Unfinished Tales - Part Two - II - Aldarion and Erendis

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I wonder if Aldarion's permissiveness toward Ancalimë wasn't due more to a desire to vex his ex-wife, than wanting to please his daughter.

Perhaps, but there is a piece of text which I'd like to quote. After having his men basically tear down the house and trees in Armenelos except the white Elven-tree which "recalled to him his daughter" he said, "I will call you also Ancalimë. May you and she stand so in long life, unbent by wind or will, and unclipped!" [UT, p. 213] I think his blow at Erendis was his change in the law of succession so that Ancalimë could be the ruling Queen.

It was this new law which Arvedui invoked when he tried to reclaim the high kingship. "Moreover, in Númenor of old the sceptre descended to the eldest child of the king, whether man or woman." [RotK, p. 371] So that instead of looking for the closest man of male descent, someone like Valandil [Meneldur's nephew from his sister] rather than Malantur [Meneldur's cousin who was Elendil's brother's grandson] could be Meneldur's successor. Just as Soronto had a case to be King even though he came from the female line, as his mom was Aldarion's sister.