Dates
Founded II 32, destroyed II 3319 (endured 3,287 years)
Location
Origins
Created by the Valar as a reward for the Edain who had fought against Morgoth during the First Age
Race
Division
Culture
Family
Settlements
The royal city was Armenelos, with other important towns and cities including Andúnië, Eldalondë, Nindamos, Ondosto and Rómenna
Important peaks
The Meneltarma, the Pillar of Heaven, rose in the centre of the island, while Sorontil stood on its northern promontory
Pronunciation
noo'menorr (the final 'r' should be pronounced - 'rr' is used here to emphasise this)
Meaning
'Land in the West' (that is, west from Middle-earth)
Other names
Akallabêth, Anadûnê, Andor, Atalantë, The Downfallen, Elenna, Elenna·nórë, The Gift, The Great Isle, The Isle of Kings, The Land of Gift, Land of the Star, Mar-nu-Falmar, Númenórë, Starwards, Westernesse, Yôzâyan; also occasionally referred to as the 'Island of Númenor', or 'Isle of Númenor'
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 29 April 2008
- Updates planned: 27
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Númenor
Ancient home of the Dúnedain
General map of Númenor1
General map of Númenor1
The island kingdom of the Dúnedain, raised from the sea by the Valar as a gift and reward to the Men who had remained faithful through the dark years of the Wars of Beleriand. The Edain who had dwelt in Beleriand in those times were led to the island in II 32 by Elros the Half-elven, who unlike his brother Elrond had chosen to be counted among Men rather than Elves.
Elros became the first King of Númenor, taking the name Tar-Minyatur. Under the rule of Tar-Minyatur and his heirs, the Númenóreans rose to become the most powerful nation of Men in that or any other age. Their mighty ships returned to Middle-earth in II 600, and there they founded havens and cities.
For the early part of their history, the Númenóreans were closely allied with the Elves of Tol Eressëa, which lay close to their western shores. The Elves visited them often, and taught them much, but the Númenóreans themselves were forbidden to sail westwards, because the Valar feared they would become envious of the Undying Lands they and the Elves inhabited. As their greatness and power grew, the Númenóreans began to turn against the Ban of the Valar, and at last Ar-Adûnakhôr, who became King in II 2899, turned openly against it, though he did not dare defy it.
The last King of Númenor was Ar-Pharazôn the Golden, who usurped the throne of the rightful queen Míriel in II 3255. He took his armies to Middle-earth to make war upon Sauron, and so great had the Númenóreans become that Sauron's forces deserted him. Seeing an opportunity to destroy his enemy, Sauron sued for peace and returned with the King to Númenor. He gradually gained Ar-Pharazôn's trust, and persuaded him to sail openly against the Valar. In II 3319 Ar-Pharazôn sailed a vast armada into the West, but as he marched into the forbidden land of Aman, the Land of Gift was taken away and swallowed beneath the waves forever.
Some few survived the Downfall; Elendil, his sons and his followers had prepared themselves for the disaster and taken ship, and were driven back across the seas to Middle-earth. There they founded the famous realms of Arnor and Gondor, though these were but a dim reflection of the glory of Númenor at its height.
Notes
1 |
Note that the city of Ondosto, and the road running from Rómenna to Andúnië, were never mapped by Tolkien. Though their locations are well described, their positions on this map should not be considered exact. |
See also...
