#earendur

[queenmeriadoc]

To me The Sail Masters name is Eärendur, until the show specifically gives him another name.

Eärendur

[arofili]

the line of elros ♚ royalty of númenor ♚ headcanon disclaimer

          Eärendur was the younger son of Tar-Amandil and the companion of the mariner Vëantur. Eärendur was a sailor from a young age, neglecting any princely duties he may have been given and preferring the carefree life of a crewmate at sea rather than the responsibility of a naval commander. His father granted him his own ship, but Eärendur was never very serious about being a captain.          Vëantur was the child of commoner parents, and when they refused to accept him when he asserted himself as a man rather than the girl he had been mistaken for at birth, he fled his home to join the royal navy. Eärendur took the young man under his wing and was gratified when Vëantur’s ambition saw him rise to the top of the ranks, proud of his friend and glad to be relieved of the pressure on himself to lead.           When Tar-Amandil purposed to name his seafaring son the Captain of the King’s Ships, Eärendur instead suggested he choose Vëantur, a more capable commander and his bosom companion. In gratitude, Vëantur named Eärendur his first mate, a position that suited him much better, and the two turned their sights to lands far beyond Elenna. Vëantur became the first Númenórean to return to Middle-earth in his ship Entulussë. He met the Elvenking Gil-galad and the shipwright Círdan, as well as twelve Men from Eriador who came to see “who had returned from death in the deeps of the Sea.”         Upon returning from this momentous journey, Eärendur wed Helwë, a fisher’s daughter who yearned for greatness. Vëantur too loved Eärendur, and had wed him in an unofficial ship-board ceremony, and together they welcomed Helwë into their relationship. Eärendur fathered children with both his spouses; Helwë bore him a son, Caliondo, and Vëantur a daughter, Almarian, though for political reasons Almarian’s true heritage was obscured even from her.          Eärendur died at sea, saving Vëantur’s life in the midst of a storm. His loss was mourned deeply by his family, and in the aftermath, Vëantur married Helwë. A man’s friend or brother taking to wife his widow was not uncommon at the time, especially among sailors, and thus the transition into a more “official” family unit was not remarked upon even in Tar-Elendil’s court.           Almarian was raised alongside her half-brother Caliondo, and both youths loved and admired their cousin Prince Írimon. In time, Almarian’s affection for Írimon grew into a deeper love, and they became betrothed. This was the only time Helwë and Vëantur considered telling her that Eärendur was her father, making her and Írimon first cousins, but after Almarian confessed she was already carrying the prince’s child, her parents decided not to spoil her happiness with the truth. Cousin marriage, though uncommon, was not unheard of, and with Eärendur dead for many years they did not wish to revisit old hurts.

[arofili]

the line of elros ♚ royalty of númenor ♚ @oneringnet kings and queens event ♚ headcanon disclaimer

          Tar-Amandil was the third King of Númenor, inheriting the scepter upon his grandfather Tar-Minyatur’s death and his father Vardamir’s immediate abdication. He was a beloved ruler, kind and wise and focused on the needs of his people. In his youth he had been a cartographer, mapping the whole of the island of Elenna, and as King he sponsored more projects of that ilk.           The wife of Tar-Amandil was Telemnë, a member of the Guild of Royal Seamstresses. She found young Amandil very fair, and insisted on outfitting the prince in the finest clothing she could design. Over time they grew closer, and eventually wed; she was crowned alongside him as his Queen.          Tári-Telemnë and Tar-Amandil had three children: Tar-Elendil, who would inherit his father’s crown; Eärendur, who sailed the seas alongside Vëantur, Captain of the King’s Ships; and Mairen, a capricious princess who counted herself a magician equal to the Elvenkings of old.

[isildurcutoffsauronsring]

People talk about Kidnap Fam but have you ever considered...Elros being a cool great grandpa to Elendil, Eärendur and Mairen? Amandil suggesting to Elros to name baby Eärendur to honor Eärendil (maybe as a political move, maybe as a personal choice depending on your interpretation)?

[askmiddlearth]

Earendur and the Division of Arnor

It's a huge disappointment to me, but we actually know very little about Earendur, or his children. I say I'm disappointed, because I love family drama and political intrigue, and I imagine that Earendur's story would have involved plenty of both. What (little) we do know is this:

Earendur was the tenth king of Arnor, and ruled from 777-861 TA. His rule was, apparently, uneventful. The interesting thing is actually what happens just after his death.

Earendur had (at least) three sons. For reasons that Tolkien doesn't explain at all, the three sons did not get along. Which probably isn't al that uncommon. What should have happened is this: Amlaith (the oldest son, and the only one whose name we know) should have become the next king of Arnor, while his two younger brothers hated him in relative peace for the rest of their lives. But instead, civil war broke out, and in the end Arnor was split into three separate kingdoms. Amlaith becomes the king of Arthedain, and his brothers rule the neighboring kingdoms of Cardolan and Rhudaur. The royal lines in the two breakaway kingdoms died out relatively quickly, and when Angmar rose around 1300 TA, those two were the first countries to fall. Arthedain lasted a bit longer, and (more importantly) maintained their royal line. 

What exactly caused the strife between the brothers (and what circumstances led to their poor relationship escalating to civil war) is unknown. The only other hint of their drama that we see is in the name of Arthedain. The name is Sindarin for "Realm of the Edain." While it could just be descriptive - out of the three smaller kingdoms, Arthedain was the one with the highest population of Dunedain (descendants of the Edain), it could also be an echo of Amlaith's attempts to assert his authority over his brothers. If his kingdom, Arthedain, is the kingdom of the Edain, then his is the truly legitimate position, right?

SOURCES: LOTR Appendix A