Stewards of Gondor

The Stewards of Gondor were rulers from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth.

Contents

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. After the Stewardship of Húrin of Emyn Arnen the office was filled solely by his heirs and during the time of the Steward Pelendur, from the famous House of Húrin, this title became hereditary, passing the station of counsellor from father to son, much like the Kingship.

History

The House of Húrin was founded by one Húrin of Emyn Arnen, Steward to King Minardil, the twenty-fifth King of Gondor. They were of high Númenórean blood, but not descendants of Elendil in the ruling line. Húrin was, in fact, the great-great-great-grandson of Eldacar through a female line.

Although not formally a Ruling Steward, Pelendur was the first to effectively rule the kingdom, doing so for one year after the death of King Ondoher and his sons while fighting the Wainriders. He played a key role in influencing the Council of Gondor to choose Eärnil over Arvedui of Arthedain, thus maintaining the line of the heirs of Anárion. Incidentally, Pelendur's actions were also influential in the rise of the office of Stewards to power, as Eärnil's son Eärnur left no heir.

Eärnur rode against the Witch-king and never returned. Since his fate could not be clearly established, the Steward Mardil Voronwë administered Gondor in the name of the absent King, thus becoming the first of the Ruling Stewards. This solution was also precipitated by the fact of Eärnur's failure to father a child and the demise of the northern kingdom of Arthedain. Mardil's descendants administered Gondor as Ruling Stewards for 25 generations. The stewards from Eradan to Dior ruled during the period known as the Watchful Peace. The Ruling Stewards ruled in place of the King, swearing an oath to do so "until he shall return". In practice, they exercised all the powers formerly held by the Kings, and discouraged speculation about royal claimants. Nevertheless, the Ruling Stewards avoided associating themselves with any of the symbols of kingship. They sat on a simple chair of black stone placed on the lowest step of the dais surrounding the throne, and wore no crown, and held no sceptre, only a white rod, the emblem of their office. The royal flag was replaced with the banner of the Stewards, which was white without any charges.

The Stewards watched over the throne until it could be reclaimed by a true King of Gondor, an heir of Elendil. When asked by his son Boromir how long must pass before a Steward could become a King, if the King did not return, Denethor II replied: "Few years, maybe, in other places of less royalty ... In Gondor ten thousand years would not suffice." [1] After generations of rule by the Stewards, they hardened their hearts against the return of an heir of Elendil.

Before the Line of Kings failed two conditions applied to the Steward: He was not allowed to leave the realm or go to war, in effect ensuring smooth government while the King was away on campaign.

The seal of the Stewards consisted of the letters "R.ND.R" surmounted by three stars.[2] The letters spell the Quenya name of the title: Arandur, meaning "Servant of the King".

The family tree of the Stewards of Gondor can be found here.

Ruling Stewards of Gondor

The following is a list of the Ruling Stewards of Gondor. (All dates are from the Third Age, and are taken from Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings or (for the birth years) from The Peoples of Middle Earth, p 204–207.)

  1. Mardil Voronwë "the Steadfast", born 1960, Steward from 2029, ruled 2050–2080
  2. Eradan, b. 1999 (2080–2116)
  3. Herion, b. 2037 (2116–2148)
  4. Belegorn, b. 2074 (2148–2204)
  5. Húrin I, b. 2124 (2204–2244)
  6. Túrin I, b. 2165 (2244–2278)
  7. Hador, b. 2245 (2278–2395)
  8. Barahir, b. 2290 (2395–2412)
  9. Dior, b. 2328 (2412–2435)
  10. Denethor I, b. 2375 (2435–2477) – son of Dior's sister.
  11. Boromir, b. 2410 (2477–2489)
  12. Cirion, b. 2449 (2489–2567)
  13. Hallas, b.2480 (2567–2605)
  14. Húrin II, b. 2515 (2605–2628)
  15. Belecthor I, b. 2545 (2628–2655)
  16. Orodreth, b. 2576 (2655–2685)
  17. Ecthelion I, b. 2600 (2685–2698)
  18. Egalmoth, b. 2626 (2698–2743) – grandson of Orodreth's sister, Morwen.
  19. Beren, b. 2655 (2743–2763)
  20. Beregond, b. 2700 (2763–2811)
  21. Belecthor II, b. 2752 (2811–2872)
  22. Thorondir, b. 2782 (2872–2882)
  23. Túrin II, b. 2815 (2882–2914)
  24. Turgon, b. 2855 (2914–2953)
  25. Ecthelion II, b. 2886 (2953–2984)
  26. Denethor II, b. 2930 (2984–3019)

Later Stewards

At the death of Denethor II, Aragorn Elessar declared himself openly as the Heir of Isildur, and Denthor is considered the last of the Ruling Stewards.[3] The army anticipated Aragorn's coronation by fighting in the name of the King Elessar, but by common consent the leader of the joint assault on Mordor was Gandalf. Until the army's return from Mordor, the Steward Faramir II, Denethor's son, retained nominal control of Minas Tirith, though during his incompacity the city was actually commanded by Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth and (when Imrahil departed with the army) by Húrin the Tall, Warden of the Keys. At Aragorn's coronation, Faramir surrendered his rod of office to the King, but the King returned it to him, and Elessar confirmed in Faramir and his descendants the office of Steward of Gondor, creating him in addition Prince of Ithilien.

Faramir was succeeded by his son Elboron as Steward of Gondor and second Prince of Ithilien.

See also

References

  1. ^ Reported by Faramir in The Two Towers, "The Window on the West"
  2. ^ Unfinished Tales, p405
  3. ^ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A (ii).