Tar-Telperiën

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 06:24, 29 August 2007 by Tar-Telperien (talk | contribs)
Tar-Telperiën
Númenórean
Biographical Information
Birth1320
RuleS.A. 1556-S.A. 1731
Death411 years; S.A. 1731
Physical Description
GenderFemale
GalleryImages of Tar-Telperiën

Tar-Telperiën was the tenth monarch of Númenor and its second Ruling Queen. She was the eldest child of Tar-Súrion, and a proud and willful ruler.

Little is known of Tar-Telperiën's reign, but it is stated in The Line of Elros that she refused to wed, and so died without an heir. During her rule in Númenor, momentous events took place in Middle-earth: the Rings of Power were forged and the War of the Elves and Sauron began. Despite the ancient alliance between the Dúnedain and the Elves, Tar-Telperiën did not interfere in these matters; her successor had to deal with Middle-earth's troubles.

Tar-Telperiën was long-lived even for one of Elros' line, and appeared to be reluctant to give up her power: unlike all the rulers of Númenor before her, she did not surrender the Sceptre to her successor a few years before her death, but instead waited until just prior to it.

Tar-Telperiën's nephew Minastir, the son of her younger brother Isilmo, succeeded her and ruled as Tar-Minastir.

Etymology

Tar-Telperiën's name is in Quenya. It is difficult to translate exactly; it appears to be a feminization of Telperion, one of the Two Trees of Valinor. Alternatively, her name could mean "Silver One" (from tyelpë 'silver' and -iën, a feminine ending). Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal titles in Quenya, Telperiën added the suffix tar- ('high') to her name when she received the Sceptre.

Genealogy

                     Tar-Súrion
                        |
                        |
               _________|_________
              |                   |
              |                   |
        TAR-TELPERIËN           Isilmo
                                  |
                                  |
                             Tar-Minastir

Preceded by:
Tar-Súrion
10th Ruler of Númenor
(2nd Ruling Queen)
II 1556 – 1731
Followed by:
Tar-Minastir