Aranarth

Aranarth was the son of Arvedui, the son of King Araphant of Arthedain, and Fíriel, the daughter of King Ondoher of Gondor, and as such, he was descended from both Isildur and Anárion.

In Third Age 1974 when Aranarth was a young man, the Witch-king of Angmar overran Arthedain and conquered Fornost. Most of the remnants of the Dúnedain fled over the Lune into Lindon. However, Aranarth's father held out upon the North Downs until he escaped to the north. After hiding in abandoned dwarf-mines in the Blue Mountains the King and his men sought the help of the Lossoth, who aided out of pity and fear.

Aranarth reported to Círdan of the King's flight to the north. Círdan sent a ship to the Icebay of Forochel to seek and rescue him. However, in Third Age 1975 a short time after Arvedui and his men had boarded the ship, a storm drove the ship against the ice and its hull was broken. Arvedui drowned and the two palantíri the King had taken with him during the fall of Fornost were lost in the sea. As a result, Aranarth nominally became the King of Arthedain in exile in Lindon.

In the same year, the remnants of the Dúnedain, forces from Lindon and a large expeditionary force from Gondor, led by Eärnur, the son of King Eärnil of Gondor, destroyed the kingdom of Angmar. However, the Kingdom of the Dúnedain of the north was discontinued, because there were now only few Dúnedain in the north and the population of Eriador was reduced. Aranarth took the title of Chieftain of the Dúnedain.

Aranarth's son Arahael was born and raised in Rivendell, as were all the sons of chieftains after him; and Elrond was entrusted with the safekeeping of the heirlooms of the North-kingdom: the Ring of Barahir, the shards of Narsil, the Star of Elendil, and the Sceptre of Annúminas.

Aranarth died in 2106, after ruling for 130 years - longer than any other chieftain.

Aranarth is a Sindarin name. Its meaning is not glossed, but the Association Tolkiendil suggests it means "Noble King". It is suggested to be a compound of aran ("king", "lord", "chief", [lit.] high or noble person) and arth ("noble"), which may be related to the initial element of Arthedain.

David Salo suggested that the final element could be *arth ("noble"), which would be cognate to Quenya arta.

A late manuscript of what would later become Appendix A lists Aranarth's date of birth as Third Age 1938, but in the same manuscript, as well as in Appendix A, "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion" and in the Tale of Years, his parents' wedding year is given as Third Age 1940. It is possible that the year of birth being two years before the year of marriage of his parents, who were of royal descent, was an oversight.

1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:

Aranarth is a Dúnadan based in Fornost, famous for his tracking abilities and described as a man "who leaves no footprints".

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 21/05/2026.