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The Sword of Númenor
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Home(s)
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Language(s)
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People
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Time period
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S.A. b. 2516 - d. 2825
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Gender
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Male
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Parents
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Sibling(s)
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None
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Spouse
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Glirdis (N)
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Child(ren)
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Notes
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(N) = non-canon
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Tar-Calmacil the Conqueror or Al-Belzagar was Númenor's eighteenth monarch. Born the eldest son of Tar-Alcarin in S.A. 2516, he ruled from S.A. 2737 until his death in S.A. 2825. His fleets conquered much of Middle-earth's coastal territory, forcing Sauron of Mordor to confine his conquests to the inlands. The Dark Lord hated him, but never succeeded in deposing him. Calmacil's successful reign, however, proved portentous, for he showed great favor to the King's Men, and it was in his day that the name of Númenor's King was first spoken in Adûnaic.
History[]
Early Life and Character[]
Born in Armenelos, the capital of Númenor, Tar-Calmacil was raised in the splendor and tradition of the Númenórean royal family. Calmacil’s father, Tar-Alcarin, was a ruler of measured temperament, but the young prince showed early signs of a more aggressive disposition. Trained in the arts of war from an early age, he excelled as a tactician and warrior, earning his epithet Calmacil ("Sword of Light") after a stunning victory over a coalition of rebellious lords in Númenor’s eastern provinces in S.A. 2548. His martial abilities would later become central to his legacy as one of Númenor’s most militaristic kings, remembered by posterity under the title The Sword of Númenor.
Tar-Calmacil was deeply influenced by the growing power and ambition of the King’s Men, the faction that sought to consolidate Númenórean dominion and sever ties with the High Elves. Though educated in Quenya and Sindarin—the languages of the Eldar—he increasingly favored Adûnaic, the vernacular tongue of Númenor. This preference reflected his alignment with the King's Men and foreshadowed significant cultural changes during his reign.
As a young prince, Calmacil demonstrated an ambition that surpassed his predecessors. Unlike his father, who ruled with caution and limited engagement in Middle-earth, Calmacil viewed the coasts of Endor as fertile ground for Númenórean expansion. Even before his ascension, he commanded expeditions to the southern lands, notably leading fleets to Harondor and the Gulf of Harad. By the time he became king in S.A. 2737, he was already celebrated among the King's Men as a hero of Númenor’s imperial aspirations.
Ascension to the Throne[]
Tar-Calmacil ascended the throne in S.A. 2737 following the death of his father, Tar-Alcarin. By this time, Númenor's naval might had grown unparalleled, and its influence extended far beyond its island shores. However, internal divisions were deepening, as the Faithful remained loyal to the Valar and Eldar, while the King's Men grew increasingly resentful of the restrictions imposed by the Ban of the Valar, which forbade sailing west to Aman.
Calmacil’s coronation marked a turning point in Númenórean history, as it was the first time the King officially adopted a name in Adûnaic—Ar-Belzagar—alongside his Quenya title. This symbolic act, though seemingly minor, signaled a shift in Númenórean identity and drew the ire of the Faithful, who viewed it as a rejection of their sacred traditions.
Years of Conquear[]
As king, Tar-Calmacil prioritized the expansion of Númenórean power in Middle-earth. Between S.A. 2740 and 2760, he launched several naval expeditions targeting the coasts of Enedwaith, Minhiriath, and Haradwaith. His flagship, Aglarrond ("Sea Flame"), became a symbol of Númenor’s might, often sighted leading fleets of black-sailed ships adorned with the Star of Elros.
In the west, Tar-Calmacil sought to consolidate Númenórean control over Minhiriath and Enedwaith, regions rich in timber and strategically located along the Greyflood River. In S.A. 2755, his generals launched a campaign to subjugate these territories, driving out local tribes and securing the fertile lands for Númenor. Key settlements, such as Tharbad, were fortified and garrisoned, ensuring Númenórean dominance over the region.
Further to the south, between S.A. 2756–2760 Tar-Calmacil launched a series of campaigns against the realm of Bellakar, a land of semi-nomadic tribes and wealthy coastal cities. Bellakar was brought under Númenórean control after a grueling campaign that saw the cities of Bozisha-Dar and Nîlûlondë capitulate to Númenórean armies. These conquests secured Númenor’s access to the riches of Harad and established enduring trade routes - Bellakar’s wealth in precious metals and exotic goods became a significant source of revenue for Númenor.
In the following decades, Tar-Calmacil completed the conquest of the seven lands of Middle-Earth's southern coast, that would henceforth be known as Thâni-Hazâd. The king also dispatched exploratory missions to the Inner Seas, charting unknown coastlines and establishing contact with distant civilizations. His fleets were rumored to have reached the legendary lands of Mórenore, spreading the influence of Númenor to the furthest corners of Middle-earth.
Tar-Calmacil’s conquests directly threatened the ambitions of Sauron, who sought to dominate Middle-earth. By securing the coastal regions, Tar-Calmancil disrupted Sauron’s plans to extend his influence into Haradwaith and the Bay of Belfalas, forcing him to focus his energies on regions such as Rhûn and Khand. Although Sauron harbored a deep hatred for the Númenórean king, he was unable to mount a successful counterattack during Tar-Calmacil’s lifetime. This containment strategy was a significant achievement of Calmacil’s reign, though it also contributed to the growing militarization of Númenor and would later eventually erupt into open conflict under Tar-Calmacil’s successors
Reformation[]
Tar-Calmacil’s reign also saw significant cultural and political changes. His favoring of Adûnaic, the common tongue, over Quenya and Sindarin marked a definitive break from Númenor’s Elvish heritage. He issued royal decrees, known as Belzagar Edicts, which mandated the use of Adûnaic in official documents and ceremonies.
Politically, Tar-Calmacil consolidated power within Armenelos, reducing the autonomy of the lords of the western regions, particularly those of Andúnië, where the Faithful still held sway. His court became a center of intrigue, with alliances forged and broken among the King’s Men faction. His consort, Glirdis, played an active role in court politics, advocating for her children and ensuring their education aligned with the King’s Men ideology.
Death and Legacy[]
Tar-Calmacil died in S.A. 2825 after ruling for 88 years. He was interred in the Royal Tombs of Armenelos, his body laid to rest in a sarcophagus inscribed in Adûnaic—a departure from the older Quenya inscriptions used for his predecessors.
His legacy is deeply contested. To the King’s Men, he was a visionary conqueror, a ruler who expanded Númenórean dominion and asserted its independence from the Valar. To the Faithful, he was a harbinger of ruin, whose rejection of tradition and alliance with the King’s Men paved the way for Númenor’s eventual destruction.
Family[]
Tar-Calmacil was married to Glirdis, a noblewoman of Númenórean descent whose family hailed from the province of Hyarrostar. Together, they had three children:
- Tar-Ardamin, his eldest son and heir, who succeeded him as the nineteenth King of Númenor.
- Lossemírë, a daughter who, according to fan traditions, became a prominent advocate for the Faithful despite her father’s alignment with the King’s Men.
- Gimilzagar, a younger son who served as a military commander during the later years of his father’s reign.