Timeline Event
Rule of the Stewards of Gondor begins with Mardil Voronwë
Event Type: Political
Age: 3rd Age - The Stewards
Year: 2050
Description:
Eärnur rides to Minas Morgul and is lost. Mardil becomes the first Ruling Steward.
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, The Tale of Years: The
Third Age
Eärnur had held the crown only seven years when the Lord of Morgul repeated his challenge, taunting the king that to the faint heart of his youth he had now added the weakness of age. Then Mardil could no longer restrain him, and he rode with a small escort of knights to the gate of Minas Morgul. None of that riding were ever heard of again. It was believed in Gondor that the faithless enemy had trapped the king, and that he had died in torment in Minas Morgul; but since there were no witnesses of his death, Mardil the Good Steward ruled Gondor in his name for many years.
Now the descendants of the kings had become few. Their numbers had been greatly diminished in the Kin-strife.... So it was that no claimant to the crown could be found who was of pure blood, or whose claim all would allow; and all feared the memory of the Kin-strife, knowing that if any such dissension arose again, then Gondor would perish. Therefore, though the years lengthened, the Steward continued to rule Gondor, and the crown of Elendil lay in the lap of King Eärnil in the Houses of the Dead, where Eärnur had left it.
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and
Rulers: The Realms in Exile: The Southern Line: Heirs of Anárion
[The] line of the Kings came to an end, until it was restored by Elessar Telcontar in 3019. The realm was then ruled by the Stewards.
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and
Rulers: The Realms in Exile
Contributors:
Zimraphel. 8Jul03
added quotes: Elena Tiriel 10May05, 9Sep09