Elendil

Elendil (also known as Elendil the Tall (his height was recorded at a lofty 6'6" / 2.41m) or Elendil the Fair) (SA 3119 - SA 3441) was the father of Isildur and Anárion, and the first High King of Gondor and Arnor and first King of all the Dúnedain. He was known as a great warrior and a wise king, and a heroic figure among the Dúnedain.

Life in Númenor
Elendil was born in SA 3119 of the Second Age in Númenor, son of Amandil, Lord of Andúnië and leader of the "Faithful" (those who remained loyal to the Valar), who maintained a strong friendship with the elves and preserved the old ways against the practices of Ar-Pharazôn and Sauron. He was married to an unnamed Númenórean woman no doubt of the same upbringing and noble blood to which they had two sons: Isildur and Anárion. It is not known whether she followed him to Middle-earth after the Fall of Númenor.

Founder of Arnor and Gondor
Elendil, his sons Isildur and Anárion, and their supporters fled to Middle-earth at the Downfall of Númenor, sailing east in nine ships and founding the realms of Arnor and Gondor in Middle-earth in SA 3320. With them they took the palantíri, the "Seeing Stones" that were given to the Lords of Andúnie by the elves of Tol Eressëa, and a seedling of Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor.

As he landed on Middle-earth Elendil proclaimed in Quenya: ''Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta'' - "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world." His heir and 89-great-grandson Aragorn spoke these traditional words again when he took up the crown of Gondor at the beginning of the Fourth Age.

Elendil lived in Arnor, where he founded the city of Annúminas. His son Anárion founded the city of Minas Anor in Anórien, and his son Isildur founded Minas Ithil in Ithilien. Across the Anduin the city of Osgiliath was built. Across the realms towers are built for the Palantíri, with which the realms keep contact.

Last Alliance of Elves and Men
In time Sauron returned to Middle-earth, establishing a stronghold in Mordor, next to Gondor. In SA 3428 he attacked, seizing Minas Ithil. Isildur fled north to his father, leaving Anárion in charge of Gondor. In SA 3434, Elendil and Isildur returned south together with the Elven High King Gil-galad and their combined armies, in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.

After defeating Sauron's armies and advancing into Mordor itself, the armies of Men and Elves settled into a siege of the main tower of Sauron: Barad-dûr. During this siege Anárion was killed.

At the end of the long siege in the year SA 3441, Sauron came out to personally do battle with his enemies. Elendil, together with the Elven-king Gil-galad, overthrew Sauron, but they were both killed in the process, and Elendil's sword broke when he fell.

Elendil's son Isildur used his father's broken sword to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand. Vanquished, Sauron's spirit fled. Isildur built a hidden tomb for his father on the summit of the beacon hill of Halifirien.

Legacy
Leading the remnant of The Faithful Númenóreans to Middle-earth, Elendil established strong regimes there and created the great alliance that put an end to Sauron's power for over a thousand years. His bloodline and spirited leadership survived in the Dúnedain of the North and South of Middle-earth, that would in turn sire the brave and heroic men that would help bring a final end to Sauron in the War of the Ring.

Aragorn's battle-cry in the Lord of the Rings was "Elendil!".

The Oath of Isildur
Lyrics, in Quenya: Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien Sinome Maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-Metta

Translation: ''Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place I will abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.'"''

(Sung by Aragorn during his crowning as the new King of Gondor)

Etymology
Elendil's name meant either "Elf-friend" or "Star-lover" in Quenya.