Reunited Kingdom
Encyclopedia
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 Two Kingdoms, which had politically split long ago. Using the resources of the victorious Gondor, Aragorn, taking the royal name King Elessar, rebuilt Arnor in the North.
With the defeat of Sauron
and Mordor
, the Reunited Kingdom of Aragorn was without question the dominant power of Northwest Middle-earth during his long reign.
During Aragorn's reign, the Reunited Kingdom expanded to retake all territories that had originally belonged to both Arnor and Gondor at their greatest extents, excluding only Rohan
(the grant of which he renewed), and the Shire
, the Druadan Forest, and Fangorn Forest
(which became protectorates).
Additionally, during the 1st century of the Fourth Age
Aragorn led the armies of the Reunited Kingdom in many successful military campaigns that retook the province of South Gondor (Harondor), re-established dominance over Rhovanion
(Wilderland) eastwards to the Sea of Rhûn, and conquered the Corsairs of Umbar
, who had attacked Gondor during the War of the Ring. Umbar
had originally been a Númenórean port and an important city of Gondor in ancient times before ultimately being conquered by the followers of Castamir following the Kin-strife, who distanced Umbar from Gondor and befriended Harad
. Elessar finally reconquered the city, and the Reunited Kingdom stretched South along the coast from the Mouths of the Anduin
River to the Haven of Umbar. Much of Harad was defeated and became tributary states. Aragorn was also held to be the protector of Dale (which included Esgaroth
), and the Dwarf
realm of Erebor, although these allies maintained their own rule and kings. Aragorn is assumed to have rebuilt the old northern capital of Annúminas.
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...
and 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...
is a fictional realm from 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 Middle-earth
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....
.
When 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...
became King of Gondor at the end of the War of the Ring
War of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
, he was also the descendant of the Kings of Arnor, and by right he was crowned High King
High-Kings of Arnor and Gondor
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, the High Kings of Arnor and Gondor were the Kings of all Dúnedain in Middle-earth after the Downfall of Númenor. Elendil was the leader of the Elendili who survived the Downfall. He claimed the title of High King....
of both Arnor and Gondor and Reunited the Two Kingdoms, which had politically split long ago. Using the resources of the victorious Gondor, Aragorn, taking the royal name King Elessar, rebuilt Arnor in the North.
With the defeat of 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...
and Mordor
Mordor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Mordor or Morhdorh was the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of northwestern Middle-earth to the East of Anduin, the great river. Orodruin, a volcano in Mordor, was the destination of the Fellowship of the Ring in the quest to...
, the Reunited Kingdom of Aragorn was without question the dominant power of Northwest Middle-earth during his long reign.
During Aragorn's reign, the Reunited Kingdom expanded to retake all territories that had originally belonged to both Arnor and Gondor at their greatest extents, excluding only Rohan
Rohan
Rohan is a realm in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy era of Middle-earth. It is a grassland which lies north of its ally Gondor and north-west of Mordor, the realm of Sauron, their enemy . It is inhabited by the Rohirrim, a people of herdsmen and farmers who are well-known for their horses and cavalry....
(the grant of which he renewed), and the Shire
Shire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
, the Druadan Forest, and Fangorn Forest
Fangorn forest
Fangorn in J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium, was a forest located in the fictional world of Middle-earth and was the home of the tree shepherds, the Ents. It was named after the oldest Ent, Treebeard or Treebeard after it. Tolkien did, however, state that there was confusion about the two...
(which became protectorates).
Additionally, during the 1st century of the Fourth Age
Fourth Age
In the fictional world of middle earth "'the fourth age'" and the ages that preceded it, are time periods from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth, described in his fantasy writings...
Aragorn led the armies of the Reunited Kingdom in many successful military campaigns that retook the province of South Gondor (Harondor), re-established dominance over Rhovanion
Rhovanion
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Rhovanion or Wilderland was a large region of northern Middle-earth. It extended to the east as far as the inland Sea of Rhûn; north to the Grey Mountains and Iron Hills, home of the Dwarves; west to the range of the Hithaeglir, or Misty Mountains; and south to...
(Wilderland) eastwards to the Sea of Rhûn, and conquered the Corsairs of Umbar
Corsairs of Umbar
The Corsairs of Umbar were a fleet of Men of Umbar in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, allied to Sauron in his war against Gondor.-Literature:...
, who had attacked Gondor during the War of the Ring. Umbar
Umbar
Umbar is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. It was a great haven and seaport to the far south of Gondor in Middle-earth.'Umbar' was a name—of unknown meaning—given to the area by its original inhabitants...
had originally been a Númenórean port and an important city of Gondor in ancient times before ultimately being conquered by the followers of Castamir following the Kin-strife, who distanced Umbar from Gondor and befriended Harad
Harad
In J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy legendarium, Harad was the name for the immense lands south of Gondor and Mordor. Called Haradwaith from the people who lived there, it literally means "South-folk", from the Sindarin harad, "South" and gwaith, "people"...
. Elessar finally reconquered the city, and the Reunited Kingdom stretched South along the coast from the Mouths of the Anduin
Anduin
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland, the longest river in the Third Age . The ancestors of the Rohirrim called it Langflood. It flowed from its source in the Grey and Misty Mountains to the Mouths of Anduin in the Great Sea...
River to the Haven of Umbar. Much of Harad was defeated and became tributary states. Aragorn was also held to be the protector of Dale (which included Esgaroth
Esgaroth
Esgaroth, or Lake-town is a fictitious community of Men upon the Long Lake, in The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. The town is constructed entirely of wood and stands upon wooden pillars sunk into the bed of the Long Lake, south of the Lonely Mountain and east of Mirkwood...
), and the Dwarf
Dwarf (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Dwarves are a race inhabiting the world of Arda, a fictional prehistoric Earth which includes the continent Middle-earth....
realm of Erebor, although these allies maintained their own rule and kings. Aragorn is assumed to have rebuilt the old northern capital of Annúminas.
External links
- A History and Complete Chronology of Númenor - A detailed chronology of Númenor, its successor states and their rulers.
- Reunited Kingdom at the Encyclopedia of Arda