He was the final King of Numenor. Despite an unlikely early friendship with one
of the Faithful, and being known for generosity toward his people,
he would plunge the island realm into darkness and destruction.
Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we cover the life and travels of Ar-Pharazon.
Pharazon is born in 3118 SA, the son of Gimilkhad. Gimilkhad
and his older brother Inziladun are the sons of Numenor’s King Ar-Gimilzor. Gimilkhad and Iziladun
would grow to lead the two separate factions of Numenor. Gimilkhad leads the King’s Men,
who over the previous centuries of rule had turned their people against the Valar
as well as the elves of Middle-earth. Iziladun would ascend to his father’s throne
and take the name Tar-Palantir and lead the Faithful - the far less numerous group that
attempts to bring their people back to their traditional ways and holding the Valar in honor.
In his youth, Pharazon held an unlikely friendship with Amandil, who was among the
Faithful Numenoreans. Both Pharazon and Amandil would become known as great captains of Numenor.
While Amandil is described as a great sea captain, Pharazon’s renown would come on land. He becomes
a great commander of Numenor’s armies as they wage war with Sauron in Middle-earth.
His father Gimilkhad dies in 3243, at the age of 199 - a young age for one
of the royal line of Numenor. Hearing this news, Pharazon returns to Numenor,
for he is next in line for the leadership of the King’s Men. When he comes home to the island
nation, Pharazon is generous with the wealth he had acquired during his time in Middle-earth.
Thus the hearts of the people are turned toward him and he fights against his uncles efforts
to lead the nation to repent of their wrongdoings toward the Valar and Eldar.
Pharazon remains in Numenor, leading the King’s Men until 3255, when Tar-Palantir dies.
Upon his uncle’s death, Pharazon forces Tar-Palantir’s daughter Miriel into marriage.
Now here we have an interesting situation where there are two versions of this part of the story.
In Tolkien’s first account, which is published in The Silmarillion, it says:
Now this is the account that most will no doubt be familiar with,
but it’s interesting to note that Tolkien wrote a later version of the story that appears in the
History of Middle-earth Volume 12, where its seems Miriel may be as devious as her cousin.
It’s worth noting that this was not the account that Christopher Tolkien chose to include in The
Silmarillion, as it was never finished and the original account was far more complete.
Still, it’s interesting to see that Tolkien was at one time
considering a completely different approach to Tar-Miriel and Pharazon.
Returning to the original account, Pharazon takes Tar-Miriel as his wife by force
and takes the title Ar-Pharazon - and the Sceptre of Numenor. He changes Miriel’s name
from that which is in line with the Faithful Numenoreans, to one that rejects the language
of the Eldar - Ar-Zimraphel. It’s also worth noting that despite their opposing positions,
Ar-Pharazon still had his friend Amandil on his council as one of his advisors.
Soon after he takes over as King, Ar-Pharazon receives word that Sauron has been attacking
the Numenorean settlements of Middle-earth. Sauron makes boastful claims - declaring
himself titles like King of Men and Lord of the Earth. Driven by his pride and arrogance,
Ar-Pharazon decides that he would claim the title King of Men and put Sauron in his place.
For the next five years, he assembles a fleet to make a great war upon the dark lord.
In 3261, this fleet lands at the Haven of Umbar, marching across the lands of Harad
and on to Mordor. The splendor of Pharazon’s force is so great, and his army so vast,
that Sauron’s armies desert him, leaving him alone in the face of the mighty Numenoreans.
Knowing he cannot defeat Ar-Pharazon in battle, Sauron once again assumes his fair form,
surrendering to the king. Ar-Pharazon takes Sauron back to Numenor as a hostage in an
effort to prevent his servants from further attacking Numenorean settlements of Middle-earth.
This works directly into Sauron’s plans. It is said that as soon as he stepped foot upon the
island, he began corrupting the hearts and minds of the Numenoreans - and none did he
affect greater than their very king. Sauron speaks to Ar-Pharazon with great flattery,
and uses his own knowledge and power to help the king gain whatever he desired. In
just three short years, Sauron goes from being a prisoner to being the chief advisor to the king.
