Seeking the Wayward Children of Numenor - Page 7
© Michael Martinez
Isildur and Anarion reached Anduin with five ships. Again, they had too few people to build more than one city, and they appear to have settled at Osgiliath early on. Pelargir may have welcomed the sons of Elendil but there was either no room for five shiploads of refugees there or else the tradition of opening new lands prevailed and Isildur and Anarion led a new wave of conquest and colonization north along the river's shores.
Of Osgiliath and Annuminas, Osgiliath was probably the larger city. Not only did Isildur and Anarion arrive with one more ship than their father, Pelargir had probably been the haven most sought after by the Faithful Numenoreans who fled Numenor in the years of Ar-Pharazon's rule. He had driven many of them to leave Numenor before Elendil rounded up the last handful of families. So there must also have been a large population of recent immigrants to swell the numbers of people sympathetic to Isildur and Anarion. They would have been familiar with the family of Amandil.
One can almost picture Isildur arriving in Middle-earth on his storm-driven ship. The coastlines have been ravaged, doubtless many people have died or are homeless, and they are wondering what the heck is going on. As word of the arrival of the refugees spreads through the lands colonists would descend upon Pelargir. They would have been curious for a glimpse of the last Numenoreans to arrive in Middle-earth, but there must also have been many looking for guidance and reassurance. Perhaps Isildur and Anarion stood upon the quays of Pelargir or in some great public square and in Feanorian fashion addressed their people and moved them to rebuild their homes and establish a new realm. Out of fear and despair would arise hope and ambition.
Whole families, clans, communities must have made the decision to move deeper inland. Osgiliath was founded, and Minas Anor, and Minas Ithil (possibly in 3320, possibly later, between 3339 and 3379, when Isildur's second son was born in Osgiliath and his third son was born in Minas Ithil respectively). The colonists spread throughout Ithilien and Anorien, and they entered Calenardhon. Isildur reached some sort of settlement with the King of the Mountains, not incorporating the Gwathuirim realm into Gondor. Nonetheless, fortresses were built at Orthanc and Aglarond, doubtless to control the Gap of Calenardhon and the passage of the Angren river (which was later called the Isen by the Rohirrim).
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