Editing Elendil (section)

=== Biography ===

Elendil was born in [[Númenor]], son of Amandil, Lord of Andúnië and leader of the "Faithful" (those who remained loyal to the [[Vala (Middle-earth)|Valar]]), who maintained a strong friendship with the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]] and preserved the old ways against the practices of king [[Ar-Pharazôn]] and [[Sauron]]. His father Amandil had been a great admiral of the Númenórean fleet and a close friend to Ar-Pharazôn in their youth, but as Sauron's influence grew, he resorted to doing what their ancestor [[Eärendil]] had done: sailing to [[Valinor]] and asking for the pardon of the Valar. Amandil was never heard of again, but on his urging, Elendil, his sons [[Isildur]] and Anárion, and their supporters fled the [[downfall of Númenor]] at the end of the [[Second Age]], escaping to [[Middle-earth]] in nine ships. Elendil landed in Lindon, where he was befriended by [[Gil-galad]], the Elven King. The waves carried Isildur and Anárion south to the [[Bay of Belfalas]] and the mouth of the River [[Anduin]].<ref name="Of the Rings of Power" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"</ref> With them the leaders took the ''[[palantír]]i'', the "Seeing Stones" that were given to the Lords of Andúnië by the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]] of [[Tol Eressëa]], and a seedling of Nimloth, the [[White Tree]] of Númenor.<ref name="Akallabêth" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, "[[Akallabêth]]"</ref>

''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' states that, upon landing in Middle-earth, Elendil proclaimed in [[Quenya]]: {{transliteration|qya|Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!}} "Out of the [[Belegaer|Great Sea]] to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world."<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1980}}, Part III, ch. 1 "[[The Disaster of the Gladden Fields]]"</ref> His heir and 40th generation descendant in father-to-son line [[Aragorn]] spoke these traditional words again when he took up the crown of Gondor in ''[[The Return of the King]]''.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1955}}, Book VI, ch. 5 "The Steward and the King"</ref>

Elendil founded the northern realm of Arnor and its capital city of Annúminas. His sons founded the southern realm of Gondor; Anárion founded the city of [[Minas Anor]] (later Minas Tirith) in [[Anórien]], and Isildur founded [[Minas Ithil]] (later Minas Morgul) in [[Ithilien]]. Elendil was the High King, ruling directly over Arnor and indirectly over Gondor, via its King.<ref name="Akallabêth" group=T/><ref name="Of the Rings of Power" group=T/>

As explained in ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', [[Sauron]] eventually returned to Middle-earth, establishing a stronghold in [[Mordor]], which was next to Gondor. He attacked, seizing Minas Ithil. Isildur fled north to his father, leaving Anárion in charge of Gondor. Elendil and Isildur returned south, together with Gil-galad and their combined armies, in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. They defeated Sauron in the Battle of Dagorlad, and laid siege to his stronghold of [[Barad-dûr]]. During this long siege Anárion was killed. Finally, Sauron came out personally to do battle. Gil-galad and Elendil fought him, but both were killed, and [[Narsil|Elendil's sword]] was broken beneath him. Isildur used his father's broken sword to cut the [[One Ring]] from Sauron's hand.<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1954a}}, Book II, ch. 2 "[[The Council of Elrond]]"</ref>