In looking through Appendix A, LotR, for other information, I was reminded of an interesting bit of history concerning the role of women as rulers of Númenor.
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It was then made a law of the royal house that the eldest child of the King, whether man or woman, should receive the sceptre.
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Now that is a really revolutionary concept; you don't find that in even modern-day British monarchy! I think Sweden has changed its law of succession to favor the first-born, regardless of gender.
That made me curious, so I checked it out in Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros". There I found this statement:
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In her favour [his daughter Ancalimë] Aldarion altered the law of succession, so that the (eldest) daughter of a King should succeed, if he had no sons. (Italics mine)
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Now that's a completely different premise! Sounds like Tolkien himself wasn't quite sure which he meant. Does anyone have further information?
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth..
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