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Revision as of 21:04, 4 September 2006

EtymologyLand of Stone
Head of StateKing of Gondor/Ruling Steward
Societal information
CapitalOsgiliath/Minas Tirith
LocationSouth of the White Mountains, West of Mordor
ReligionBelief in Ilúvatar
Historical information
Formed fromthe Downfall of Númenor in III 3319
EstablishmentII 3320
ReorganisationIII 3019



Like Arnor to the north, Gondor is a human kingdom founded by Isildur and Anárion, the sons of Elendil, after the Downfall of Númenor. It was located to the south of Rohan and to the west of Mordor, on the Bay of Belfalas. Its name means "Land of Stone", from Sindarin gond (stone) + (n)dor (land), most likely given to it because of the Ered Nimrais and other mountain chains in the land (hypothetical Quenya name Ondonórë).

Early History

Before the Downfall of Númenor, Gondor was home to many Númenórean colonists, who either mixed blood with the indigenous Middle Men if they were friendly, or dispersed them into Ras Morthil, Dunland, and Drúadan Forest. Gondor, at a latitude comparable to Venice, was a more fertile region than Arnor to the north, and therefore it already had a larger population before the ships of Elendil's sons arrived, including a well-established city, Pelargir.

The Elendili from Númenor proper were given a warm reception upon their arrival by those that had already colonized Middle-earth, including a colonial branch of Númenórean royalty at Dor-en-Ernil. The colonists north of Anduin accepted Elendil's claim to kingship over them. South of the Great River, however, the newly exiled Númenóreans did not recognize Elendil's claim.

Gondor was being founded after Númenor's population had already split between the Elendili and King's Men, and all of the more southern colonies (such as the Haven of Umbar) remained enemies of the Elendili.

The newly founded kingdom of Gondor was then part of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men which overthrew Sauron for the first time at the very end of the Second Age.

Gondor Prospers

After the war Gondor's power and wealth grew steadily (only interrupted by an Easterling invasion in 492 Third Age). Its power would continue to grow into the 9th century of the Third Age. While the power of Gondor's sister kingdom Arnor peaked during the 9th century, when it broke into various successor states, Gondor's greatest glory was yet to come.

Gondor's Golden Age


Tarannon Falastur r. 840–913. First of the Ship-Kings, died childless Eärnil I r. 913–936. Nephew of Tarannon Ciryandil r. 936–1015 Hyarmendacil I (Ciryaher) r. 1015–1149. Last of the Ship-Kings. In the reign of the powerful king Hyarmendacil I (c. 12th century T.A.) Gondor reached the height of its power. During Hyarmendacil's reign Gondor's borders reached their furthest extent. The Kingdom extended east to the Sea of Rhûn, south to the nearest lands of the Haradrim, as far north as Mirkwood and west towards the borders of Arnor.

Such was Gondor's wealth during the period that men from other lands would say in envy: "In Gondor precious stones are but pebbles for the children to play with." Gondor would also enjoy several centuries of peace due to its military might.

The Decline of Gondor


The Kin-strife


The Great Plague


The Invasion of the Wainriders

Following the sapping of Gondor's strength by the plague, the Wainrider invasions devastated Gondor, and the conflict lasted for well over a century. The Wainriders destroyed the Northern Army of Gondor, but survivors linked up with the victorious Southern Army of Gondor, led by a general named Eärnil, and they destroyed the Wainriders as they celebrated their victory during the Battle of the Camp.

The Line of the Kings Fails

Reunification Rejected

In 1944, Gondor faced a constitutional crisis when King Ondoher was slain in battle with both his sons. Arvedui, Prince of Arthedain, Ondoher's son-in-law, and the victorious general Eärnil, who was a distant blood-relative of Ondoher, claimed the throne. Arvedui's claim lay mainly in the reintroduction of the old Nùmenorean law of accession, which stated the eldest (remaining) child should succeed the king. If the law was reintroduced, then Arvedui's wife Fíriel, Ondoher's daughter and last remaining child would become Ruling Queen, making their descendants Kings of both Arnor and Gondor. Arvedui also tried to put weight behind his claim as he was Isildur's heir. The council of Gondor recognised that the name of Isildur was held in honour in Gondor, but they dictated that the South-Kingdom must be ruled by an Heir of Anarion. Due to his ancestry from Fíriel and Arvedui, more than a millennium later, Aragorn Elessar put forward his claim as the heir of both Isildur and Anarion.


The Last Heir of Anárion



The Stewards of Gondor

The Ruling Stewards


Cirion and Eorl

In 2510, when Steward Cirion ruled over Gondor, the nation faced one of its greatest perils: an Easterling tribe named the Balchoth invaded Gondor with mass force. Gondor's army marched to fight the Balchoth but were cut off from Minas Tirith and pushed back in the direction of the Limlight.


War of the Ring

In 3019, during the War of the Ring Gondor faced an all out attack on its capital Minas Tirith in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Although nearly defeated, the Rohirrim once again turned the tide of battle, and helped win the war.

After the second and final defeat of Sauron the Kingship was restored with The Return of the King and Aragorn II became king of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor. (See Reunited Kingdom for further history of the lands of old Gondor).


Gondor as it appeared during the events of the War of the Ring (circa Third Age 3019) has been compared to the Byzantine Empire, for numerous reasons. Both the Byzantine Empire and Gondor were echoes of the old greatness of the earlier Roman Empire and the united kingdom of King Elendil, respectively. However, they were still strong in their own right. Also, during a period of relative barbarity surrounding them, both Byzantium and Gondor were a bastion of civilisation against the inrushing tide of darkness.

Regions of Gondor


The long cape of Andrast was not populated.


  • Harondor or South Gondor, which was contested between Gondor and Harad,
  • Calenardhon which was given to the Éothéod and became Rohan,
  • Enedwaith, never really populated by Gondor and soon abandoned,
  • Rhovanion, which was never fully under the control of Gondor but under Gondorian control at certain times during the Third Age.

Cities and fortresses of Gondor

Cities in Gondor included:

  • Calembel
  • Dol Amroth, city on Belfalas
  • Ethring
  • Linhir
  • Minas Tirith (originally Minas Anor), City of the Kings
  • Osgiliath, city and former capital of Gondor on the river Anduin, largely destroyed and abandoned by the end of the Third Age, but King Elessar possibly rebuilt the city
  • Pelargir, the great southern harbour, under the reign of Corsairs during the War of the Ring
  • Tarnost

Additionally, Gondor had held the following locations at certain points in its history: