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Old 07-29-2015, 02:31 PM   #34
Corsair_Caruso
Haunting Spirit
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Galin View Post
But Maedhros waived his claim, so that much is explained I would say. "For Maedhros begged forgiveness for the desertation in Araman; and he waived his claim to kingship over all the Noldor, saying to Fingolfin: ’If there lay no grievance between us, lord, still the kingship would rightly come to you, the eldest here of the house of Finwe, and not the least wise.’"

And I like this explanation for the rest...
And yet, we don't see the High-Kingship of the Noldor passing to Ëarendil, but rather to Gil-galad, who, whatever descent you choose to endorse, is a male-line descendant. I don't buy the age argument, it just seems unconvincing to me; the male-line descent with one exception due to the House of Fëanor being passed over is by far the simplest answer.

And Michael Martinez notes that neither Dior, nor his descendants, ever take the title of Lord of Beleriand or High-King of the Sindar. He is called Thingol's heir, and rules with the authority of expected of the king of Doriath, but is never explicitly given the same titles. Thus, I think we all agree that authority can be inherited through male or female lines, but I think the actual title of High-King is demonstrated only to descend through male-line primogeniture. Saying it might have gone through female lines doesn't really pan out, because it didn't, otherwise Elrond might have become the High-King, as the only male heir of the High-Kings of both the Noldor and Sindar. One can argue he didn't take the High-Kingship because there weren't enough Noldor to use the title, and that argument has merit, but we never see a descendant by female descent taking that title, only wielding reduced or diminished authority usually earned partially by descent, partially by action (Ëarendil, Dior, etc...).

I also don't know where it ever says that Eldarion ruled over the Eldar in middle-earth. Would you mind citing that? My books are packed up right now, so I don't have access to them.
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