Tar-Aldarion
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Tar-Aldarion
Biographical information
Physical description
Tar-Aldarion was the sixth King of Númenor, and succeeded his father, Tar-Meneldur. Tar-Aldarion was married to Erendis, a Númenórean woman, who was not quite of the same status as Aldarion himself, and therefore had a shorter life-span. Aldarion's love for the sea ultimately caused a rift between the couple and they separated SA 882. [1] The tale of their marriage and estrangement survived the Downfall of Númenor as "Aldarion and Erendis, or The Mariner's Wife".
History
Edit
Tar-Aldarion was called "The Mariner", and his name signifies "of the trees" because he was a noted tree steward and forester — trees were essential to the construction of his fleets, but he took great care to replenish what was being felled. His first love was the sea, and he was already a great explorer before he became king. He made several journeys to Middle-earth and established contact with Gil-galad in his realm in the Grey Havens making friendship and alliance with him. He also established a vital Númenorean port in Middle-earth, named Vinyalonde (New Haven). He built the great haven of Lond Daer on the river Gwathló, and under his reign the deforesting of Enedwaith and Minhiriath began.[3]
His only child was a daughter, Tar-Ancalimë, and so he changed the rules of succession, replacing the principle of agnatic primogeniture with that of fully equal primogeniture. She became the first ruling Queen of Númenor. If the law hadn't been changed then the throne would have passed to his sister's son Soronto, heir presumptive at the time.
The partial story of Aldarion and Erendis can be found in Tolkien's Unfinished Tales, (ed. Christopher Tolkien). Though the actual story was left incomplete, the book does give some hints on how it continued. The story also contains the first hints of the return of the Shadow, i.e. Sauron, to Middle-earth.[4][2]
| Preceded by: Tar-Meneldur | King of Númenor SA 883 - SA 1075 | Followed by: Tar-Ancalimë |
| Rulers of Númenor |
|---|
|
Elros Tar-Minyatur | Vardamir Nólimon | Tar-Amandil | Tar-Elendil | Tar-Meneldur | Tar-Aldarion | Tar-Ancalimë | Tar-Anárion | Tar-Súrion | Tar-Telperiën | Tar-Minastir | Tar-Ciryatan | Tar-Atanamir | Tar-Ancalimon | Tar-Telemmaitë | Tar-Vanimeldë | Tar-Anducal (Herucalmo) | Tar-Alcarin | Tar-Calmacil | Tar-Ardamin | Ar-Adûnakhôr | Ar-Zimrathôn | Ar-Sakalthôr | Ar-Gimilzôr | Tar-Palantir | Ar-Pharazôn |
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Unfinished Tales: The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor, Tar-Aldarion pg. 219
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Unfinished Tales: Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife
- ↑ Unfinished Tales: The History of Galadriel and Celeborn, "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer" pg. 262
- ↑ Unfinished Tales: A Description of the Island of Númenor
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