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Originally Osgiliath, but Tarondor removed the seat of the Kings permanently to Minas Tirith
Pronunciation
taro'ndorr (where 'rr' indicates that the final r should be distinctly pronounced)
Meaning
Uncertain, but likely simply 'King of Gondor'2
Titles
Note
This King of Gondor is not to be confused with another King Tarondor, also of the Dúnedain, who ruled the North-kingdom of Arnor nearly a thousand years before this Tarondor's time; for that earlier King, see the entry for Tarondor of Arnor

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About this entry:

  • Updated 15 July 2009
  • This entry is complete

Tarondor

Gondor‘s longest-reigning King

Minastan
Tarondor
Unnamed
siblings3
Telumehtar
Umbardacil

Kings of Gondor

The twenty-seventh King of Gondor, who came to the throne in his youth after his uncle King Telemnar and all his children were lost in the Great Plague. It was Tarondor who moved the King's House from Osgiliath to Minas Anor (later to be named Minas Tirith). He reigned for 162 years, and was succeeded by his son who became the famous warrior King, Telumehtar Umbardacil.


Notes

1

The date of Tarondor's birth appears only in The History of Middle-earth volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth. It cannot therefore be considered completely reliable.

2

Tarondor's name is not explained, but it appears to be composed of the elements Tar- 'high king' and -ondor a variant form of Gondor, 'land of stone'. Somewhat confusingly, there was also a King of Arnor named Tarondor, but clearly the Gondorian connection cannot apply to this northern King, and his name apparently had the more general meaning 'king of stones'.

3

In volume XII of The History of Middle-earth, Tarondor is referred to as Minastan's eldest son. That implies that he had at least one younger brother, and probably other siblings as well.

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About this entry:

  • Updated 15 July 2009
  • This entry is complete

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