jennifer Brookes-Smith (28 July 1955)|Writing in a letter]] about an impending trip in [[1955]], Tolkien identified Pelargir as [[Wikipedia:Venice|Venice]].<ref>{{CG|C}}, p. 462</ref>
==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:Pelargir appears on a map when Gandalf explains the coming of the Black Ships.
'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Pelargir is one of the settings in which skirmishes can be fought.
'''2014: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Pelargir was built around the meeting of the rivers [[Sirith]] and [[Anduin]], on the eastern border of the Lower [[Lebennin]] area and the Central [[Gondor]] region, west of Upper Lebennin and Eastern Gondor. [[Aragorn]]'s retaking of Pelargir was featured in an Epic Battle and served as the climax of Book 2 of Volume IV. The city's emblem was a blue anchor on a white background, with gold trim. The city was divided into the West-garth, the East-garth, the Market Ward, the Shipwrights' Ward, the Court of the Ship-Kings, and Tol Ciryarani, though the latter was rendered inaccessible by a collapsed bridge by the time Aragorn liberated the city. Argillond, the Harbor of Royal Ships, was partitioned from the rest of the Great River by two sea-gates, one on the east and one on the west.
:Sirgon was Lord of the city during the [[War of the Ring]], and was captured and spirited away by [[Haradrim]] slavers when the city was captured. Sirgon's son Faltharan and his captain Thandor took command of the city following its liberation. Faltharan managed to rescue his mother and siblings, only to soon discover his brother Lorvegil had betrayed the city to the [[Corsairs of Umbar|Corsairs]], allowing it to fall. After apprehending Lorvegil, Faltharan discovered and rescued their father at the [[Warning beacons of Gondor|beacon]] Sirthanc in Upper Lebennin.
'''2022: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power]]'':'''
:After surviving the [[Udûn (episode)|eruption]] of [[Orodruin]] and [[The Eye|escaping]] the newly-named [[Mordor]], [[Bronwyn]] informs [[Galadriel]] upon a hilltop that she was planning on leading the surviving [[Pre-Númenóreans|Southlander]] remnant to Pelargir, which she refers to as "''an old [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] colony''".
{{references}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages]]
[[Category:Gondor]]
[[Category:Gondor]]
[[Category:Cities]]
[[Category:Harbours]]
[[Category:Sieges]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]
[[de:Pelargir]]
[[fi:Pelargir]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/villes_tours_et_forteresses/gondor/pelargir]]

Latest revision as of 18:42, 3 December 2023

Pelargir
City
Roger Garland - Middle-earth Panorama (Pelargir).jpg
"Middle-earth Panorama" showing Pelargir by Roger Garland
General Information
LocationSouthern Gondor (Lebennin), on the Anduin
TypeCity
DescriptionMain harbour of Gondor
People and History
InhabitantsGondorians
CreatedS.A. 2350[1]
EventsKin-strife
War of the Ring
GalleryImages of Pelargir
"At Pelargir the Heir of Isildur will have need of you."
― Aragorn in The Return of the King, "The Last Debate"

Pelargir was a great city on the river Anduin, and the main harbour of Gondor.

History[edit | edit source]

Pelargir was built in S.A. 2350 as a haven of the Faithful.[1] The King's Men established havens farther South.[2] It had in its early days been a city only a few miles away from the coasts, but after the Downfall of Númenor the coasts along the Bay of Belfalas had retreated a great distance and the city was left far inland.[3] Pelargir was one of the cities that assembled Gondor when it was founded in S.A. 3320 by the Faithful.[1]

It became an even greater haven in the days of the Ship-kings. Tarannon Falastur built a great house there, with its roots in the water which he so dearly loved. His wife, Berúthiel, did not, however, and preferred to live in Osgiliath with her cats.[4] Tarannon's nephew Eärnil I, who succeeded him, rebuilt Pelargir and built a great navy to conquer Umbar.[5]

Castamir was highly loved in the shore regions of the land, and when he usurped the throne, he purposed to move the throne from Osgiliath to Pelargir.[5] Though he did not do so, he did move his base there. Eldacar turned the tide in the Kin-strife at the Battle of the Crossings of Erui in T.A. 1447, and Castamir's family, supporters and ships retreated to Pelargir. Eldacar besieged them by land until they were driven out, making their way to Umbar.[5][6] Castamir's great-grandsons Angamaitë and Sangahyando eventually retook Pelargir in 1634, and slew king Minardil.[5][6]

