Editing Gondor (section)

== Influences ==

{{further|Tolkien and the classical world|Tolkien and the medieval}}

[[Sandra Ballif Straubhaar]], a scholar of Germanic studies, notes in ''[[The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia]]'' that readers have debated the real-world prototypes of Gondor. She writes that like the [[Normans]], their founders the Númenóreans arrived "from across the sea", and that Prince Imrahil's armour with a "burnished [[vambrace]]" recalls late-medieval [[plate armour]]. Against this theory, she notes Tolkien's direction of readers to Egypt and Byzantium.<!--''Letters'', #?--> Recalling that Tolkien located Minas Tirith at the latitude of Florence, she states that "the most striking similarities" are with [[ancient Rome]]. She identifies several parallels: [[Aeneas]], from [[Troy]], and Elendil, from Númenor, both survive the destruction of their home countries; the brothers [[Romulus and Remus]] found Rome, while the brothers Isildur and Anárion found the Númenórean kingdoms in Middle-earth; and both Gondor and Rome experienced centuries of "[[Fall of the Western Roman Empire|decadence and decline]]".{{sfn|Straubhaar|2007|pp=248–249}}

[[Dimitra Fimi]], a scholar of fantasy and children's literature, draws a parallel between the seafaring Númenóreans and the [[Vikings]] of the Norse world, noting that in ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', Tolkien describes their [[ship-burial]]s,<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1987}} ch. 2 "The Fall of Númenor"</ref> matching those in ''[[Beowulf]]'' and the ''[[Prose Edda]]''.{{sfn|Fimi|2007|pages=84–99}} She notes that Boromir is given a boat-funeral in ''The Two Towers''.<ref group=T>{{Harvnb|Tolkien|1954}} book 3, ch. 1 "The Departure of Boromir"</ref>{{sfn|Fimi|2007|pages=84–99}} Fimi further compares the helmet and crown of Gondor with the romanticised "headgear of the [[Valkyries]]", despite Tolkien's denial of a connection with [[Der Ring des Nibelungen|Wagner's ''Ring'' cycle]], noting the "likeness of the wings of a sea-bird"<ref name="Steward and the King" group=T/> in his description of Aragorn's coronation, and his drawing of the crown in an unused dust jacket design.<ref group=T>''The Winged Crown of Gondor''. [[Bodleian Library]], Oxford, MS. Tolkien Drawings 90, fol. 30.</ref>{{sfn|Fimi|2007|pages=84–99}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ Miryam Librán-Moreno's comparison of Gondor with the Byzantine Empire<ref name=Libran-Moreno/>
|-
! Situation !! Gondor !! [[Byzantine Empire]]
|-
| Older state echoed || [[Elendil]]'s unified kingdom of Gondor and Arnor || [[Roman Empire]]
|-
| Weaker sister kingdom || [[Arnor (Middle-earth)|Arnor]], the Northern kingdom || [[Western Roman Empire]]
|-
| Powerful enemies<br/>to East and South || Easterlings,<br/>[[Haradrim]],<br/>[[Mordor]]|| Persians,<br/>Arabs,<br/>[[Ottoman Turks|Turks]]
|-
| Final [[siege]] from the East || [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Survives]] || [[Fall of Constantinople|Falls]]
|}

The classical scholar Miryam Librán-Moreno writes that Tolkien drew heavily on the general history of the [[Goths]], [[Langobards]] and the [[Byzantine Empire]], and their mutual struggle. Historical names from these peoples were used in drafts or the final concept of the internal history of Gondor, such as Vidumavi, wife of king Valacar (in [[Gothic language|Gothic]]).<ref name="Libran-Moreno">{{Cite book |title=Tolkien and the Study of his Sources |last=Librán-Moreno |first=Miryam |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-6482-1 |editor-last=Fisher |editor-first=Jason |editor-link=Jason Fisher |pages=84–116 |chapter='Byzantium, New Rome!' Goths, Langobards and Byzantium in ''The Lord of the Rings'' |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=98VQ3gHsVsMC&q=Gondor+Byzance&pg=PA98}}</ref> The Byzantine Empire and Gondor were both, in Librán-Moreno's view, only echoes of older states (the [[Roman Empire]] and the unified kingdom of Elendil), yet each proved to be stronger than their sister-kingdoms (the [[Western Roman Empire]] and Arnor, respectively). Both realms were threatened by powerful eastern and southern enemies: the Byzantines by the [[Sassanid Empire|Persians]] and the Muslim armies of the [[Arabs]] and the [[Turkish people|Turks]], as well as the Langobards and Goths; Gondor by the Easterlings, the Haradrim, and the hordes of Sauron. Both realms were in decline at the time of a final, all-out siege from the East; however, Minas Tirith survived the siege whereas [[Fall of Constantinople|Constantinople did not]].<ref name=Libran-Moreno/> In a 1951 letter, Tolkien himself wrote about "the Byzantine City of Minas Tirith."<ref name="Hammond Scull p570">{{Harvnb|Hammond|Scull|2005|p=570}}</ref>

Tolkien visited the [[Malvern Hills]] with [[C. S. Lewis]],<ref name=Duriez>{{harvnb|Duriez|1992|p=253}}</ref><ref name=Sayer>{{harvnb|Sayer|1979}}</ref> and recorded excerpts from ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' in Malvern in 1952, at George Sayer's home.<ref>{{harvnb|Carpenter|1977}}</ref> Sayer wrote that Tolkien relived the book as they walked, comparing the Malvern Hills to the White Mountains of Gondor.<ref name=Sayer/>

<gallery class="center" mode="nolines" widths="175px" heights="175px">
File:Aeneas' Flight from Troy by Federico Barocci.jpg|[[Sandra Ballif Straubhaar]] notes that in [[Roman legend]], [[Aeneas]] escapes the ruin of [[Troy]], while [[Elendil]] escapes that of [[Númenor]].{{sfn|Straubhaar|2007|pp=248–249}} Painting ''Aeneas flees burning Troy'' by [[Federico Barocci]], 1598
File:Romanticised headgear of the Valkyries.jpg|[[Dimitra Fimi]] compares Gondor's bird-winged helmet-crown to the romanticised headgear of the [[Valkyries]]. Illustration for ''The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie'' by [[Arthur Rackham]], 1910{{sfn|Fimi|2007|pages=84–99}}
File:Constantinople 1453.jpg|Tolkien called Minas Tirith a "[[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] City"<br/>([[Constantinople]] shown).<ref name="Hammond Scull p570"/>
File:Malvern Hills in June 2005.JPG|The [[Malvern Hills]] may have inspired Tolkien to create parts of the White Mountains.<ref name=Duriez/>
File:Mount Cook 2.jpg|New Zealand's [[Southern Alps]] served as Gondor's White Mountains in [[Peter Jackson]]'s [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King: 2003 |url=https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/l/Lord-Of-The-Rings-The-Return-Of-The-King.php |website=Movie Locations |access-date=22 February 2021 |quote=Ben Ohau Station, in the Mackenzie Basin, in the Southern Alps, ... provided the 'Pelennor Fields', and the foothills of the 'White Mountains', for the climactic battle scenes}}</ref>
</gallery>