A title given to the Kings of Númenor, of whom Elros was the first. He was surnamed Tar-Minyatur 'King, First Lord' in token of this. The title definitely applied to the Kings of Númenor, and presumably also to their descendants in Middle-earth. Though the title is never explicitly used for any King after the Downfall, Isildur is at one point given the similar title 'King of all the Dúnedain'.
For a list and genealogy of all the Kings of Elros' line, see the entry for King of Númenor. For the later Kings of the Dúnedain in Middle-earth, see the entries for King of Arnor, King of Arthedain and King of Gondor.
Notes
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There were four known Kings of the Dúnedain in Middle-earth, but in fact there were probably many more of these whose names are not recorded. There were two High Kings in Middle-earth after the Downfall of Númenor: Elendil and his son Isildur. After Isildur's untimely death, the ruling lines of Arnor and Gondor were divided, and for most of the Third Age there was no single King of all the Dúnedain. The line of the High Kings was re-established by Aragorn Elessar, a distant descendant of Isildur, and he was succeeded by his son Eldarion. Eldarion in turn seems to have established a line that continued into the Fourth Age, but none of these later descendant Kings are named.
The foregoing treats 'King of the Dúnedain' as implying a King who ruled over all the Dúnedain collectively. If we also consider Kings who ruled a part of the Dúnedain, then the number rises considerably to include thirty Kings of an independent Gondor, seven Kings of an independent Arnor, and an unknown number who ruled Arnor's successor states, including fifteen Kings of Arthedain.
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- Updated 5 March 2024
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