Aragorn's Ancestors

I am far from being one of the lore-masters who have brilliantly argued the Kingship of the Noldor, but I have read all the materials they reference. As I read it, the actual argument became lost to me.

The thing that stands out the most is that there was not a unified Noldor after the fall of Finwe; hence, you can not have a recognized King. As has been cited and re-cited ad nauseam, when Finwe died there were three contenders for the Kingship as is evidenced by the fact that each of the Sons of Finwe had their own following, with Fingolfin's being far greater than the other two. When Finarfin forsook the March, he became High King of the Noldor on Tuna after his pardon by the Valar.

from The Silmarillion, Of the Flight of the Noldor
There they received the pardon of the Valar, and Finarfin was set to rule the remnant of the Noldor in the Blessed Realm.

As for Feanor's claim, the majority of his own people chose not to follow him. He had the option of seeking to inforce his claim or abandoning it. I contend that by wantonly murdering his Teleri kin and then stranding the majority of his people on the shores of Araman, Feanor gave up all right to be called High-king of any of the People's of Middle-earth. He made claim (as Tar-Elenion points out) to being an heir to the Kingship but never outright claimed it. (How could he when he had no support to enforce his claim?) The mantle (whether claimed or no and whether desired or no) then fell to Fingolfin. He was deemed High-king of the Noldor of Middle-earth. I agree with those that have posted reference to the Feanoreans for those that followed Feanor could no longer be deemed Noldor. (They had abandoned the bulk of their Noldoran brethren on the shores of Araman).

Hence, Feanor and his sons were never deemed to be Kings of the Noldor at all, simply because they (by their actions and those of the majority of their peoples) had no enforceable right to the title.

At least that's the way I see it... (and I'm sure the scholarly posters will soon destroy my post!) [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ September 13, 2002: Message edited by: Grond - Hammer of Hell ]