Ondoher

2011-08-19T23:51:20Z

76.90.137.33: Rewrote text, added references, added family tree

{{gondorian infobox
| image=
| name=Ondoher
| othernames=
| titles=[[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| position=
| realm=[[Gondor]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth={{TA|1787}}
| birthlocation=
| rule={{TA|1936}} - {{TA|1944|n}} (8 years)
| death={{TA|1944}}
| deathlocation=[[Disaster of the Morannon]]
| age=157
| house=[[House of Anárion]]
| parentage=[[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|Calimehtar]]
| siblings=Unnamed sister
| spouse=
| children=[[Artamir]], [[Faramir (son of Ondoher)|Faramir]] and [[Fíriel]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Ondoher''' ({{TA|1787}}<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}</ref> – {{TA|1944|n}},<ref name="South">{{App|South}}</ref> aged 157 years) was the thrity-first [[King of Gondor]].

==History==
===Renewing Old Ties===
Ondoher became King in {{TA|1936}} upon the death of his father, [[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|Calimehtar]].<ref name="South"/> During his reign, and that of [[Araphant]] of [[Arthedain]], the long-estranged kingdoms of the [[Dúnedain]] took counsel again, for they finally perceived that some single will and power was coordinating the multiple assaults upon their kingdoms. In a sign of their renewed relationship, Ondoher's daughter [[Fíriel]] married Prince [[Arvedui]] of [[Arthedain]] in {{TA|1940|n}}.<ref name="Gondor">{{App|Gondor}}</ref>

===The Deaths of Ondoher and His Sons===
However, neither kingdom could aid the other when new evils set upon them - in the North [[Angmar]] attacked Arthedain while in the South the [[Wainriders]] struck in great force. Ondoher was not taken unaware by the renewed assault for [[Forthwini]] of [[Éothéod]] had informed the King that the Wainriders had recovered from their fears and weaknesses. Ondoher also learned that Gondor's southern enemies were preparing to attack. He raised as great an army as he could to meet the double threat.

Ondoher divided his strength into two armies, assigning the smaller to [[Eärnil II|Eärnil]], a member of the Royal House descended from King [[Telumehtar Umbardacil|Telumehtar]]. This army was based at [[Pelargir]] while Ondoher took command of the larger northern army himself, which included his elder son [[Artamir]]. This arrangement was acceptable provided that an undisputed heir to the throne was left behind, in this case Ondoher's younger son, [[Faramir (son of Ondoher)|Faramir]].

In {{TA|1944}} the enemies of [[Gondor]] made a double assault: First the [[Haradrim]] invaded from the south and then a few days later word came of the [[Wainriders]] invading from the east. While Ëarnil moved to deal with the southern incursion the northern army headed north through [[Ithilien]], planning to deploy upon the [[Dagorlad]]. Unfortunately, the Wainriders moved faster than expected along the outskirts of the [[Ered Lithui]] and struck the head of Gondor's army before any defensive dispositions had been made. Swiftly the enemy's chariots and horsemen overwhelmed the King's Guard, killing both Ondoher and Artamir.

King Ondoher's sister-son, [[Minohtar]] attempted to stem the onslaught of the Wainriders. During the rout the leader of the [[Éothéod]] brought to Minohtar the body of the King's second son, Faramir, who had disguised himself in order to fight in the war and who had ridden with a party of the Éothéod that had been hit near the [[Dead Marshes]]. Soon Minohtar himself slain as the enemy poured into northern Ithilien.

The suddenness of their victory was the Wainriders' undoing. Unbeknownst to them Eärnil had crushed the [[Haradrim]] and was racing north to aid the northern army. His attack upon the feasting Wainriders, later known as the [[Battle of the Camp]], defeated the Wainriders and sent them reeling back into the East.<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}</ref>

===Selecting the Next King===
With King Ondoher and both of his male heirs dead, Arvedui of Arthedain sought the throne of Gondor. Arvedui put forth two arguments in support of his claim: First, he was the direct descendant of [[Isildur]], whom Arvedui said had never relinquished his royalty in Gondor. Second, his wife [[Fíriel]] was King Ondoher's daughter and by the ancient [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] law the sceptre should have been hers. But Arvedui's claim was rejected by the Steward [[Pelendur]] and the Council of Gondor. The crown was granted to the victorious general Eärnil, of the royal [[House of Anárion]] who took the crown as King [[Eärnil II]].<ref name="Gondor"/>

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | | | | | | |TLU| | | | | | | | |TLU=[[Telumehtar Umbardacil|Telumehtar]]<br/>Umbardacil}}
{{familytree| | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree| | | | |NAR| | | | | | | | | | | | | |ARC|NAR=[[Narmacil II]]|ARC=[[Arciryas]]}}
{{familytree| | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| |}}
{{familytree| | | | |CAL| | | | | | | | | | | | | |CMM|CAL=[[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|Calimehtar]]|CMM=[[Calimmacil]]}}
{{familytree| | | | | |)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| | | |!| |}}
{{familytree| | | | |OND| | | | | |ARA| |SIS| |SIR|OND='''ONDOHER''' †|ARA=[[Araphant]]|SIS=Sister|SIR=[[Siriondil (son of Calimmacil)|Siriondil]]}}
{{familytree| |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | |!| | | |!| |}}
{{familytree|ART| |FAR| |FIR|~|ARV| |MIN| |EAR|ART=[[Artamir]] †|FAR=[[Faramir (son of Ondoher)|Faramir]] †|FIR=[[Fíriel]]|ARV=[[Arvedui]]|MIN=[[Minohtar]] †|EAR=[[Eärnil II]]}}
{{familytree/end}}

== Etymology ==
Ondoher means "Stone Lord" in [[Quenya]] (from ''[[ondo]]'' = "stone" and ''[[hér]]'' = "lord"), in reference to Gondor, the "Stone Land".

The name "Ondoher" was spelled as ''Ondohir'' in early manuscripts, changed to ''Ondonir'' in a later manuscript, reverted to ''Ondohir'' in the first edition of ''[[The Return of the King]]'', and finally became ''Ondoher'' in the second edition.<ref name="Elendil"/>

{{references}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=gondorian}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|Calimehtar]]
| list=31st [[Kings of Gondor|King of Gondor]]
| dates={{TA|1936}} - {{TA|1944|n}}
| nvac=Vacant
| next=Next held by:<br/>[[Eärnil II|Eärnil II]], 1 year later
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Gondorians]]
[[Category:House of Anárion]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[Category:Rulers of Gondor]]
[[de:Ondoher]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/dunedain/gondoriens/ondoher]]
[[fi:Ondoher]]

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Ondoher