The Fantasy Review’s brief history of Númenor.
Númenor is an island kingdom in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Its story is one of grandeur, ambition, and downfall. The Númenóreans played a pivotal role in the history of Middle-earth, leaving a lasting legacy despite its tragic end.
Númendor was an early name for Númenor, being Quenya for ‘west-land’.
The Rise of Númenor
Founded in SA 32 (Second Age), Númenor was a gift from the gods, the Valar, to the Edain, the Men who had allied with the Elves in the First Age during the War of the Great Jewels. The Valar raised the island in the western waters of Belegaer.
Positioned in the Western Sea, midway between Middle-earth and the Undying Lands, Númenor was a symbol of the enduring friendship between the races of Men and Elves. Blessed with long life and great wisdom, the Númenóreans quickly advanced in arts and knowledge, establishing a powerful maritime civilization.
A Time of Prosperity
For many centuries, Númenor flourished under the rule of its kings. These kings started with Elros Tar-Minyatur and his descendants followed. From the year 1075, the heir of Númenor was always the eldest child of the ruler, male or female.
The Númenóreans maintained a good relationship with the Elves for a long time. It was a golden age of peace, prosperity, and exploration.
They were forbidden from becoming immortal or traveling to the Undying Lands, so their only other option was Middle-earth. The Númenóreans first began to return to Middle-earth around the year 600 and helped the Men there free themselves from the Shadow. In 1200, they started to establish permanent settlements on Middle-earth, including Umbar and Pelargir.
During the War of the Elves and Sauron, Tar-Minastir sent a large number of ships to the aid of the Elves (1700) and helped to defeat Sauron.
The Fall of Númenor
However, pride and ambition led to the downfall of Númenor. The Númenóreans began to resent the Ban of the Valar, which forbade them from sailing west to the Undying Lands. Their envy of the immortality of the Elves and their fear of death sowed seeds of discontent.
The Númenóreans also started to have a collective growing fear of death. They saw the Gift of Men (mortality) as their Doom.
This discontent and fear was exploited by Sauron. He manipulated the Númenóreans, turning them away from the Valar and the Elves, promoting the worship of Morgoth, the first Dark Lord.
The Númenóreans stopped using Elven tongues, called themselves the King’s Men and persecuted those who remained faithful to the Valar (known as the Faithful).
Driven by Sauron’s lies, Ar-Pharazôn, the last King of Númenor (3262), defied the Ban of the Valar and sailed to the Undying Lands, intending to assert his dominion over them. This act of defiance led to the ultimate catastrophe – the Valar called upon Eru Ilúvatar, the One, who intervened directly, sinking Númenor beneath the sea and reshaping the world so that no ordinary mortal could reach the Undying Lands.
The Legacy of Númenor
Elendil, and his sons, escaped with some others of the Faithful and settled in Middle-earth. The legacy of Númenor survived. They established the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, carrying forward the lineage and heritage of Númenor.
There were other survivors too, such as those who were already living in Middle-earth, the Black Númenóreans of Umbar, and even Sauron (although his body was destroyed).
