Ar-Gimilzôr's oldest son who eventually became King Tar-Palantir was faithful to the Valar and a friend of the elves, unlike his younger brother Gimilkhâd who was like his father. Since Ar-Gimilzôr didn't care about tradition anyway during his reign, why didn't he make his younger son crown heir? By last will for instance. Just curious.
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4I suppose the laws of succession aren't just "traditions" and are harder to do away with.– ibidCommented Aug 1, 2021 at 11:09
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@ibid Who/What would stand in the way of him doing so? Tar-Aldarion changed the law too so that his daugther Ancalimë could become Queen.– Aragorn ElessarCommented Aug 1, 2021 at 11:50
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7@AragornElessar The biggest difference was she was Tar-Aldarion's only child, which probably made it much more acceptable to the people and lords. That's rather different than denying a first born son the crown over his beliefs and may have been too much, even if the Faithful were a minority.– suchiuomizuCommented Aug 1, 2021 at 15:48
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2 Answers
As mentioned in the other answer and its comments, there is some uncertainty over just how limited the power of the Kings of Numenor was to change such things, if it needed approval from anyone to change such laws officially. But there may have been something else Ar-Gimilzôr wanted to avoid.
3175 Repentance of Tar-Palantir. Civil war in Numenor.
The Tale of Years, Second Age.
While the Faithful were a minority, they were not so small in numbers or power to deny Tar-Palantir the kingship. Perhaps Ar-Gimilzôr knew, or feared, such conflict in his reign if he tried to deny the Kingship to his first born son because of his beliefs.
answered Aug 1, 2021 at 16:25
He wanted to, but the law forbade it. There are two mentions of this: one in the Akallabeth (Silmarillion) and one in The Line of Elros (Unfinished Tales). No further information is given, but we can deduce that the kings of Numenor did not wield absolute power, and that their ability to make major constitutional changes was constrained by other factors. Exactly what these factors were is unknown, as far as I am aware.
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1There was a Council of Gondor I know, that restrained their kings. Not sure if it was a Numenorean tradition carried over. Though Tolkien Gateway suggests it might have been, on their page for the 'Council of Gondor' (their source is the Letters of Tolkien, one of the Tolkien books I don't have, so I can't check it. It might just be confirmation of Gondor's council). Commented Aug 1, 2021 at 12:56
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@suchiuomizu Yes there was a Council of Numenor, but where do you have it from that the councils would restrain their kings? They were just councils, no parliaments, they'd become more important for governance only if there's currently no monarch/heir. Commented Aug 1, 2021 at 13:41
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2@AragornElessar In Gondor's case the line that that letter is the source for, not sure how much of it is quoted directly from the letter, is "The Númenórean King of Gondor governed the realm with the frame of ancient law, of which he was administrator (and interpreter) but not the lawmaker. He consulted the Council in debatable matters of importance domestic, or external." Suggesting something like a change to royal succession laws would require approval if Numenor was the same. Unfortunately, again, I can't see the source letter to confirm. Commented Aug 1, 2021 at 15:47
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2@AragornElessar To me it doesn't sound like a modern constitutional monarch. "The frame of ancient law" wouldn't be anywhere near a comprehensive system of concrete laws. It would say things like "murder is illegal; theft is illegal; the king can levy taxes; the king can raise armies; the king can't forcibly conscript soldiers", etc. Under such a system a monarch could have far more day-to-day practical power than a modern constitutional monarch, while still not being able to invent new laws out of whole cloth.– BenCommented Aug 1, 2021 at 23:55
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1Quoting my copy of Letters, #244: ‘A Númenórean King [had the] decision in debate; but he governed the realm with the frame of ancient law, of which he was administrator (and interpreter) but not the maker. In all debatable matters of importance… even Denethor had a Council’. ‘Lawmaker’ for ‘maker’ is a trivial change; ‘Númenórean King of Gondor’ for ‘a Númenórean King’ is more dramatic, but I think the interpretation is correct. The meaning of the second part is quite different, though: even Denethor? Even the Steward had a Council, so certainly the King did? I’m not sure that follows. Commented Aug 2, 2021 at 12:55