Birth: Year 3119 of the Second Age
Death: Year 3441 of the Second Age Race: Men Culture: Numenorean Height: 7 feet, 11 inches Hair Color: Unknown Eye Color: Unknown Skin Color: Fair Father: Amandil Mother: Unknown Siblings: None Spouse: Name is not known Children: 2 sons-Isildur and Anarion Sword: Narsil Residences: Romenna, Numenor; Annuminas, Arnor |
Biography
Elendil was the founder and first High-King of the United Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. Elendil was a Numenorean man and leader of the faithful, a group of Numenoreans loyal to the Elves and to the Valar. Elendil traveled to Middle-Earth to escape the downfall of Numenor with his sons Isildur and Anarion. In the new continent, Elendil founded the realms of Gondor and Arnor and made an alliance with the Elves led by Gil-galad. Though both Elendil and Gil-galad fell while opposing Sauron during the War of the Last Alliance, their enemy was defeated by Isildur.
Elendil was born in Romenna, Numenor in 3119 of the Second Age. He was the son of Amandil, who was a Lord of Andunie. The Lords of Andunie served as counsellors to the Kings of Numenor, they themselves being descendants of the leaders of Numenor. As the Kings became corrupted by Sauron, the Lords of Andunie became leaders of a people called the faithful, who kept a good relationship with the Elves and Valar whom the King's men had betray.
Numenor was created at the beginning of the Second Age by the powers of the Valar and Eru the creator. It had risen as an island in the Great Sea with the Undying Lands in the west and Middle-Earth in the east. Men were forbidden to venture to the Undying Lands, as it was made for immortal Elves and Valar only. This ban greatly angered the men of Numenor, who desired nothing more than immortality.
In 3262 of the Second Age, King Ar-Pharazon of Numenor journeyed to Middle-Earth to start a war with Sauron. He imprisoned Sauron and brought him to Numenor. Sauron allowed himself to be captured because he wanted to bring about Numenor's downfall. He convinced the men there to worship Morgoth by playing on their desire for immortality. When Amandil failed to worship Morgoth, Ar-Pharazon dismissed him.
Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazon and his men that if they sailed to the Undying Lands, they would be given immortality. This rumor spread throughout Numenor, and soon the entire Numenorean continent wanted to sail west, a journey they were forbidden to take. Instead of simply sailing to the Undying Lands, Ar-Pharazon prepared a fleet of ships to conquer. He planned a conquest that could potentially bring about the end of the Elven race. Amandil learned of this plan and grew fearful. He sailed to the Undying Lands seeking aid from the Valar, but he was never seen again. He had prepared Elendil to sail eastward to Middle-Earth, which he did prior to Amandil's departure. All of the faithful followed Elendil when he left. They had a fleet of nine ships. Four of these ships belonged to Elendil, three ships were his son Isildur's, and two belonged to Anarion. Aboard, Elendil and his sons brought many prized Numenorean possessions including the seven palantiri and the White Tree.
In 3319, Ar-Pharazon's fleet set out to attack the Undying Lands. However, Eru intercepted and destroyed the fleet. He sent a great wind to blow the faithfuls' ship eastward before destroying Numenor, which imploded beneath the Sea. The remnants of Numenorean culture was aboard these nine ships.
It took many weeks for the ships to reach Middle-Earth. Isildur and Anarion sailed southward to the mouths of the Anduin, while Elendil went north where he landed in Lindon. Upon his arrival, he said "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world."
Elendil and his people allied themselves with the people native to northern Middle-Earth. They became close with Gil-galad and his Elves of Lindon. Elendil's people crossed the River Lune and colonized Eriador, which became their kingdom of Arnor. Excluded from Arnor were the Elven territories of Lindon, Eregion, and Rivendell.
In 3320, Elendil united with his sons Isildur and Anarion who had been jointly ruling their own kingdom of Gondor in the south. They formed the united kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. The men of this kingdom became known as the Dunedain, or the men of the west. Elendil ruled the entire kingdom from Annuminas in Arnor.
From the kingdom of Arnor were established several fiefdoms and city-states. The capital city was Annuminas, which was located along Lake Evendim. The second major city was Fornost in the North Downs. Arnor was divided into three states: Arthedain in the northwest, Cardolan in the south, and Rhudaur in the east. Many of the Dunedain also settled along the River Lune and the River Brandywine.
