Tar-Ancalimon

 / Ancalimon

   Fourteenth King of Númenor, in whose time the Númenóreans became divided into opposed parties.

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   Fourteenth King of Númenor.

   In the time of Tar-Ancalimon's father Tar-Atanamir, and of his grandfather Tar-Ciryatan, the Númenóreans had begun to turn against the Valar and the Eldar, and take pride in their own strength and wealth.

   Tar-Ancalimon continued down this path, and the histories of Númenor record that the division of the Númenóreans began in earnest during his reign.

   Politically, the realm became split between two parties, the King's Men, who followed Tar-Ancalimon's policies, and the Elendili, who favoured continued friendship with the Eldar. For the next millennium, Númenor's history was bound up with the dissent between these two parties, and ultimately the King's Men were to help bring about its destruction.

   That lay in the far future, though: during his reign, Tar-Ancalimon turned away from the traditions of the past. He discontinued the dedication to Eru, which had taken place at the Meneltarma in the middle of the island. The tradition of the taking of the Kings' names in Elvish he maintained, though, partly through fear of ill-fortune. This is perhaps because of a dark omen of Tar-Ancalimon's reign: the Eagles of Manwë, who had nested in the tower of the King's palace at Armenelos since Númenor's founding, left their eyrie and never returned.

   Tar-Ancalimon died as he had lived, clinging to the last vestiges of life as his father had before him. He was succeeded by his son Tar- Telemmaitë, a Man greedy for riches and silver, who followed in all the ways of his father.