Monarchy in ME.

[afro-elf]

It seems that besides Laketown and the Shire, that the realms of ME are monarchies.

Were they absolute monarchies?

Could commoners raise to positions of power? Or were things a matter of lineage in ALL things or just for the throne.

[Lalaith]

It seemed to me that in the Elven Kingdoms always the most wise person was the head of everything. Therefore I think that this king/queen was there for a longer time. And I don't think that any elf had something against that leader.
But men used to pass over power just to the next generation, but there it happened that the line of the kings was changed.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Little is spelled out except for Gondor, where the King is supreme in executive fucntion, and as soveriegn of land tiltle (he controls or distribute vacant fiefs and estates), but he has almost no law making power. Supreme Judicial fuction appears to be divied, some with the King, but some with the council, and some likely stops with the nobles.

[Fat middle]

Very interesting question A-E!

I'm too lazy to develop now, but you can find some ideas related to lineage in this old thread.

About the possibility for commoners to raise to power it's interesting to read

The wanderings of Hurin where Tolkien describes with many details the political system of the people of Brethil.

My conclusion is that Tolkien conceived different political systems for the peoples of ME, but he wanted to reinforce the importance of lineage in the Numenorian people for the reasons detailed in that old thread.

[afro-elf]

Thanks for the help.

PS that link was a good read.

[Sween]

Im not sure if the Kings had complete power over there subject but there is a few examples of a king just making drastic moves like Turgons moving of his whole kingdom to Gondolin he didnt take and council there. But in other stroy like the one of Beren Finrod call a council where he asks for help if not guidence from other people.

Later on in the historys of middle earth i feel its important to understand who the kings are. Aragorn for example if the last human realative of all the great edain cheiftians and the kings of the Noldor and the devine left in the world. He isnt just a normal human.

We dont see many cases in tolkiens work of people with no family tree. Ive allways though this a very intentional process of his he liked to give great detail but the resulting effect is there are not many people whom dont come from royal houses or are related to them in some way. the most prominated character in tolken work whom i can think of who its never stated is of royal blood is Beleg Strongbow! In lord of the rings some of the Rohamair are not given great detail Ekrebrand for example if he apointed lord of westfold or is it heredratary?

I think toliken was a firm believer in blue blood and probably felt his most important character should be able to trace there historys bk to great heros of the past

[Elvellon]

As I see it, elven monarchies seem limited by the will of the people; for instance Feanor was refused by most of the Noldor, and Finrod’s plea was refused by his people, causing him to abdicate.

Numenorian monarchies seem to be bound by tradition. A king supposedly must rule according with the traditions/laws of their forefathers.

[Wayfarer]

As far as I can determine, Elven government operates with a strange combination of meritocracy and divine mandate. The ruler, whether king or queen, is almost always the strongest/wisest/most skilled individual. Yet it seems that talent is concentrated mainly in the ruling family. Finwe, Feanor, Fingolfin, Finrod, Celibrimbor, Gil-Galad, Galadriel, etc. There's little to no chance that someone outside the line of inheritence would ever be named king.

Likewise, the numenoreans were ruled by the one in which the elven blood was most true, because they were the most talented. When the ruling kings became corrupt, the faithful Numenoreans turned to Amandil and Elendil for leadership, due to their superior abilities.

The kingship in exile seems to have partly abandoned the succession by blood, as seen by their rejection of the claims of Arduvei for someone who had lesser ancestry. However, there are indiciators that point the other way.

A similar situation arises with the dwarves. They have, or seem to have, a more traditional system of monarchy. However, there is a variable in tha the seven kings of the dwarves are reincarnated and return to rule again.

The Shire was somewhat democratic, or perhaps more aristocratic. Samwise is Elected mayor, and even though he originally had a very menial job, his descendents (the family of Gardener) were well thought of, somewhat similar to how a commoner could be appointed to the nobility under the old feudal system, and awarded an inheritable title.

The orcs, needless to say, were ruled by brute force.

[Lefty Scaevola]

From Fingolfin, the noldorin kingship in ME went in straight primogeniture (with the correct descent of Gil-Galad with Orodeth as his father) with salian (no distaff descent if male line available) rule.
Fingolfin to Fingon
Fingon (Childless) to Turgon
Turgon (daughter, no son) to Gil Galad (with intervening heirs: Arafinwe back in Aman; Finrod dead, no children; Angrod dead, Orodreth dead)
Note despite being the senior heir Celebrindal and her descendants are excluded, and that Galadrial later gets no royal title. Salian Law. This could also fit Gildor Inglorian of the Golden house of Finrod if he is actual descended from Finrod (after Finrod's reincarnation in Aman and family making there) but through female descent, and thus no throne.

[Tar-Elenion]

I think you mean 'salic' rather than 'salian'. However this is not the whole story. Fingon had different children at various points in the writing of the legendarium (Findobar, Finbor, Gil-galad), before JRRT's later decision, yet Turgon always inherited over these children. Before there was a Gil-galad, Elrond held his position and 'ruled in the west of the world'. It is also noted that the descendendants of Aragorn inherited the right to the Elf-realms/kingdoms of the west through their (fore-)mother Arwen. There are at least implications that salic inheritance is not necessarily the 'law', as it were.

[Athelwinde]

As to the monarchies of The Shire, this is how I see it:

Shire: The Mayor is the true power in any town, though the Thain, who is the monarch(held by the Tooks during LOTR) seemed to be a figurehead (much like in modern Great Britain) and that was obviously with great influence, little true power. Of course, the Master of the Hall of Buckland controlled Buckland as a semi-autonomous state, and was "acknowledged by the farmers between Stock and Rushey" (FOTR, Chapter V, pg 111).
Therefore, I would say at least The Shire would be something like a constitutional monarchy. In case of emergencies, my guess is that all would rally around The Thain, however.

[Sween]

Originally posted by Athelwinde
As to the monarchies of The Shire, this is how I see it:

Shire: The Mayor is the true power in any town, though the Thain, who is the monarch(held by the Tooks during LOTR) seemed to be a figurehead (much like in modern Great Britain) and that was obviously with great influence, little true power. Of course, the Master of the Hall of Buckland controlled Buckland as a semi-autonomous state, and was "acknowledged by the farmers between Stock and Rushey" (FOTR, Chapter V, pg 111).
Therefore, I would say at least The Shire would be something like a constitutional monarchy. In case of emergencies, my guess is that all would rally around The Thain, however.

The Thain of the shire was leader of the milatary which in ages past had been much more hands on job. The Took been an important and large family but more importantaly more heoricly inclide than most hobbit took on this role and it just became headertiary he was in charge of beating the bounds or summet.


As for the Master of Buckland it is pretty common for large family in highly inbread areas in ages past to just take this title esspecially as they probably founded Buckland