Full Name: Denethor II
Name Meaning: ---eagle (Sindarin Elvish)
Aliases: Steward of Gondor
Birth Date: TA 2935
Date of Death: 15th March, TA 3019
Race: Human
Parents: Father, Ecthelion II (father). Mother, unknown
Siblings: Unknown
Spouse: Finduilas of Dol Amroth
Children: Two sons, Boromir and Faramir
History:
Denethor was the son of the Steward of Gondor. The Stewards were instated when the last king of Gondor disappeared, leaving no heir. When Denethor was a young man, there was a captain in his father's army that men called Thorongil, meaning "Eagle of the Star." The captain had earned the nickname because of his eyes which were keen as an eagle's, and a silver star he wore upon his cloak. Ecthelion, Denethor's father, favored this captain greatly, and although Thorongil himself did not vie with Denethor for Ecthelion's favor, Denethor nonetheless became jealous. He guessed rightly that this captain was, in truth, the heir to the throne of Gondor: Aragorn. If Aragorn sought to reclaim his throne, Denethor would lose the power that was given to him as the steward. Thorongil (Aragorn) was a friend of Gandalf the Grey, and counselled Ecthelion to welcome the wizard, but Denethor suspected that Gandalf was in league with Thorongil and planned to supplant him. These beliefs led to a less than warm welcome for Gandalf after Denethor became steward.
Denethor married Finduilas of Dol Amroth in TA 2976. He loved her deeply, and she bore him two sons, Boromir and Faramir. Finduilas died five years after Faramir was born, partly because of the darkening Shadow of Mordor which filled her with horror. Denethor became grim and silent after her death. He favored his elder son, Boromir, who was like Denethor in spirit and personality, but not in looks. Faramir looked like his father, but became enamored of Gandalf, which caused Denethor to hate the wizard even more.
Denethor was devastated when he heard the news that Boromir, whom he had sent to seek for Imladris, had been killed. Denethor looked into the palantir of Minas Tirith, believing that he had strength to match wills with Sauron, and thus became ensnared by the Dark Lord. Sauron showed Denethor visions only of the might of the armies of Mordor, and Denethor became convinced that the war was hopeless.
After Faramir was seriously wounded in battle, Denethor ordered his servants to carry Faramir to the Tombs, where all his ancestors were buried. There Denethor wished to burn to death both himself and his son, rather than face the seemingly inevitable defeat in battle. Faramir was saved by the loyalty of his soldier, Beregond, but Denethor leapt onto the pyre and was consumed in the flames.
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