Aranarth
| Aranarth | |
|---|---|
| Arnorian | |
 | |
| "Aranarth" by Elena Kukanova | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Titles | Chieftain of the Dúnedain |
| Location | Rivendell |
| Language | Sindarin, Westron |
| Birth | T.A. 1938 |
| Rule | T.A. 1976 - 2106 |
| Death | T.A. 2106 (aged 168) |
| Family | |
| House | House of Isildur |
| Parentage | Arvedui and Fíriel |
| Siblings | At least one younger brother [note 1] |
| Children | Arahael, at least one other [note 2] |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Gallery | Images of Aranarth |
Aranarth (T.A. 1938 - 2106, died aged 168) was the first of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, and would have been the sixteenth King of Arthedain had Angmar not destroyed the realm.
History[edit | edit source]
Aranarth was the son of Fíriel, the daughter of King Ondoher of Gondor, and Arvedui, son of King Araphant of Arthedain, and as such, he was descended from both Isildur and Anárion.
When he was only young, the Witch-king of Angmar destroyed the North-kingdom and overran Fornost. Most of the remnants of the Dúnedain fled over the Lune into Lindon. However, Aranarth's father held out upon the North Downs until he escaped to the north. After hiding in abandoned dwarf-mines in the Blue Mountains the King and his men sought the help of the Lossoth, who gave them grudging aid.
Aranarth reported to Círdan of the King's flight to the north. Círdan sent a ship to the Icebay of Forochel to seek and rescue him. However, the hull of the ship was broken on the ice and all of the passengers drowned (including Arvedui) and the two palantíri the King had secured from the fall of Fornost were lost.[1]
As the heir of Arvedui, this made Aranarth the King of Arthedain (and nominally the claimed title of King of Arnor), but he did not claim this title as the kingdom had been destroyed. He instead claimed the title of Chieftain of the Dúnedain, and with the remnants of the Dúnedain (thenceforth known as the Rangers of the North) he rode with Eärnur of Gondor to destroy the kingdom of Angmar.[2]
Aranarth's son Arahael was born and raised in Rivendell, as were all the sons of chieftains after him; and Elrond was entrusted with the safekeeping of the heirlooms of the North-kingdom: the Ring of Barahir, the shards of Narsil, the Star of Elendil, and the Sceptre of Annúminas.[1]
Aranarth died in 2106, after ruling for 130 years - longer than any other chieftain.[3]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
Aranarth is a Sindarin name. Its meaning is not glossed, but the Association Tolkiendil suggests it means "Noble King".[4] It is suggested to be a compound of aran ("king", "lord", "chief", [lit.] high or noble person) and arth ("noble"),[4] which may be related to the initial element of Arthedain.[5]
David Salo suggested that the final element could be *arth ("noble"), which would be cognate to Quenya arta.[6]
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]
Early drafts of Appendix A list Aranarth's date of birth as T.A. 1938,[7] but in Appendix A, "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"[2] and in the Tale of Years, his parents' wedding year is given T.A. 1940.[3]
Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]
1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:
- Aranarth is a Dúnadan based in Fornost, famous for his tracking abilities and described as a man "who leaves no footprints".[8]
Notes
- ↑ In Appendix A, Aranarth is indicated as the elder son of Arvedui, meaning that he had at least one younger brother.
- ↑ In Appendix A, Dírhael is said to be a descendant of a younger branch of Aranarth, meaning he had at least one other child
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Association Tolkiendil, "Compound Sindarin Names in Middle-earth", Tolkiendil (accessed 5 February 2022)
- ↑ Paul Strack, "S. Aranarth m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 5 February 2022)
- ↑ David Salo (2004), A Gateway to Sindarin, pp. 240, 341
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil", p. 196
- ↑ Wesley J. Frank, et al. (1994), Arnor: The Realm (#2005)
| Aranarth House of Isildur Cadet branch of House of Elros | ||
| Preceded by: Arvedui | 24th Heir of Isildur T.A. 1974 – 2106 | Followed by: Arahael |
| None Arvedui, as King of Arthedain | 1st Chieftain of the Dúnedain T.A. 1976 – 2106 | |