The seven palantiri were spread throughout Middle-Earth for communicative purposes. Three were given to Gondor and two were given to Arnor. One of the Arnor-stones was called the Stone of Annuminas and was placed in Annuminas. The Stone of Amon-Sul was put in the Tower of Amon-Sul which was built atop Weathertop. A third stone called the Elendil Stone was put in the tower of Elostirion in the Tower Hills by the Elves. This stone could only show the island of Tol Eressea in the far west across the Sea, and sometimes Elendil went to look at it.
To additionally symbolize his royalty, Elendil carried the Sceptre of Annuminas, a token that came to be passed down for countless generations. Instead of a crown, Elendil wore the most valuable gem in all of Middle-Earth, the Elendilmir. He also wore the Ring of Barahir which had been rescued from Numenor's destruction. Elendil wrote an account of the downfall of Numenor called the Akallabeth which was preserved in the archives of Gondor. He wanted to prevent Numenor from escaping knowledge in the future.
Unbeknownst to the Dunedain, Sauron had returned to Mordor and was massing an army to march against them. He wanted to destroy the remnants of Numenor, and it angered him that the Dunedain had survived its destruction. He summoned a great army that included hostile native men to the east and south of Middle-Earth called the Easterlings and the Haradrim. Mount Doom soon erupted, a sound heard throughout Middle-Earth. This made the Dunedain aware of their enemy's presence. Sauron first struck Gondor in 3429. He captured Minas Ithil where Isildur lived. Isildur retreated to Arnor while Anarion stayed and fought off Sauron's forces in Osgiliath and Minas Anor. Sauron's forces retreated to Mordor. In 3430, Elendil and Gil-galad decided to end their troubles from Sauron and formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. The Alliance was to march to Mordor in order to make war with Sauron. Elendil awaited Gil-galad's forces at the Tower of Amon-Sul and from there they marched together to Mordor. Their force was the greatest that had ever been seen in Middle-Earth since the host of the Valar that defeated Morgoth, and never was such a force seen again. It consisted of Elves from Rivendell, Lindon, and Eregion and men from Gondor and Arnor. The forces of Gil-galad and Elendil were ready to strike Mordor in 3434. They attacked Mordor's forces in the Battle of Dagorlad on the plains of Dagorlad outside the Black Gate of Mordor. Elendil wielded Narsil, a sword whose glimmer shined in the sun and moon and caused fear in the hearts of the enemies. As the Alliance continued on through Mordor, Sauron retreated to his tower of Barad-dur, where he was sieged for seven years. During the seven years of siege, Sauron's forces attempted to challenge the Alliance by throwing stones and arrows down from the top his tower. One of the stones thrown in 3440 crushed Anarion's helm, killing him.
In 3441, Sauron emerged from his tower in an attempt to break the siege. Elendil and Gil-galad tried to prevent him from leaving, but he killed them. However, in combat with Isildur, Sauron was defeated - the One Ring was cut from his finger and his soul fled into the east.
Elendil was born in Romenna, Numenor in 3119 of the Second Age. He was the son of Amandil, who was a Lord of Andunie. The Lords of Andunie served as counsellors to the Kings of Numenor, they themselves being descendants of the leaders of Numenor. As the Kings became corrupted by Sauron, the Lords of Andunie became leaders of a people called the faithful, who kept a good relationship with the Elves and Valar whom the King's men had betray.
Numenor was created at the beginning of the Second Age by the powers of the Valar and Eru the creator. It had risen as an island in the Great Sea with the Undying Lands in the west and Middle-Earth in the east. Men were forbidden to venture to the Undying Lands, as it was made for immortal Elves and Valar only. This ban greatly angered the men of Numenor, who desired nothing more than immortality.
In 3262 of the Second Age, King Ar-Pharazon of Numenor journeyed to Middle-Earth to start a war with Sauron. He imprisoned Sauron and brought him to Numenor. Sauron allowed himself to be captured because he wanted to bring about Numenor's downfall. He convinced the men there to worship Morgoth by playing on their desire for immortality. When Amandil failed to worship Morgoth, Ar-Pharazon dismissed him.
