Chieftain of the Dúnedain
The Chieftains of the Dúnedain were the hereditary rulers of the Rangers of the North.
The title was created following the final destruction of Arthedain in T.A. 1974 by the Witch-king of Angmar. The heir to the throne of Arthedain, Aranarth son of Arvedui, in T.A. 1976 chose not to claim the kingship and instead ruled the remnants of his people as Chieftain.[1] The Chieftains were raised in Rivendell, where the heirlooms of the House of Isildur, were also kept.
They were descendants of Isildur through the kings of Arthedain[2] and Anárion through Fíriel;[3] as such they regarded themselves as the legitimate heirs to both Arnor and Gondor. The Chieftains continued to take the kingly prefix of ar(a)-, to signify their royal heritage and their right to rule Arnor. When the line of Anárion failed, the Chieftains considered themselves the heirs of Anárion through their ancestor Fíriel; none of the Chieftains ever forgot Arvedui's claim to the throne.[4]
The people of Arthedain became known as the Rangers of the North, a wandering people quite content with living in secret. Due to the destruction of Angmar, and the Watchful Peace, which followed after Wizard Gandalf drove Sauron out of Dol Guldur, there was little evil in Eriador and attacks by the enemy were few and far between.
It is notable that most of the Chieftains lived out their full life-span and their longevity did not decrease as much as that of the Gondorians.[5]
Aragorn II became the last Chieftain when he reclaimed the title of High King of the Reunited Kingdom.
| The Chieftains of the Dúnedain[6] | The Chieftains of the Dúnedain[6] | The Chieftains of the Dúnedain[6] | The Chieftains of the Dúnedain[6] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Reign | Notes | |
| 1. | Aranarth | T.A. 1975–2106 | Son of King Arvedui of Arthedain. |
| 2. | Arahael | T.A. 2106–2177 | Arahael led the Dúnedain during the time known as the Watchful Peace, and was untroubled by war. |
| 3. | Aranuir | T.A. 2177–2247 | He was born shortly after the beginning of the Watchful Peace. |
| 4. | Aravir | T.A. 2247–2319 | |
| 5. | Aragorn I | T.A. 2319–2327† | He was lost while hunting wolves. It is said that he was slain by the very wolves he was hunting. |
| 6. | Araglas | T.A. 2327–2455 | He was the chieftain for 128 years; longer than any other except Aranarth, the first chieftain. |
| 7. | Arahad I | T.A. 2455–2523 | During his reign the Watchful Peace came to an end as Sauron returned to Dol Guldur and the White Council was formed. The Éothéod founded the Kingdom of Rohan. |
| 8. | Aragost | T.A. 2523–2588 | He lived in historic times, but they didn't affect his life (or rule) directly. |
| 9. | Aravorn | T.A. 2588–2654 | |
| 10. | Arahad II | T.A. 2654–2719 | |
| 11. | Arassuil | T.A. 2719–2784 | In his days, Orcs of the Misty Mountains invaded the western lands. Arassuil and his rangers fought them with Elladan and Elrohir. An Orc party managed to reach the Shire, but Bandobras defeated them at the Battle of Greenfields. |
| 12. | Arathorn I | T.A. 2784–2848† | The circumstances of Arathorn's death are mysterious, but his end is marked as dying a premature death. |
| 13. | Argonui | T.A. 2848–2912 | He was the chieftain when the Fell Winter descended on Middle-earth. The cause of his death is not known. |
| 14. | Arador | T.A. 2930–2933† | He was captured by Hill-trolls in the fells north of Rivendell, and slain. |
| 15. | Arathorn II | T.A. 2930–2933† | He was hunting Orcs with Elladan and Elrohir, but was shot through the eye and killed. |
| 16. | Aragorn II | T.A. 2933–3019 | The first High King of the Reunited Kingdom. |
[edit] See also
For the family tree of the Chieftains, as well as that of the Kings of Arnor and Arthedain, see the House of Isildur.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VIII. The Tale of Years of the Third Age"
- ↑ Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, p. 69
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Realms in Exile", "The Northern Line: Heirs of Isildur"