# Founding of Gondor?



## Peeping-Tom (Jan 13, 2011)

Just a thought...

Anarion & Isildur landed their 4 ships up the Great River. (Anduin)
That area, from Anduin through the land by the bay of Falas to the mound of River Isen....was'nt that hostile territory? I mean, during the last of the 2. age, the Númenóreans had plundered the area for wood, ore, gems and other goods...and taxated the "commen man", whom I don't think differed between good or bad Númenóreans.
And then there were the "Black Númenóreans", already settled down in that area.

And now the questions :

How many men & women where there onboard the ships?
How many trained soldiers could they muster?

I don't see how they could conquer, such a vast piece of ME, with so (apperently) few men.

Any thoughts or ideas...??


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## Alcuin (Jan 13, 2011)

The regions that later became Gondor and Arnor were not hostile territory for Elendil and his sons. These places were settled in the Second Age by the Faithful Númenóreans, who first returned to Middle-earth as adventurers and colonists, but later came in greater numbers as refugees and exiles because of the Númenórean Kings’ increasing hostility toward not only the Valar but especially their own people who remained faithful to Eru. 

Umbar was the greatest Númenórean colony in Middle-earth. Most Númenórean territory and wealth in Middle-earth in the Second Age was there and in the regions south of Umbar. As the Second Age wore on, these places came under the control of the Númenórean majority party, the King’s Men, whose descendants were called Black Númenóreans in the Third Age because of their allegiance of Sauron. 

The Faithful Númenóreans tended to settle further north, near the habitations of the Eldar in Belfalas (Dol Amroth) and especially Lindon. Their principal port became the smaller city of Pelargir. When Elendil, Isildur, and Anárion arrived in their tattered ships, they were welcomed by a sizeable population of Dúnedain who already looked upon the Lords of Andúnië as their leaders. Parts of those lands had been settled by Númenórean colonists for 1,000 years or more, the inhabitants already had a social structure, a viable economy, a standing militia, and local government. As the most noble surviving descendent of Elros Tar-Minyatur, and already the recognized leader of the Faithful Númenóreans, Elendil became their High King and his sons co-regents in Gondor.


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## Prince of Cats (Jan 13, 2011)

THANK you, Alcuin! :*up And Peeping-Tom, too, I had so much fun just now simply thinking about that time in ME


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## Peeping-Tom (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks Alcuin for a detailed answer...

But I would like to know, where you have read it... :*confused:

Maybe I've missed a couple a pages somewhere :*rolleyes:, but I don't remember reading anything, that detailed anywhere.


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## Alcuin (Jan 17, 2011)

It isn’t very detailed: it’s pretty general, *P-Tom*. Most of this can be gleaned from reading Appendix A of _Return of the King_. There’s considerably more detail in “Akallabêth” in _Silmarillion_. Finally, there are three versions of the story in _Sauron Defeated_ in the “The Downfall of Númenor”. 

Basically, Tar-Aldarion’s maternal grandfather was the first Númenórean to return to Middle-earth. Aldarion himself made considerable journeys there, contributing to the ruin of his marriage. Tar-Minastir either led the Númenórean expedition to Middle-earth to aid Gil-galad and the Elves when Sauron started the first “war of the Ring”. After that, the Númenóreans began colonizing Middle-earth in a big way. 

Included in this are both general and specific information about where lived, which settlements were founded when, and the exodus of Faithful at the end of the Second Age.


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