Elendil is one of the most important figures in the history of Middle-earth, as he was the founder of the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor, and the leader of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men against Sauron. But who was he, and where did he come from? Was he related to Elros, the first king of Númenor and the brother of Elrond? In this article, we will explore the ancestry and legacy of Elendil, and reveal the truth behind his name and title.
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The Line of Elros
Elros was the son of Eärendil and Elwing, who were both half-elves. He had a twin brother named Elrond, who later became the Lord of Rivendell. At the end of the First Age, after the War of Wrath, they were given a choice by the Valar: to belong to the race of Elves or Men. Elrond chose to be an Elf, while Elros chose to be a Man. He was granted a long life span, much longer than that of ordinary Men, and became the first king of Númenor, a great island in the western sea that was given to his people by the Valar as a reward for their aid in the war against Morgoth. He took the name Tar-Minyatur, meaning “First King” in Quenya, and ruled for 410 years. He had four children: Vardamir, Tindómiel, Manwendil, and Atanalcar. His descendants became known as the Númenóreans, or the Dúnedain in Sindarin.
The Lords of Andúnië
One of Elros’ descendants was Tar-Elendil, the fourth king of Númenor. He had three children: Silmariën, Isilmë, and Meneldur. Silmariën was his eldest child, but she could not inherit the throne because at that time only males could rule Númenor. She married Elatan of Andúnië, a nobleman from the western region of Númenor. Their son was Valandil, who became the first Lord of Andúnië. The Lords of Andúnië were second in rank only to the kings, and they were also loyal to the Valar and friendly with the Elves. They preserved the old traditions and customs of Númenor, and opposed the corruption and pride that grew among many of their kin. They were also called “the Faithful”, as they remained faithful to Eru Ilúvatar, the One God.
The Downfall of Númenor
The last king of Númenor was Ar-Pharazôn, who was also a descendant of Elros through his son Atanalcar. He was a proud and ambitious man, who conquered many lands in Middle-earth and brought Sauron as a prisoner to Númenor. However, Sauron corrupted him and his followers with lies and flattery, and turned them away from Eru Ilúvatar. He persuaded Ar-Pharazôn to build a great temple for Melkor (Morgoth), where he performed human sacrifices and burned Nimloth, the White Tree that was a symbol of Númenor’s connection to Valinor. He also convinced him to sail westward with a great fleet to challenge the Valar and claim immortality.
The leader of the Faithful at that time was Amandil, who was also a descendant of Elros through his daughter Tindómiel. He was the father of Elendil, who had two sons: Isildur and Anárion. Amandil foresaw that Númenor would soon be destroyed by the wrath of Eru Ilúvatar, and he secretly sailed westward himself to seek mercy from the Valar. He told his son Elendil to gather their people and their belongings in nine ships, and wait for a sign from Eru Ilúvatar.
When Ar-Pharazôn landed on Aman, he defied the Ban of the Valar that forbade any mortal to set foot on that land. Then Eru Ilúvatar intervened directly for the first time since the creation of Arda. He opened a great chasm in the sea that swallowed Ar-Pharazôn’s fleet and Númenor itself. He also changed the shape of Arda from flat to round, making Aman inaccessible to mortals except by a special path known as “the Straight Road”. The Faithful who were waiting on their ships were spared from this cataclysm by a great wind that blew them eastward to Middle-earth.
The Realms in Exile
Elendil and his sons landed in different regions of Middle-earth. Elendil came to the north, where he founded the kingdom of Arnor. He made his capital at Annúminas, near Lake Evendim. He also planted a seedling of Nimloth, which he had saved from the destruction of Númenor, in the city of Fornost. He became known as Elendil the Tall, as he was 7 feet 11 inches (2.41 m) in height, and Elendil the Fair, as he was noble and wise. He also bore the title of High King of the Dúnedain, making him the supreme ruler of all the Númenórean exiles in Middle-earth.
Isildur and Anárion came to the south, where they founded the kingdom of Gondor. They made their capitals at Minas Ithil and Minas Anor, respectively, on either side of the Anduin river. They also built the city of Osgiliath between them, where they placed the palantír, or “seeing stones”, that they had brought from Númenor. They became known as Isildur the Uniter, as he united the Númenóreans with the native Men of Gondor, and Anárion the Builder, as he constructed many fortresses and roads in Gondor.
The Last Alliance of Elves and Men
Soon after the founding of Arnor and Gondor, Sauron returned to Mordor with his surviving servants. He had escaped from Númenor before its downfall by taking on a spirit form. He rebuilt his dark tower of Barad-dûr and gathered his armies of Orcs, Trolls, and Men. He also forged a new weapon: the One Ring, which he used to control the other Rings of Power that he had given to the Elves, Dwarves, and Men. He sought to conquer all of Middle-earth and enslave its peoples.
Elendil formed an alliance with Gil-galad, the High King of the Noldorin Elves who ruled in Lindon. They gathered a great host of Elves and Men from various lands, such as Rivendell, Lothlórien, Khazad-dûm, and Rohan. They marched to Mordor and laid siege to Barad-dûr for seven years. In the final battle, Elendil and Gil-galad faced Sauron himself on the slopes of Mount Doom. They fought valiantly, but they were both slain by Sauron’s mace. However, Isildur took up his father’s broken sword Narsil and cut off Sauron’s finger that bore the One Ring. This caused Sauron’s physical form to collapse and his spirit to flee. The siege was lifted and the alliance was victorious.
Legacy
Elendil was buried in a tomb in Amon Anwar (later known as Halifirien), the holy mountain of Gondor where he had first lit a beacon-fire upon his arrival in Middle-earth. His sword Narsil was preserved by Isildur, who later gave it to his son Valandil, who became the second king of Arnor after Isildur’s death in the Disaster of the Gladden Fields. The shards of Narsil were kept in Rivendell until they were reforged into Andúril for Aragorn II Elessar, who was Elendil’s direct descendant through both Isildur and Anárion.
Elendil’s name means “Elf-friend” or “Star-lover” in Quenya, as he was fond of both Elves and stars. He was also called Voronda (“the Faithful”) by his people, as he remained faithful to Eru Ilúvatar and the Valar even when most of his kin turned away from them. He was revered by both Elves and Men as a great king and hero, who fought against evil and established two mighty realms in Middle-earth.
Is Elendil related to Elros? The answer is yes: he was a direct descendant of Elros through his great-great-grandmother Silmariën, who was Elros’ daughter. Thus, he shared some Elvish blood with his distant cousin Ar-Pharazôn, but unlike him, he chose to follow the path of wisdom and humility rather than pride and folly. He was also related to Elrond through their common ancestors Eärendil and Elwing, making him Elrond’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson.
According to The One Wiki to Rule Them All, Elendil is one of the most important figures in the history of Middle-earth. According to