Eärendil

  1) / Earendil

   Called 'Halfelven', 'the Blessed', 'the Bright', and 'the Mariner'; son of Tuor and Idril Turgon's daughter; escaped from the sack of Gondolin and wedded Elwing daughter of Dior at the Mouths of Sirion; sailed with her to Aman and pleaded for help against Morgoth; set to sail the skies in his ship Vingilot bearing the Silmaril that Beren and Lúthien brought out of Angband. The name means 'Lover of the Sea'.

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   The mariner who sailed the Great Sea at the end of the First Age. He long sought a way to Aman, to seek the aid of the Valar against Morgoth, but the way was hidden. After the Sons of Fëanor attacked the Exiles of Gondolin seeking the Silmaril, Elwing his wife escaped and came to him at sea, through the power of Ulmo, in the shape of a white sea-bird bearing the Silmaril on her breast.

   Through the power of the jewel, it is said, Eärendil was at last able to find a way to the Undying Lands, and there stood before the Valar and begged their aid in the wars against Morgoth. The Valar listened to his plea, and sent the great force that finally conquered the Dark Lord and freed Middle-earth.

   Eärendil's father was a Man, and his mother an Elf, so he and his wife Elwing and their sons were given the choice of race to which they wished to belong. Elwing chose Elvenkind, and Eärendil did so too for her sake.

   He now sails the high airs with the Silmaril upon his brow, shining as the morning and evening star.

  2) (King of Gondor)

 / Eärendil / Earendil

   Fifth of the Kings of Gondor.

   The grandson of Meneldil and son of Cemendur, who succeeded his father to become the fifth King to rule the South-kingdom of Gondor. He shared his name with Eärendil the Mariner, the great hero who voyaged to Aman and saved Middle-earth from the darkness of Morgoth nearly four thousand years before King Eärendil's time.

   Unfortunately, Gondor's fifth King did not have quite the impact on history as his heroic namesake - in fact, there is no annal of any event that occurred under Eärendil's Kingship.

   Eärendil ruled Gondor for eighty-six years, and was succeeded by his son, Anardil.