Imrahil

2009-04-13T16:00:11Z

165.134.208.22:

{{men infobox
|image=<div style="height:400px;overflow:hidden;border-bottom:2px solid #fff;">[[Image:John Howe - Prince Imrahil.jpg|250px]]</div>
|name=Imrahil
|othernames= [[Prince of Dol Amroth]]
|birth=[[Third Age 2955|T.A. 2955]]
|death=[[Fourth Age 34|Fo. A. 34]]
|race=Men
|gender=Male
|height=Tall
|hair=Black
|eyes=Grey
|}}
{{quote|That is a fair lord and a great captain of men. If Gondor has such men still in these days of fading, great must have been its glory in the days of its rising.|[[Legolas of Mirkwood|Legolas]], ''[[The Last Debate]]''}}
'''Imrahil''' was the twenty-second [[Prince of Dol Amroth]]. He was the son of [[Adrahil II]] He had two older sisters, [[Ivriniel]] and [[Finduilas of Dol Amroth|Finduilas]]. After his father's death, he became Prince in [[Third Age 3010|T.A. 3010]]. Imrahil had four children: [[Elphir]], [[Erchirion]], [[Amrothos]] and [[Lothíriel]][[#References|1]].

==War of the Ring==
During the [[War of the Ring]], Imrahil came to the aid of his [[Denethor II|brother-in-law]]. On March 9, [[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]], he came into [[Minas Tirith in Gondor|Minas Tirith]]:

<blockquote>''And last and proudest, Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth, kinsman of the Lord, with gilded banners bearing his token of the Ship and the Silver Swan, and a company of knights in full harness riding grey horses; behind them seven hundreds of men at arms, tall as lords, grey-eyed, dark-haired, singing as they came.''[[#References|2]]</blockquote>

On March 13, as [[Southrons]] harrassed [[Faramir (son of Denethor II)|Faramir]], Imrahil and his knights, with [[Gandalf|Mithrandir]], formed a sortie, and Imrahil himself saved his sister-son from his pursuers. Faramir received a poisonous wound, and Denethor fell to madness. Being the highest ranking officer [[Gondor]] fit for battle, Imrahil took command, and quickly passed it on to Mithrandir.

On March 15, Imrahil ventured outside the city, and witnessed the funeral procession of [[Théoden]]. He recognized that [[Éowyn]] still lived (though she lie an inch from death), and sent her to the [[Houses of Healing]].

Because [[Éomer]] and his riders were outnumbered, Imrahil rode into battle, together with [[Húrin the Tall]], [[Forlong|Forlong of Lossarnach]] and [[Hirluin|Hirluin the Fair]], and they were soon joined by [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] who landed at [[Harlond in Gondor|Harlond]]. Imrahil continued East, driving the frightened [[Variags]] and [[orcs]] away.

{{Pronounce|Imrahil.mp3|Ardamir}}Imrahil survived the battle unscathed, and together with Éomer and Aragorn he came to the gates of Minas Tirith [[#References|3]]. Imrahil recognized that Aragorn was the rightful King, but he agreed that it was wise for Aragorn to wait to enter the city, because he knew Denethor was strong-willed and proud.

When Imrahil learned that Denethor was dead and Faramir dying, he suggested that Aragorn be summoned, remembering that the Kings of old were great healers. Aragorn came at Gandalf's request to heal the wounded Faramir, Éowyn and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], but he declared that Prince Imrahil should rule the City until Faramir awoke, in effect granting Imrahil the position of Steward.

During the debate of the Captains of the West, Gandalf proposed that they march to the [[Morannon]] to distract Sauron's attention from [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] the Ring-bearer. Imrahil said that he would follow his liege Aragorn, but since Minas Tirith was under his command the Prince advised that some should remain to defend the City. In the end it was decided that an army of 7,000 would ride forth. Imrahil laughed and said:
<blockquote>''"Surely this is the greatest jest in all the history of Gondor: that we should ride with seven thousands, scarce as many as the vanguard of its army in the days of its power, to assail the mountains and the impenetrable gate of the Black Land! So might a child threaten a mail-clad knight with a bow of string and green willow!"'' [[#References|4]]</blockquote>

The Host of the West left Minas Tirith on March 18. Bypassing [[Minas Morgul]] and marching North, the heralds announced the coming of King Elessar at Imrahil's advice. When Sauron's forces emerged from the Black Gate on March 25, Imrahil stood on the front line with his men. They fought the [[Battle of the Morannon]] until the [[One Ring]] was destroyed.

Prince Imrahil was present at the celebrations of the field of Cormallen, and the coronation of Aragorn as King Elessar, and rode with the funeral procession of King Théoden to Rohan, remaining in [[Edoras]] after the King's burial on August 10. Imrahil and Éomer became great friends, and in [[Fourth Age 2|Fo. A. 2]] Éomer wed Imrahil's daughter [[Lothíriel]][[#References|5]].

==Later life==
After the War of the Ring, Prince Imrahil and his nephew Faramir, [[Prince of Ithilien]], were King Elessar's chief commanders. Imrahil was also part of the Great Council of Gondor, and remained an advisor of the King[[#References|6]].

Prince Imrahil died in the year 34 of the [[Fourth Age]], and was succeed by his eldest son [[Elphir]], who continued the line of Princes.

==Etymology==
The name Imrahil is said to be of [[Adûnaic|Númenorean]] origin[[#References|7]]. [[Carl F. Hostetter]] and [[Patrick H. Wynne]] have proposed as a possible meaning "Heir of [[Imrazôr]]"[[#References|8]], but the validity of this guess is low.

==Portrayal in adaptations==
Both the [[Rankin/Bass' The Return of the King|Rankin/Bass]] and the [[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King|Peter Jackson]] movies left out the character of Imrahil. Peter Jackson replaced him with a fringe character, [[Irolas]].

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Imrahil|Images of Imrahil]]

==References==
# ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', ''[[The Heirs of Elendil]]''
# ''[[The Return of the King]]'', ''[[Minas Tirith (chapter)|Minas Tirith]]''
# ''[[The Return of the King]]'', ''[[The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]''
# ''[[The Return of the King]]'', ''[[The Last Debate]]''
# ''[[Appendix A]]''
# ''[[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[Letter 244]]''
# ''[[Appendix E]]''
# ''[[Vinyar Tengwar 25]], page 17.

{{sequence
|prev=[[Adrahil II]]
|next=[[Elphir]]
|list=22nd [[Prince of Dol Amroth]] [[Third Age 3010]]–[[Fourth Age 34]]
}}

[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Princes of Dol Amroth]]
[[Category:Dúnedain]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[de: Imrahil]]
[[fi: Imrahil]]

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Imrahil