Timeline Event
Faramir becomes Steward of Gondor and Lord of Emyn Arnen
Event Type: Political
Age: 3rd Age - Ring War
Date: March 15, 3019
Description:
An event in the Siege of Minas Tirith; see that entry for an overview:
Faramir, son of Denethor II, becomes the 27th Steward of Gondor, the last of the Ruling Stewards:
[Éomer and Imrahil] greeted Gandalf and said: 'We seek the Steward, and men say that he is in [the Houses of Healing]. Has any hurt befallen him?....'
And Gandalf answered:... '[The] Lord Faramir was wounded by an evil dart, as you have heard, and he is now the Steward; for Denethor has departed....'
The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 8, The Houses of Healing
[Denethor] was the last 1 of the Ruling Stewards, and was followed by his second son Faramir, Lord of Emyn Arnen....
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, The Realms in Exile: The Southern Line: Ruling Stewards
[Faramir] succeeded by right on the death of his father, but in the same year surrendered rod and rule to the King Elessar, and so was the last Ruling Steward.
The Peoples of Middle-Earth, HoME Vol 12, Part 1, Ch 7, The Heirs of Elendil: The Ruling Stewards of Gondor
Faramir acceded to the Ruling Stewardship upon his father's death, but did not begin to discharge the functions of that office until after he was released from the Houses of Healing. His duties were assumed temporarily, first by Prince Imrahil and later by Húrin of the Keys:
[Now] being healed [Faramir] took upon him his authority and the Stewardship, although it was only for a little while, and his duty was to prepare for one who should replace him.
The Return of the King, LoTR Book 6, Ch 5, The Steward and the King
Notes
1 The assertion that Denethor, rather than Faramir, is the last Ruling Steward, though from a canonical source, appears to be an error. It is directly contradicted several times in the text, especially by Faramir's own statement at the Crowning of King Elessar:
Faramir met Aragorn in the midst of those there assembled, and he knelt, and said: 'The last Steward of Gondor begs leave to surrender his office.'
The Return of the King, LoTR Book 6, Ch 5, The Steward and the King
Contributors:
Tanaqui 15May05
Elena Tiriel 10Feb08, 9Sep09
