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''Steward'' was the traditional title of a chief counsellor to one of the [[Kings of Gondor]].  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.
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'''Steward''' ([[Quenya|Q]]. '''''Arandur''''') was the traditional title of a chief counselor to one of the [[Kings of Gondor]].  


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 [[Elendil]] in the ruling line.
[[Image:Grond - Gondor stewards banner.png|thumb|right|''Gondor Steward's Banner'' by [[User:Grond/Sandbox|Grond]]]]


After the death of King [[Eärnur]], who left no heir to the throne of [[Gondor]], the Steward [[Mardil Voronwë]] became the first of the Ruling Stewards. Mardil was the first of the Stewards to administer Gondor, and his descendants did so for 25 generations.
==History of the office==
King [[Rómendacil I]] established the office of Steward, chosen by the King as a man of high trust and wisdom; Stewards were advanced in years since they were not permitted to go to war or to leave the realm. They were never a member of the [[House of Anárion|Royal House]].<ref>{{UT|Cirion}}, note 53</ref>


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" (reported by Faramir in ''[[The Two Towers (book)|The Two Towers]]'').
The Steward to King [[Minardil]], [[Húrin of Emyn Arnen]], was the founder of the '''[[House of Húrin]]'''.<ref name="Stewards">{{App|Stewards}}</ref> They were of royal [[Númenóreans|Númenórean]] blood, but were not descendants of [[Elendil]] in the ruling line.<ref>{{PM|Elendil}}, pp. 203 & 218</ref> After the time of Minardil, the Kings established the custom that Stewards are chosen from this House.


The Stewards never sat on the throne of the King; instead, they sat on a simple chair of black stone placed below it. The symbol of their office was a white rod.
During the time of the Steward [[Pelendur]], this title became hereditary, passing the station of counselor from father to son, much like the Kingship.<ref name="Stewards"/>
===The [[Ruling Stewards]]===
After the death of King [[Eärnur]], who left no heir to the throne of [[Gondor]], the Steward [[Mardil|Mardil Voronwë]] became the first of the Ruling Stewards. Mardil was the first of the Stewards to administer Gondor, and his descendants did so for 25 generations. The Stewards watched over the throne until it could be reclaimed by a true King of Gondor, an heir of Elendil.
===[[Reunited Kingdom]]===
Soon after the death of Denethor II, [[Aragorn|Aragorn Elessar]] was crowned King. The Steward [[Faramir]], son of Denethor II, surrendered to the King his rod of office, but it was returned to him.<ref name="Steward and King">{{RK|VI5}}</ref> Faramir nominally ruled briefly as Steward until Elessar's coronation, but since Faramir rested in the [[Houses of Healing]], Prince [[Imrahil]] of [[Dol Amroth]] took his place much of that time.<ref>{{RK|Houses}}</ref> Though Faramir became Steward a month and a half before Elessar became King, Faramir is not considered one of the Ruling Stewards. King Elessar confirmed in Faramir and his descendants the office of Steward of Gondor, and granted him in addition the title of [[Prince of Ithilien]], ensuring his line a position as counselor of the King.<ref name="Steward and King"/>


The [[Quenya]] name of the title is ''Arandur'': "Servant of the King".
==Etymology==
"Steward" in [[Quenya]] was '''''Arandur''''',<ref>{{UT|8}}, p. 313, note 25</ref> literally "king's servant, minister",<ref>{{L|297}}, p. 386</ref> clearly a combination of ''[[aran]]'' ("king") + ''[[-ndur]]'' ("servant").


==Ruling Stewards of Gondor==
{{references}}
 
[[Category:Mannish titles]]
The following is a list of the Ruling Stewards of Gondor. (All dates are from the [[Third Age]].)
[[Category:Stewards| ]]
 