Sauron convinced Ar-Pharazon and his men that if they sailed to the Undying Lands, they would be given immortality. This rumor spread throughout Numenor, and soon the entire Numenorean continent wanted to sail west, a journey they were forbidden to take. Instead of simply sailing to the Undying Lands, Ar-Pharazon prepared a fleet of ships to conquer. He planned a conquest that could potentially bring about the end of the Elven race. Amandil learned of this plan and grew fearful. He sailed to the Undying Lands seeking aid from the Valar, but he was never seen again. He had prepared Elendil to sail eastward to Middle-Earth, which he did prior to Amandil's departure. All of the faithful followed Elendil when he left. They had a fleet of nine ships. Four of these ships belonged to Elendil, three ships were his son Isildur's, and two belonged to Anarion. Aboard, Elendil and his sons brought many prized Numenorean possessions including the seven palantiri and the White Tree.
In 3319, Ar-Pharazon's fleet set out to attack the Undying Lands. However, Eru intercepted and destroyed the fleet. He sent a great wind to blow the faithfuls' ship eastward before destroying Numenor, which imploded beneath the Sea. The remnants of Numenorean culture was aboard these nine ships.
It took many weeks for the ships to reach Middle-Earth. Isildur and Anarion sailed southward to the mouths of the Anduin, while Elendil went north where he landed in Lindon. Upon his arrival, he said "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world."
Elendil and his people allied themselves with the people native to northern Middle-Earth. They became close with Gil-galad and his Elves of Lindon. Elendil's people crossed the River Lune and colonized Eriador, which became their kingdom of Arnor. Excluded from Arnor were the Elven territories of Lindon, Eregion, and Rivendell.
In 3320, Elendil united with his sons Isildur and Anarion who had been jointly ruling their own kingdom of Gondor in the south. They formed the united kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. The men of this kingdom became known as the Dunedain, or the men of the west. Elendil ruled the entire kingdom from Annuminas in Arnor.
From the kingdom of Arnor were established several fiefdoms and city-states. The capital city was Annuminas, which was located along Lake Evendim. The second major city was Fornost in the North Downs. Arnor was divided into three states: Arthedain in the northwest, Cardolan in the south, and Rhudaur in the east. Many of the Dunedain also settled along the River Lune and the River Brandywine.
The seven palantiri were spread throughout Middle-Earth for communicative purposes. Three were given to Gondor and two were given to Arnor. One of the Arnor-stones was called the Stone of Annuminas and was placed in Annuminas. The Stone of Amon-Sul was put in the Tower of Amon-Sul which was built atop Weathertop. A third stone called the Elendil Stone was put in the tower of Elostirion in the Tower Hills by the Elves. This stone could only show the island of Tol Eressea in the far west across the Sea, and sometimes Elendil went to look at it.
To additionally symbolize his royalty, Elendil carried the Sceptre of Annuminas, a token that came to be passed down for countless generations. Instead of a crown, Elendil wore the most valuable gem in all of Middle-Earth, the Elendilmir. He also wore the Ring of Barahir which had been rescued from Numenor's destruction. Elendil wrote an account of the downfall of Numenor called the Akallabeth which was preserved in the archives of Gondor. He wanted to prevent Numenor from escaping knowledge in the future.
Unbeknownst to the Dunedain, Sauron had returned to Mordor and was massing an army to march against them. He wanted to destroy the remnants of Numenor, and it angered him that the Dunedain had survived its destruction. He summoned a great army that included hostile native men to the east and south of Middle-Earth called the Easterlings and the Haradrim. Mount Doom soon erupted, a sound heard throughout Middle-Earth. This made the Dunedain aware of their enemy's presence. Sauron first struck Gondor in 3429. He captured Minas Ithil where Isildur lived. Isildur retreated to Arnor while Anarion stayed and fought off Sauron's forces in Osgiliath and Minas Anor. Sauron's forces retreated to Mordor. In 3430, Elendil and Gil-galad decided to end their troubles from Sauron and formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. The Alliance was to march to Mordor in order to make war with Sauron. Elendil awaited Gil-galad's forces at the Tower of Amon-Sul and from there they marched together to Mordor. Their force was the greatest that had ever been seen in Middle-Earth since the host of the Valar that defeated Morgoth, and never was such a force seen again. It consisted of Elves from Rivendell, Lindon, and Eregion and men from Gondor and Arnor. The forces of Gil-galad and Elendil were ready to strike Mordor in 3434. They attacked Mordor's forces in the Battle of Dagorlad on the plains of Dagorlad outside the Black Gate of Mordor. Elendil wielded Narsil, a sword whose glimmer shined in the sun and moon and caused fear in the hearts of the enemies. As the Alliance continued on through Mordor, Sauron retreated to his tower of Barad-dur, where he was sieged for seven years. During the seven years of siege, Sauron's forces attempted to challenge the Alliance by throwing stones and arrows down from the top his tower. One of the stones thrown in 3440 crushed Anarion's helm, killing him.
