Castamir

Castamir the Usurper usurped the throne of Gondor from Eldacar of Gondor, ruling from TA 1437 to TA 1447 of the Third Age, until he was killed at the Battle of the Crossings of Erui by Eldacar himself.

Lore

He was a noble man in Gondor, descended of the royal line. His lineage and influence left him in a position to challenge the new king, Eldacar, who was only half Dúnadan. As King Valacar's only son, Eldacar was the legitimate heir to the throne, but his half Northmen lineage angered those who believed in a pure Dúnedain royalty. Capitalizing on these feelings, Castamir was able to incite rebellion and besiege Eldacar within the capital Osgiliath. The city was destroyed, including the Dome of Stars. Shortly thereafter, Eldacar fled the city and went into exile in Rhovanion. With the defeat of the king, Castamir seized the throne and ruled Gondor with an iron fist for over 10 years.

Castamir's influence did not disappear after his death. His forces, including his sons, retreated from the battle to the port of Pelargir and escaped by ship to Umbar not long after. These descendants of Castamir became the Corsairs of Umbar and they were perhaps the greatest threat to Gondor for nearly 400 years.

Heirs of Umbar

The Heirs of Castamir are four brothers who lead the attack of the Corsairs of Umbar on Gondor. The eldest of the brothers is called Balakhôr the Scourge. He commands the entire attack. The other three are Azgarzôr, Azruthor and Dolgimil.