Tar-Aldarion

Early life

Aldarion was born during the month of April in SA 700 in Forostar, Númenor. He was the son of Tar-Meneldur and his wife Almarian.

In his youth, Aldarion had a love for the the sea that became a subject of disagreement with his father. However, despite this altercation with his father, Aldarion had a better relationship with the rest of his family, particularly his grandfather, Vëantur. For it was Vëantur who took him out in the year Second Age 725 on his first voyage on the ship Númerrámar, or the "West-wings", towards Middle-earth. It was in this journey that the bonds of friendship with Círdan and Ereinion Gil-galad were established.

Before long, Aldarion became an accomplished mariner, leading his crew in long voyages to Middle-earth, mostly against the wishes of his family. Eventually, Aldarion even founded the Guild of Venturers, whose quarters were on the ship Eämbar, or "Sea-Home". In the 100th year of his life Aldarion was proclaimed heir to the throne and at the celebration of this event he met Erendis, daughter of Beregar. Though she seemed beautiful to him, Aldarion did not pursue her until later on, as he continued to follow the mariner life he much loved.

The Great Mariner

He made several journeys to Middle-earth and established a friendship with Gil-galad in Lindon. A visionary man, he saw the threat coming from Sauron upon the races of Elves and Men alike, so he built a vital Númenórean port in Middle-earth, at the mouth of the river Gwathló. It was named Vinyalondë and parts of it survived into the Third Age as the port of Lond Daer. Aldarion was a prudent man who was concerned about the future. He always had trees planted where trees had been felled in Númenor and had new trees planted where there was suitable space in Númenor.

At his command, numerous ships were built, among which three were mentioned more often:

• Eämbar, the "Sea-Home", headquarters for the Guild of Venturers
• Palarran, the "Far Wanderer", which served him in many voyages
• Hirilondë, the "Haven-finder", largest in Númenor

However, the first ship he had sailed on belonged to Vëantur and was called Númerrámar, the "West-wings".

Around that time, the Drúedain who were living in Númenor became uneasy when Tar-Aldarion started his great travels and urged him not to go, foreseeing the mischief to come. They did not succeed and one after another they took ships towards Middle-earth. Indeed under his reign the deforesting of Enedwaith and Minhiriath began.

Aldarion made several voyages to Middle-earth:

• his first voyage from Second Age 725 to Second Age 727 with his grandfather Vëantur on the Númerrámar to the Grey Havens, Lindon and the west of Eriador during which he established a friendship with Círdan and King Gil-galad of Lindon.
• his three year voyage from Second Age 730 to Second Age 733 on the Númerrámar to Lindon
• his four year voyage from Second Age 735 to Second Age 739 during which he explored the coasts southwards of the Grey Havens, past the mouths of the rivers Baranduin, Gwathló and isen, round the cape of Ras Morthil to the Bay of Belfalas and the mountains of the country of Amroth
• his voyages down the coasts of Middle-earth during which he wanted to obtain timber for the building of ships and he established the haven of Vinyalondë at the mouth of the river Gwathló after he had founded the Guild of Venturers in Second Age 750 and after his father had restricted the number of trees that were allowed to be felled for the building of ships and before Second Age 800
• his seven year voyage from Second Age 806 to Second Age 813 when he brought back silver and gold ore
• his first voyage with the Palarran from Second Age 816 to Second Age 820 when he brought back gifts for his mother and the ladies of her house and a diamond for Erendis
• his voyage with seven ships from Second Age 824 to Second Age 829 after which he returned to Númenor with nine ships with a cargo of timber from the forests of the coasts of Middle-earth after having built two ships in Vinyalondë
• his fourteen year voyage from Second Age 829 to Second Age 843 with three ships after his father had closed the shipyards of Rómenna and had forbidden the felling of trees for shipbuilding in Númenor when he sailed first to Vinyalondë to repair his ships and then southwards along the coasts and scarcely escaped shipwreck in the Harad on his return northwards and found Vinyalondë overthrown by storm floods and plundered by hostile men
• his voyage after his betrothal from Second Age 863 to Second Age 869 with three ships when he discovered that the haven of Vinyalondë had been totally ruined by storm floods, that Men near the coasts were growing afraid of the Númenóreans or had become openly hostile and he heard rumours that a lord in Middle-earth hated the Númenóreans and during which he stayed a while at the Grey Havens
• his voyage with the Hirilondë from Second Age 877 to Second Age 882 when he brought back a letter from King Gil-galad for his father, King Tar-Meneldur, that a servant of Morgoth was rising in the East and asked for troops from Númenor to help defend Eridador against an expected assault
• his often voyages to Middle-earth during the eighteen years after he received the sceptre in Second Age 883 where he travelled much on land and sea and went up the river Gwathló and met Galadriel at Tharbad, with his first departure in the year Second Age 883 or in the next year and his last voyage about the year Second Age 985

Though Númenóreans were much more resistant to disease than normal Men, some of the Númenórean crews that participated in the first long voyages of exploration to the far south and east of Lindon became sick or acquired diseases that were common in the lands that they went to. Many in Númenor feared that the Venturers or explorers could bring back disease. These fears were one of the chief reasons why Tar-Meneldur opposed the longer voyages of Aldarion, and were the reason for the coolness between them. However, few of the explorers died abroad, and those who returned to Numenor alive recovered fully soon and their diseases did not spread out.

Though not specifically dated, but before Aldarion became King and after he became a great ship-builder who sailed his ships far down into the Harad, these achievements became known to Sauron. They and news that Elves had established the strong realm of Eregion and built the city of Ost-in-Edhil that increased Sauron's fears of the coming of the Númenóreans to Lindon and the coasts further south and of their friendship with Gil-galad were the reason why Sauron left Eriador alone for a while, and chose the land of Mordor, as it was afterwards called, as a stronghold to counter the threat of the Númenórean landings in Middle-earth.

Aldarion and Erendis

Even before they were wed, Aldarion's love for the sea would prove to be Erendis' rival. In their conversations it is often stated that, for Erendis' part, Lady Uinen was her foe, while Aldarion's was the Vala Oromë, referring to his wife's love for the forests and all growing things on the Island of Númenor. Such opposing characters led to the breaking of their marriage, one important factor in their separation being Aldarion's voyages, which kept him away from home for long years. Though in the end, as it is revealed in the letter sent by Gil-galad and read by King Meneldur, Aldarion was right to pursue his explorations, Erendis could not be convinced to renounce her pride and reconcile with him.

Succession

His only child was a daughter, Tar-Ancalimë, so he changed the Law of Succession, replacing the principle of agnatic primogeniture with that of absolute cognatic primogeniture and she became the first ruling Queen of Númenor in Second Age 1075, when Tar-Aldarion abdicated. He died in Second Age 1098 at the age of 398.

Aldarion is a Quenya name. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Son of Trees" and is a compound of aldar ("trees") and the patronymic suffix -ion ("-son"). Although his right name was Anardil, he was early known by the name Aldarion, because he was interested in trees and planted great woods as a source of timber for the shipyards. Like all the rulers of Númenor who took their royal names in Quenya, Aldarion added the prefix tar- ("high") to his name when he received the Sceptre.

His right name Anardil is a Quenya name. Its meaning is not glossed, but Paul Strack suggests it means "Lover of the Sun" and is a compound of anar ("sun") and -(n)dil ("-lover", "-friend").

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 30/05/2026.