A noble lady of Númenor, who could claim descent from that land's second King, Vardamir, through his youngest son Nolondil. Írildë was the eldest child and only daughter of Cemendur of Hyarastorni, who was Nolondil's grandson. She was born in the year II 700 during the reign of King Tar-Elendil, and was thus an exact contemporary of her famed distant cousin Aldarion, who was born in the same year.
Aldarion was the grandson of Tar-Elendil, who would go on to sail the Great Sea and explore Middle-earth, and whose life was recorded in the tragic romance of Aldarion and Erendis. Írildë would therefore have lived through the events of that story, and presumably knew many of those involved in the tale, though she is not directly mentioned within the narrative. Though Írildë came from a minor branch of the royal house, her younger brother was the lord Hallatan, whose son Hallacar (Írildë's nephew) would wed Queen Tar-Ancalimë and give rise to the line of Kings and Queens that followed.
Notes
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The name Írildë has a long history in Tolkien's works, though its meaning and application changed considerably over time. In its earlier uses, it represented a Quenya form of the name Idril, and was translated as 'mortal maiden'. In later texts, the connection with Idril was lost, and the meaning changed entirely. As applied to this noblewoman of Númenor, it seems to combine a word for 'desire' with a feminine agental ending, so in full Írildë could be interpreted as something like 'she who desires'.
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- Updated 27 August 2024
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