Actually the right of the Line of Anarion to the throne of Gondor was questionable. What happened was this:
Elendil, the High King, reigned in Arnor. His sons Isildur and Anarion were co-rulers of Gondor in the south.
Both Elendil and Anarion were killed in the War of the Last Alliance making Isildur both High King and sole King of Gondor. *But* he chose to install Anarion's son Meneldil as king of Gondor before he headed up North to Arnor.
Meneldil's position was exactly the same as that of his father and Isildur during the lifetime of Elendil, that is he was an under-king or vice-regent appointed by the High King (Isildur) and subject to him.
However as we know Isildur and his three adult sons were killed at the Gladden fields. Isildur's youngest son, who was still a minor, then succeeded as High King of Arnor and Gondor.
*BUT* Meneldil refused to accept him as overlord claiming that Isildur had 'surrendered' the throne of Gondor to him and his descendants, meaning Gondor was now an independent Kingdom owing no allegiance to the High King.
As no charter or other official record of this 'surrender' exists it is safe to say Meneldil was lying through his teeth and guilty of oathbreaking and rebellion.
Valandil and his successors undoubtedly knew this but had scruples against starting a civil war against their own kin, not to mention the fact that both Realms in Exile were recovering from the losses of the war against Sauron.
The strong resistance to accepting the Heirs of Isildur as king, even after the failure of the Line of Anarion, was undoubtedly rooted in this history. The Council of Gondor weren't about to admit that their proud kingdom was and always had been lawfully subject to the High Kings of Arnor.
[ May 24, 2003: Message edited by: Morwen Tindomerel ]
|