Amandil
Encyclopedia
Amandil is a fictional character from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth
legendarium
. Amandil was a Lord of Andúnië, succeeding his father Númendil upon his death. Amandil is most noted for being the father of Elendil
, founder of the Númenórean Realms in Exile
.
The name Amandil is Quenya
for "Friend of Aman
" signifying his devotion to the Valar
in defiance to the policies of the King's Men. He was also the leader of the faction of Elendili ("Elf-friends"), or the Faithful, who endured persecution from the King's Men.
In his youth Amandil was a great friend of Ar-Pharazôn, the last king of Númenor
. Amandil was also famed across Númenor for being a great sea-captain in the days of Númendil. Later, Amandil became influential in the Númenórean council. However, when Ar-Pharazôn brought the conquered Sauron
from Middle-earth, his friendship with Amandil withered, and Amandil was soon dismissed from the Council and retired to Rómenna.
As time passed, Ar-Pharazôn began persecuting the Faithful more vigorously. Amandil himself was relatively safe, however, on account of his noble ancestry and the respect he had among the populace from his days as a ship captain.
Ar-Pharazôn eventually began planning the Great Armament with which he intended to challenge the Valar for control of the Undying Lands. Amandil was one of those who got wind of the plan. He urged his son Elendil not to interfere in the upcoming war, but to expect, and prepare for, a forced departure from the island. He himself decided to set sail for Valinor
, there to plead with the Valar for forgiveness and mercy for the Númenórean people, since at least a few had remained faithful.
Amandil, to hide what he was doing, set sail east, and later turned west towards Tol Eressëa
, taking with him three servants. Neither he, nor his servants, were ever heard from again. On his advice, his son Elendil and his grandsons, Isildur
and Anárion
, who had readied nine ships laden with goods, later escaped the cataclysmic destruction of Númenor and made their way to Middle-earth to establish the Dúnedain
kingdoms of Gondor
and Arnor
.
Whether Amandil's voyage was successful is unknown, but soon after the downfall of Númenor a great wave carried Elendil's ships safely to Middle-earth, sparing them from Eru
's wrath.
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
legendarium
Legendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
. Amandil was a Lord of Andúnië, succeeding his father Númendil upon his death. Amandil is most noted for being the father of Elendil
Elendil
Elendil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
, founder of the Númenórean Realms in Exile
Reunited Kingdom
The Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor is a fictional realm from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.When Aragorn became King of Gondor at the end of the War of the Ring, he was also the descendant of the Kings of Arnor, and by right he was crowned High King of both Arnor and Gondor and Reunited the...
.
The name Amandil is Quenya
Quenya
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...
for "Friend of Aman
Aman
-External links:*...
" signifying his devotion to the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
in defiance to the policies of the King's Men. He was also the leader of the faction of Elendili ("Elf-friends"), or the Faithful, who endured persecution from the King's Men.
In his youth Amandil was a great friend of Ar-Pharazôn, the last king 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...
. Amandil was also famed across Númenor for being a great sea-captain in the days of Númendil. Later, Amandil became influential in the Númenórean council. However, when Ar-Pharazôn brought the conquered Sauron
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
from Middle-earth, his friendship with Amandil withered, and Amandil was soon dismissed from the Council and retired to Rómenna.
As time passed, Ar-Pharazôn began persecuting the Faithful more vigorously. Amandil himself was relatively safe, however, on account of his noble ancestry and the respect he had among the populace from his days as a ship captain.
Ar-Pharazôn eventually began planning the Great Armament with which he intended to challenge the Valar for control of the Undying Lands. Amandil was one of those who got wind of the plan. He urged his son Elendil not to interfere in the upcoming war, but to expect, and prepare for, a forced departure from the island. He himself decided to set sail for Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
, there to plead with the Valar for forgiveness and mercy for the Númenórean people, since at least a few had remained faithful.
Amandil, to hide what he was doing, set sail east, and later turned west towards Tol Eressëa
Tol Eressëa
In early versions of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium , Tol Eressëa was an island visited by the Anglo-Saxon traveller Ælfwine which provided a framework for the tales that later became The Silmarillion. The name is the Elvish for "Lonely Island"...
, taking with him three servants. Neither he, nor his servants, were ever heard from again. On his advice, his son Elendil and his grandsons, 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...
, who had readied nine ships laden with goods, later escaped the cataclysmic destruction of Númenor and made their way to Middle-earth to establish the Dúnedain
Dúnedain
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
kingdoms 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...
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...
.
Whether Amandil's voyage was successful is unknown, but soon after the downfall of Númenor a great wave carried Elendil's ships safely to Middle-earth, sparing them from Eru
Eru Ilúvatar
Eru Ilúvatar is a fictional deity in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as the creator of all existence . In Tolkien's invented language of Elvish, Eru means "The One", or "He that is Alone" and Ilúvatar signifies "Father of All"...
's wrath.
External links
- A History and Complete Chronology of Númenor - A detailed chronology of Númenor, its successor states and their rulers.