Crown of Gondor

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In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional mythology, the Crown of Gondor is the chief token of royalty of Gondor. The Crown was shaped like a Númenórean war helmet. It was tall and it had two wings shaped like a seabird's, representing the Kings who had come across the Sea from Númenor to establish the realm of Gondor in Middle-earth. The wings were made of pearl and silver and the Crown was set with seven diamonds around the base and a red jewel on top. The first Crown was the helmet that Isildur had worn at the Battle of Dagorlad. His brother Anárion's helmet had been crushed by the stone that killed him during the Siege of Barad-dûr.

Later during the reign of King Atanatar II Alcarin (1149-1226), a new crown was made of silver and jewels. This Crown was worn by all the subsequent Kings of Gondor. Traditionally, a father passed the Crown to his heir before he died. If the heir was not present when the King died, the Crown was set in the King's tomb and his heir would later go alone to the Hallows to retrieve it.

In 2050, the Lord of the Nazgûl challenged King Eärnur to single-combat. Eärnur left the Crown on the tomb of his father Eärnil II and he went to Minas Morgul and was never seen again. From that time on, the Stewards ruled Gondor in the absence of a King. The Crown remained in the Hallows, and the Stewards bore a white rod as the token of their office.

Before the coronation of Aragorn, King Elessar, the Steward Faramir went to the Hallows and retrieved the Crown from Eärnil's tomb. The Crown was placed in a casket of black lebethron wood bound with silver and was carried to the Great Gate of Minas Tirith by four Guards of the Citadel. Aragorn lifted the Crown and said:

"Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!"
("Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.")
The Return of the King: "The Steward and the King," p. 245-46

Then at Aragorn's request, Frodo Baggins brought the Crown forward and gave it to Gandalf, who set it upon Aragorn's head. As King, Aragorn bore both the Crown of Gondor and the Sceptre of Annúminas that was the chief token of royalty of Arnor, and the two Kingdoms were reunited under his reign. Before his death in the year 120 of the Fourth Age, Aragorn passed the Crown and Sceptre to his son and heir Eldarion. It is also referred as the Winged Crown, the Silver Crown, the White Crown, and the Crown of Elendil.

[edit] Sources

• The Two Towers: "The Riders of Rohan," p. 25; "The Black Gate Is Closed," p. 249; "The Window on the West," p. 280
• The Return of the King: "Minas Tirith," p. 25, 26; "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields," p. 123; "The Steward and the King," p. 245-46
• Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings: "The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain," p. 323 note 1; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion," p. 333; "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen," p. 342-43