Anárion

Anárion
Tolkien's legendarium character
Aliases	King of Gondor
Race	Men
Book(s)	The Lord of the Rings The Silmarillion

Anárion is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. His name is derived from Anar, which means "Sun" in Tolkien's invented language of Quenya. He was the son of Elendil and the brother of Isildur, and with them established the Realms in Exile in Middle-earth after the downfall of Númenor.

Biography

Anárion was born in Númenor, the younger son of Elendil. Together with his father and brother, Anárion was a leader of the Elendili or Faithful, the part of the Númenórean people that opposed the dark rule of king Ar-Pharazôn and his advisor Sauron.

Driven in ships by great wind and waves from the downfall of Númenor, Elendil landed in the north near the Elven realm of Lindon, and there established the realm of Arnor. Isildur and Anárion landed farther south, establishing the realm of Gondor, where several Númenóreans had already settled.^[1]

Anárion and Isildur ruled jointly in Gondor and were chiefly responsible for the ordering of the kingdom. They founded the cities of Minas Anor and Minas Ithil, as well as the bridge and city of Osgiliath. The names of Elendil, Isildur, and Anárion refer, respectively, to the stars, the moon, and the sun; likewise, these were commemorated in Osgiliath "the citadel of the stars"; in Ithilien and Minas Ithil "the tower of the moon"; and in Anórien and Minas Anor "the tower of the sun".

Sauron attacked Gondor and captured Minas Ithil. Isildur escaped down the Anduin and sailed to bring help from Elendil in the North, while Anárion defended Gondor against Sauron. His forces held Osgiliath and drove Sauron back to the mountains for a time, though he realized that Gondor would not stand unless help arrived.^[2]

Gil-galad, Elendil, and Isildur led the Last Alliance of Elves and Men from the North to challenge Sauron. Anárion joined in the campaign against Mordor: he fought in the Battle of Dagorlad and in the Siege of Barad-dûr, where he was slain by a stone hurled from the Dark Tower. The crown of Minas Anor, Anárion's helm, was crushed when he was slain. Isildur gave his own (plain) war helm as a replacement. Several generations later, Isildur's helm was replaced by an elaborate jewelled helm.

Anárion had four children. Anárion's fourth child, Meneldil, became King of Gondor. Meneldil was the last man born in Númenor before its destruction.^[3]

The bloodlines of Anárion and Isildur were reunited by the marriage of Anárion's descendant, Fíriel of Gondor, with Isildur's descendant, Arvedui of Arthedain. Their descendant Aragorn in time became king of the Reunited Kingdom.

Monumental statues of Anárion and Isildur guard the northernmost border of Gondor at the Gates of Argonath on the river Anduin.

House of Elendil

References

1. The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", p. 290–1.
2. The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", p. 293.
3. Unfinished Tales, p. 279, note 10.

External links

• A History and Complete Chronology of Númenor - A detailed chronology of Númenor, its successor states and their rulers.