Pelendur
Encyclopedia
Pelendur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien
's Lord of the Rings
, appearing The Return of the King
.
He was Steward of Gondor
in the year 1944 Third Age
. He was born in T.A. 1879 and was a descendant of Húrin of Emyn Arnen, an earlier Steward of Gondor and the grandfather of Mardil Voronwë, the first Ruling Steward of Gondor.
Pelendur helped Gondor through a constitutional crisis following the premature death of King Ondoher and his sons Artamir and Faramir while fighting the Wainriders. He effectively ruled the kingdom for one year while observing the claims of the two claimants, Prince Arvedui
of Arthedain, and the general Eärnil
who was victorious in battle against the Wainriders (Easterlings
). Arvedui was the heir of Isildur
and his wife was Fíriel
, a daughter of Ondoher. Eärnil was part of the Royal House of Gondor but not part of the direct line of succession, his great-grandfather Arciryas was the brother of Narmacil II, and Eärnil's great-great-grandfather was King Telumehtar Umbardacil.
Pelendur dismissed Arvedui's claim maintaining that the rule of Gondor belonged to the heirs of Anárion
, even though Isildur was the High King of both Gondor and Arnor
before his death. Arvedui stated while Isildur did leave Gondor to take up the rule of Arnor, he did not relinquish the rule of Gondor and remained at the head of succession, as Anárion's son Meneldil was installed as regent. Nor did he intend the realms to be estranged forever, though Meneldil did otherwise. To this, the Council of Gondor made no answer.
Arvedui also argued, his wife Fíriel, the daughter of Ondoher should rightfully become Ruling Queen due to the old Númenórean law of accession, which stated the eldest remaining child of the King should inherit the throne. Arvedui had also based his claim on the fact that he had married a descendant of Anárion, so that reunited the lines of the brothers. Pelendur rejected Fíriel's claim saying in Númenor, it was peaceful enough to have women as rulers. However, the Realms-in-Exile were constantly under attack and therefore needed a male ruler to lead the armies. Based on the afore-mentioned arguments, the Council of Gondor, under the influence of Pelendur, choose Eärnil as King, defying the Númenórean law of succession, which was said to be inapplicable in a warring state like Gondor.
On one hand, Eärnil's selection may have averted another kin strife. Eärnil, the victorious general, had become a hero in Gondor and had the support of the populace for his deeds in battle. Installing Arvedui, a foreigner, as king could have stirred up resentment amongst the people of the coastlands and the supporters of Eärnil, who had saved Gondor. Also, common sentiment in Gondor saw Arthedain as a shadow of the former glory of Arnor, for all of lineage of its lords. Surprisingly, Eärnil did not share the views of most of his subjects and he attempted to renew contact between the estranged kingdoms, even sending a great force led by his son Eärnur to try to defend Arthedain when the Witch-king was preparing a final assault against it. Unfortunately, most of his efforts were preoccupied with rebuilding Gondor after their nearly disastrous war against the Wainriders and his aid to the North-kingdom was too late.
On the other hand, Pelendur's choice denied the heirs of Isildur the chance to reunite the Realms-in-Exile. Malbeth the Seer
, who named Arvedui at birth, said that many sorrows and ages and lives of men would pass before there could be another chance to reunite the crown
and sceptre
(which were the symbols of royalty of Gondor and Arnor, respectively). It was said that much evil would have been averted had Arvedui ascended the throne of Gondor. While Isildur and Anárion's (through Fíriel) line would be maintained in the north, the southern line of succession ended not long after Eärnil's death. Eärnil's son and heir Eärnur did not take a wife and had little interest in ruling. Caring only for war and battles, he answered the challenge of the Witch-king
and never returned, leaving Gondor without a king. It could thus be said that Pelendur's actions precipitated the line of Ruling Stewards
.
Though their realm did not, the heirs of Arvedui
did survive, and carried on the (combined) line of Isildur
and Anárion
, and the claim of Arvedui would never be forgotten although it would be a thousand years before Aragorn
invoked it. This political precedent
(choosing a Gondorian rather than an heir of Isildur with a more direct claim to the throne) is one reason for Aragorn's caution in assuming the throne of Gondor at the end of the Third Age
.
He died in T.A. 1998 and at this point the office of Steward officially became hereditary in the House of Húrin.
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 Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, appearing The Return of the King
The Return of the King
The Return of the King is the third and final volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, following The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.-Title:...
.
He was Steward of Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
in the year 1944 Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
. He was born in T.A. 1879 and was a descendant of Húrin of Emyn Arnen, an earlier Steward of Gondor and the grandfather of Mardil Voronwë, the first Ruling Steward of Gondor.
Pelendur helped Gondor through a constitutional crisis following the premature death of King Ondoher and his sons Artamir and Faramir while fighting the Wainriders. He effectively ruled the kingdom for one year while observing the claims of the two claimants, Prince Arvedui
Arvedui
Arvedui is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.Arvedui was the son of King Araphant of Arthedain. He was born in T.A. 1864 and came to the throne in 1964 at the death of his father...
of Arthedain, and the general Eärnil
Eärnil II
Eärnil II is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth. He was born in T.A. 1883. In 1945 Third Age he was elected as the thirty-second King of Gondor after his predecessor, King Ondoher, was slain in battle. In the previous year a two-pronged attack had been launched...
who was victorious in battle against the Wainriders (Easterlings
Easterlings
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, "Easterling" and "Easterlings" were generic terms for Men who lived in the east of Middle-earth, who mostly fought under Morgoth and Sauron, not directly but rather on behalf of their own High Lord....
