The Kin-strife in Gondor

Trouble is brewing as King Valacar grows older. He had married a women of the North-men and this was unheard of that an heir should marry one of lesser-race. And so rebellion began in the Southern provinces. The Dúnedain feared that mixing with lesser Men would diminish their long lives and the short life of the Queen seemed to prove this point. "Also they were unwilling to accept as lord her son, who though he was now called Eldacar, had been born in an alien country and was named in his youth Vinitharya, a name of his mother's people" (p. 326, The Return of the King).

So when Eldacar became King, circa 1437 Third Age, civil war broke out in Gondor. Eldacar proved a valiant warrior showing the hardiness of the Dúnedain and the fearless spirit of the Northmen yet the rebellion proved too much. "When the confederates led by descendants of the kings rose against him, he opposed them to the end of his strength. At last he was besieged in Osgiliath, and held it long, until hunger and greater forces of the rebels drove him out, leaving the city in flames" (p. 327, The Return of the King). In the fighting one of the palantir was lost.

Yet Eldacar was able to escape and regroup in Rhovanion, his mother's country. There faithful Northmen and even some Dúnedain from the North gathered to him since his usurper, Castamir, proved to be oppressive. Castamir was a master of ships having the support of the coasts, including Umbar, and he was a close descendant of the kings. "Castamir had not long sat upon the throne before he proved himself haughty and ungenerous. He was a cruel man, as he had first shown in the taking of Osgiliath. He caused Ornendil son of Eldacar, who was captured, to be put to death; and the slaughter and destruction done in the city at his bidding far exceeded the needs of war" (p. 327, The Return of the King). 

Two things strike me about this description of Castamir. One, it seems he would be following the customs of lesser kings, rather than the Dúnedain (my speculation) in killing the ousted king's descendants. After all, if you are going to take over a country you can't very well have the heir's of the real king living in your land! This makes me think of King David in Israel who for years was pursued to the point of death by King Saul. David was God's appointed king while Saul was the people's king rejected by God. If you don't know the story Saul and his son Jonathon (David's dear friend) were killed in battle (not against David). One of the first things David did as king was find Jonathon's only remaining son (and the heir to the throne mind you) and bring him into the king's palace to live. The very opposite of Castamir's ungenerous and haughty spirit. In David we see a king exhibit grace and mercy bringing his enemy into his house and esteeming him. Which, in turn, is a beautiful analogy to how Jesus the King treats humanity; elevating us rebels to the very throne of God. I'm also struck by the people's decision to look at the outside of the man rather than his heart. Eldacar was mixed with lesser Men but was a good man. Castamir was Dúnedain all the way but not honorable of heart.

Eldacar meanwhile had waited patiently and now 10 years later, 1447 Third Age, and led out a great army from the North to take back his throne. "There was a great battle in Lebennin at the Crossings of Erui, in which much of the best blood in Gondor was shed" (p. 327, The Return of the King). Castamir was killed in the battle by Eldacar but his sons escaped and fleeing by ship at first holding out at Pelargir but then retreated to Umbar and settling an independent kingdom there that led to long war between the Corsairs and Gondor. The loss of Umbar was detrimental to Gondor both strategically and psychologically, as Eldacar had no fleet to assail his enemies. It was there, many years earlier that Ar-Pharazon landed in Middle-earth and took Sauron prisoner (though much evil became of it). A great white pillar was erected there in memorial of that great victory and stood for years as remembrance of the might of Númenor and the humbling of Sauron. "So it stood, until after the second arising of Sauron, which now approached, Umbar fell under the domination of his servants, and the memorial of his humiliation was thrown down" (p. 328, The Return of the King). 

After the Kin-strife the Dúnedain that remained in Gondor became increasingly mixed with other houses of Men as Eldacar showed favour to other peoples. Plus many of the Dúnedain were killed in the fighting. The original fear of the hastening of death by the mixing of races proved untrue to the Dúnedain; though little by little their years did wane. "For no doubt it was due above all to Middle-earth itself, and to the slow withdrawing of the gifts of the Númenóreans after the downfall of the Land of the Star. Eldacar lived to his two hundred and thirty-fifth year, and was king for fifty-eight years, of which ten were spent in exile" (p. 328, The Return of the King).

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, circa 1430-1500
Today's reading comes from: The Return of the King, 326-328