Tar-Meneldur

2013-01-07T02:58:09Z

169.232.128.65: /* History */ typo

{{numenorean infobox
| image=
| name=Tar-Meneldur
| othernames=''[[Írimon]]'' ([[Quenya|Q]]), ''[[Elentirmo]]'' ([[Quenya|Q]])
| titles=[[King of Númenor]]
| position=
| location=[[Númenor]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Adûnaic]], [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]]
| birth={{SA|543}}
| birthlocation=
| rule={{SA|740}} - {{SA|883|n}} (143 years)
| death={{SA|942}}
| deathlocation=
| age=399
| house=[[House of Elros]]
| parentage=[[Tar-Elendil]]
| siblings=[[Silmariën]] and [[Isilmë]]
| spouse=[[Almarian]]
| children=[[Tar-Aldarion|Anardil]], [[Ailinel]] and [[Almiel]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Tar-Meneldur''' was the fifth [[King of Númenor]]. Although he was the youngest child of [[Tar-Elendil]], Tar-Meneldur received the [[Sceptre]] due to the old law of royal [[Law of Succession in Númenor|succession]] that existed in [[Númenor]] at that time. His elder siblings, [[Silmariën]] and [[Isilmë]], were both female and thus not eligible to rule the realm.<ref name="Wife">{{UT|Wife}}</ref> Tar-Meneldur's birth name was [[Írimon]],<ref name="Kings">{{UT|Kings}}, Tar-Meneldur</ref> and he also received the title [[Elentirmo]].<ref name="Númenor">{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>

Meneldur's great passion was stargazing and learning all he could about the Heavens from the lore of [[Elves]] and [[Men]]. To study the movements of the stars, he built a tower in the [[Forostar]], the northernmost part of Númenor, since the sky was clearer there than anywhere else on the isle.<ref name="Númenor"/> Meneldur only left the tower when he inherited the [[Sceptre of Númenor|Sceptre]], but even after becoming King his interest in the stars did not cease.<ref name="Wife"/>

== History ==
During the reign of his father, [[Tar-Elendil]], the [[Númenóreans]] began to sail eastwards. In {{SA|600}} the [[Captain of the King's Ships]], [[Vëantur]], reached the [[Grey Havens]]. Although Meneldur had no love for the sea he did fall in love with Vëantur’s daughter, [[Almarian]], and married her.<ref name="Wife"/> Together they had three children, a son [[Anardil of Númenor|Anardil]] and two daughters, [[Ailinel]] and [[Almiel]], before Meneldur became king in {{SA|740}}.<ref>{{UT|earlier}}</ref>

Meneldur’s son Anardil grew swiftly and became known as [[Tar-Aldarion|Aldarion]]. Like his grandfather Vëantur, Aldarion became enamoured of the sea. In {{SA|725}} Vëantur invited Aldarion to sail with him to [[Middle-earth]]; to this plan Meneldur gave his reluctant consent. When the voyagers returned in {{SA|727|n}} Meneldur’s joy was great, but soon his son begged leave to sail again. Two more long voyages followed (in {{SA|730|n}} and {{SA|735|n}}). However, in {{SA|740|n}} Tar-Elendil relinquished the Sceptre to Tar-Meneldur, and for the comfort of his father Aldarion remained at home for awhile.

But after a time the sea-longing came upon Aldarion anew. He formed a [[Guild of Venturers]] and left [[Armenelos]] to reside on his ship [[Eämbar]]. Then Tar-Meneldur looked coldly upon the sea-enterprises of his son, believing that they engendered restlessness and a desire for dominion over other lands. Father and son became estranged but Almarian supported Aldarion and thus Tar-Meneldur let matters proceed unhindered. Tar-Meneldur did try to curb his son's activities by prohibiting the cutting of trees for shipbuilding, but this only resulted in Aldarion's seeking lumber in Middle-earth.

