Dol Amroth

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Revision as of 01:56, 5 February 2012 by Gamling (talk | contribs) (Rewrote text to make the article refer to the city rather than famous people, added references)
The name Amroth refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Amroth (disambiguation).
Dol Amroth
Promontory, castle, and city
Jan Pospisil - Dol Amroth.jpg
General Information
LocationBelfalas
TypePromontory, castle, and city
RegionsGondor
Reunited Kingdom
InhabitantsMen
GalleryImages of Dol Amroth

Dol Amroth was a promontory situated on a peninsula in Gondor facing the Bay of Belfalas. Its northern shore defined part of Cobas Haven, the small bay into which the Morthond River flowed.[1] Upon the headland the Princes of Dol Amroth established a castle and thus Dol Amroth referred to this stronghold and to the neighboring port-city, the chief city of the fief of Belfalas.[2] Within the walls of the city was the Sea-ward Tower or Tirith Aear, [3] which had a bell that was rung for the benefit of mariners.[4]

The people of Dol Amroth were tall, grey-eyed, and dark-haired.[2] They were famous as the most skillful harp players in all of Gondor, who played at the coronation of Aragorn.[5] The inhabitants of Dol Amroth and in the lands nearby were some of the few people of Gondor who spoke Sindarin on a daily basis.[6]

History

Before Dol Amroth was inhabited by Men there was a settlement of Elves about 50 miles north of the promontory, at Edhellond,[7] that had been established by refugees from Beleriand.[8] According to one story, Galadriel and Celeborn dwelt at Dol Amroth during the time when Elves lived in the land.[9] The last of these Elves would depart in T.A. 1981 when the Elvish king Amroth was lost at sea.[10] It was from the name of this king that Dol Amroth (the "Hill of Amroth") took its name.

The fief of Belfalas was ruled by a family of the Faithful. They were given title to the land by Elendil, with whom they were kin. They built their stronghold upon the promontory, but it was not known as Dol Amroth until the drowning of the Elven king. The first Prince of Dol Amroth was Galador, the son of Imrazôr, who according to legend married the Elven-lady Mithrellas.[11]

Being a coastal city, Dol Amroth was subject to occasional attacks by the Corsairs of Umbar. The fifteenth prince was slain in battle against these sea raiders in T.A. 2746.[12]

In all there were twenty-one Princes of Dol Amroth before the twenty-second, Imrahil, led a contingent of 700 men from the city to Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring.[2]

The emblem of the Prince of Dol Amroth was a silver-upon-blue banner, bearing a ship with a swan-prow upon the sea.[13]

References