Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife

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Unfinished Tales
of Númenor and Middle-earth
Part One: The First Age
Part Two: The Second Age
Part Three: The Third Age
Part Four

Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife is a chapter belonging to the book Unfinished Tales, which was written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published posthumously by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Its main characters are Tar-Aldarion, the sixth King of Númenor and his wife, Erendis, also called Tar-Elestirnë, which meant "Lady of the Star-brow".

Synopsis

The chapter begins with a description of Aladarion's father, Tar-Meneldur, a rightful king devoted to the Island of Númenor, but whos true passion was the study of the stars. He had 2 daughters and one son, Anardil, who would be known among the Kings of Númenor as Tar-Aldarion.

The main cause of diagreement between father and son proved to be the sea, for Aldarion loved it ever since he was a child. The first voyage towards the Middle-earth was made in the years 725 Second Age, under the guidance of Vëantur, his own grandfather and in that journey bonds of friendship with Círdan and Ereinion Gil-galad were established.

More sea voyages followed afterwards, against the wish of his father, and in-between them, he founded the Guild of Venturers.In the 100th year of his life Aldarion was proclamed heir to the throne and at the celebration of this event he met Erendis, daughter of Beregar. Though she seemed beautiful to him, Aldarion did not pursued her until later on, as he continued to follow the mariner life he much loved.

When he finally courted her, it was Erendis who avoided the union, for she did not want to share Aldarion with the sea. Only after many years they were engaged, and even more passed until they were married. As husband and wife they did not manage to reconcile their differences. Few years after their only child was born, named Ancalimë, Aldarion continued his Middle-earth explorations. Erendis grew bitter of the waiting until finally she left their home in Armenelos, taking their young daughter with her into the heart of Emerië.

Upon his return, Aldarion found his home locked and his father even more cold towards him. It was the same with his wife, when he pursued her to her new home. But here the tale takes un unexpected turn, as it is revealed in a letter that Gil-galad sent towards king Meneldur through his son. In the letter it is told that Aldarion did not leave his home out of selfishness, but rather his voyages were justified by the threat from Sauron, which he had long seen and tried to prevent by building the outpost called Vinyalondë, at the mouth of the Gwathló river in Middle-earth. Tar-Meneldur, realizing that he did not shared the visionary mind of his son, nor had his capacity to face the upcoming events, abdicated and proclamed Aldarion as the new ruler of Númenor.

Notes

After this twist in the tale, the detailed writing stops, for the story was not completed during the authour's life. What follows next is a compilation of notes, pulled together by his son, Christopher Tolkien. These scattered writings talk mostly of Erendis and how her bitter vision of men was implemented upon her daughter. Ancalimë shared most of her mother's behaviour and went to such lengths as to impose her female servants never to get married. She did however rule, due to the fact that her father had changed the law of succession in Númenor. Her husband was Hallacar, but their marriage was far from happy.

The notes speak little of the fleet which Aldarion has sent to the aid of Gil-galad, as he requested in the above mentioned letter, while much of his fort at Vinyalondë had crumbled into ruin, though parts of it did survive into the Third Age as the port of Lond Daer. But his efforts would be the base of Tar-Minastir's accomplishments many years later, in the first war with Sauron.

Chronology

Years of the main events in Aldarion and Erendis' life:

  • 700 S.A. - Aldarion is born
  • 725-727 S.A. - First voyage of Aldarion towards Middle-earth
  • 771 S.A. - Erendis is born
  • 800 S.A. - Aldarion is declared heir of the king
  • 800 S.A. - Aldarion and Erendis meet
  • 806-813 S.A. - The 7 years voyage of Aldarion
  • 816-820 S.A. - First voyage of Aldarion with the Palarran
  • 824-829 S.A. - The voyage of Aldarion with the seven ships
  • 829-853 S.A. - The 14 years voyage of Aldarion
  • 858 S.A. - Aldarion and Erendis are wed
  • 863-869 S.A. - The after-engagement voyage of Aldarion
  • 879 S.A. - The marriage of Aldarion and Erendis
  • 870 S.A. - Ancalimë was born
  • 877-882 S.A. - Voyage of Aldarion
  • 882 S.A. - Aldarion and Erendis are separated
  • 883 S.A. - Aldarion becomes king of Númenor
  • 892 S.A. - Ancalimë is declared heiress to the throne
  • 1075 S.A. - Aldarion's reign ends
  • 1075 S.A. - Ancalimë becomes the first rulling queen of Númenor
  • 1098 S.A. - Aldarion dies

See Also