In {{SA|800}} Tar-Meneldur commanded his son to cease voyaging, for Aldarion was of an age (one hundred years old) to be proclaimed the King's Heir. The two were then reconciled, for a time. However, six years later Aldarion sought and obtained Tar-Meneldur's grudging leave to go to sea again. At the same time Almarian and Tar-Meneldur were encouraging Aldarion to marry, and in the Queen's household there was one, [[Erendis]], who attracted the prince’s attention. Although Aldarion did fall in love with Erendis it did not prevent him from sailing again. When he returned from this journey Tar-Meneldur forbade his son from leaving, yet Aldarion did so in defiance of the King. Hard upon his return Aldarion left for a twenty-year voyage which disquieted the King.

Tar-Meneldur rejoiced when Aldarion and Erendis were finally betrothed in {{SA|858}}, yet they were not married until {{SA|870|n}} after Aldarion had gone on yet another sea venture. Aldarion and Erendis' marriage proved to be unhappy and only produced one child, their daughter [[Tar-Ancalimë| Ancalimë]].

In {{SA|882}} Aldarion brought a letter from King [[Gil-galad]] to Tar-Meneldur. In it the King of the Elves warned Tar-Meneldur that a new shadow was arisen in the East and beseeched him for aid. From this letter Tar-Meneldur learned that his son had aided the Elves and knew much of what these matters portended. Recognizing that his son was better equipped to handle this menace, Tar-Meneldur resolved to resign the Sceptre to his son; this he did in the year {{SA|883|n}}.<ref name="Wife"/>

Tar-Meneldur passed the Sceptre to his son long before due time. He lived for 59 more years before he died in {{SA|942}}.<ref name="Kings"/>

== Etymology ==
All of Tar-Meneldur's names were in [[Quenya]]. Meneldur means "Servant of the Heavens" (from Quenya ''menel'' "the Heavens" and ''-ndur'' "servant"); Írimon took this name because of his love for stargazing. Írimon itself means "Beautiful Man" (from ''írima'' "beautiful" and ''-on'', a masculine suffix). Elentirmo is another name that referred to his interest in the Heavens; it signifies "Star Watcher" (from ''elen'' "star", ''tir'' "watch", and ''-mo'', a masculine agentive suffix). Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal names in Quenya, Meneldur added the prefix ''tar-'' ("high") to his title when he received the Sceptre.

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | |ELE| | | | | |VEN| | | | | | |ELE=[[Tar-Elendil]]|VEN=[[Vëantur]]}}
{{familytree | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree |ELA|y|SIL| |ISI| |MEN|y|ALM| | | | | | |ELA=[[Elatan]]|SIL=[[Silmariën]]|ISI=[[Isilmë]]|MEN='''TAR-MENELDUR'''|ALM=[[Almarian]]}}
{{familytree | | | |!| | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | | |VAL| |ERE|y|ALD| |AIL|y|ORC| |ALM|VAL=[[Valandil (Lord of Andúnië)|Valandil]]|ERE=[[Erendis]]|ALD=[[Tar-Aldarion]]|AIL=[[Ailinel]]|ORC=[[Orchaldor]]|ALM=[[Almiel]]}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | |ANC| | | | | |SOR| | | | | | |ANC=[[Tar-Ancalimë]]|SOR=[[Soronto]]}}
{{familytree/end}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=numenorean
| house=[[House of Elros]]
| born={{SA|543}}
| died={{SA|942}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Tar-Elendil]]
| list=5th [[King of Númenor]]
| dates={{SA|740}} - {{SA|883|n}}
| next=[[Tar-Aldarion]]
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{references}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meneldur}}
[[Category:House of Elros]]
[[Category:Rulers of Númenor]]
[[de:Tar-Meneldur]]
[[fa:تار-منلدور]]
[[fr:/encyclo/personnages/hommes/2a/numenoreens/tar-meneldur]]
[[fi:Tar-Meneldur]]

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Tar-Meneldur