Stewards of Gondor
Encyclopedia
The Stewards of Gondor were rulers from J. R. R. Tolkien
's legendarium
of Middle-earth
.
. 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.
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." 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. 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
.
.)
was crowned King. The Steward Faramir
, son of Denethor II, surrendered to the King his rod of office, but it was returned to him. Faramir nominally ruled briefly as Steward until Elessar's coronation, but since Faramir rested in the Houses of Healing, Prince Imrahil
of Dol Amroth
ruled instead of him; when Imrahil also parted to the campaign against Mordor
, representing Gondor, he was replaced for Minas Tirith
by Húrin the Tall
, Warden of the Keys. The army anticipated Aragorn
's coronation by fighting in the name of the King Elessar; however, the military commander of the joint forces, by common agreement, was rather Gandalf
. Faramir finally took the position of a Ruling Steward and should thus be considered as such. King Elessar confirmed in Faramir, as well as his descendants, the office of Steward of Gondor, granting him in addition the Princedom of Ithilien
, ensuring his line a position as counsellor to the King.
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 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...
of 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....
.
Overview
Steward was the traditional title of a chief counsellor to one of the Kings of GondorKings of Gondor
This is a list of kings of Gondor from the fictional universe of Middle-earth by J. R. R. Tolkien.The kings of Gondor through Amandil claimed descent from the Lords of Andúnië, and from there to Silmariën and the Kings of Númenor....
. 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
Pelendur
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...
, from the famous House of Húrin
House of Húrin
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the House of Húrin was founded by 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...
, 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 ElendilElendil
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....
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
Pelendur
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...
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
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....
. He played a key role in influencing the Council of Gondor to choose 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...
over 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, thus maintaining the line of 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...
. Incidentally, Pelendur's actions were also influential in the rise of the office of Stewards to power, as 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...
's son Eärnur left no heir.
Eärnur rode against 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. 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
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
.
The Stewards watched over the throne until it could be reclaimed by a true King 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...
, an heir of Elendil. When asked by his son Boromir
Boromir
Boromir is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the first two volumes of The Lord of the Rings , and is mentioned in the last volume, The Return of the King....
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." 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. The letters spell the 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...
name of the title: Arandur, meaning "Servant of the King".
The family tree of the Stewards of Gondor can be found here
House of Húrin
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the House of Húrin was founded by 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...
.
Ruling Stewards of Gondor
The following is a list of the Ruling Stewards of Gondor. (All dates are from the Third AgeThird 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....
.)
- Mardil Voronwë "the Steadfast" (2029r.2050–2080)
- Eradan (2080–2116)
- Herion (2116–2148)
- Belegorn (2148–2204)
- Húrin I (2204–2244)
- Túrin I (2244–2278)
- Hador (2278–2395)
- Barahir (2395–2412)
- Dior (2412–2435)
- Denethor I (2435–2477) - son of Dior's sister.
- Boromir (2477–2489)
- CirionCirionCirion is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth. He is first mentioned in the Appendices of Return of the King as the twelfth ruling Steward of Gondor. His role is later expanded in Unfinished Tales....
(2489–2567) - Hallas (2567–2605)
- Húrin II (2605–2628)
- Belecthor I (2628–2655)
- Orodreth (2655–2685)
- Ecthelion I (2685–2698)
- Egalmoth (2698–2743) - grandson of Orodreth's sister, Morwen.
- Beren (2743–2763)
- Beregond (2763–2811)
- Belecthor II (2811–2872)
- Thorondir (2872–2882)
- Túrin II (2882–2914)
- Turgon (2914–2953)
- Ecthelion II (2953–2984)
- Denethor II (2984–3019)
Later Stewards
Soon after the death of Denethor II, Aragorn ElessarAragorn
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...
was crowned King. The Steward Faramir
Faramir
In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, Faramir is a fictional character appearing in The Lord of the Rings. He is introduced as the younger brother of Boromir of the Fellowship of the Ring and second son of Denethor II, the Steward of the realm of Gondor...
, son of Denethor II, surrendered to the King his rod of office, but it was returned to him. Faramir nominally ruled briefly as Steward until Elessar's coronation, but since Faramir rested in the Houses of Healing, Prince Imrahil
Imrahil
Imrahil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in Return of the King as the twenty-second Prince of Dol Amroth.-Biography:...
of Dol Amroth
Dol Amroth
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Dol Amroth was a hill along the coast of Gondor, on a peninsula on the Bay of Belfalas; and also the city that grew up there, mainly in the Third Age as the seat of the principality of the same name. The Prince of Dol Amroth was one of the principal subjects of...
ruled instead of him; when Imrahil also parted to the campaign against 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...
, representing Gondor, he was replaced for Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith , originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age...
by Húrin the Tall
Húrin the Tall
Húrin the Tall is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium,appearing Return of the King.He was a Man of Minas Tirith in the Third Age...
, Warden of the Keys. The army anticipated 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...
's coronation by fighting in the name of the King Elessar; however, the military commander of the joint forces, by common agreement, was rather Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
. Faramir finally took the position of a Ruling Steward and should thus be considered as such. King Elessar confirmed in Faramir, as well as his descendants, the office of Steward of Gondor, granting him in addition the Princedom of Ithilien
Ithilien
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Ithilien is a region and fiefdom of Gondor.Ithilien, or "Moon-land," is the easternmost province of Gondor, the only part of Gondor across the Great River Anduin lying between the river and the Mountains of Shadow , subdivided by the stream of...
, ensuring his line a position as counsellor to the King.
See also
- House of HúrinHouse of HúrinIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the House of Húrin was founded by 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...
- House of Hador
- Finduilas of Dol AmrothFinduilas of Dol AmrothIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Finduilas was the sister of Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth.-Character history:Named after Finduilas, an Elf-maiden of the First Age, Finduilas of Dol Amroth was the daughter of Prince Adrahil II, and had an older sister Ivriniel in addition to her brother...
- Vorondil