Agathurush, Ailinel, Akallabêth, Alcarin, Aldarion, Aldarion and Erendis, Almaida, Almiel, Aman, Anadûnê, Anardil, Anardilya, Anárion, Anárion, Ancalimë, [See the full list...]Ancalimë, Ancalimon, Ancient Darkness, Ancient West, Andor, Andúnië, Andustar, Annatar, Annúminas, Ar-Abattârik, Ar-Adûnakhôr, Ar-Belzagar, Ar-Inziladûn, Ar-Pharazôn, Ar-Sakalthôr, Ar-Zimraphel, Ar-Zimrathôn, Arandor, Aranel, Arda, Ardamir, Armenelos, Astar, Atalantë, Atanalcar, Atanamir, Atarinya, Axantur, Axe of Tuor, Ban of the Valar, Barad-dûr, Base Master of Treachery, Battle of the Gwathló, Bay of Andúnië, Bay of Eldanna, Belegaer, Beleth (Bereth), Bent World, Bëorians, Beregar, Black Númenóreans, Black Stone, Black Years, Book of the Kings, Bough of Return, Bow of Bregor, Bregolas, Caliondo, Calmacil, Calmindon, Captain of Ships, Captain of the Kings Ships, Castle of the Sea, Caves of the Forgotten, Chronology of the Westlands, Ciryatur, City of the Corsairs, City of the Kings, City of the Men of Gondor, Common Speech, Council of Gondor, Council of the Sceptre, Counsellor of the North-kingdom, Crown of Elendil, Dark Lands, Dark Lord, Dark Years, Daughter of Uinen, Daur, Dead Tree, Doom of Men, Downfall of Melkor, Downfall of Númenor, Dramborleg, Drû-folk, Drúedain, Drúedain of Beleriand, Drúedain of Númenor, Drûg-folk, Dúnedain of Gondor, Eärendur, Eärendur, Eärenya, Eastlands of Númenor, Edain, Elatan, Eldalondë, Eldar of Eressëa, Eldarion, Elendil, Elendili, Elendilmir, Elenna, Elenna·nórë, Elestirnë, Elrond, Elu Thingol, Elven-tree, Elves of Lindon, Elvish, Elvish World, Emerië, Emerwen Aranel, Entulessë, Erendis, Erukyermë, Erulaitalë, Ever-summer, Exiles of Númenor, Far-wanderer, Father of the Isle, Fathers of the Númenóreans, Fire of Doom, Flame of the West, Flower of the West, Foam-flower, Forostar, Fragrant Trees, Galadriel, Gift of Men, Gimilkhâd, Giver of Freedom, Golden Tree, Gondorians, Great Armament, Great Captain, Great Haven, Great Isle, Great Lands, Great Middle Haven, Great People of the West, Great Sea of the West, Great Shadow, Green Bough of Return, Guild of Venturers, Guild of Weaponsmiths, Guildhouse of the Venturers, Gulls, Hallacar, Hallow of Eru, Hallowed Mountain, Haranyë, Hatholdir, Haven of Umbar, Haven-finder, Henderch, Herucalmo, Herumor, Herunúmen, Hevensday, High Eldarin, High King, High Men, High Warden of the White Tower, Hirilondë, Hithaeglir, Holy Mountain, House of Elros, House of the Lords of Andúnië, Hyarastorni, Hyarnustar, Hyarrostar, Îbal, Indis i·Kiryamo, Inlands, Inziladûn, Írildë, Írimon, Isildur, Isilmë, Isilmo, Isle of Kings, Isle of Meneltarma, King of Arthedain, King of Kings, King of Men, King of Númenor, King of Númenórë, King of the Elves, King of the Nine Riders, King of the Númenóreans, Kingdoms of the Dúnedain, Kings Archers, Kings Court, Kings Men, Kings of Men, Kings Party, Kings Reckoning, Kings Sword, Kings Writer, Kingsfoil, Kingsland, Kirinki, Knights, Lady of the Star-brow, Lady of the Westlands, Lairelossë, Land of Gift, Land of the Star, Larches, Last Battle, Laurinquë, Light-tower, Lindissë, Lindórië, Line of Elros, Line of Kings, Lissuin, Loëndë, Lond Daer, Lond Daer Enedh, Lord of All, Lord of Andúnië, Lord of Barad-dûr, Lord of the Black Land, Lord of the Dark, Lord of the Darkness, Lord of the Earth, Lord of the Havens, Lord of the Nazgûl, Lord of the Ships and Havens of Númenor, Lords