Stewards of Gondor

The Stewards of Gondor were rulers from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium of Middle-earth.

Steward (Arandur in Tolkien's Quenya language) was the traditional title of a chief counsellor to the Kings of Gondor. The office arose early in the Third Age during the reign of King Rómendacil I. After the Stewardship of Húrin of Emyn Arnen the office was awarded only to his descendants (the House of Húrin). After Mardil, in the absence of the Kings, the office by custom became hereditary, passing from father to son or nearest male relative, like the Kingship.

History

The House of Húrin was founded by one Húrin of Emyn Arnen, Steward to Minardil, the twenty-fifth King of Gondor (reigned T.A. 1621 to 1634). They were of high Númenórean blood, but not descendants of Elendil in the ruling line.

Although not considered a Ruling Steward, Pelendur was the first to effectively rule the kingdom, doing so for one year after the death of King Ondoher and his sons while fighting the Wainriders (T.A. 1944). He played a key role in influencing the Council of Gondor to choose Eärnil over Arvedui of Arthedain, thus maintaining the line of the heirs of Anárion.

Gondor

Gondor is a fictional realm in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is largely concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with the restoration of the realm afterward. The history of the kingdom is outlined in the appendices of the book.

According to the narrative, Gondor was founded by the brothers Isildur and Anárion, exiles from the downfallen island kingdom of Númenor. Along with Arnor in the north Gondor served as a last stronghold of the Men of the West. After an early period of growth, Gondor gradually declined as the Third Age progressed, being continually weakened by internal strife and conflict with the allies of the Dark Lord Sauron. The kingdom's ascendancy was restored only with Sauron's final defeat and the crowning of Aragorn.

Based upon early conceptions, the history and geography of Gondor were developed in stages as a part of the major extension of Tolkien's legendarium that he undertook during the writing of The Lord of the Rings. The role of the kingdom emerged gradually, when a side adventure in the plot became the focus of later writings. The textual history was traced by Christopher Tolkien in The History of Middle-earth, and the subject has gained attention from later researchers and fans.

Middle Earth (board game)

Middle Earth was a trilogy of board games published by Simulations Publications, Inc. based on The Lord of the Rings novel by J. R. R. Tolkien. It consists of the games War of the Ring, Gondor, and Sauron, all published in 1977.

References