[[de:Gondor#Herrscher_von_Gondor]]
#[[Mardil Voronwë]] "the Steadfast" (2029&ndash;2080)
[[de:Haus Húrin]]
#[[Eradan]] (2080&ndash;2116)
[[fi:Gondorin käskynhaltijat]]
#[[Herion]] (2116&ndash;2148)
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/hommes/3a/dunedain/gondoriens/intendants_du_gondor]]
#[[Belegorn]] (2148&ndash;2204)
#[[Húrin I]] (2204&ndash;2244)
#[[Túrin I]] (2244&ndash;2278)
#[[Hador (Steward)|Hador]] (2278&ndash;2395)
#[[Barahir (Steward)|Barahir]] (2395&ndash;2412)
#[[Dior (Steward)|Dior]] (2412&ndash;2435)
#[[Denethor I]] (2435&ndash;2477)
#[[Boromir (Steward)|Boromir]] (2477&ndash;2489)
#[[Cirion]] (2489&ndash;2567)
#[[Hallas (Steward)|Hallas]] (2567&ndash;2605)
#[[Húrin II]] (2605&ndash;2628)
#[[Belecthor I]] (2628&ndash;2655)
#[[Orodreth (Steward)|Orodreth]] (2655&ndash;2685)
#[[Ecthelion I]] (2685&ndash;2698)
#[[Egalmoth]] (2698&ndash;2743)
#[[Beren (Steward)|Beren]] (2743&ndash;2763)
#[[Beregond]] (2763&ndash;2811)
#[[Belecthor II]] (2811&ndash;2872)
#[[Thorondir]] (2872&ndash;2882)
#[[Túrin II]] (2882&ndash;2914)
#[[Turgon (Steward)|Turgon]] (2914&ndash;2953)
#[[Ecthelion II]] (2953&ndash;2984)
#[[Denethor II]] (2984&ndash;3019)
<!-- As explained in the paragraph below. Faramir is NOT considered one of the ruling stewards. -->
 
Soon after the death of Denethor II, [[Aragorn|Aragorn Elessar]] 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]] took his place much of that time. Though Faramir became Steward a month and a half before Elessar became King, Faramir is not considered one of the Ruling Stewards. King Elessar confirmed in Faramir and his descendants the office of Steward of Gondor, and granted him in addition the Princedom of [[Ithilien]], ensuring his line a position as counsellor of the King.
 
The original model for the Stewards of Gondor is probably the title of steward, a medieval king's follower in Europe. In England there arose a powerful office, that of [[Lord High Steward]], which was the principle advisor to the monarch. The office has fallen into disuse, but remains to this day for coronations only.
 
----
 
See [[House of Hador]] and [[Húrin]] for information on the Húrin of the First Age.

Revision as of 19:46, 19 August 2021

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Steward (Q. Arandur) was the traditional title of a chief counselor to one of the Kings of Gondor.

Gondor Steward's Banner by Grond

History of the office

King Rómendacil I established the office of Steward, chosen by the King as a man of high trust and wisdom; Stewards were advanced in years since they were not permitted to go to war or to leave the realm. They were never a member of the Royal House.[1]

The Steward to King Minardil, Húrin of Emyn Arnen, was the founder of the House of Húrin.[2] They were of royal Númenórean blood, but were not descendants of Elendil in the ruling line.[3] After the time of Minardil, the Kings established the custom that Stewards are chosen from this House.

During the time of the Steward Pelendur, this title became hereditary, passing the station of counselor from father to son, much like the Kingship.[2]

The Ruling Stewards

After the death of King Eärnur, who left no heir to the throne of Gondor, the Steward Mardil Voronwë became the first of the Ruling Stewards. Mardil was the first of the Stewards to administer Gondor, and his descendants did so for 25 generations. The Stewards watched over the throne until it could be reclaimed by a true King of Gondor, an heir of Elendil.

Reunited Kingdom

Soon after the death of Denethor II, Aragorn Elessar was crowned King. The Steward Faramir, son of Denethor II, surrendered to the King his rod of office, but it was returned to him.[4] Faramir nominally ruled briefly as Steward until Elessar's coronation, but since Faramir rested in the Houses of Healing, Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth took his place much of that time.[5] Though Faramir became Steward a month and a half before Elessar became King, Faramir is not considered one of the Ruling Stewards. King Elessar confirmed in Faramir and his descendants the office of Steward of Gondor, and granted him in addition the title of Prince of Ithilien, ensuring his line a position as counselor of the King.[4]

Etymology

"Steward" in Quenya was Arandur,[6] literally "king's servant, minister",[7] clearly a combination of aran ("king") + -ndur ("servant").

References