During the reign of Ostoher, the seventh King of Gondor, that land suffered its first attack by the Easterlings. Over the years that followed, such wars against the East and the South would become commonplace, but this first assault was turned back by Ostoher's son Tarostar. In token of his success, Tarostar took the name 'East-victor' (Rómendacil), and so set a pattern that would repeat across the history of Gondor. After Tarostar Rómendacil's time, Kings who won a singular victory over Gondor's enemies would commonly take such a 'victor' name. Two of these defeated the Haradrim of the South, and thus named themselves 'South-victor' (Hyarmendacil) in an echo of Tarostar's historic achievement.
| I |
Hyarmendacil I |
Known as 'South-victor' from III 1050 to III 1149 (99 years)
This title was taken by the King of Gondor originally named Ciryaher. His father Ciryandil had been slain when a great force of the Haradrim had attacked the southern fortress of Umbar in III 1015. Umbar remained under siege for the next thirty-five years, a period during which Ciryaher slowly built his strength. In III 1050 he launched an overwhelming force against the Harad by sea and land, not only relieving Umbar, but forcing the Haradrim to acknowledge Gondor's power. Following this great victory, Ciryaher took the name Hyarmendacil, the first 'South-victor' of Gondor. |
| II |
Hyarmendacil II |
Known as 'South-victor' from III 1551 to III 1621 (70 years)
Some three centuries after the time of Hyarmendacil I, Gondor fell into the civil war of the Kin-strife. While the rightful King Eldacar eventually retained his throne, the rebels held Umbar, the very city whose relief had given the first Hyarmendacil his name. These rebels stirred up the Haradrim to fight back against Gondor, and Eldacar's son Aldamir was slain in that conflict. Aldamir's own son Vinyarion defeated the Haradrim and claimed vengeance for his father, taking the name Hyarmendacil II. Though the Harad was now under Gondorian control once again, the fortress city of Umbar remained in rebel hands.1 |
Notes
1 |
The details of Vinyarion's victory are limited to a brief annal in the Tale of Years, which states simply that he defeated the Men of Harad in the year III 1551. Umbar is not mentioned in that annal, but the fact that it had to be retaken by Telumehtar in III 1810 strongly suggests that Vinyarion failed to capture it. Given that the city had withstood thirty-five years of siege during the time of the first South-victor, it is perhaps unsurprising that Hyarmendacil II would have failed to take the port.
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- Updated 24 January 2023
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