return

1368 the return of the king
With Tarannon, the twelfth king, began the line of the Shipkings,
who built navies and extended the sway of Gondor along
the coasts west and south of the Mouths of Anduin. To commemorate
his victories as Captain of the Hosts, Tarannon took
the crown in the name of Falastur ‘Lord of the Coasts’.
Eärnil I, his nephew, who succeeded him, repaired the ancient
haven of Pelargir, and built a great navy. He laid siege by sea
and land to Umbar, and took it, and it became a great harbour
and fortress of the power of Gondor. 1 But Eärnil did not long
survive his triumph. He was lost with many ships and men in a
great storm off Umbar. Ciryandil his son continued the building
of ships; but the Men of the Harad, led by the lords that had
been driven from Umbar, came up with great power against that
stronghold, and Ciryandil fell in battle in Haradwaith.
For many years Umbar was invested, but could not be taken
because of the sea-power of Gondor. Ciryaher son of Ciryandil
bided his time, and at last when he had gathered strength he
came down from the north by sea and by land, and crossing the
River Harnen his armies utterly defeated the Men of the Harad,
and their kings were compelled to acknowledge the overlordship
of Gondor (1050). Ciryaher then took the name of Hyarmendacil
‘South-victor’.
The might of Hyarmendacil no enemy dared to contest during
the remainder of his long reign. He was king for one hundred
and thirty-four years, the longest reign but one of all the Line of
Anárion. In his day Gondor reached the summit of its power.
The realm then extended north to the field of Celebrant and the
southern eaves of Mirkwood; west to the Greyflood; east to the
inland Sea of Rhûn; south to the River Harnen, and thence along
the coast to the peninsula and haven of Umbar. The Men of the
Vales of Anduin acknowledged its authority; and the kings of the
Harad did homage to Gondor, and their sons lived as hostages in
1 The great cape and land-locked firth of Umbar had been
Númenórean land since days of old; but it was a stronghold of the King’s
Men, who were afterwards called the Black Númenóreans, corrupted by
Sauron, and who hated above all the followers of Elendil. After the fall
of Sauron their race swiftly dwindled or became merged with the Men
of Middle-earth, but they inherited without lessening their hatred of
Gondor. Umbar, therefore, was only taken at great cost.