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Dates
Probably made in the seventh or eighth century of the Second Age;1 survived into the Fourth Age
Origins
Originally the rod of office borne by the Lords of Andúnië in Númenor
Race
Men
Division
Dúnedain
Culture
Men of Arnor and their descendants
Family
House of Isildur
Settlements
Particularly associated with Annúminas, the old northern capital of the Dúnedain, but latterly held at Rivendell
Other names
Sceptre of Annúminas, Sceptre of Arnor; sometimes known simply as 'the Sceptre', a term shared with other similar symbols of office

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 18 July 2017
  • This entry is complete

Northern Sceptre

The symbol of the High Kings

Among the emblems of royalty of the ancient High Kings of the Dúnedain in Middle-earth was a sceptre of silver. This rod had at one time been the symbol of office of the Númenórean Lords of Andúnië, forebears of Elendil, and after the Downfall it was brought to Middle-earth.

In Middle-earth the Sceptre was held by the Kings of Arnor and their descendants through the Third Age, becoming known as the Sceptre of Annúminas. After the fall of Arnor's successor kingdom of Arthedain, Elendil's heirs were no longer Kings, but the Sceptre was held at Rivendell for the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. At the crowning of Aragorn Elessar after the War of the Ring, Elrond brought the Northern Sceptre to Minas Tirith, where it was restored as a symbol of the High Kingship.

As well as referring to the physical rod of royal office, the term 'Northern Sceptre' is also used figuratively, notably in the annals of the early Fourth Age, to represent the restored power of the North-kingdom and its King.


Notes

1

We know that the Northern Sceptre was originally held by the Lords of Andúnië in Númenor, but we don't know exactly when that Lordship was established. The first Lord, Valandil, was born in the year II 630, so the Sceptre was probably made for him at some point in the seventh of eighth centuries of the Second Age. It is not, of course, impossible that Sceptre was made for some later Lord: all we can say with certainty is that it existed by the time of the Downfall of Númenor, when Elendil brought it to Middle-earth.

See also...

Sceptre of Arnor

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 18 July 2017
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2015, 2017. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

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Northern Sceptre

The symbol of the High Kings

Dates
Probably made in the seventh or eighth century of the Second Age;1 survived into the Fourth Age
Origins
Originally the rod of office borne by the Lords of Andúnië in Númenor
Race
Men
Division
Dúnedain
Culture
Men of Arnor and their descendants
Family
House of Isildur
Settlements
Particularly associated with Annúminas, the old northern capital of the Dúnedain, but latterly held at Rivendell
Other names
Sceptre of Annúminas, Sceptre of Arnor; sometimes known simply as 'the Sceptre', a term shared with other similar symbols of office

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 18 July 2017
  • This entry is complete

Northern Sceptre

The symbol of the High Kings

Among the emblems of royalty of the ancient High Kings of the Dúnedain in Middle-earth was a sceptre of silver. This rod had at one time been the symbol of office of the Númenórean Lords of Andúnië, forebears of Elendil, and after the Downfall it was brought to Middle-earth.

In Middle-earth the Sceptre was held by the Kings of Arnor and their descendants through the Third Age, becoming known as the Sceptre of Annúminas. After the fall of Arnor's successor kingdom of Arthedain, Elendil's heirs were no longer Kings, but the Sceptre was held at Rivendell for the Chieftains of the Dúnedain. At the crowning of Aragorn Elessar after the War of the Ring, Elrond brought the Northern Sceptre to Minas Tirith, where it was restored as a symbol of the High Kingship.

As well as referring to the physical rod of royal office, the term 'Northern Sceptre' is also used figuratively, notably in the annals of the early Fourth Age, to represent the restored power of the North-kingdom and its King.


Notes

1

We know that the Northern Sceptre was originally held by the Lords of Andúnië in Númenor, but we don't know exactly when that Lordship was established. The first Lord, Valandil, was born in the year II 630, so the Sceptre was probably made for him at some point in the seventh of eighth centuries of the Second Age. It is not, of course, impossible that Sceptre was made for some later Lord: all we can say with certainty is that it existed by the time of the Downfall of Númenor, when Elendil brought it to Middle-earth.

See also...

Sceptre of Arnor

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 18 July 2017
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2015, 2017. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Axiom Discovery gives you comprehensive online aptitude testing covering core skills across a wide range of disciplines.