Dates

III 1976¹ - III 3019² (1,044 years)

Location

The northern lands that had been the North-kingdom of Arnor

Origins

The descendants of the old Kings of Arthedain

Race

Men

Division

Dúnedain

Culture

Northern Dúnedain

Pronunciation

Dúnedain is pronounced 'doo'nedine'

Other names

Chieftain of the North

Title of

Sixteen leaders of the Northern Dúnedain

Indexes:

About this entry:

Updated 17 January 2006
Updates planned: 1

Chieftain of the Dúnedain

The later title of the Heirs of Isildur

Years of the TreesFirst AgeISecond AgeIIThird AgeIIIFourth AgeIV

Elendil

Isildur

Anárion

Kings of Arnor

Kings of Gondor

Kings of
Arthedain

Kings of
Cardolan

Kings of
Rhudaur

Chieftains of
the Dúnedain

The descent of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain from Elendil the High King, showing their claim on the thrones of both Arnor and Gondor.

The title taken by the Heirs of Isildur after the loss of the kingdom of Arthedain; sixteen lords of Men, from Aranarth (elder son of Arvedui, last King of Arthedain) to Aragorn II Elessar.

I	Aranarth	(Chieftain for 130 years to III 2106) The heir of Arvedui, who would have become King of Arthedain if not for the destruction of his realm by the Witch-king. He saw his loss avenged, though, when a great army of Dúnedain out of Gondor, led by Eärnur, wiped out the Witch-king's own realm of Angmar. During his time, the Watchful Peace began, and the Heirs of Isildur had peace until the time of Arahad I.
II	Arahael	(Chieftain for 71 years to III 2177)
III	Aranuir	(Chieftain for 70 years to III 2247)
IV	Aravir	(Chieftain for 72 years to III 2319)
V	Aragorn I	(Chieftain for 8 years to III 2327) The first Aragorn, after whom Aragorn of the War of the Ring was named, lost his life in eastern Eriador, where he was slain by wolves.
VI	Araglas	(Chieftain for 128 years to III 2455)
VII	Arahad I	(Chieftain for 68 years to III 2523) In his time, the evil that had once dwelt in Dol Guldur returned, and the Watchful Peace came to an end. In the eighth year of his reign, the White Council was formed, a matter that Arahad must surely have been aware of, if he was not directly involved himself. As the years drew on, the extent of the danger from the East became more evident; the Misty Mountains were filled with Orcs, and near the end of Arahad's time as Chieftain, Celebrían the wife of Elrond was captured and tortured by them.
VIII	Aragost	(Chieftain for 65 years to III 2588)
IX	Aravorn	(Chieftain for 66 years to III 2654)
X	Arahad II	(Chieftain for 65 years to III 2719)
XI	Arassuil	(Chieftain for 65 years to III 2784) Arassuil saw Eriador openly invaded by Orcs out of the Misty Mountains, who penetrated as far westward as the Shire. The period from III 2745 to III 2748 is recorded as seeing the worst warfare, and it was in this time that the Battle of Greenfields was fought in the Northfarthing. Arassuil was Chieftain at the time of the Long Winter.
XII	Arathorn I	(Chieftain for 64 years to III 2848) It is known that Arathorn met an untimely end, though no records remain of his fate. Perhaps he was slain by Orcs or wolves, though the worst of the fighting with the Orcs of the Mountains had been over for a century before his death.
XIII	Argonui	(Chieftain for 64 years to III 2912) The last winter of Argonui's rule was the so-called Fell Winter, in which the northern lands were troubled by White Wolves out of the north, and the floods from the snow-melts of the following spring spread destruction far and wide.
XIV	Arador	(Chieftain for 18 years to III 2930) Arador enjoyed only a short time as Chieftain, during which he saw his son Arathorn wed Gilraen. Soon after, journeying in the fells north of Rivendell, he was captured by Hill-trolls and slain.
XV	Arathorn II	(Chieftain for 3 years to III 2933) Arathorn's time as leader of the Rangers was even shorter than his father's. After just three years as Chieftain, he went hunting Orcs with Elladan and Elrohir, and was shot by an arrow. He was succeeded by his son Aragorn, then just two years old.
XVI	Aragorn II	(Chieftain for 86 years to III 3019)² Most famous of all the Chieftains, Aragorn had great friendship with the Wizard Gandalf. He journeyed the length and breadth of Middle-earth, doing heroic deeds in the service of both Rohan and Gondor. He played a great part in the War of the Ring, and at its end as rightful Heir of Isildur took up the Kingship of his noble ancestor, reuniting the North- and South-kingdoms after more than three thousand years.

Notes

1	Arvedui was lost in III 1974, and if the Kingship had descended as normal his son Aranarth would have succeeded in that year. However, the destruction of Arthedain interrupted the descent, and Aranarth did not officially take the title Chieftain of the Dúnedain until the year III 1976.
2	It is presumed here that the office of Chieftain came to an end when Aragorn took up his Kingship in III 3019.

Indexes:

About this entry:

Updated 17 January 2006
Updates planned: 1

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Chieftain of the Dúnedain

The later title of the Heirs of Isildur

Notes

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