In 3441, Sauron emerged from his tower in an attempt to break the siege. Elendil and Gil-galad tried to prevent him from leaving, but he killed them. However, in combat with Isildur, Sauron was defeated - the One Ring was cut from his finger and his soul fled into the east.
References
The Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Shadow of the Past," pages 61-65; "A Knife in the Dark," pages 197-203; "The Council of Elrond," pages 255-261
The Two Towers: "The Palantir," 199, 203
The Return of the King: "Minas Tirith," page 25; "The Steward and the King," pages 245-246
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Numenorean Kings," pages 316-318; "The North-kingdom and the Dunedain," pages 320, 322; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," page 330
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," pages 364-365
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F: "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age," page 407
The Silmarillion: "Akallabeth," page 271-282; "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," pages 290-296, 298, 303
The Unfinished Tales: "A Description of Numenor," 171-172; "The Line of Elros," page 219, 224, 227; "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields;" "Cirion and Eorl," passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: pages 175-177, 187, "The Heirs of Elendil," pages 191-193, 196-197
The Fellowship of the Ring: "The Shadow of the Past," pages 61-65; "A Knife in the Dark," pages 197-203; "The Council of Elrond," pages 255-261
The Two Towers: "The Palantir," 199, 203
The Return of the King: "Minas Tirith," page 25; "The Steward and the King," pages 245-246
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Numenorean Kings," pages 316-318; "The North-kingdom and the Dunedain," pages 320, 322; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," page 330
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," pages 364-365
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F: "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age," page 407
The Silmarillion: "Akallabeth," page 271-282; "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," pages 290-296, 298, 303
The Unfinished Tales: "A Description of Numenor," 171-172; "The Line of Elros," page 219, 224, 227; "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields;" "Cirion and Eorl," passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: pages 175-177, 187, "The Heirs of Elendil," pages 191-193, 196-197
Timeline
Year 3119 of the Second Age:
Elendil was born in Romenna, Numenor. He was the son of Amandil.
3209
Elendil's son Isildur was born.
3219
Elendil's son Anarion was born.
3262
King Ar-Pharazon of Numenor captured Sauron and brought him home as prisoner.
3310
Ar-Pharazon began preparing to attack the Undying Lands seeking immortality.
Meanwhile, Elendil's father Amandil heard word of this and sailed to the Undying Lands to warn the Valar, but he never returned.
3319
Destruction of Numenor. Elendil and the faithful escaped to Middle-Earth.
3320
Elendil and his sons settled in Middle-Earth. They founded the realms of Gondor and Arnor.
Meanwhile, Sauron returned to Mordor in secret.
3429
Sauron, angered that the Dunedain did not die with the rest of Numenor, attacked Gondor. Isildur fled to Arnor while Anarion forced Sauron to retreat.
3430
Elendil and Gil-galad decided to form the Last Alliance of Eleves and men. They gathered a massive force to challenge Sauron.
3434
The War of the Last Alliance. The Last Alliance marched to Dagorlad outside Mordor and defeated Sauron's forces. They marched into Mordor and sieged Barad-dur.
3440
Anarion's helmet was crushed and he was killed by servants of Sauron.
3441
Sauron emerged from Barad-dur and slew Elendil and Gil-galad. However. he was defeated by Isildur, who cut the One Ring from his finger.
Names & Meanings
Elendil:
Elendil means "Elf-friend" and "Lover of Stars" in Quenya. It is derived from elen meaning "star" and ndil meaning "friend, devoted to."
Elendil the Tall:
Elendil was called Elendil the Tall because he was the tallest survivor of Numenor.
Elendil Voronda:
Voronda means "faithful" in Quenya. Elendil was the leader of the faithful Numenoreans who remained loyal to the Elves and Valar even when Numenor was corrupted by Sauron.
High King:
Elendil was the High King of the United Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor that he and his sons founded.
Family Tree
Below is a family tree of Elendil. It is not complete with all of the Kings of Numenor, Gondor, and Arnor, but it does show the connections and origins of the royal line from the First Age to the Fourth Age.
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