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The Men Who Would Be Steward - Page 4

© Michael Martinez

Boromir's perspective would have been shaped, at least in part, by his own family's historical experience. Whereas the kings had all been descended of the male line in Anarion's house, the Stewards were more liberal in their choices. At least one Steward came from a daughter's family. Denethor I (2435-77) was the son of Rian, sister of Dior (2412-35), the 9th Ruling Steward. If he didn't have to come from the male line to be Ruling Steward, then why should he not be king? Boromir seems to have felt that the Hurinionath had earned their place on the throne, and it wasn't like they weren't descended from Elendil anyway. Denethor II's reply to his son's inquiry might seem a bit rude and short-sighted. "Shut up, son, and do as your forefathers have done." But the Stewards had effectively eliminated themselves from the succession. It was in the power of the council of Gondor to make new law, but not to undo ancient law. In the year 1944, King Ondoher and both his sons fell in battle with the Wainriders. Neither son left behind any male heirs. Gondor was in a quandry, for by this time the royal house had become a victim of its own suspicions. Pure-blooded men of the royal house either foreswore their heritage and took wives outside the Numenorean community, or if the kings became jealous of them they fled to Umbar. Arvedui, prince of Arnor, had married Ondoher's daughter Firiel in 1940. He claimed the throne of Gondor in Firiel's name but the council, led by the Steward Pelendur, rejected his claim. They wanted only a prince descended in the male line from Anarion. Even Arvedui's son, Aranarth, would not be acceptable, though he was also the son of Firiel and a descendant of Anarion. By excluding Isildur's line from claiming the throne, Pelendur effectively excluded himself and his heirs from making similar claims. A thousand years later, Pelendur's descendant Boromir, son of Denethor II, would ask why he was not destined to be King of Gondor. The answer was that Pelendur had made it impossible for his family to ascend the throne. Pelendur did actually have at least one good candidate left in the Line of Anarion. Earnil II, who had led the Southern Army of Gondor to victory against the Wainriders, claimed the throne in 1945. He was as pure-blooded as any descendant of Eldacar could be. As a victorious captain, he was popular and thus well-accepted by the people. Unfortunately, Earnil's son Earnur never took a wife. When he vanished in 2050, Gondor was left without any acceptable claimants to the throne.

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