Earnur
Earnur was the thirty-third and final King of Gondor. He was the son of King Earnil II and was born in year 1928 of the Third Age. Earnur was a strong yet unwise man. He very much enjoyed fighting and he was a natural with a blade. He had no children or heirs.
In 1973, King Arvedui of Arthedain called for aid. Earnur was sent to lead an army north by his father. They sailed from the Gulf of Lune to Arnor with soldiers and cavalry from Gondor and Rhovanion.
When Earnur and his forces reached Arthedain in 1975, Arvedui had been killed and the Witch King had taken over. Earnur's forces joined with the men of the North including the Dunedain and the Elves of Lindon to form the Host of the West. They met the Witch-King near Fornost between the North Downs and Lake Evendim and the Battle of Fornost began.
The Host of the West was victorious. When the Witch-King tried to retreat, Earnur pursued him. The Witch-King charged Earnur down with anger. When Earnur's steed became fearful and fled, the Witch-King laughed with mockery. But when Glorfindel approached, the Witch-King fled into the night. Earnur went to pursue him, but Glorfindel said that the Witch-King's doom lay far off into the future, and it would not be a man who slew him. Earnur agreed but desperately sought revenge upon the Witch-King.
When Earnur returned to Gondor, the Witch-King established his realm in Mordor. He gathered the other eight Nazgul to him, and in 2000 they attacked the city of Minas Ithil on the borders of Gondor and Mordor. They captured the city in 2002 and renamed it Minas Morgul.
Earnil II died in 2043 and Earnur was crowned king. The Witch-King offered a challenge and mocked him for not standing up for himself at the Battle of Fornost. Earnur's Steward Mardil advised him to reject this offer.
In 2050, the Witch-King offered a challenge again, but this time Earnur agreed. He set the Crown of Gondor upon his father's tomb and gathered a group of knights. Together, they rode to Minas Morgul but were never seen again. It is likely that Earnur was killed in battle, or he was kept prisoner for a time.
Earnur left no heir and had no relatives. He was therefore the last king of Gondor. Mardil ruled Gondor as Steward, and the title was passed to his descendants. Gondor was kingless until 3019, when Aragorn II was crowned king.
In 1973, King Arvedui of Arthedain called for aid. Earnur was sent to lead an army north by his father. They sailed from the Gulf of Lune to Arnor with soldiers and cavalry from Gondor and Rhovanion.
When Earnur and his forces reached Arthedain in 1975, Arvedui had been killed and the Witch King had taken over. Earnur's forces joined with the men of the North including the Dunedain and the Elves of Lindon to form the Host of the West. They met the Witch-King near Fornost between the North Downs and Lake Evendim and the Battle of Fornost began.
The Host of the West was victorious. When the Witch-King tried to retreat, Earnur pursued him. The Witch-King charged Earnur down with anger. When Earnur's steed became fearful and fled, the Witch-King laughed with mockery. But when Glorfindel approached, the Witch-King fled into the night. Earnur went to pursue him, but Glorfindel said that the Witch-King's doom lay far off into the future, and it would not be a man who slew him. Earnur agreed but desperately sought revenge upon the Witch-King.
When Earnur returned to Gondor, the Witch-King established his realm in Mordor. He gathered the other eight Nazgul to him, and in 2000 they attacked the city of Minas Ithil on the borders of Gondor and Mordor. They captured the city in 2002 and renamed it Minas Morgul.
Earnil II died in 2043 and Earnur was crowned king. The Witch-King offered a challenge and mocked him for not standing up for himself at the Battle of Fornost. Earnur's Steward Mardil advised him to reject this offer.
In 2050, the Witch-King offered a challenge again, but this time Earnur agreed. He set the Crown of Gondor upon his father's tomb and gathered a group of knights. Together, they rode to Minas Morgul but were never seen again. It is likely that Earnur was killed in battle, or he was kept prisoner for a time.
Earnur left no heir and had no relatives. He was therefore the last king of Gondor. Mardil ruled Gondor as Steward, and the title was passed to his descendants. Gondor was kingless until 3019, when Aragorn II was crowned king.
Names & Meanings
Eärnur is a contaction of Eärendur, meaning "Servant of the Sea" or "Mariner" in Quenya. The word eär means "the Sea."
References
The Lord of the Rings:
The Two Towers: "The Window on the West," page 278
The Return of the King: "The Steward and the King," page 245
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Realms in Exile," page 319; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," pages 331-333
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs of Elendil," pages 201-202
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #297
The Silmarillion: "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," page 297
The Two Towers: "The Window on the West," page 278
The Return of the King: "The Steward and the King," page 245
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Realms in Exile," page 319; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," pages 331-333
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs of Elendil," pages 201-202
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #297
The Silmarillion: "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," page 297
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