Ruling Queens of Númenor: Difference between revisions

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The '''Ruling Queens of Númenor''' were women who ruled the kingdom of [[Númenor]]. Out of Númenor's twenty-five [[King of Númenor|rulers]], only three were female, but the existence of Ruling Queens under Númenórean law was remarkable in a society and a world dominated by male rulers.
The '''Ruling Queens of Númenor''' were women who ruled the kingdom of [[Númenor]].  


==History==
==History==
===Numenor===
In the early days of Númenor, succession followed the principle of agnatic primogeniture—that is, rule passed to the oldest ''male'' offspring of the King. The [[Queen of Númenor]] was the queen consort of the King.
In the early days of Númenor, succession followed the principle of agnatic primogeniture—that is, rule passed to the oldest ''male'' offspring of the King. A similar principle was used by the High Kings of the [[Noldor|Ñoldor]]in [[Elves]], with whom the [[Edain]] of Númenor had had extensive dealings.  


Silmariën (born {{SA|521}}<ref group="note">The ''Tale of Years'' as published in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' gives Silmariën a birthdate of {{SA|548}}, but it is clear that Silmariën was the oldest child of Tar-Elendil, while that of her sister Isilmë is fixed at {{SA|532|n}} and her brother at {{SA|543|n}}. The reason for this apparent error is that her birthdate was changed from {{SA|548|n}} to {{SA|521|n}}, but this revision was missed in the ''Tale of Years'' (see [[Timeline]]).</ref>), the progenitor of the line of the Lords of [[Andúnië]] &mdash; from which the Kings of [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]] later sprung&mdash;was the oldest child of King [[Tar-Elendil]]. Under the laws at the time, women were not allowed to rule, so she was passed over in favour of her younger brother, [[Tar-Meneldur]]. Nevertheless, Silmariën is one of the most significant of Númenor's royal family, as she presumably inherited both the sword [[Narsil]] and the [[Ring of Barahir]] from Tar-Elendil, her father, as these were handed down to her descendants, the Lords of Andúnië and later the Kings of [[Gondor]] and [[Arnor]]. Silmariën also probably commissioned the creation of other precious heirlooms to survive into the [[Fourth Age]]: the Sceptre of Andúnië, which after the Downfall became the Sceptre of [[Arnor]] and the [[Star of Elendil]], which likewise became the token of royalty in [[Arnor]].  
[[Tar-Aldarion]], the sixth ruler of Númenor, had only one child: a daughter, [[Ancalimë]]. To prevent the throne from passing to his nephew, [[Soronto]], he changed the '''[[Law of Succession in Númenor]]''' to allow full cognatic primogeniture, under which rule would pass to the oldest child of the ruler, whether male or female.  


[[Tar-Aldarion]], the sixth ruler of Númenor, had only one child: a daughter, Ancalimë. To prevent the throne from passing to his nephew, [[Soronto]], he changed the law to allow full cognatic primogeniture, under which rule would pass to the oldest child of the ruler, whether male or female.
Out of Númenor's twenty-five [[King of Númenor|rulers]], only three were female: '''[[Tar-Ancalimë]]''', '''[[Tar-Telperiën]]''' and '''[[Tar-Vanimeldë]]'''.
 
===Gondor and Arnor===
 
After the [[Akallabêth|destruction of Númenor]], the surviving Númenóreans (led by descendants of Silmariën) founded the kingdoms of [[Arnor]] and [[Gondor]] in [[Middle-earth]]. At that point, cognatic primogeniture seems to have been abandoned; none of the rulers of [[Kings of Arnor|Arnor]] or [[Kings of Gondor|Gondor]] were women, and in the case of [[Anárion]]'s children the youngest child [[Meneldil]] received the throne, as his older siblings were women. [[Berúthiel|Queen Berúthiel]] of Gondor, although certainly formidable, was a Queen-consort, and therefore did not rule, at least officially.
 
In {{TA|1945}}, [[Arvedui]] of [[Arthedain]]&mdash;who was married to [[Fíriel]], daughter and only surviving child of King [[Ondoher]]&mdash;invoked the old Númenórean law to claim that ''he'' (not his wife) should be granted the throne. Instead, the Steward [[Pelendur]] gave the throne to [[Eärnil II]], a prominent general. Ironically, the Kingship ''did'' eventually pass to Fíriel's line, in the person of King [[Aragorn|Aragorn Elessar]].


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[[Category: Rulers of Númenor]]
[[Category:Rulers of Númenor]]
[[Category: Titles]]
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Revision as of 13:32, 21 May 2016

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The Ruling Queens of Númenor were women who ruled the kingdom of Númenor.

History

In the early days of Númenor, succession followed the principle of agnatic primogeniture—that is, rule passed to the oldest male offspring of the King. The Queen of Númenor was the queen consort of the King.

Tar-Aldarion, the sixth ruler of Númenor, had only one child: a daughter, Ancalimë. To prevent the throne from passing to his nephew, Soronto, he changed the Law of Succession in Númenor to allow full cognatic primogeniture, under which rule would pass to the oldest child of the ruler, whether male or female.

Out of Númenor's twenty-five rulers, only three were female: Tar-Ancalimë, Tar-Telperiën and Tar-Vanimeldë.

Notes

References

Kings of Númenor
Elros Tar-Minyatur (S.A. 32 - 442) · Tar-Vardamir* (442) · Tar-Amandil (442 - 590) · Tar-Elendil (590 - 740) · Tar-Meneldur (740 - 883) · Tar-Aldarion (883 - 1075) · Tar-AncalimëQ (1075 - 1280) · Tar-Anárion (1280 - 1394) · Tar-Súrion (1394 - 1556) · Tar-TelperiënQ (1556 - 1731) · Tar-Minastir (1731 - 1869) · Tar-Ciryatan (1869 - 2029) · Tar-Atanamir (2029 - 2221) · Tar-Ancalimon (2221 - 2386) · Tar-Telemmaitë (2386 - 2526) · Tar-VanimeldëQ (2526 - 2637) · Tar-Anducal† (2637 - 2657) · Tar-Alcarin (2657 - 2737) · Tar-Calmacil (2737 - 2825) · Tar-Ardamin (2825 - 2899) · Ar-Adûnakhôr (2899 - 2962) · Ar-Zimrathôn (2962 - 3033) · Ar-Sakalthôr (3033 - 3102) · Ar-Gimilzôr (3102 - 3177) · Tar-Palantir (3177 - 3255) · Ar-Pharazôn‡ (3255 - 3319)
* Immediately abdicated in favour of his son · Q Ruling Queens · † Usurped throne. Later struck off the Line of Kings · ‡ Usurped throne from his cousin Tar-Míriel
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