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A History of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Part 3 - Page 4
© Michael Martinez
Page 4
Jun 1, 2001
The Silmarillion says "other works marvellous and strong [the Numenoreans] built in the days of their power, at the Argonath, and at Aglarond, and at Erech; and in the circle of Angrenost..." (p. 291). No specific date is given for when these works were erected, though the context implies the early years of Gondor's history.
However, The Return Of The King says that Minalcar "built the pillars of the Argonath at the entrance to Nen Hithoel" (p. 326), whereas Isildur is said to have erected the stone at Erech (p. 55). We also know that one of the Palantiri, given to Amandil by the Eldar of Tol Eressea and taken to Middle-earth by Elendil and his sons, was placed at Orthanc in Angrenost, so the fortress must have been constructed no later than the beginning of the realm of Gondor.
If Angrenost and Aglarond were older than Gondor then perhaps they were constructed as a defense against Mordor; but if Isildur and Anarion built the fortresses, they would have used them to guard Calenardhon against the Dunlendings, who had long been unfriendly to the Dunedain, since the Dunedain thought Sauron had perished in Numenor's Downfall.
The Silmarillion, p. 154. Tolkien says here only that (after Fingolfin's death) "his young son Ereinion (who was after named Gil-galad) [Fingon] sent to the Havens." "Young" implies that Ereinion was not yet a fully adult Elf. Morgoth's Ring states that Elves required about fifty years (of the Sun) to achieve full maturity (p. 210). Hence, Ereinion was probably born sometime after the year FA 405 (given that the Dagor Bragollach and Fingolfin's death occurred in FA 455).
The Return Of The King, p. 364. This entry in "The Tale Of Years" agrees with the account given in Unfinished Tales in "Concerning Galadriel And Celeborn", which describes the war in the fullest detail published to date.
The Silmarillion, p. 113. At Mereth Aderthad, Tolkien writes, the Elves swore oaths of alliance. Cirdan was one of the lords who attended the feast. He subsequently aided the Noldor on several occasions (pp. 154, 160, & 190).
Unfinished Tales., pp. 171, 175. "...But there were shipwrights among them who had been instructed by the Eldar..." and "...It is said that [Aldarion's] delay was due to the eagerness he had to learn all that he could of Cirdan, both in the making and management of ships, and in the building of walls to withstand the hunger of the sea."
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