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Tar-Palantir

Meaning: He who looks afar

Other Names: Ar-lnziladûn

Location(s): Númenor

Race/Species: Man

Type/Kind: 2nd age Numenoreans

Title(s): King of Númenor

Dates: 3035 - 3255 II

Parents:
father: Ar-Gimilzôr
mother: Inzilbêth

Siblings: Gimilkhâd

Children: Tar-Míriel (aka Ar-Zimraphel)

Description:
He was born in the year 3035, and he ruled for 78 years until his death in 3255.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 3, The Line of Elros, Kings of Númenor

There was a lady Inzilbêth, renowned for her beauty, and her mother was Lindórië, sister of Eärendur, the Lord of Andúnië in the days of Ar-Sakalthôr father of Ar-Gimilzôr. Gimilzôr took her to wife, though this was little to her liking, for she was in heart one of the Faithful, being taught by her mother; but the kings and their sons were grown proud and not to be gainsaid in their wishes. No love was there between Ar-Gimilzôr and his queen, or between their sons. Inziladûn, the elder, was like his mother in mind as in body; but Gimilkhâd, the younger, went with his father, unless he were yet prouder and more wilful. To him Ar-Gimilzôr would have yielded the sceptre rather than to the elder son, if the laws had allowed.

But when Inziladûn acceded to the sceptre, he took again a title in the Elven-tongue as of old, calling himself Tar-Palantir, for he was far-sighted both in eye and in mind, and even those that hated him feared his words as those of a true-seer.

The Silmarillion, Akallabêth

Tar-Palantir repented of the ways of the Kings before him, and would fain have returned to the friendship of the Eldar and the Lords of the West. ... He also would spend much of his days in Andúnië, since Lindórië his mother's mother was of the kin of the Lords, being sister indeed of Eärendur, the fifteenth Lord and grandfather of Númendil, who was Lord of Andúnië in the days of Tar-Palantir his cousin; and Tar-Palantir would ascend often to the ancient tower of King Minastir, and gaze westward in yearning, hoping to see, maybe, some sail coming from Eressëa. But no ship came ever again out of the West, because of the insolence of the Kings, and because the hearts of the most part of the Númenóreans were still hardened. For Gimilkhâd followed the ways of Ar-Gimilzôr, and became leader of the King's Party, and resisted the will of Tar-Palantir as openly as he dared, and yet more in secret. But for a while the Faithful had peace; and the King went ever at due times to the Hallow upon the Meneltarma, and the White Tree was again given tendance and honour. For Tar-Palantir prophesied, saying that when the Tree died then the line of Kings also would perish.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 3, The Line of Elros, Kings of Númenor

Now Gimilkhâd died two years before his two hundredth year (which was accounted an early death for one of Elros' line even in its waning), but this brought no peace to the King. For Pharazôn son of Gimilkhâd had become a man yet more restless and eager for wealth and power than his father. He had fared often abroad...; and thus he had won great renown as a captain both by land and by sea. Therefore when he came back to Númenor, hearing of his father's death, the hearts of the people were turned to him; for he brought with him great wealth, and was for the time free in his giving.

The Silmarillion, Akallabêth

Tar-Palantir married late and had no son, and his daughter he named Míriel in the Elven-tongue. But when the King died she was taken to wife by Pharazôn son of Gimilkhâd... against her will, and against the law of Númenor since she was the child of his father's brother. And he then seized the sceptre into his own hand, taking the title of Ar-Pharazôn (Tar-Calion); and Míriel was named Ar-Zimraphel.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 3, The Line of Elros, Kings of Númenor

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 2Nov05

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