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Old 02-27-2019, 06:37 PM   #2
Inziladun
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Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.Inziladun is a guest of Galadriel in Lothlórien.
The Steward of Gondor was originally sort of an "underking", charged with aiding the King with day-to-day operations and carrying out his orders.
When King Earnur died, no accepted claimant to the throne could be found, so his Steward acted as regent. That continued until the War of the Ring. The Ruling Stewards were legally only regents until a new King was crowned, though most in Gondor by that time probably thought it would never happen.

The realm in Arnor had no Steward or similar position. Upon King Arvedui's death, it was really just a kingdom in name only. His line continued, though they became "Chieftains", owing to the depopulated nature of Arnor.

As for why Aragorn waited so long, he had Elrond, Gandalf, and history, to guide him.

Elrond told Aragorn he could not be wed to Arwen unless he, as the only living Heir of Elendil, could regain the Crown of Gondor and the Sceptre of Arnor, which of course, could only happen after Sauron was defeated.

A reason his precedents never tried to assert their lineage to Gondor goes back to Arvedui. While he was the king of Arnor, he tried to take the Crown as well, as Elendil's heir and the husband of the sister of the most recent (deceased) king of Gondor. His claim was rejected, and Gondor found someone else.

If Arvedui, as King of Arnor, didn't impress the higher-ups of Gondor, a "chieftain" with no capital city, no fortress, and only the shadow of a fighting force, would have had no chance at the Kingship of Gondor.
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Last edited by Inziladun; 02-28-2019 at 03:26 PM.
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