Star-watcher

	Tar-Elendil
Silmariën	Isilmë	Meneldur Elentirmo (Star-watcher)		Almarian
		Anardil (Tar-Aldarion)	Ailinel	Almiel

Meneldur was the third child and only son of Tar-Elendil of Númenor. He was born while his grandfather Tar-Amandil was the King of Númenor, and was thus in line of succession through his father. He grew to love watching the skies of Arda, and indeed he seems to have taken his name Meneldur ('devoted to the heavens') from this fascination with the stars. He also gained the title Elentirmo in his youth, which meant 'Star-watcher'.

Meneldur collected what lore of the stars he could from his fellow Dúnedain of Númenor and from the Eldar. He withdrew from the royal court at Armenelos, and built a tower for himself in the mountainous heights of the North Cape in the Forostar region, so that he could watch the skies through the clear mountain air.

Meneldur remained in the northern lands of Númenor until his father Tar-Elendil passed the Sceptre of Númenor to him in II 740. At that time, Meneldur - now King Tar-Meneldur of Númenor - abandoned his star-watching tower and returned to the court at Armenelos. From there he ruled the Isle of Númenor for the next 143 years.

While Tar-Meneldur ruled in Númenor, trouble was growing in Middle-earth as the first subtle signs of Sauron's return were detected by the Elves. King Gil-galad of Lindon sent messages to Númenor through Tar-Meneldur's son, the great mariner Aldarion, requesting aid and alliance. Tar-Meneldur was not a warlike King, and felt that these matters would be better managed by his adventurous son Aldarion. He therefore gave up the rule of Númenor (so that Aldarion became Tar-Aldarion the Mariner-king) and retired from the court.

After a brief transition, Meneldur played no further part in the life of the court (he was apparently offered a brief regency while his son was away from Númenor, but refused). Having abdicated early, he lived for another 59 years, and though we are told nothing of his life during this period, it seems at least plausible that he retired to his tower on Númenor's North Cape and returned to the star-watching that had given him his name as a youth.