of the West, Maiar, Maiar of the Sea, Mairen, Malantur, Malinorni, Mámandil, Man-high, Manwendil, Mar-nu-Falmar, Mariner-king, Master of the Forests, Men of Númenor, Men of Old, Men of the Ancient Houses, Men of the Sea, Men of the Three Houses, Meneldil, Meneldur, Meneltarma, Meresdei, Mersday, Middle Men, Middle Peoples, Minastir, Míriel, Mithril, Mittalmar, Mordor, Moria-silver, Nárië, Nernehta, Nessamelda, Nessanië, Nether Darkness, New Haven, New Year, Nimloth, Nindamos, Ninquelótë, Nísimaldar, Nísinen, Noirinan, Nolondil, Noman, North Cape, North Wind, Northern Sceptre, Northlands of Númenor, Númellótë, Númendil, Númenórë, Númenórean, Númenórean Sindarin, Númerrámar, Núneth, Oiolairë, Ondosto, Oraearon, Orchaldor, Orgaladh, Orithil, Oromendil, Oromet, Orrostar, Palarran, People of Bëor, People of Hador, Peredhil, Peregrin Pippin Took I, Pharazôn, Pillar of Heaven, Pillar of the Heavens, Powers of the World, Prayer to Eru, Pre-Númenórean, Prince of Belfalas, Prince of Dol Amroth, Princess Shepherdess, Return, Revised Calendar, Ring of Barahir, River Anduin, River Baranduin, River Nunduinë, River Siril, Rómenna, Roots of the Pillar, Roquen, Ruler of Númenor, Ruling Queen of Númenor, Sauron, Sceptre of Annúminas, Sceptre of Arnor, Sceptre of Númenor, Scroll of Kings, Sea-kings, Sea-longing, Second Age, Seeing-stones, Seeing-stones of Númenor, Seven Seeing Stones, Seven Stones, Shadowy Seas, Sheep, Sheep-lord, Shield-barrier, Silmariën, Silmarillion, Sorontil, Soronto, South-realm, Southeastlands, Southwestlands, Spies of the Valar, Standing Silence, Star of Eärendil, Star of Elendil, Star of the North, Star of the North Kingdom, Star-watcher, Starwards, Stewards Reckoning, Stone of Erech, Stones of Seeing, Sunset, Súrion, Tale of the Downfall of Númenor, Taniquelassë, Tar-Anárion, Tar-Ancalimë, Tar-Ancalimon, Tar-Anducal, Tar-Calion, Tar-Calmacil, Tar-Ciryatan, Tar-Herunúmen, Tar-Hostamir, Tar-Minastir, Tar-Míriel, Tar-Súrion, Tar-Telemnar, Tar-Telperiën, Tar-Vanimeldë, Tarinya, Tarkil, Tarmasundar, Thanksgiving to Eru, The Abyss, The Downfallen, The East, The Fair, The Farsighted, The Gift, The Golden, The Great, The Green, The Lord, The Lords, The Mariner, The Mariners Wife, The Moon, The Númenórean, The Pillar, The Ring, The Scrolls, The Star, The Tall, The Terrible, The Tree, The Unwilling, The West, The Wooden Whale, Three Houses of Men, Three Houses of the Elf-friends, Three Jewels, Three Prayers, Thudder-Sharp, Tol Uinen, Tombs of the Kings, Tower of Avallónë, Tree of Tirion, Tree of Túna, Trewesdei, Turuphanto, Two Kindreds, Uinendili, Uinéniel, Undying Lands, Úner, Úrimë, Úrui, Uttermost West, Valandil of Númenor, Valinor, Valley of the Tombs, Vardamir Nólimon, Vardarianna, Vëantur, Venturers, Wand of the Stewards, War of the Elves and Sauron, War of the Last Alliance, West-that-was, West-wings, Western Sea, Westernesse, Westlands of Númenor, White House of Erendis, White Lady, White Lady of Emerië, White Mountains, White Tree, White Tree of Isildur, White Tree of Minas Anor, White Tree of Minas Tirith, White Tree of Númenor, White Tree of the Eldar, White Tree of Tol Eressëa, Witnesses of Manwë, Wraith-king, Wrens, Yavannamírë, Yavannië, Yávien, Yáviérë, Years of the Sun, Zamîn
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 29 April 2008
- Updates planned: 27
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