Elros

Elros Tar-Minyatur (ME-date|YS|525–ME-date|SA|442, r. S.A. 32–442) is a fictional character of Middle-earth, created by J. R. R. Tolkien. He was born in year 525 of the First Age to Eärendil and Elwing. Elros was one of the Half-elven of Middle-earth who chose to become a mortal man, and was later crowned the first High King of Númenor.

Elros's name may mean "Elf of the Spray" based on a tale from his early childhood. Maedhros and Maglor, in an effort to wrest the Silmaril from Elwing and her people, attacked the settlement at the Mouths of Sirion, slaying many and driving Elwing over the sea. After the battle they found her children, Elros and his twin brother, Elrond, and taking pity on them, they raised them as their foster-children as an act of repentance. They found them in a cave where Elros was playing in a waterfall at the entrance and his brother was hiding in the back of the cave. Thus he was named "Elf of the Spray". In "The Silmarillion", Christopher Tolkien interprets Elros as meaning "Star-foam".

As Half-Elven, he and his brother were given the choice to be Elves or Men. Elros chose to become one of the Edain. (Elrond elected to remain an Elf.) As a reward for the sufferings of the Edain against the dark forces of Morgoth, the Valar raised an island for them to dwell in, protected from the dangers of Middle-earth. Elros and the surviving Edain set sail over Sea, and guided by the Star of Eärendil came to the great Isle of Elenna, westernmost of all Mortal lands. There they founded the realm of Númenor, or Westernesse. The Valar also granted Elros and his heirs substantially longer life-spans.

In year 32 of the Second Age Elros became the first King of Númenor, taking the Quenya name "Tar-Minyatur", meaning "High First-ruler". This was the convention by which most succeeding kings of Númenor took their royal title. He was the heir to the lordship of all three of the houses of the Edain, whose remnants formed the population of Númenor. As such, he and his descendants possessed heirlooms from great heroes and lords of the First Age: the Ring of Barahir, the Axe of Tuor, the Bow of Bregor, and Aranrúth, the sword of Thingol [J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien editor, "Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth" (2001), p.171] . He ruled for 410 years until he optionally abdicated the throne as well as the life in S.A. 442 at age 500.

Elros had four children:

*Vardamir Nólimon, his eldest son who surrendered Sceptre immediately in favour of his own son (though he was deemed to have reigned for a year).
*Tindómiel, daughter
*Manwendil, son
*Atanalcar, son

References

External links

* [http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sdgeard/hccnum.html A History and Complete Chronology of Númenor] - A detailed chronology of Númenor, its successor states and their rulers.