Post by Móreadhiel on Jan 16, 2007 12:57:47 GMT -5
Mardil Voronwë
First Ruling Steward of Gondor. Mardil Voronwe was born in 1960. His father was Vorondil, who served as Steward to King Earnil II. When Vorondil died in 2029, Mardil became the King's Steward. King Earnil II died in 2043 and was succeeded by his son Earnur.
Mardil continued to serve as Steward to King Earnur. In 2043, Mardil advised King Earnur to refuse a challenge from the Lord of the Nazgul, who hated Earnur for helping defeat him at the Battle of Fornost. The Lord of the Nazgul renewed his challenge in 2050, and King Earnur accepted against Mardil's advice. Earnur rode to Minas Morgul and was never seen again.
Earnur left no heir, and in the absence of a King, Mardil assumed the rule of Gondor. He was the first of a long line of Ruling Stewards, who took an oath to "rule in the name of the King, until he shall return." The Ruling Stewards bore a white rod as a symbol of their office, their standard was a plain white banner, and they sat in a chair at the foot of the dais where the King's throne stood empty.
In 2060, Mardil introduced a revised calendar system known as the Stewards' Reckoning which came to be used by most of the people of Middle-earth who spoke the Common Speech, except for the Hobbits who continued to use their own Shire Reckoning.
In 2063, the era known as the Watchful Peace began when Sauron left his stronghold of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood and went into hiding in the East. During this time, Gondor was free from attack by Sauron's minions and the Nazgul remained quiet in Minas Morgul. The Watchful Peace lasted four centuries until Sauron returned to Dol Guldur during the reign of the Steward Denethor I in 2460.
Mardil died in 2080 and was succeeded as Ruling Steward by his son Eradan.
Names & Etymology:
The name Mardil means "devoted to the House (of the Kings)" in Quenya. The word mar means "house" and the ending dil means "to love, be devoted to."
Mardil was also called the Good Steward and Mardil Voronwë, meaning "steadfast."
Sources:
Appendix A of LotR: "The Realms in Exile," p. 319; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," p. 332-33; "The Stewards," p. 333
Appendix D of LotR: "The Calendars," p. 386-87
Unfinished Tales: "Cirion and Eorl," p. 309, 317 note 44, 319-20 note 54
The Silmarillion: "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names," entries for bar and (n)dil
The History of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," entry for BORON
The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs of Elendil" p. 201-204
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #297 (etymology)
First Ruling Steward of Gondor. Mardil Voronwe was born in 1960. His father was Vorondil, who served as Steward to King Earnil II. When Vorondil died in 2029, Mardil became the King's Steward. King Earnil II died in 2043 and was succeeded by his son Earnur.
Mardil continued to serve as Steward to King Earnur. In 2043, Mardil advised King Earnur to refuse a challenge from the Lord of the Nazgul, who hated Earnur for helping defeat him at the Battle of Fornost. The Lord of the Nazgul renewed his challenge in 2050, and King Earnur accepted against Mardil's advice. Earnur rode to Minas Morgul and was never seen again.
Earnur left no heir, and in the absence of a King, Mardil assumed the rule of Gondor. He was the first of a long line of Ruling Stewards, who took an oath to "rule in the name of the King, until he shall return." The Ruling Stewards bore a white rod as a symbol of their office, their standard was a plain white banner, and they sat in a chair at the foot of the dais where the King's throne stood empty.
In 2060, Mardil introduced a revised calendar system known as the Stewards' Reckoning which came to be used by most of the people of Middle-earth who spoke the Common Speech, except for the Hobbits who continued to use their own Shire Reckoning.
In 2063, the era known as the Watchful Peace began when Sauron left his stronghold of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood and went into hiding in the East. During this time, Gondor was free from attack by Sauron's minions and the Nazgul remained quiet in Minas Morgul. The Watchful Peace lasted four centuries until Sauron returned to Dol Guldur during the reign of the Steward Denethor I in 2460.
Mardil died in 2080 and was succeeded as Ruling Steward by his son Eradan.
Names & Etymology:
The name Mardil means "devoted to the House (of the Kings)" in Quenya. The word mar means "house" and the ending dil means "to love, be devoted to."
Mardil was also called the Good Steward and Mardil Voronwë, meaning "steadfast."
Sources:
Appendix A of LotR: "The Realms in Exile," p. 319; "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," p. 332-33; "The Stewards," p. 333
Appendix D of LotR: "The Calendars," p. 386-87
Unfinished Tales: "Cirion and Eorl," p. 309, 317 note 44, 319-20 note 54
The Silmarillion: "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names," entries for bar and (n)dil
The History of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," entry for BORON
The History of Middle-earth, vol. XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "The Heirs of Elendil" p. 201-204
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #297 (etymology)
