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Silmariën

Other Names:
Silmarien (Silm, UT, and HoME)

Location(s): Númenor

Race/Species: Man

Type/Kind: 2nd age Numenoreans

Dates: born: II 521

Parents:
Tar-Elendil, 4th King of Númenor

Siblings:
Isilmë
Írimon Tar-Meneldur, 5th King of Númenor

Spouse: Elatan of Andúnië

Children: Valandil of Andúnië

Description:

[Tar-Elendil's] elder child was a daughter, Silmariën. Her son was Valandil, first of the Lords of Andúnië in the west of the land, renowned for their friendship with the Eldar. From him were descended Amandil, the last lord, and his son Elendil the Tall.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Númenor

Tar-Elendil... married late in his life, and his eldest child was a daughter, Silmarien, born in the year 521, whose son was Valandil. Of Valandil came the Lords of Andúnië, of whom the last was Amandil father of Elendil the Tall, who came to Middle-earth after the DownFall.

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

Meneldur was the son of Tar-Elendil.... He was the King's third child, for he had two sisters, named Silmarien and Isilmë. The elder of these was wedded to Elatan of Andúnië, and their son was Valandil, Lord of Andúnië, from whom came long after the lines of the Kings of Gondor and Arnor in Middle-earth.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 2, Aldarion and Erendis

Highest in honour after the house of the kings were the Lords of Andúnië; for they were of the line of Elros, being descended from Silmarien, daughter of Tar-Elendil, the fourth King of Númenor. And these lords were loyal to the kings, and revered them; and the Lord of Andúnië was ever among the chief councillors of the Sceptre. Yet also from the beginning they bore especial love to the Eldar and reverence for the Valar....

The Silmarillion, Akallabêth

[According] to that custom [the "old law"] the Ruler's eldest son inherited the Sceptre. It was understood that if there were no son the nearest male kinsman of male descent from Elros Tar-Minyatur would be the Heir. Thus if Tar-Meneldur had had no son the Heir would not have been Valandil his nephew (son of his sister Silmarien), but Malantur his cousin (grandson of Tar-Elendil's younger brother Eärendur).

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 2, Aldarion and Erendis

Only the Ring of Barahir father of Beren One-hand survived the Downfall; for it was given by Tar-Elendil to his daughter Silmarien and was preserved in the House of the Lords of Andúnië.... [Author's note.]

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 1, Description of the Island of Númenor: Notes, Note 2

[One] of [King Elessar's] first tasks was the restoration of Orthanc... At last behind a hidden door... a steel closet was revealed.... In a casket on a high shelf... lay a treasure without price, long mourned as lost for ever: the Elendilmir itself, the white star of Elvish crystal upon a fillet of mithril that had descended from Silmarien to Elendil, and had been taken by him as the token of royalty in the North Kingdom.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 1, The Disaster of the Gladden Fields


Etymology
sil- (and variant thil-) 'shine (with white or silver light)' in Belthil, Galathilion, Silpion, and in Quenya Isil, Sindarin Ithil, the Moon (whence Isildur, Narsil; Minas Ithil, Ithilien). The Quenya word Silmarilli is said to derive from the name silima that Fëanor gave to the substance from which they were made.

The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names


Notes
Note on the spelling of the name: In LotR: Appendix B: The Tale of Years the name is spelled with the diaeresis (umlaut); in both The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales it is spelled without. According to Carl F. Hostetter, "The diaeresis (umlaut) is just an orthographic convention used by Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings to indicate to the English reader that the vowel it marks is to be pronounced, not silent or diphthongized. Tolkien often did not bother using it in other writings. So either spelling is correct."

Comment by ~Nessime

Contributors:
15.7.2003 Celandine Brandybuck
~Nessime 5/26/04
added quotes: Elena Tiriel 3Nov05, 27Oct07

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