Gondor and Arnor a handfull

[doug*platypus]

Arnor didn't really have much to rule

Good gracious me! Admittedly, by the time of the War of the Ring, Arnor wasn't really up to scratch, but don't forget that when it fragmented it made up three whole kingdoms (Arthedain, Cardolan, Rhudaur)!

who else would rule Arnor/Gondor without a Steward type rule being in place?

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at, Inderjit, but I don't think the kingdoms really needed combined rule under one person. Although I'm sure in the great days of the Reign of Elessar, with evil greatly diminished, it would have been well within his power to control two kingdoms.