A Stewards duties - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Daisy Brambleburr · 12-14-2003, 12:14 PM

Recently I've been writing a fanfiction that has Boromir and Faramir as main characters. And it got me thinking, what exactly are the duties of the sons of the Steward (as well as the Steward himself)? Could anyone give me some examples of jobs they would have to do? I'd like to include them in my fanfiction, but this topic intrests me genrally also.

Finwe · 12-14-2003, 12:27 PM

The eldest son of the Steward, the Heir, was the Captain of the White Tower and most likely the second-in-command of the city of Minas Tirith. In most cases, the Steward himself would be too old to actively lead an army or the defenses of the city, ergo, the Heir of the Steward would do that. Thus, Boromir (and Faramir) won back Osgiliath and fought repeatedly against Sauron. If the Heir of the Steward had any brothers, they would probably help him in defending the city and other military duties, which is what Faramir did. A younger brother of the military leader would probably be the second-in-command to that leader, and would have led his own contingent of "soldiers." In the Books, Faramir is the leader of the Rangers of Ithilien, a fine post for one of his blood and calibre. After Boromir's death, Faramir took over his duties as the Captain of the White Tower.

Tar-Alcarin · 12-14-2003, 01:09 PM

the stewrad in the case of Gondor was to unite the commoners until the rightful king came back. Or in the case of denethor, hold o the attack on Minas Tirith, hate faramir, and burn himself after going crazy.

Phervasaion · 12-14-2003, 01:53 PM

I thought the Steward was second in command to the city (after the King). Also, i thought he was like an advisor for the king and gave him some ideas on what to do to help the people.

Finwe · 12-14-2003, 02:01 PM

Technically, he was. That is if a King is actually present. But in Gondor, the line of the Kings failed, and the Steward became the ruler. Thus began the line of the Ruling Stewards, who, incidentally, we are talking about.

Meela · 12-14-2003, 05:01 PM

Mmmm... Steward...

*comes out of her trance*

I haven't got much to add, or anything in fact... it's all pretty much been clarified.
I just wanted to say "good topic!" I'm also partway into a fanfiction which chronicles the life of Denethor and his sons, and it would actually be very handy for me to also have this information.

Daisy Brambleburr · 12-15-2003, 01:59 PM

What about everyday life? Delve deep, I don't know much about monarchy and duties, what sort of thing would Denethor do all day (apart from Palantir-gazing and playing with matches).

Lily Bracegirdle · 12-15-2003, 09:25 PM

Being a Ruling Steward would be basically like being a king. The role of the king ideally is to run the country: increasing prosperity, making sure everyone has enough to eat, making sure taxes are paid and treaties are made, keeping the borders intact, etc. It would be a full time job. No weekends for Stewards!

It may sound boring, but one of the things I think he would have done would be to go to a lot of meetings with his council and advisors, because he obviously can't do all those things by himself. Meetings about what, you ask?
1) Money. Governments need money in order to pay soldiers, build public works, etc. The Steward would have to decide how high to set taxes, taking into account expected expenditures (6000 new swords? Livery? Rebuilding the bridge in Osgiliath? More horses? More food for soldiers?) but also what the people could pay. (You can't expect 7000 bushels of wheat in taxes if there's been a drought, for example.) Linked with money is trade. Having a trade deficit means your country's money is going into some other country's coffers. If Gondor bought oranges from Harad and didn't export anything, pretty soon they'd be broke with a lot of orange peels sitting around. That's bad.

2) Security. The Steward needs to know about internal and external threats to his country. He'd have meetings with spies and scouts (assuming he wasn't doing it all by palantir) as well as with military advisors. What is Sauron doing? What's going on in Harad, or Rohan, or even Dol Amroth? Which of these things affect safety at home? Will the famine in Fornost lead to rioting? Denethor, being a bit of a paranoid guy, might also spy on his sons or other nobles to be sure they weren't going to try to depose him.

3) Diplomacy. The Steward would need to meet diplomats and make treaties and trade agreements. Most countries are not self-sufficient: they may grow food, but have no natural resources like iron, for example. In order to get what they need, even if it's pepper or silk, they gotta trade.

4) Justice. The Steward would need to write new laws and see they were carried out. Lawbreakers of sufficient rank would need to be judged by the Steward himself. The Steward would also mediate disputes between nobles.

When not in meetings, the Steward would probably do a lot of paperwork with his secretary, drafting letters telling people what to do, writing laws, ordering supplies for the city, etc.

Public appearances are also useful. Inspecting the troops to raise morale, visiting his allies to let them know he still cares about them, going to look at the new aqueduct to be sure the contractor isn't ripping him off, holding formal banquets, etc.

This is a short list of things I think a steward would be doing any given day of the week. In his off time he might hunt or pursue his other interests, but he'd be working most of the time. Also, while a Steward's son would be a military commander, the Steward himself would probably not be fighting on the front lines: he's too valuable to lose.

Cheers!
-Lily

12-14-2003, 12:14 PM	#1
Daisy Brambleburr Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 334	A Stewards duties Recently I've been writing a fanfiction that has Boromir and Faramir as main characters. And it got me thinking, what exactly are the duties of the sons of the Steward (as well as the Steward himself)? Could anyone give me some examples of jobs they would have to do? I'd like to include them in my fanfiction, but this topic intrests me genrally also. __________________ 'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve? Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.'

