Eärendur (King of Arnor)

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The name Eärendur refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Eärendur (disambiguation).
Eärendur
Arnorian
Biographical Information
TitlesKing of Arnor
LocationArnor
LanguageSindarin, Westron
BirthT.A. 640
RuleT.A. 777 - 861
DeathT.A. 861 (aged 221)
Family
HouseHouse of Isildur
ParentageElendur
ChildrenAmlaith, 1st King of Rhudaur, 1st King of Cardolan
Physical Description
GenderMale

Eärendur (Q, pron. [ˌe.aˈrendur]; T.A. 640[1] - T.A. 861,[2] died aged 221) was the tenth and last King of Arnor.

History[edit | edit source]

Eärendur succeeded his father Elendur on his death in T.A. 777. Eärendur's rule was uneventful, but he was the tenth and last King of Arnor due to dissension amongst his sons.

After his death in 861, probably due to jealousy on the part of the two younger sons, his three sons split Arnor into three separate kingdoms: Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur.

His eldest son and rightful heir, Amlaith of Fornost, became the first King of Arthedain, and it was through Amlaith and his heirs that the line of Isildur endured whilst the line of kings of Rhudaur and Cardolan failed - Aragorn II was a direct descendant of Amlaith, and it wasn't until Aragorn became king that Arnor was finally reunified.[3]

After Eärendur the Kings of Arthedain[4] and the Chieftains of the Dúnedain no longer took names in Quenya (High-elven[5]), but took names in Sindarin instead.[6][7]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Eärendur is a Quenya name. It means "(professional) mariner".[8] As Paul Strack explains, a more literal translation might be "Servant of the Sea". It is a compound of eär ("sea") and -(n)dur ("servant").[9] It is unlikely that Eärendur himself was devoted to the sea: it is more likely that he was named after one of the two previous Eärendurs.

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
Valandur
462 - 652
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elendur
552 - 777
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EÄRENDUR
640 - 861
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amlaith
726 - 946
 
Kings of
Cardolan
 
Kings of
Rhudaur
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Beleg
811 - 1029
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kings of
Arthedain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil", p. 193
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur", Arthedain. Amlaith of Fornost, footnote
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of the Elves", first paragraph
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VII. The Heirs of Elendil", manuscript C with corrections and expansions, The Northern Line of Arnor: the Isildurioni, 10. Earendur, p. 192 using Noldorin.
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VIII. The Tale of Years of the Third Age", manuscript T4, The Third Age year 861 using Noldorin
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Note 118 to Letter 297, (dated August 1967)
  9. Paul Strack, "Q. Eärendur m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 29 October 2021)
Eärendur
House of Isildur
Cadet branch of House of Elros
Born: T.A. 640 Died: T.A. 861
Preceded by:
Elendur
8th Heir of Isildur
T.A. 777 - 861
Followed by:
Amlaith
10th King of Arnor
T.A. 777 - 861
None
Amlaith, as King of Arthedain


The Northern Line and the Heirs of Isildur
Kings of Arnor: Elendil (S.A. 3320 - 3441) · Isildur (S.A. 3441 - T.A. 2) · Valandil (T.A. 2 - 249) · Eldacar (249 - 339) · Arantar (339 - 435) · Tarcil (435 - 515) · Tarondor (515 - 602) · Valandur (602 - 652) · Elendur (652 - 777) · Eärendur (777 - 861)
Kings of Arthedain: Amlaith (861 - 946) · Beleg (946 - 1029) · Mallor (1029 - 1110) · Celepharn (1110 - 1191) · Celebrindor (1191 - 1272) · Malvegil (1272 - 1349) · Argeleb I (1349 - 1356) · Arveleg I (1356 - 1409) · Araphor (1409 - 1589) · Argeleb II (1589 - 1670) · Arvegil (1670 - 1743) · Arveleg II (1743 - 1813) · Araval (1813 - 1891) · Araphant (1891 - 1964) · Arvedui (1964 - 1975) ·
Chieftains of the Dúnedain: Aranarth (1975 - 2106) · Arahael (2106 - 2177) · Aranuir (2177 - 2247) · Aravir (2247 - 2319) · Aragorn I (2319 - 2327) · Araglas (2327 - 2455) · Arahad I (2455 - 2523) · Aragost (2523 - 2588) · Aravorn (2588 - 2654) · Arahad II (2654 - 2719) · Arassuil (2719 - 2784) · Arathorn I (2784 - 2848) · Argonui (2848 - 2912) · Arador (2912 - 2930) · Arathorn II (2930 - 2933) · Aragorn II (2933 - 3019)
Kings of Arnor: Elessar (T.A. 3019 - Fo.A. 120) · Eldarion (Fo.A. 120 onwards)