Like his namesake, the great general Eärnil took up residence in Pelargir. His Army of the South was stationed there during the long war with the Wainriders. News of the Disaster of the Morannon reached him on 9 July 1944, and he set out to battle. He returned victorious, and with the King and his sons slain, the general (of royal blood) was crowned King Eärnil II.<[4]

During the War of the Ring, Pelargir was overrun by Corsairs once again. Their fleet of some fifty great ships and many more smaller vessels laid in dock, ready to sail to Harlond. It was not to be: On 12 March[7] Aragorn and the Dead Men of Dunharrow struck fear into the men of Umbar, drove the enemy towards Pelargir and the next day they followed the enemy there,[7] causing them to flee or dive into the river Anduin. After manning the Black Ships with his own troops, Aragorn lifted the curse that followed the Dead Men since the day of Isildur.[8]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Pelargir is Sindarin for "Garth of Royal Ships".[9][10] Christopher Tolkien has noted that the first element derives from the Elvish element/root pel- ("go round", "encircle").[11] Paul Strack suggests that it is a compound of pêl ("fenced field") + the prefix ar(a)- ("royal", "noble", "high") + lenited form of the plural cîr of cair ("ship").[12]

Inspiration[edit | edit source]

Writing in a letter about an impending trip in 1955, Tolkien identified Pelargir as Venice.[13]

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

1980: The Return of the King (1980 film):

Pelargir appears on a map when Gandalf explains the coming of the Black Ships.

2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth:

Pelargir is one of the settings in which skirmishes can be fought.

2014: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Pelargir was built around the meeting of the rivers Sirith and Anduin, on the eastern border of the Lower Lebennin area and the Central Gondor region, west of Upper Lebennin and Eastern Gondor. Aragorn's retaking of Pelargir was featured in an Epic Battle and served as the climax of Book 2 of Volume IV. The city's emblem was a blue anchor on a white background, with gold trim. The city was divided into the West-garth, the East-garth, the Market Ward, the Shipwrights' Ward, the Court of the Ship-Kings, and Tol Ciryarani, though the latter was rendered inaccessible by a collapsed bridge by the time Aragorn liberated the city. Argillond, the Harbor of Royal Ships, was partitioned from the rest of the Great River by two sea-gates, one on the east and one on the west.
Sirgon was Lord of the city during the War of the Ring, and was captured and spirited away by Haradrim slavers when the city was captured. Sirgon's son Faltharan and his captain Thandor took command of the city following its liberation. Faltharan managed to rescue his mother and siblings, only to soon discover his brother Lorvegil had betrayed the city to the Corsairs, allowing it to fall. After apprehending Lorvegil, Faltharan discovered and rescued their father at the beacon Sirthanc in Upper Lebennin.

2022: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:

After surviving the eruption of Orodruin and escaping the newly-named Mordor, Bronwyn informs Galadriel upon a hilltop that she was planning on leading the surviving Southlander remnant to Pelargir, which she refers to as "an old Númenórean colony".

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age"
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VI. The Tale of Years of the Second Age"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Last Debate"
  9. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 535
  10. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", entry Pelargir
  11. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entry pel-
  12. ↑ Paul Strack, "S. Pelargir loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 7 February 2022)
  13. ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 462
Route of the Fellowship of the Ring
Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Rohan · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Dunharrow · Paths of the Dead · Gondor · Hill of Erech · Lamedon · Linhir · Lebennin · Pelargir · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Boromir
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen†
Frodo and Sam
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Dead Marshes · Black Gate · Ithilien · Henneth Annûn · Cross-roads · Morgul Vale · Stairs of Cirith Ungol · Cirith Ungol · Shelob's Lair · Tower of Cirith Ungol · Mordor · Morgai · Plateau of Gorgoroth · Mount Doom · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Gandalf
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Celebdil† · Lothlórien · Fangorn Forest · Edoras · Hornburg · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Cair Andros · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Merry
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Parth Galen · Amon Hen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Hornburg · Dunharrow · Drúadan Forest · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
Pippin
Rivendell · Eregion · Caradhras · Moria · Lothlórien · Caras Galadhon · Anduin · Amon Hen · Parth Galen · Emyn Muil · Eastemnet · Fangorn Forest · Wellinghall · Derndingle · Isengard · Rohan · Anórien · Gondor · Minas Tirith · Osgiliath · Cross-roads · Ithilien · Dagorlad · Black Gate · Field of Cormallen · Gondor · Cair Andros · Minas Tirith · Anórien · Rohan · Edoras · Isengard
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