Ar-Pharazôn

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Ar-Pharazôn also known as Ar-Pharazôn the Golden (SA 3118 - SA 3319, r. SA 3255 - SA 3319) was the twenty-fifth and last King of Númenor. Of all the Kings of Númenor, he wielded the most power but used it most unwisely and his desire for more power caused the destruction of Númenor and the Change of the World.

Contents 1 History 2 Legacy and successors 3 Etymology 4 References 5 External link

[edit] History

Ar-Pharazôn was the son of Gimilkhâd, the leader of the King's Men during the reign of Tar-Palantir his brother of whom Ar-Pharazôn was the nephew of. Ar-Pharazôn grew into a man of great strength, stature and great strength of will not unlike the heroes of the Edain of old. In these earlier days, he was good friends with Amandil, the future Lord of Andúnië and his line of people. However, he was his father's child and thus was instructed to follow in the ways of the King's Men.

Ar-Pharazôn became a man of great pride and was eager for more wealth and glory. He grew restless in his homeland and was often abroad leading like-minded Númenóreans in the wars that they were waging against the men of Middle-earth. In this he fared well on both land and sea winning great respect as a captain. Great wealth he won in these campaigns of war. When he finally returned home, the people rejoiced in him for he was generous with his fortunes and thus became very popular.

Upon the death of his uncle Tar-Palantir who had no son, he took to wife his daughter, Míriel (much against her will). As Tar-Míriel was the rightful Ruling Queen of Númenor, Ar-Pharazôn was able to usurp the throne. He gave to his wife the name Ar-Zimraphel, refused to use the Elven speech and persecuted the last vestiges of the Faithful.

With Sauron the Lord of Mordor expanding his power throughout Middle-earth and claiming lordship over men, Ar-Pharazôn feeling rivaled was jealous of this claim and resolved to challenge him for the lordship of the earth. He attacked Mordor in SA 3261 and brought Sauron back as a hostage to his kingdom, but Sauron was soon brought into the service of the king and was master of his councils. He was able to corrupt Ar-Pharazôn convincing him to worship Morgoth in the hope that he would be released from death. Sauron cleverly whispered delusions and false words into his ears, gradually persuading Ar-Pharazon to change his thoughts on Morgoth and Sauron; this mirrored Grima Wormtongue's trickery millennia later. Some of the results of Sauron's cunning were the erecting of a Great Temple to Morgoth, intense persecution of the Faithful, and the chopping down of the White Tree of Numenor. Soon the king and his followers were worshiping Morgoth and burning innocents at the altar of the temple as sacrifices to appease the false god.

Then as Ar-Pharazôn felt the bite of old age upon him, Sauron was able to convince him to attack Valinor and claim the right to immortally by force. He began the building of a huge fleet, the Great Armament to attack Valinor in SA 3310 and finally broke the Ban of the Valar, landing on the shores of the Undying Lands in SA 3319. The Valar then laid down their guardianship of the world and called upon Eru, the One. He sank Ar-Pharazôn's fleet and all of Númenor beneath the ocean, and changed the shape of the world making it into a round sphere. Valinor was no longer connected to Middle-earth and mortals could no longer find it. Afterwards, only elves and a few remarkable exceptions could reach it following the Straight Road into the far west. Ar-Pharazôn and his mighty host who landed on Aman were buried by mounds of dirt and remain in the Caves of the Forgotten until the last battle, or Dagor Dagorath. He and his great army's role in it or the end of days is not clear.

[edit] Legacy and successors

Ar-Pharazôn's tyrannical rule and rebellious resolve to break the Ban of the Valar and make war in the west led to the end of the royal Númenórean line. Instead, the line of Elros was continued from the long line of the Lords of Andúnië. As Amandil of Andúnië did not return from his venture into the west, his son Elendil became the successor of a new kingdom that would rule from Middle-earth in exile. His two surviving sons, Isildur and Anárion followed him into exile and would in turn become his successors as well.

[edit] Etymology

His chosen royal name was in Adûnaic and his name in Quenya was Tar-Calion.

Preceded by: Tar-Palantir

King of Númenor SA 3255 - SA 3319

Followed by: None, (Royal Númenórean line destroyed)

[edit] References

• The Silmarillion, Akallabêth pgs. 269-80
• Unfinished Tales Pg. 224
• The Peoples of Middle-earth pgs. 159-65
• The Atlas of Middle-earth pg. 45

[edit] External link

• Ar-Pharazôn at Tolkien Gateway