). Arvedui was the heir of Isildur
Isildur
Isildur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the author's books The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
and his wife was Fíriel
Fíriel
Fíriel is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth.As the daughter of King Ondoher of Gondor, Fíriel was wed to Prince Arvedui of Arthedain during a time when Arvedui's father Araphant made an alliance with Ondoher...
, a daughter of Ondoher. Eärnil was part of the Royal House of Gondor but not part of the direct line of succession, his great-grandfather Arciryas was the brother of Narmacil II, and Eärnil's great-great-grandfather was King Telumehtar Umbardacil.
Pelendur dismissed Arvedui's claim maintaining that the rule of Gondor belonged to the heirs of Anárion
Anárion
Anárion is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. His name is derived from Anar, which means "Sun" in Tolkien's invented language of Quenya...
, even though Isildur was the High King of both Gondor and Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
before his death. Arvedui stated while Isildur did leave Gondor to take up the rule of Arnor, he did not relinquish the rule of Gondor and remained at the head of succession, as Anárion's son Meneldil was installed as regent. Nor did he intend the realms to be estranged forever, though Meneldil did otherwise. To this, the Council of Gondor made no answer.
Arvedui also argued, his wife Fíriel, the daughter of Ondoher should rightfully become Ruling Queen due to the old Númenórean law of accession, which stated the eldest remaining child of the King should inherit the throne. Arvedui had also based his claim on the fact that he had married a descendant of Anárion, so that reunited the lines of the brothers. Pelendur rejected Fíriel's claim saying in Númenor, it was peaceful enough to have women as rulers. However, the Realms-in-Exile were constantly under attack and therefore needed a male ruler to lead the armies. Based on the afore-mentioned arguments, the Council of Gondor, under the influence of Pelendur, choose Eärnil as King, defying the Númenórean law of succession, which was said to be inapplicable in a warring state like Gondor.
On one hand, Eärnil's selection may have averted another kin strife. Eärnil, the victorious general, had become a hero in Gondor and had the support of the populace for his deeds in battle. Installing Arvedui, a foreigner, as king could have stirred up resentment amongst the people of the coastlands and the supporters of Eärnil, who had saved Gondor. Also, common sentiment in Gondor saw Arthedain as a shadow of the former glory of Arnor, for all of lineage of its lords. Surprisingly, Eärnil did not share the views of most of his subjects and he attempted to renew contact between the estranged kingdoms, even sending a great force led by his son Eärnur to try to defend Arthedain when the Witch-king was preparing a final assault against it. Unfortunately, most of his efforts were preoccupied with rebuilding Gondor after their nearly disastrous war against the Wainriders and his aid to the North-kingdom was too late.
On the other hand, Pelendur's choice denied the heirs of Isildur the chance to reunite the Realms-in-Exile. Malbeth the Seer
Malbeth the Seer
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, Malbeth the Seer was a wise man of Arthedain who was remembered for two prophecies.-Regarding the Fall of Arthedain:At the birth of the son of Araphant he saidThis prophecy was to be fulfilled in the year...
, who named Arvedui at birth, said that many sorrows and ages and lives of men would pass before there could be another chance to reunite the crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
and sceptre
Sceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
(which were the symbols of royalty of Gondor and Arnor, respectively). It was said that much evil would have been averted had Arvedui ascended the throne of Gondor. While Isildur and Anárion's (through Fíriel) line would be maintained in the north, the southern line of succession ended not long after Eärnil's death. Eärnil's son and heir Eärnur did not take a wife and had little interest in ruling. Caring only for war and battles, he answered the challenge of the Witch-king
Witch-king of Angmar
The Witch-king of Angmar, also known as the Lord of the Nazgûl and the Black Captain among other names, is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. In Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, he is the chief of the Nazgûl , the chief servants...
and never returned, leaving Gondor without a king. It could thus be said that Pelendur's actions precipitated the line of Ruling Stewards
Stewards of Gondor
The Stewards of Gondor were rulers from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth.-Overview:Steward was the traditional title of a chief counsellor to one of the Kings of Gondor. The office of Arandur first came into existence during the reign of King Rómendacil I...
.
Though their realm did not, the heirs of Arvedui
Arvedui
Arvedui is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.Arvedui was the son of King Araphant of Arthedain. He was born in T.A. 1864 and came to the throne in 1964 at the death of his father...
did survive, and carried on the (combined) line of Isildur
Isildur
Isildur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the author's books The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
and Anárion
Anárion
Anárion is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. His name is derived from Anar, which means "Sun" in Tolkien's invented language of Quenya...
, and the claim of Arvedui would never be forgotten although it would be a thousand years before Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
invoked it. This political precedent
Precedent
In common law legal systems, a precedent or authority is a principle or rule established in a legal case that a court or other judicial body may apply when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts...
(choosing a Gondorian rather than an heir of Isildur with a more direct claim to the throne) is one reason for Aragorn's caution in assuming the throne of Gondor at the end of the Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
.
He died in T.A. 1998 and at this point the office of Steward officially became hereditary in the House of Húrin.