Silmariën

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Silmariën
Númenórean
Shyangell - Princess Silmarien.jpg
Biographical Information
LocationNúmenor
LanguageAdûnaic, Sindarin and Quenya
BirthS.A. 521[1]
Family
HouseHouse of Elros
ParentageTar-Elendil
SiblingsIsilmë and Tar-Meneldur
SpouseElatan
ChildrenValandil
Physical Description
GenderFemale
GalleryImages of Silmariën

Silmariën was the first child of Tar-Elendil, the fourth King of Númenor and mother of the first Lord of Andúnië.

History

Silmariën was the eldest child of King Tar-Elendil and elder sister of Meneldur. However because of the Númenórean law of agnatic primogeniture that then existed in the Realm, she could not succeed her father as King of Númenor and instead her brother took up the Sceptre as Tar-Meneldur.[2]

Silmariën wed Elatan of Andúnië, and in honor of their son Valandil, her father created the royal title of Lord of Andúnië. Also, instead of giving this valuable heirloom to his heir, Tar-Elendil gave her the Ring of Barahir.[3] Silmariën also was given a mithril fillet.[4]

Legacy

Her heirs, coming of the royal line of Númenor[5], centuries later they led the Faithful to Middle-earth to found the Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. Aragorn, the hero of the War of the Ring, is her direct descendant through many generations.

Her fillet would become part of the Elendilmir, a sign of royalty in Númenor and later the crown of the Kingdom of Arnor.[4]

Etymology

Silmariën's name is not given a translation, although it's etymology is straighforward in Quenya. It may incorporate silma "silver, shining white;[6] crystal (white)[7]" and obviously ends in the feminine ending -rien, apparently a variant of -ien (see -riel).[8] The meaning therefore would be *"Maiden gardlanded with shining light"

Other versions of the legendarium

Silmariën was definitely the eldest child of Tar-Elendil, and her birthdate is given in The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor as S.A. 521.[1] In the Tale of Years, it is given as 548, a date that goes back to the first drafts of that text whose revision was overlooked by Tolkien.[9]

Genealogy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Amandil
192 - 603
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Elendil
350 - 751
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elatan
unknown
 
SILMARIËN
b. 521
 
Isilmë
b. 532
 
Tar-Meneldur
543 - 942
 
Almarian
unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valandil
b. 630
 
Tar-Aldarion
700 - 1098
 
Ailinel
b. 712
 
Almiel
b. 729
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lords of
Andúnië
 
Kings of
Númenor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

References