12-14-2003, 12:27 PM	#2
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	The eldest son of the Steward, the Heir, was the Captain of the White Tower and most likely the second-in-command of the city of Minas Tirith. In most cases, the Steward himself would be too old to actively lead an army or the defenses of the city, ergo, the Heir of the Steward would do that. Thus, Boromir (and Faramir) won back Osgiliath and fought repeatedly against Sauron. If the Heir of the Steward had any brothers, they would probably help him in defending the city and other military duties, which is what Faramir did. A younger brother of the military leader would probably be the second-in-command to that leader, and would have led his own contingent of "soldiers." In the Books, Faramir is the leader of the Rangers of Ithilien, a fine post for one of his blood and calibre. After Boromir's death, Faramir took over his duties as the Captain of the White Tower. __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.

12-14-2003, 01:09 PM	#3
Tar-Alcarin Wight Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Numenore Posts: 108	the stewrad in the case of Gondor was to unite the commoners until the rightful king came back. Or in the case of denethor, hold o the attack on Minas Tirith, hate faramir, and burn himself after going crazy. __________________ Miniature Rohirrim armor: $500. Amount of fuel it took pippin to light the beacons: $20. Seeing your two favourite hobbits get wasted and drunk: priceless

12-14-2003, 01:53 PM	#4
Phervasaion Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The wilderness of Middle-Earth Posts: 306	I thought the Steward was second in command to the city (after the King). Also, i thought he was like an advisor for the king and gave him some ideas on what to do to help the people. __________________ Phervasaion

12-14-2003, 02:01 PM	#5
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	Technically, he was. That is if a King is actually present. But in Gondor, the line of the Kings failed, and the Steward became the ruler. Thus began the line of the Ruling Stewards, who, incidentally, we are talking about. __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.

12-14-2003, 05:01 PM	#6
Meela Denethor's True Love Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mirkwood. With Thranduil... swoon Posts: 2,049	Mmmm... Steward... comes out of her trance I haven't got much to add, or anything in fact... it's all pretty much been clarified. I just wanted to say "good topic!" I'm also partway into a fanfiction which chronicles the life of Denethor and his sons, and it would actually be very handy for me to also have this information. __________________ 'The Hobbit' 1st impressions: 1. Thorin is hot... Oh god, I fancy a dwarf. 2. Thranduil is hotter. 3. Is that... Figwit! 4. Does Elijah Wood never age? 2nd: It's all about Fili & Kili, really. 3rd: BARD! OMG, Bard.

12-15-2003, 01:59 PM	#7
Daisy Brambleburr Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 334	What about everyday life? Delve deep, I don't know much about monarchy and duties, what sort of thing would Denethor do all day (apart from Palantir-gazing and playing with matches). __________________ 'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve? Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.'

12-15-2003, 09:25 PM	#8
Lily Bracegirdle Wight Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bree Posts: 210	Being a Ruling Steward would be basically like being a king. The role of the king ideally is to run the country: increasing prosperity, making sure everyone has enough to eat, making sure taxes are paid and treaties are made, keeping the borders intact, etc. It would be a full time job. No weekends for Stewards! It may sound boring, but one of the things I think he would have done would be to go to a lot of meetings with his council and advisors, because he obviously can't do all those things by himself. Meetings about what, you ask? 1) Money. Governments need money in order to pay soldiers, build public works, etc. The Steward would have to decide how high to set taxes, taking into account expected expenditures (6000 new swords? Livery? Rebuilding the bridge in Osgiliath? More horses? More food for soldiers?) but also what the people could pay. (You can't expect 7000 bushels of wheat in taxes if there's been a drought, for example.) Linked with money is trade. Having a trade deficit means your country's money is going into some other country's coffers. If Gondor bought oranges from Harad and didn't export anything, pretty soon they'd be broke with a lot of orange peels sitting around. That's bad. 2) Security. The Steward needs to know about internal and external threats to his country. He'd have meetings with spies and scouts (assuming he wasn't doing it all by palantir) as well as with military advisors. What is Sauron doing? What's going on in Harad, or Rohan, or even Dol Amroth? Which of these things affect safety at home? Will the famine in Fornost lead to rioting? Denethor, being a bit of a paranoid guy, might also spy on his sons or other nobles to be sure they weren't going to try to depose him. 3) Diplomacy. The Steward would need to meet diplomats and make treaties and trade agreements. Most countries are not self-sufficient: they may grow food, but have no natural resources like iron, for example. In order to get what they need, even if it's pepper or silk, they gotta trade. 4) Justice. The Steward would need to write new laws and see they were carried out. Lawbreakers of sufficient rank would need to be judged by the Steward himself. The Steward would also mediate disputes between nobles. When not in meetings, the Steward would probably do a lot of paperwork with his secretary, drafting letters telling people what to do, writing laws, ordering supplies for the city, etc. Public appearances are also useful. Inspecting the troops to raise morale, visiting his allies to let them know he still cares about them, going to look at the new aqueduct to be sure the contractor isn't ripping him off, holding formal banquets, etc. This is a short list of things I think a steward would be doing any given day of the week. In his off time he might hunt or pursue his other interests, but he'd be working most of the time. Also, while a Steward's son would be a military commander, the Steward himself would probably not be fighting on the front lines: he's too valuable to lose. Cheers! -Lily __________________ "But nay: the praise of the praiseworthy is above all rewards." - Faramir

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