Reclaiming a Throne

[The Perky Ent]

In Arda, there were 6 elf kings: Finwe, Feanor, Fingolfin, Fingon, Turgon, and Ereinion Gil-galad. After the death of Gil-Galad, the title was never used. According to the system, Elrond, great-grandson of Turgon, would be next in line to inherit the kingship by the Third Age, as the grandson of Turgon, Earendil, doesn't live in Middle Earth. Since Elrond never became king, the title ended, but not the line. Many Noldo still lived, either in Endor, Middle Earth, or Aman. In Valinor, Finarfin, youngest son of Finwë, ruled the Noldo, as he didn't follow Feanor or Fingolfin into Middle Earth. My question is, after Elrond departed from Middle Earth to Valinor, would he remove Finarfin of his power and reclaim the title of King of the Noldor, as the people were united there?

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Good question,

From what I know of the character of Elrond I do not think he would have. Firstly is he bound by the curse of Feanor (Honestly I cannot remember, I know that Galadriel was, but "Passed the Test" and so could go to Valinor)? Even if he is not then I guess that being of that kinship many would not have accepted him as king, even if he had single headedly taken the ring and threw it into mount doom after killing all nine nazgul and many other grand deeds that I cannot think of now (But this would make LotR a much less interesting story). I think the elves may have been a little sore still about Feanor and his whole affair.
I think that the elves may begrudge him the kingship, also I do not think Elrond would have wanted to BE king anyway. He'd probably find a house not unlike Rivendell and live there.

However that leads on to the question, IF he was offered the kingship and passed it by, would Elodan or Elhohir (Whichever was eldest) take the King ship? I think they would, Perhaps having seen Aragorn in his Kingly light may have made them fancy their hand at being a lord. Or perhaps I am going mad.

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Was there an elvish Salic Law? If the twins turned it down, could Arwen have been Queen, married, say, Glorfindel, then one of their daughters marry Aragorn?
And was Elrond under the Ban? He obviously didn't take the oath of Feanor.

[The Perky Ent]

I have no doubt that he'd find an abode similar to Rivendell. As for the grudge, I think after around 7,045 years, they'd get over it. And as for Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond's twin sons, their choice to remain or depart was never known, but I think if they did go, they would not become kings. Definitly nobility, but for such inseperable elfs like Elladan and Elrohir, unless there's the possibility of having two kings at the same time, they wouldn't take different paths.

[The Perky Ent]

Um...Tuor? Arwen chose mortality, remember? She had to option to remain of the elven kind, and marry Glorfindel and become Queen, but she didn't. It's crying over spilled milk. And I don't think Elrond was as subject to it as Galadriel was.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

I think we should take it as read that he was speaking hypothetically.
So, IF Arwen had not married Aragorn and gone to Valinor instead.... and so on... Correct me If I'm wrong, Tuor.

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Yep. A little "counterfactual" story line. Of course, would JRRT then demote Arwen to 3rd cutest elf so Aragorn gets the second?

[Kuruharan]

To answer the original question, no he would not have been eligible. Finarfin was Elrond's superior in seniority, status, lineage, and claim. There would be no question of Elrond becoming king of anything. The only claim to being king that he had was king of the Noldor in Middle-earth. The title would not transfer from Middle-earth to Valinor.

[Fingolfin II]

Was Finarfin his superior in lineage? I agree that he is more directly descended from Finwe than Elrond (and for that reason alone he is more eligible to rule in Valinor than Elrond), but Elrond was descended from the Teleri High King and a Maia, so I would have thought that would make him higher in lineage. However, I'm not too sure about what constitutes higher lineage, so I'm probably wrong on that. Anyway, we have seen that you do not need to be the oldest heir to become High King (for example, Turgon becoming High King instead of Gil-galad; besides, Finarfin is much older than Elrond and the rightful High King of the Noldor in Valinor).

Hookbill the Goomba asked:

However that leads on to the question, IF he was offered the kingship and passed it by, would Elodan or Elhohir (Whichever was eldest) take the King ship? I think they would, Perhaps having seen Aragorn in his Kingly light may have made them fancy their hand at being a lord. Or perhaps I am going mad.

As Perky said, we never find out about Elladan and Elrohir's final choice- to stay and die in Middle-Earth or pass over the Sea. However, what is interesting is that according to the Encyclopedia of Arda, Eldarion becomes the ruler of all the Elf-lands in Middle-Earth when Aragorn dies, because of his descent from Elrond. However, Arwen is the youngest child of Elrond, so shouldn't it pass to Elladan and Elrohir, who are the eldest children of Elrond? I have a few alternative theories as to what has happened here-

1) Elladan and Elrohir refused the rule of the Elf-lands in Middle-Earth, thus it passed to Eldarion, the last male heir of Elrond and Elros.

2) Elladan and Elrohir had already died in Middle-Earth, so that there was no question of who was the rightful lord of the remaining Elf-lands.

3) Elladan and Elrohir passed over Sea to join Elrond and Celebrian.

(Note that whether Eldarion's claims to the lordship of the remaining Elf-lands in Middle-Earth are strong enough to make him king of The Wood of Greenleaves - Mirkwood - in place of Thranduil are not taken into account here.)

Celeborn has relinquished the lordship of Lothlorien after he takes up his abode with the sons of Elrond in Rivendell after Galadriel passes West, so he is certainly discounted from the Kingship of the Elves in Middle-Earth (though technically, if he wanted, he could have been High-King of the Teleri, because of his descent through Elmo).

In a more direct answer to your question, Hookbill, I doubt Elladan and Elrohir would have accepted the Kingship if Elrond refused it (if they were still alive, or hadn't passed over Sea), because their father did not want that title, for one reason. Another more important reason is that we have seen that when a father abdicates, usually the claim to his son is also waved (except when the Kings of Men in Numenor and Gondor abdicated to their sons), an example being when Maedhros relinquished his claim to the High Kingship to Fingolfin, it passed from him and any descendants of Feanor (i.e. Maglor and Celebrimbor) that were alive in the Second Age to descendants of Fingolfin (Gil-galad being the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-Earth), so if Elrond refused it, I don't think Elladan and Elrohir would have accepted it. Equally, I don't think they would have allowed a Man to rule over them either, so I think that the third of my theories that I have put forward to you is the most likely to be correct, but we'll never know.

[Kuruharan]

I agree that he is more directly descended from Finwe than Elrond

That would give him superior lineage regarding becoming High King of the Noldor, which was the issue.

Anyway, we have seen that you do not need to be the oldest heir to become High King...Turgon becoming High King instead of Gil-galad

Please allow me to say, "Huh?"

Turgon was born in Valinor during the Chaining of Melkor. Gil-Galad was born in Hithlum considerably later. In this context it seems that you do need to be the oldest heir to become High King of the Noldor for in this case it did not pass directly from father to son.

[Fingolfin II]

Whoops, I seem to have had that the other way around- what I meant was that Gil-galad was the son of Fingon and therefore he should have become king before Turgon, but he didn't as he was too young.

[Evisse the Blue]

Eldarion becomes the ruler of all the Elf-lands in Middle-Earth when Aragorn dies

That would mean that in the Fourth Age all Middle Earth was ruled by him, except for Rohan and the Shire. Freaky, really...
And after he died / relinquished power, did his heir rule over the Elf-lands as well? Assuming there were still Elf-lands to speak of...