Sauron teaches many things to the people of Numenor - primarily that the Valar were not to
be trusted and that Darkness alone was worshipful. In secret, Pharazon speaks with Sauron, desiring
to know more about this Lord of Darkness. Sauron tells the King of Melkor - the Giver of Freedom,
and that Eru Iluvatar was merely a lie of the Valar meant to keep the men from rebelling.
Thus, Ar-Pharazon, and many of the Numenoreans turn to the worship of Melkor. At this time,
Sauron also convinces Ar-Pharazon to kill the White Tree of Nimloth - the
last symbol of the ancient friendship with the Valar and the Elves.
Amandil, having no doubt that Sauron’s advice would eventually be heeded by the king,
tells his family. His Grandson, Isildur sneaks into the king’s court and in disguise steals a
fruit from the white tree, though he is grievously wounded in the deed. Upon hearing the news of the
fruit’s theft, Ar-Pharazon has the tree cut down and burned in the newly built Temple of Melkor.
Over the decades, the Numenoreans would become brutal oppressors over the peoples
of their settlements in Middle-earth. And even turn to slavery and human sacrifice
of both these peoples and those among the Faithful.
Though, at the kings command, neither Amandil nor any of his family were to be assailed.
During his rule, Ar-Pharazon and his people are increasingly obsessed with material things.
Basking in their decadence, Ar-Pharazon comes to be known as Ar-Pharazon the Golden.
Despite their worship to the Dark Lord, the Numenoreans do not stave off death as they so
desperately craved. In fact, many have shorter lifespans than those who came before. In 3309,
Ar-Pharazon is 191 years old, just eight years younger than his father was when he died.
Growing old, he fears his inevitable death
and becomes desperate. Finally, Sauron gives his last advice to the king…
Convinced that he could gain immortality by force, Ar-Pharazon orders the building of the Great
Armament in 3310. And for the next nine years, the evil Numenoreans would build a great fleet
to make war upon the Valar. During the construction, the Valar would send warnings to
Numenor as great thunderclouds, taking the shape of great Eagles would appear in the Western sky.
However, Ar-Pharazon and most of his people simply hardened their hearts all the more
and the King proclaimed
Finally, in 3319, Ar-Pharazon travels to the western coast of Numenor and sitting
upon his throne in full armor, he orders the launching of the fleet. The Great Armament
sails to the Uttermost West, passing the isle of Tol Eressea and anchors near the coast of Valinor.
The mortal king, upon seeing the splendor of the great mountain of Taniquetil,
takes pause and we are told he becomes afraid and even considers ordering a retreat.
However, his pride leads him to proceed with the assault. Thus the army of mortal men comes to the
immortal lands. They march to the elven city of Tirion, where they make camp. Ar-Pharazon
the golden declares that the land of the Valar is now his, if none dared challenge him for it.
The Valar call on Eru himself for aid - for their duty was to aid and not harm the elves and men of
middle-earth. Eru answers their call, and in that moment, he breaks the very world. A chasm opens
to divide the mortal lands of Middle-earth and the Blessed Realm of Valinor. As Numenor itself
is swallowed by the sea, Ar-Pharazon and his fleet are buried within the chasm.
Miriel dies along with a great many Numenoreans in the destruction of the island realm. However,
the Line of Elros would live on in Elendil, Isildur and Anarion, as they lead the ships of
the Faithful to the coasts of Middle-earth. Where they would found the realms of Gondor and Arnor.
As for Pharazon, there would come a day many many years after Numenor’s destruction,
that the Kings of Gondor would raise a great pillar in Umbar to commemorate him - not for
the evil he brought upon their ancestors, but to commemorate the humbling of Sauron.
When Sauron would later retake Umbar for his own, he would have this monument destroyed.
Thus destroying the final relic of the king who would plunge the once great island nation
further into darkness. The king who would lead to the destruction of Numenor and himself.
This is no doubt one of the most interesting characters we’ll see in the Rings of Power
series. I’m curious to see how this character develops into the tyrant he
will become - and while no doubt Tar-Miriel will be adapted in the better known version,
I wonder if they might play with the idea that she could ally with Pharazon. Let me know in
the comments what you think about Ar-Pharazon and what his arc might be like in the show.
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