#queen in tbe north

[biginvisiblespider]

erendis sketch (kind of, it has some colour)

The scene where erendis gives aldarion the bough of oiolairë is one of my favourite sections of the tale.

A lot of quotes and thoughts under the cut, spoilers for some of Aldarion and Erendis, you have been warned, this is long!!

The oiolairë is a really interesting númenórean custom, in 'Aldarion and Erendis' it says,

'Here must be told of the custom that when a ship departed from Númenor over the great sea to Middle-earth a woman, most often of the captain's kin, should set upon the vessel's prow the Green Bough of Return; and that was cut from the tree oiolairë, that signifies 'Ever-summer', which the Eldar gave to the Númenóreans, saying that they set it upon their own ships in token of friendship with Ossë and Uinen. The leaves of evergreen, glossy and fragrant; and it throve upon sea-air'.

At this point in the story Aldarion and his father Meneldur have fought over to Aldarion's voyaging when, as the heir, his father thinks he should be taking more interest in his own people.

'Meneldur forbade the Queen and the sisters of Aldarion to bear tbe bough of oiolairë to Rómenna where lay the Palarran, saying that he refused his blessing to his son'

In response Aldarion says,'If I must go without blessing or bough, then so I will go'.

The blessing and the bough are linked, the favour of the king and the friendship of Ossë and Uinen who calms the sea, as well as a token of safe return. In Numenor Uinen was particularly honoured for saving the ships so you can see why the Queen doesn't want Aldarion to leave without the branch.

After this, Erendis says that she will bring the branch and delivers it as the ship is preparing to leave, 'little though she loved the noise and bustle of the great harbour and the crying of the gulls'.

This is the point when Aldarion falls in love with Erendis so it is clearly an important moment but I think it goes a little deeper than that.

Throughout the tale there's a clear split in what the pair value, the sea and the land, the ships and the woods, and this is one of the few moments where these opposite priorities co-exist. Erendis delivers a branch which thrives on sea-air, a tree as a symbol of friendship with the sea but also of a safe return! This little moment, to me, shows how their relationship could have developed if they were both willing to compromise.

I also find it interesting how the bough is a token of friendship with Uinen, when Erendis later declares Uinen as her enemy.

'I am no daughter of Uinen: rather is she my foe.'

There is also a neat parallel with the elven birds and the tree they receive as gifts from the eldar at their wedding. All of these originate with the elves, can be used to symbolise their love and each one changes in meaning for them as their relationship breaks down.

Focusing on the oiolairë, after Aldarion decides to leave again (and I could talk for ages on their conversation before he leaves!!) Erendis sets the branch of oiolairë but hides her tears until the ship is gone.

On this trip Aldarion is gone for longer than expected as the haven at Vinyalonde is destroyed and he has to rebuild and on the journey home he is swept off-course, to the north. When Aldarion finally sees Numenor again he notices that the oiolairë has withered in the cold.

Ominous! For such a symbolic branch to die can't help the overall feeling in Numenor at this point that Aldarion is doing something wrong!

'the Venturers were fallen out of esteem; for men thought that he had treated Erendis ill.'

After their wedding, eight years after his last voyage and with their daughter not even four years old, Aldarion sets off again but promises to return in two years. This time, Erendis does not set the branch on his ship or send one, the wife of Aldarion's captain does it instead.

This seems to be the point where Erendis gives up on him, dismissing the elven birds (I could talk about that as well but i will resist) and she leaves to live in her home in the centre of Numenor, far from the sea. When Aldarion does not return after the promised two years she stays there and when he does eventually get back he finds his house empty.

When Aldarion becomes king he journeys to Middle-earth again but, 'It is recorded that upon the prow of Hirilonde he set no bough of oiolairë, but the image of an eagle with golden beak and jewelled eyes, which was the gift of Cirdan.'

Every important voyage Aldarion takes mentions the branch of oiolairë, which is enough to show its significance, but its connection with Numenor as well as the elves and the maiar and how it symbolises Aldarion and Erendis' relationship makes it a really interesting piece of the story.

[littledovestark]

“We’ve both known what it means to lead people who aren’t inclined to accept a women’s rule and we’ve both done a damn good job of it.”

[lifestyleturkey]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[lifestylemanagement]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[lifestylesea]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[technostyle]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[lifestylebuilder]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[lifestylesa]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[lifestylethesaurus]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[kissslifestyle]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[lifestylekazanlak]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[mapofistanbul]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.

[phortlife]

Scythians and Huns

Savage cruelty, brutal gluttony, and barbarous magnificence, are the three principal moral characteristics of a Tartar Prince, as we may gather from what has come down to us in history concerning the Scythians and Huns. The first of these three qualities has also been illustrated, from the references I have been making to the history of Zingis and Timour, so that I think we have heard enough of it, without further instances from the report of these travellers, whether ecclesiastical or lay. I will but mention one corroboration of a barbarity, which at first hearing it is difficult to credit. When the Spanish ambassador, then, was on his way to Timour, and had got as far as the north of Persia, he there actually saw a specimen of that sort of poll-tax, which I have mentioned. It was a structure consisting of four towers, composed of human skulls, a Murray’s Asia.

layer of mud and of skulls being placed alternately; and be tells us that upwards of 60,000 men were massacred to afford materials for this building. Indeed it seems a demonstration of revenge familiar to tbe Tartar race. Selim, the Ottoman Sultan, reared a similar pyramid on tbe banks of tbe Nile.

Spanish traveller

To return to our Spanish traveller. He proceeded to bis destination, wbicb was Samarcand, tbe royal city of Timour, in Sogdiana, tbe present Bukbaria, and was presented to tbe great conqueror. He describes tbe gate of tbe palace as lofty, and richly ornamented with gold and azure; in tbe inner court were six elephants, with wooden castles on their backs, and streamers, wbicb performed gambols for tbe amusement of tbe courtiers. He was led into a spacious room, where were some boys, Timours grandsons, and these carried tbe King of Spain’s letters to tbe Khan. He then was ushered into Timour’s presence, who was seated, like Attila’s queen, on a sort of cushioned sofa, with a fountain playing before him. He was at that time an old man, and bis eyesight was impaired.