Before the Downfall of Númenor, a family of the Faithful abandoned the Isle and travelled to Middle-earth, settling the shoreland between the rivers Ringló and Gilrain. This family of Númenóreans were akin to the Lords of Andúnië, and thus related to Elendil. When Elendil himself came to Middle-earth and founded the Kingdoms of the Dúnedain, he granted this family a noble title, making them the hereditary Princes of Belfalas.
We have few details of the history of the Princes, though at one time they were powerful enough to give their name to the region where they lived: Dor-en-Ernil, the Land of the Prince. The line had definitely come to a formal end by III 2076, having lasted for more than two millennia, when Galador son of Imrazôr became the first Prince of Dol Amroth.1 This new style continued in use to the end of the Third Age and beyond.
Though there were no further Princes of Belfalas after Galador's time, they remained important in history. In particular, we know that one branch of their descendants removed to Lossarnach. Morwen Steelsheen, a daughter of that family, married Thengel of Rohan. Through Morwen, both Thengel's heir Théoden and his grandson Éomer carried the blood of the ancient Princes of Belfalas.
Notes
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We have no record of the end of the line of the Princes of Belfalas, but we do know that they had family ties to the later Princes of Dol Amroth. The simplest and most direct interpretation would be that Galador's father Imrazôr the Númenórean was the last Prince of Belfalas, and his son took a revised title when he established himself at Dol Amroth.
One complication of this account is that Imrazôr is never given the title 'Prince'. That by no means proves that he was not the last Prince of Belfalas, but it hints that history may have followed a more elaborate course. Perhaps, for example, the direct line of Princes had died out before Imrazôr's time, and Galador founded a new noble line from a minor branch of the same family.
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- Updated 2 September 2015
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