Erendis
Encyclopedia
Erendis is the fictional wife of King Tar-Aldarion
of Númenor
in J. R. R. Tolkien
's Unfinished Tales
and, as such, the Queen Consort
of Númenor. Erendis was beautiful, fell in love with Aldarion as a young maiden, and was approved by his parents as a suitable consort.
, meaning "Lady of the Star-brow". When married, they disagreed about Aldarion's long absences from Númenor, and the later years of their marriage were unhappy; they separated in 882. Their only child, Ancalimë, was born in 873.
They had in common a desire to have their own will in all things; both from childhood were stubborn. Aldarion, being the King's Heir, seems to have been little restrained by the duties of that position until adulthood. Erendis, too, was self-willed, reluctant ever to compromise, as her own mother Núneth observed; even in childhood for Erendis it was 'all or nothing'. This led to constant competition between Erendis and her husband. As David Louis Edelman
notes, "Aldarion’s desire for the sea and Erendis’ stubborn resentment [could] not be reconciled."
In later years, Aldarion changed the succession law in Númenor so that the eldest daughter of the King could inherit the Sceptre, instead of the eldest son only. This pleased Ancalimë, who had inherited her father's natural ambition, but it was done less out of egalitarian impulses or paternal love (though the latter perhaps played some role), than because doing so suited Aldarion's other plans, and as part of his ongoing strife with Erendis.
Erendis' final years were tragic and sad, her daughter neglected her, Aldarion was away from Númenor most of the time, and her own bitterness isolated her. Númenor was changing around her; even her own daughter was in the end more Aldarion's daughter than hers in turn of mind. Ancalimë proved to be a competent Queen, but Aldarion's policies of aid to the Elves of Middle-earth
were abandoned by her.
It is said in the story that Erendis finally longed for Aldarion enough to overcome her bitterness, and she travelled to a haven where he was expected to return. All Tolkien writes of her then, though, is that she died there in the water.
Tar-Aldarion
Tar-Aldarion is a character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium.He was the sixth King of Númenor, succeeding his father, Tar-Meneldur. He was a great mariner, and during his time Númenor started to invest more in its navy and strengthened its presence overseas in Middle-earth. He wedded Erendis in...
of Númenor
Númenor
Númenor is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. It was a huge island located in the Sundering Seas to the west of Middle-earth, the main setting of Tolkien's writings, and was known to be the greatest realm of Men...
in J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Unfinished Tales
Unfinished Tales
Unfinished Tales is a collection of stories and essays by J. R. R. Tolkien that were never completed during his lifetime, but were edited by his son Christopher Tolkien and published in 1980.Unlike The Silmarillion, for which the narrative fragments were modified to connect into a consistent and...
and, as such, the Queen Consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Númenor. Erendis was beautiful, fell in love with Aldarion as a young maiden, and was approved by his parents as a suitable consort.
Fictional biography
Erendis married the seafarer Aldarion in 870. Some time before he had presented to her a white gem which she then used to wear in a fillet of silver. Because of this jewel she was later also called Tar-Elestirnë in QuenyaQuenya
Quenya is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Quenya is one of the many Elvish languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called Quendi in Quenya. The tongue actually called Quenya was in origin the speech of two clans of Elves...
, meaning "Lady of the Star-brow". When married, they disagreed about Aldarion's long absences from Númenor, and the later years of their marriage were unhappy; they separated in 882. Their only child, Ancalimë, was born in 873.
They had in common a desire to have their own will in all things; both from childhood were stubborn. Aldarion, being the King's Heir, seems to have been little restrained by the duties of that position until adulthood. Erendis, too, was self-willed, reluctant ever to compromise, as her own mother Núneth observed; even in childhood for Erendis it was 'all or nothing'. This led to constant competition between Erendis and her husband. As David Louis Edelman
David Louis Edelman
David Louis Edelman is an American novelist and web programmer. He was raised in Orange County, California and graduated from Villa Park High School in 1989. He majored in Writing Seminars at John Hopkins, where he graduated in 1993....
notes, "Aldarion’s desire for the sea and Erendis’ stubborn resentment [could] not be reconciled."
In later years, Aldarion changed the succession law in Númenor so that the eldest daughter of the King could inherit the Sceptre, instead of the eldest son only. This pleased Ancalimë, who had inherited her father's natural ambition, but it was done less out of egalitarian impulses or paternal love (though the latter perhaps played some role), than because doing so suited Aldarion's other plans, and as part of his ongoing strife with Erendis.
Erendis' final years were tragic and sad, her daughter neglected her, Aldarion was away from Númenor most of the time, and her own bitterness isolated her. Númenor was changing around her; even her own daughter was in the end more Aldarion's daughter than hers in turn of mind. Ancalimë proved to be a competent Queen, but Aldarion's policies of aid to the Elves of Middle-earth
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
were abandoned by her.
It is said in the story that Erendis finally longed for Aldarion enough to overcome her bitterness, and she travelled to a haven where he was expected to return. All Tolkien writes of her then, though, is that she died there in the water.
External links
- A History and Complete Chronology of Númenor - A detailed chronology of Númenor, its successor states and their rulers.