Cemendur (King of Gondor)

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This article is about the King of Gondor. For the the Númenórean royal, see Cemendur (son of Axantur).
Cemendur
Gondorian
Matěj Čadil - Cemendur of Gondor.jpg
"Cemendur of Gondor" by Matěj Čadil
Biographical Information
TitlesKing of Gondor
LocationGondor
LanguageSindarin, Westron
BirthS.A. 3399
RuleT.A. 158 - T.A. 238 (80 years)
DeathT.A. 238 (aged 280)
Family
HouseHouse of Anárion
ParentageMeneldil
ChildrenEärendil
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Cemendur

Cemendur (S.A. 3399[1]T.A. 238,[2] aged 280 years) was the fourth King of Gondor.

History[edit | edit source]

Cemendur ruled for 80 years, from T.A. 158 until his death. He was the son and successor of Meneldil, the first ruler of Gondor to rule in his own name.[2]

Little is known about his reign, only that it was a peaceful one. He was succeeded by his son Eärendil.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Cemendur is a Quenya name. Its meaning is not glossed, but as Paul Strack and Helge Fauskanger explain it seems to mean "Servant of the Earth" or "Earth-servant" and to be a compound of cemen ("earth") and -(n)dur ("servant").[3][4]

Robert Foster, perhaps incorrectly, translates the name as "Earth Lord".[5]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
Anárion
S.A. 3219 - 3440
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three children
unknown
 
Meneldil
S.A. 3318 - T.A. 158
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CEMENDUR
S.A. 3399 - T.A. 238
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil
T.A. 48 - 324
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anardil
T.A. 136 - 411

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In The Peoples of Middle-earth, Section VII "The Heirs of Elendil", it was explained that three manuscripts existed in the textual history of this section. Manuscript A contained the Southern Line of Gondor, and appeared to be the first stage of composition. Manuscript B added the Northern Line, and began as a fair copy of A for the Southern line but became heavily emended. Manuscript B led to Manuscript C, a fine copy (but with later emendations), which led to a final typescript D. In the earlier Manuscripts A and B, Kemendur was spelled with a 'K' and he lived from S.A. 3389 to T.A. 228 instead of S.A. 3399 to T.A. 238.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil"
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Southern Line: Heirs of Anarion"
  3. Paul Strack, "Q. Cemendur m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 29 October 2021)
  4. Helge Fauskanger, "Quettaparma Quenyallo" dated 25 December 2008, Ardalambion (accessed 19 March 2024)
  5. Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, p. 67
Cemendur
House of Anárion
Cadet branch of House of Elros
Born: S.A. 3399 Died: T.A. 238
Preceded by:
Meneldil
4th King of Gondor
T.A. 158238
Followed by:
Eärendil


The Southern Line and the Heirs of Anárion
Kings of Gondor: Elendil (S.A. 3320 - 3441) · Isildur (S.A. 3441 - T.A. 2) and Anárion (S.A. 3320 - 3440) · Meneldil (T.A. 2 - 158) · Cemendur (158 - 238) · Eärendil (238 - 324) · Anardil (324 - 411) · Ostoher (411 - 492) · Rómendacil I (492 - 541) · Turambar (541 - 667) · Atanatar I (667 - 748) · Siriondil (748 - 830) · Tarannon Falastur (830 - 913) · Eärnil I (913 - 936) · Ciryandil (936 - 1015) · Hyarmendacil I (1015 - 1149) · Atanatar II Alcarin (1149 - 1226) · Narmacil I (1226 - 1294) · Calmacil (1294 - 1304) · Rómendacil II (1304 - 1366) · Valacar (1366 - 1432) · Eldacar (1432 - 1437) · Castamir the Usurper (1437 - 1447) · Eldacar restored (1447 - 1490) · Aldamir (1490 - 1540) · Hyarmendacil II (1540 - 1621) · Minardil (1621 - 1634) · Telemnar (1634 - 1636) · Tarondor (1636 - 1798) · Telumehtar Umbardacil (1798 - 1850) · Narmacil II (1850 - 1856) · Calimehtar (1856 - 1936) · Ondoher (1936 - 1944) · Eärnil II (1945 - 2043) · Eärnur (2043 - 2050)
Stewards of Gondor: Húrin of Emyn Arnen (c. T.A. 1630s) · Pelendur (before T.A. 1944 - 1998) · Vorondil (1998 - 2029) · Mardil Voronwë (2029 - 2080) · Eradan (2080 - 2116) · Herion (2116 - 2148) · Belegorn (2148 - 2204) · Húrin I (2204 - 2244) · Túrin I (2244 - 2278) · Hador (2278 - 2395) · Barahir (2395 - 2412) · Dior (2412 - 2435) · Denethor I (2435 - 2477) · Boromir (2477 - 2489) · Cirion (2489 - 2567) · Hallas (2567 - 2605) · Húrin II (2605 - 2628) · Belecthor I (2628 - 2655) · Orodreth (2655 - 2685) · Ecthelion I (2685 - 2698) · Egalmoth (2698 - 2743) · Beren (2743 - 2763) · Beregond (2763 - 2811) · Belecthor II (2811 - 2872) · Thorondir (2872 - 2882) · Túrin II (2882 - 2914) · Turgon (2914 - 2953) · Ecthelion II (2953 - 2984) · Denethor II (2984 - 3019) · Faramir (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 82) · Elboron (Fo.A. 82 onwards)
Kings of Gondor: Elessar (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 120) · Eldarion (Fo.A. 120 onwards)
Non-ruling stewards are in italics