The Last Ruling Steward is a fan page that aims to provide convenient reference to the many works of fiction, art, and other online media pertaining to Denethor II from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

       This site is not an archive, but rather a database of links: almost nothing is actually hosted here. Comprehensiveness is the general aim, so although I do have certain standards regarding quality, almost any story that makes a reasonable effort at coherence and proper characterization will be included here. Note that I don't know all of the authors and artists listed, nor have I asked permission to link to all of their works; I've simply acted on the assumption that any publicly posted art or fiction is there to be enjoyed by everyone.

       Denethor II, son of Ecthelion II, was the 26th and last Ruling Steward of Gondor. He was the father of Boromir and Faramir, and lord of the White City of Minas Tirith. In Tolkien's novels he is described as kingly, wise, proud, cold, and highly perceptive. His reign began in TA 2984 and ended in 3018, in the last days of the Third Age.

       During Denethor's lifetime, Sauron rebuilt his city in Mordor and began waging war on Gondor. Aragorn, a descendant of the ancient kings of Gondor, served Denethor's father in disguise under the name of Thorongil for many years. Denethor and Thorongil were rivals both for the affection of Denethor's father and, as Denethor discovered at length, for the future rule of Gondor. Aragorn left Minas Tirith a short time before Denethor became Steward.

       When he was nearing fifty years of age, Denethor married Finduilas, the daughter of Adrahil of Dol Amroth. She bore him two sons, but died young, leaving Denethor even more cold and bitter than before. Of the two boys, Denethor always preferred Boromir, and showed little love for Faramir, who was gentler, wiser, and less interested in war and glory than his brother, and who, interestingly enough, more closely resembled Denethor in both appearance and character.

       In The Return of the King, Denethor learns of the death of Boromir when his war horn washes up on the riverbank, broken in two. Not long thereafter, the armies of Mordor lay siege to Minas Tirith, and Faramir is mortally wounded. Using a palantir, Denethor sees a vision of a fleet of enemy ships sailing toward Gondor; and not knowing that Aragorn has already defeated the fleet, he despairs, and burns himself to death, attempting to burn Faramir as well. Faramir is saved, however, and Aragorn heals him. He becomes the next Steward of Gondor, under the rule of the returned King.