Tar-Meneldur
| Tar-Meneldur | |
|---|---|
| Númenórean | |
 | |
| "Tar-Meneldur" by Šárka Škorpíková | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Other names | Írimon (Q)[1], Elentirmo (Q)[2] |
| Titles | King of Númenor, Father of the Isle[3] |
| Location | Númenor |
| Language | Adûnaic, Sindarin and Quenya |
| Birth | S.A. 543[1] |
| Rule | S.A. 740 - 883 (143 years)[1] |
| Death | S.A. 942[1] (aged 399) |
| Family | |
| House | House of Elros |
| Parentage | Tar-Elendil |
| Siblings | Silmariën and Isilmë |
| Spouse | Almarian |
| Children | Tar-Aldarion, Ailinel, and Almiel |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Gallery | Images of Tar-Meneldur |
Tar-Meneldur was the fifth King of Númenor.
History[edit | edit source]
Meneldur's birth name was Írimon.[1] He was the only son of Tar-Elendil and had two older sisters, Silmariën and Isilmë.[4] At this time, Númenóreans began to sail eastwards and in S.A. 600 the Captain of the King's Ships, Vëantur, reached the Grey Havens.[5]
His 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 he also received the title Elentirmo.[6] Although Meneldur was not interested in the sea,[7] he married Almarian, the daughter of Vëantur.[8] Together they had three children, a son Anardil and two daughters, Ailinel and Almiel, all born before Meneldur became king in S.A. 740.[9]
As the eldest son, but the youngest child of Tar-Elendil, Tar-Meneldur received the Sceptre of Númenor due to the old law of royal succession that existed at that time.[5] Meneldur only left the tower when he inherited the Sceptre, but even after becoming King his interest in the stars did not cease.[5]
Meneldur's son Anardil grew swiftly and became known as Aldarion. Like his grandfather Vëantur, Aldarion became enamoured of the sea: in S.A. 725 Vëantur invited Aldarion to sail with him to Middle-earth; to this plan Meneldur gave his reluctant consent. When the voyagers returned in 727 Meneldur's joy was great, but soon his son begged leave to sail again. Two more long voyages followed in 730 and 735. However, when Tar-Elendil relinquished the Sceptre to Tar-Meneldur in 740, Aldarion remained at home for awhile for the comfort of his father.[10]
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 S.A. 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 S.A. 858, yet they were not married until 870 after Aldarion had gone on yet another sea venture. Aldarion and Erendis' marriage proved to be unhappy and only produced one child, their daughter Ancalimë.
In S.A. 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 883.[5]
Tar-Meneldur passed the Sceptre to his son long before due time. He lived for 59 more years before he died in S.A. 942.[1]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
Meneldur is Quenya. Its meaning is not glossed, but as Paul Strack explains, it means "Servant of the Heavens", being a compound of menel ("the heavens") + -(n)dur ("servant").[11] He took this royal name because of his love of starlore.[1] Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal names in Quenya, Meneldur added the prefix tar- ("high") to his name when he received the Sceptre.[12]
Other names[edit | edit source]
His birthname Írimon is Quenya. Paul Strack says that the elements are difficult to discern but it might be írë ("desire") + a variant of the agental suffix -mo.[13]
Elentirmo is Quenya for "Star-watcher".[14][15] As Paul Strack suggests it is a compound of elen ("star") + otherwise unattested tirmo ("watcher").[16] The noun tirmo is formed from the verb tir ("to watch") with the agental suffix -mo ("one", "anyone", "someone", "somebody").[17]
Gil-galad's letter refers to him as a "High King",[5] whereas no other King of Númenor is mentioned to have this status. It possibly implies an overlordship of the King of Númenor not only on his island, but also the Númenórean colonists of Middle-earth.
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry V Tar-Meneldur
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "Notes", note 1
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", first paragraph
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "A Description of the Island of Númenor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", second paragraph
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", third paragraph
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "The earlier generations of the Line of Elros"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", fifteenth paragraph
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. Meneldur m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 13 December 2021)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", first paragraph and entry I to XXV
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. Írimon m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 13 December 2021)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry *Elentirmo
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "Notes", note 1
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. Elentirmo m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 13 December 2021)
- ↑ Paul Strack, "Q. #tirmo n.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 13 December 2021)
| Tar-Meneldur House of Elros | ||
| Preceded by: Tar-Elendil | 5th King of Númenor S.A. 740 - 883 | Followed by: Tar-Aldarion |
| Kings of Númenor |
|---|
| Elros Tar-Minyatur (S.A. 32 - 442) · Tar-Vardamir* (442) · Tar-Amandil (442 - 590) · Tar-Elendil (590 - 740) · Tar-Meneldur (740 - 883) · Tar-Aldarion (883 - 1075) · Tar-AncalimëQ (1075 - 1280) · Tar-Anárion (1280 - 1394) · Tar-Súrion (1394 - 1556) · Tar-TelperiënQ (1556 - 1731) · Tar-Minastir (1731 - 1869) · Tar-Ciryatan (1869 - 2029) · Tar-Atanamir (2029 - 2221) · Tar-Ancalimon (2221 - 2386) · Tar-Telemmaitë (2386 - 2526) · Tar-VanimeldëQ (2526 - 2637) · Tar-Anducal† (2637 - 2657) · Tar-Alcarin (2657 - 2737) · Tar-Calmacil (2737 - 2825) · Tar-Ardamin (2825 - 2899) · Ar-Adûnakhôr (2899 - 2962) · Ar-Zimrathôn (2962 - 3033) · Ar-Sakalthôr (3033 - 3102) · Ar-Gimilzôr (3102 - 3177) · Tar-Palantir (3177 - 3255) · Ar-Pharazôn‡ (3255 - 3319) |
| * Immediately abdicated in favour of his son · Q Ruling Queens · † Usurped throne. Later struck off the Line of Kings · ‡ Usurped throne from his cousin Tar-Míriel |
