Elendil

Peter McKenzie as Elendil in The Lord of the Rings films.

Elendil
Biographical information Other names The Tall, The Fair, Nimruzr, Voronda Titles King of all the Dnedain, High King of Gondor and Arnor, King of Arnor, King of Gondor Date of birth SA 3119 Year ascended to the throne SA 3320 Date of death SA 3441 Realms ruled Arnor, Gondor Spouse Unnamed wife Weapon Narsil Physical description Race Men Culture Nmenreans (House of Elros), The Faithful, Dnedain Gender Male Height Tall Hair color Brown

Peter Jackson's Film Trilogy Actor Peter McKenzie

Elendil (also known as Elendil the Tall (his height was recorded at a lofty 7'11" / 2.41m) or Elendil the Fair) (SA 3119 - SA 3441) was the father of Isildur and Anrion, and the first High King of Gondor and Arnor and first King of all the Dnedain.

History
Life in Nmenor
Elendil was born in SA 3119 of the Second Age in Nmenor, son of Amandil, Lord of Andni and leader of the "Faithful" (those who remained loyal to the Valar), who maintained a strong friendship with the elves and preserved the old ways against the practices of Ar-Pharazn and Sauron. He was married to an unnamed Nmenrean women no doubt of the same upbringing and noble blood to which they had two sons: Isildur and Anrion. It is not known whether she followed him to Middle-earth after the Fall of Nmenor.

Founder of Arnor and Gondor

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Elendil at the Battle of the Last Alliance Elendil, his sons Isildur and Anrion, and their supporters fled to Middle-earth at the Downfall of Nmenor, sailing east in nine ships and founding the realms of Arnor and Gondor in Middleearth in SA 3320. With them they took the palantri, the "Seeing Stones" that were given to the Lords of Andnie by the elves of Tol Eressa, and a seedling of Nimloth, the White Tree of Nmenor. As he landed on Middle-earth Elendil proclaimed in Quenya: Et Erello Endorenna utlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta - "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am

come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world." His heir and 89great-grandson Aragorn spoke these traditional words again when he took up the crown of Gondor at the beginning of the Fourth Age. Elendil lived in Arnor, where he founded the city of Annminas. His son Anrion founded the city of Minas Anor in Anrien, and his son Isildur founded Minas Ithil in Ithilien. Across the Anduin the city of Osgiliath was built. Across the realms towers are built for the Palantri, with which the realms keep contact.

Last Alliance of Elves and Men

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In time Sauron returned to Middle-earth, establishing a stronghold in Mordor, next to Gondor. In SA 3428 he attacked, seizing Minas Ithil. Isildur fled north to his father, leaving Anrion in charge of Gondor. In SA 3434, Elendil and Isildur returned south together with the Elven High King Gil-galad and their combined armies, in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. After defeating Sauron's armies and advancing into Mordor itself, the armies of Men and Elves settled into a siege of the main tower of Sauron: Barad-dr. During this siege Anrion was killed. At the end of the long siege in the year SA 3441, Sauron came out to personally do battle with his enemies. Both Gil-galad and Elendil fought Sauron but were unable to topple him. In the end Gil-galad was slain and his close friend Elendil was also broken by Sauron's onslaught. Elendil's sword Narsil broke when he fell. Isildur used his father's broken sword to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Elendil was known as a great warrior and a wise king, and a heroic figure among the Dnedain. Isildur built a hidden tomb for his father on the summit of the beacon hill of Halifirien.

Legacy

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Leading the remnant of The Faithful Nmenreans to Middle-earth, he established strong regimes there and created the great alliance that put an end to Sauron's power for over a thousand years. His bloodline and spirited leadership survived in the Dnedain of the North and South of Middle-earth, that would in turn sire the brave and heroic men that would help bring a final end to Sauron in the War of the Ring. Aragorn's battle-cry in the Lord of the Rings was the name "Elendil".

The Oath of Elendil

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Lyrics, in Quenya: Et Erello Endorenna utlien Sinome Maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-Metta Translation: Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.'" (Sung by Aragorn during his crowning as the new King of Gondor)