The Three Great Evils of Gondor

[Valandil]

Tolkien tells us that Three Great Evils befell Gondor in the middle years of the Third Age - starting when Gondor was at the height of its power, and ending with a much-diminished Gondor, whose line of Kings was about to fail.

I noticed a commonality with the Three Great Evils. In each case, the line of succession of Kings was changed, from what it would have been without each evil. Gondor had previously had two childless Kings - one followed directly by a nephew, the other by first his brother, and then the nephew who was his brother's son. But in each of the Great Evils, someone dies who was King, or who would have been King.

The first was the Kin-strife of Gondor (1432-1447). Because Eldacar's mother was of the Northmen of Rhovanion - rather than a full-blooded Dunedain - a civil war was begun with the aim of ousting him for a cousin with more "pure" Numenorean blood - one Castamir. When Castamir captured Osgiliath in 1437 - not only was the Tower of the Stars on Osgiliath's Bridge burned down and the palantir it housed lost in the water - but Castamir also apparently captured Ornendil, son of Eldacar, and had him put to death. So - after Eldacar regained the thone, it was Aldamir, his second son, who succeeded him.

The second Evil - said to be the greatest - was the Great Plague in 1636. King Telemnar had come to the throne young, but only two years later, perished in the plague with all his children. He was succeeded by his nephew, Tarandor - who then ruled for a VERY long time.

The third Evil was the Wainriders. This one lasted nearly 100 years, beginning in 1851 and culminating with the death of King Ondoher and both his sons in 1944. He was succeeded by the general Earnil, who had won the great victory over the Wainriders - and who was the second cousin, once removed, of Ondoher.

So - the Kingship was passed laterally at each of the Great Evils. And it was passed further each time. First to a brother of the original heir, then a first cousin of the original heir (un-named oldest son of Telemnar), then to a third cousin of the original heir (Artamir - the older son of Ondoher).