Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner’s Wife

The chapter begins with a description of Aldarion's father, Tar-Meneldur, a rightful king devoted to the Island of Númenor, but whose true passion was the study of the stars. He had two daughters and one son, Anardil, who would be known among the Kings of Númenor as Tar-Aldarion.

The main cause of disagreement between father and son proved to be the sea, for Aldarion loved it ever since he was a child. The first voyage towards Middle-earth was made in the years Second Age 725, under the guidance of Vëantur, his own grandfather and in that journey bonds of friendship with Círdan and Ereinion Gil-galad were established.

More sea voyages followed afterwards, against the wish of his father, and in-between them, he founded the Guild of Venturers. 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.

When he finally courted her, it was Erendis who avoided the union, for she did not want to share Aldarion with the sea. Only after many years they were engaged, and even more passed until they were married. As husband and wife they did not manage to reconcile their differences. A few years after their only child was born, named Ancalimë, Aldarion continued his explorations in Middle-earth against the wishes of Erendis. Erendis grew bitter of the waiting until finally she left their home in Armenelos, taking their young daughter with her into the heart of Emerië.

Upon his return, Aldarion found his home locked and his father even more cold towards him. It was the same with his wife, when he pursued her to her new home. But here the tale takes an unexpected turn, as a letter from Gil-galad is delivered to king Meneldur. There it is revealed that Aldarion has been operating in Middle-Earth as a great elf-friend, and the outpost Vinyalondë he has constructed at the mouth of the Gwathló has helped defend against a rising threat. Gil-galad secretly knows this rising threat is Sauron, and requests further aid from Númenor in the inevitable war to come. Tar-Meneldur, indecisive over the proper way to respond to such great events, announced his abdication and proclaimed Aldarion as the next ruler of Númenor.

Years of the main events in Aldarion and Erendis' life:

• Second Age 700 - Aldarion is born
• Second Age 725-Second Age 727 - First voyage of Aldarion towards Middle-earth with Númerrámar
• Second Age 750 - Aldarion founds the Guild of Venturers
• Second Age 771 - Erendis is born
• Second Age 800 - Aldarion is declared heir of the king
• Second Age 800 - Aldarion and Erendis meet
• Second Age 806-Second Age 813 - The 7 years voyage of Aldarion
• Second Age 816-Second Age 820 - First voyage of Aldarion with Palarran
• Second Age 824-Second Age 829 - The voyage of Aldarion with the seven ships
• Second Age 829-Second Age 843 - The 14 years voyage of Aldarion
• Second Age 858 - Aldarion and Erendis are engaged
• Second Age 863-Second Age 869 - The after-engagement voyage of Aldarion
• Second Age 870 - The marriage of Aldarion and Erendis
• Second Age 873 - Ancalimë is born
• Second Age 877-Second Age 882 - Voyage of Aldarion with Hirilondë
• Second Age 882 - Aldarion and Erendis are separated
• Second Age 883 - Aldarion becomes king of Númenor
• Second Age 892 - Ancalimë is declared heiress to the throne
• Second Age 985 - Erendis dies after journeying to the haven of Rómenna
• Second Age 1075 - Aldarion's reign ends
• Second Age 1075 - Ancalimë becomes the first ruling queen of Númenor
• Second Age 1098 - Aldarion dies

J.R.R. Tolkien explained in a letter sent to Dick Plotz in 1965 that while the Akallabêth was fully written, the rest of the history of Númenor was only in annal form and would probably remain in that form, except for one long now nearly complete tale, The Mariner's Wife about Aldarion, the 6th King of Númenór. Tolkien stated that the reason that this one tale had been preserved when so much other Númenórean lore had been lost was because it told how Númenor had become involved in the politics of Middle-earth.

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 20/05/2026.