Tar-Elendil

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Tar-Elendil
Númenórean
Liz Danforth - Tar-Elendil.jpg
"Tar-Elendil" by Liz Danforth
Biographical Information
Other namesParmaitë (Q, "book-handed")
TitlesKing of Númenor
LocationNúmenor
LanguageAdûnaic, Sindarin and Quenya
BirthS.A. 350[1]
Númenor
RuleS.A. 590 - 740 (150 years)[1]
DeathS.A. 751[1] (aged 401)
Númenor
Family
HouseHouse of Elros
ParentageTar-Amandil[1]
SiblingsEärendur and Mairen[2]
ChildrenSilmariën, Isilmë and Írimon[2]
Physical Description
GenderMale
WeaponryAranrúth[3]
GalleryImages of Tar-Elendil

Tar-Elendil was the fourth King of Númenor.[1] He was the eldest son of Tar-Amandil.[2] Tar-Elendil was also called Parmaitë, because he made many books from the legends and lore gathered by his grandfather Vardamir Nólimon.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

During Tar-Elendil's reign, in the year S.A. 600 Vëantur, the Captain of the King's Ships, sailed his ship Entulessë (which means "Return") to the Grey Havens, the first Númenórean ship that returned Middle-earth.[4] The Númenórean mariners were welcomed by Ereinion Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor and a friendship and alliance between Númenor and the Eldar of Lindon began. When news of the arrival of a ship with men reached Men of Eriador who were of the same stock as the Peoples of Hador and Bëor, they asked Gil-galad if they could meet the shipmen. Twelve Men of Eriador met the Númenóreans at the Tower Hills and the two groups were able to converse haltingly, because their languages were related.[5] Vëantur's daughter, Almarian, married Tar-Meneldur,[6][7] and their son Aldarion inherited his grandfather's love of the sea.[8]

Tar-Elendil had three children: two daughters, Silmariën and Isilmë; and one son, Írimon.[2] Silmariën was the eldest child, but because of the law of agnatic primogeniture that existed in Númenor at that time,[9] her brother Írimon inherited the Sceptre and ruled as Tar-Meneldur. Silmariën became important in her own right as the link of the Lords of Andúnië to the royal house; her son was Valandil, the first Lord of Andúnië.[1] Furthermore, Tar-Elendil also passed the Ring of Barahir down to Silmariën instead of his son[3].; this choice, over many generations, allowed Aragorn to give the ring to Arwen in Lórien in T.A. 2980 on their engagement.[10]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Elendil is Quenya. It means "Elf-friend" or "Star-lover".[11][12] The meaning "Elf-friend" was common among the Edain. Properly in Quenya it meant "a lover or student of the stars". "Elf-friend" in proper Quenya would be represented by Eldandil.[13] The name Elendil is a compound of elen ("star") and -(n)dil ("friend, lover, devoted to"). Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal names in Quenya, Elendil added the prefix tar- ("high") to his name when he received the Sceptre.[14]

His sobriquet Parmaitë is Quenya. It means "Book-handed"[15] or "Book Handy".[16]

Tar-Elendil's Adûnaic name was "Ar-Nimruzîr" although it is not mentioned by Tolkien.[17][18]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vardamir Nólimon
S.A. 61 - 471
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tar-Amandil
192 - 603
 
Vardilmë
b. 203
 
Aulendil
b. 213
 
Nolondil
b. 222
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TAR-ELENDIL
350 - 751
 
 
 
 
 
Vëantur
b. 451
 
Eärendur
b. 361
 
Mairen
b. 377
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elatan
unknown
 
Silmariën
b. 521
 
Isilmë
b. 532
 
Tar-Meneldur
543 - 942
 
Almarian
unknown
 
Caliondo
512 - 900
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valandil
b. 630
 
Tar-Aldarion
700 - 1098
 
Ailinel
b. 712
 
Almiel
b. 729
 
 
 
Malantur
b. 670
 
 
 
 


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry IV Tar-Elendil
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "The earlier generations of the Line of Elros"
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "A Description of the Island of Númenor", "Notes", note 2
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "A Description of the Island of Númenor", last paragraph
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", "Notes", note 2
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", entry V Tar-Meneldur
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", third paragraph
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", fifth paragraph
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", The Further Course of the Narrative, fifteenth paragraph and the following paragraphs
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2980 of the Third Age
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names", entry Elendil
  12. Paul Strack, "Q. Elendil m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 December 2021)
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Author's Notes to Quendi and Eldar", Note 10, p. 410
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros: Kings of Númenor", first paragraph and entry I to XXV
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Parmaitë
  16. Paul Strack, "Q. Parmaitë m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 12 December 2021)
  17. Ardalambion Article on Adûnaic
  18. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Sauron Defeated, "Part Two: The Notion Club Papers Part Two: Notes", note 60
Tar-Elendil
House of Elros
Born: S.A. 350 Died: S.A. 751
Preceded by:
Tar-Amandil
4th King of Númenor
S.A. 590 - 740
Followed by:
Tar-Meneldur


Kings of Númenor
Elros Tar-Minyatur (S.A. 32 - 442) · Tar-Vardamir* (442) · Tar-Amandil (442 - 590) · Tar-Elendil (590 - 740) · Tar-Meneldur (740 - 883) · Tar-Aldarion (883 - 1075) · Tar-AncalimëQ (1075 - 1280) · Tar-Anárion (1280 - 1394) · Tar-Súrion (1394 - 1556) · Tar-TelperiënQ (1556 - 1731) · Tar-Minastir (1731 - 1869) · Tar-Ciryatan (1869 - 2029) · Tar-Atanamir (2029 - 2221) · Tar-Ancalimon (2221 - 2386) · Tar-Telemmaitë (2386 - 2526) · Tar-VanimeldëQ (2526 - 2637) · Tar-Anducal (2637 - 2657) · Tar-Alcarin (2657 - 2737) · Tar-Calmacil (2737 - 2825) · Tar-Ardamin (2825 - 2899) · Ar-Adûnakhôr (2899 - 2962) · Ar-Zimrathôn (2962 - 3033) · Ar-Sakalthôr (3033 - 3102) · Ar-Gimilzôr (3102 - 3177) · Tar-Palantir (3177 - 3255) · Ar-Pharazôn (3255 - 3319)
* Immediately abdicated in favour of his son · Q Ruling Queens · Usurped throne. Later struck off the Line of Kings · Usurped throne from his cousin Tar-Míriel