Tar-Ciryatan

From Tolkien Gateway
Tar-Ciryatan
Númenórean
Biographical Information
Other namesAr-Balkumagân (A)[1]
TitlesKing of Númenor
LocationNúmenor
LanguageAdûnaic, Sindarin and Quenya
BirthS.A. 1634[2]
RuleS.A. 1869 - 2029 (160 years)[2]
DeathS.A. 2035[2] (aged 401)
Family
HouseHouse of Elros
ParentageTar-Minastir[3]
ChildrenTar-Atanamir[4]
Physical Description
GenderMale

Tar-Ciryatan was the twelfth King of Númenor.

History[edit | edit source]

Ciryatan was the son of Tar-Minastir.

He scorned the yearnings of his father and eased his restlessness by voyaging east, north and south to Middle-earth before he took the sceptre.[2] In the time before he took the sceptre, the War of the Elves and Sauron began in Middle-earth in S.A. 1693,[5] Sauron invaded Eriador in S.A. 1695,[6] the realms of Eregion fell and Sauron advanced to Lindon and besieged Rivendell.[7] His father Minastir sent a navy under the command of Ciryatur to Lindon to aid the Elves in 1700.[8] Ciryatur's forces utterly routed Sauron's army in the Battle of the Gwathló and reinforcements from Lindon and Tharbad helped defeat the enemy and Sauron retreated back to Mordor.[7] Starting around the year 1800,[9] the Númenóreans, who had tasted power in Middle-earth in the battles with Sauron, began to establish permanent settlements on the western coasts of Middle-earth[7] and turned their havens into fortresses, which held wide coastlands in subjection.[10] The Númenoreans became too powerful for Sauron to attempt to move west out of Mordor for a long time,[7] so Sauron extended his power eastwards.[9]

It was said that Ciryatan constrained his father to surrender the sceptre before he would have done so of his free will. Tar-Ciryatan built a great fleet of royal ships and his servants oppressed the men of Middle-earth and brought large quantities of metals and gems back to Númenor.[2] It was during his reign when the Númenoreans began to speak openly against the ban, which forbade them to sail to Tol Eressëa, and Aman and the mortality of Men.[11] Those were considered the first signs of the coming of the Shadow over the bliss of Númenor.[2]

He surrendered the sceptre in 2029[2] and was succeeded by his son, Tar-Atanamir.[4]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Ciryatan is a Quenya name. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Shipbuilder" or "Shipwright" as a compound of cirya ("ship") and the suffixal form -tan ("builder", "wright") of tamo ("smith").[12] It is possible that he took this name, because he built a great fleet of ships. He is also explicitly referred to as "the Shipbuilder"[11][13][14] or as "(Shipwright)" after his name.[1] Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal names in Quenya, Ciryatan added the prefix tar- ("high") to his name when he received the Sceptre.[15]

Balkumagân is an Adûnaic name. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Shipbuilder" or "Shipwright" as a compound of the objective form of balak ("ship") and magân ("builder", "wright").[16] The meaning of the Adûnaic prefix Ar- is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "king" and is a prefixal form of ârû ("king") or derived from the same root.[17]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
Tar-Súrion
1174 - 1574
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Telperiën
1320 - 1731
 
Isilmo
unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Minastir
1474 - 1873
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TAR-CIRYATAN
1634 - 2035
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Atanamir
1800 - 2221
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Ancalimon
1986 - 2386


Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth incorrectly states the year of his death as S.A. 2251. This is because the Tale of Years said that in that year "Tar-Atanamir takes the sceptre". However, Atanamir died in 2221. 2221 is itself an emendation of 2251, and the former (2221) appears in the later tables, while the latter (2251) in the earlier tables: therefore 2251 (properly 2221) should have read "Death of Tar-Atanamir. Tar-Ancalimon takes the sceptre".[18]

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

1982: Middle-earth Role Playing:

Tar-Ciryatan is the father of Er-Mûrazôr, the Witch-king. Tar-Ciryatan's arrogance and greed shaped Murazor into the monster he would become.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", p. 151
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XII Tar-Ciryatan
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XI Tar-Minastir
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry XIII Tar-Atanamir the Great
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 1693
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 1695
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 1700
  9. 9.0 9.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year c. 1800
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Númenor", paragraph about the kings after Minastir
  11. 11.0 11.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
  12. Paul Strack, "Q. Ciryatan m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 22 December 2021)
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", entry Tar-Ciryatan
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", paragraphs § § 24, 25, commentary about AB § 25
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", first paragraph and entry I to XXV
  16. Paul Strack, "Ad. Balkumagân m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 January 2022)
  17. Paul Strack, "Ad. Ar- pref.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 January 2022)
  18. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", Note 10
Tar-Ciryatan
House of Elros
Born: S.A. 1634 Died: S.A. 2035
Preceded by:
Tar-Minastir
12th King of Númenor
S.A. 1869 - 2029
Followed by:
Tar-Atanamir


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