The Realms-In-Exile were founded by the Faithful Numenoreans who survived the fall of Numenor in 3320

Second Age (SA). After the War of the Last Alliance (3434-41 SA) the relative standing of each throne
changed, with Gondor growing to become a mighty power, whereas Arnor split into three seperate
kingdoms, Cardolan, Rhudaur and Arthedain and declined in strength until it was destroyed in war with
Angmar.

In the Second Age Gondor was ruled cojointly by Elendil's sons Isildur and Anarion. Elendil ruled in the
northern realm of Arnor and was High-King of Gondor and Arnor. The institution of the high-kingship is no
where defined. It does not appear to have provided any authority in the affairs of the other kingdom(s).
However, it conferred on a ruler a superior stature in dealings between the kingdoms, notably in wars
involving the associated kingdoms. Hence, the leaders of the Last Alliance were Gil-Galad and Elendil, the
High-Kings of their respective folk.

The ruling Dunedain of Arnor and Gondor were bound not only by the High-Kingship, but by kinship and a
common foe, Sauron. Therefore, when Sauron attacked Gondor, Elendil formed the Last Alliance with Gil-
Galad (3430 SA) and marched south with the Men of Arnor.

The war witnessed the overthrow of Sauron's power and large loss of life, including the death of Elendil
and Anarion, and soon after, the death of Isildur at the Gladden Fields (2 TA). Menedil, born 3318 SA the
fouth child of Anarion, became King of Gondor; Valandil, Isildur's surviving son, born c. 3431 SA,
assumed the kingship of Arnor in 10 TA when he was around nineteen. The seniority of Menedil over
Valandil and the gap of 8 years before Valandil assumed the throne probably contributed to a change in
political relations. Though it is unstated, I think Isildur's death resulted, de facto, in the ending of the High-
Kingship. The reasons may be found in comments by Tolkien on Isildur and Menedil:

"After the fall of Sauron, Isildur, the son and heir of Elendil, returned to Gondor. There he assumed the
Elendilmir as King of Arnor, and proclaimed his sovreign lordship over all the Dunedain in the North and
in the South; for he was a man of great pride and vigour."

(Unf. Part 3, I, p.271)

"Isildur had established Menedil as King of Gondor...He was in factwell-pleased by the departure of Isildur
and his sons, and hoped affairs in the North would keep them long occupied."

(Unf. Part 3, I, p.279)

From these lines it seems that the High-kingship required an individual of strength to wield it and that the
rulers of Gondor did not desire the involvement of the ruler of Arnor in their affairs. I would argue that
after Isildur, Arnor's kings either lacked the power or the personal will to assert the High-Kingship in the
face of Gondor's desire to have sovereign power exercised solely by the heir's of Anarion (see also the reply
by the Council of Gondor to Arvedui's claim in LOTR App. A (iv) p.1086). Although the next ten rulers of
Arnor after Isildur were called High-Kings, it is unknown if they exercised any superior authority in their
relations with their southern kin.

After the overthrow of Sauron, the Two Kingdoms had no apparent common foe. Combined with the
ending of the High-Kingship, this meant that neither kingdom provided military aid to the other in their
wars until too late. Arnor battled Angmar from the 1300s; Gondor fought or conquered threats from Rhun
and Harad. Both Arnor and Gondor had closer ties with neighbouring folk who were allies in their deadliest
conflicts: Arnor with Rivendell and Lindon; Gondor with the Northmen of Rhovanion.

Close ties did exist between the Two Kingdoms, nonetheless.Tolkien, referring to the movement of Hobbits
into Eriador having been communicated to Gondor, stated that

"The kingdoms of the North and the South remained in close communication at that time [the Elventh
Century Third Age], and indeed until much later, and each was well informed of all events in the other
region..."

(Unf. part 3, section I, p.287).

Trade was conducted between Gondor and the North, based on the port of Tharbad (Unf. Part 2 section II,
p.264). There were doubtless other undocumented contacts such as attendance at royal coronations in both
regions, and merchant and scholars from both realms trading/studying in the other's cities. Such links were
made possible by the North-South Road, sea-travel and, for royal purposes, the Palintiri.

There were may have been occasional tensions between the kingdoms: for instance, if Gondor showed
favouritism towards one of Earendur's three sons in the succession dispute of 861 TA, or if Arnor gave
recogniton during Gondor's civil-war (1432-48 TA) to the rebel usurper Castimir only to find the lawful
king restored a decade later. And there was definitely tensions caused over the succession dispute in 1944
TA. However there was never any armed conflict between Arnor and Gondor.

Relations between the kingdoms changed however as a result of the Great Plague. Up till now they had
shared a common border at the River Gwathlo (see LOTR App. A (iv) p.1082 for the expansion of Gondor's
borders). Afterwards Arnor's borders withdrew from the Gwathlo to the Baranduin and East-West Road and
the two kingdoms were seperated by a large stretch of depopulated lands (Cardolan, Enedwaith and
Calenardhon). There is a description of the impact of the disaster on one area of close co-operation, the
port-town of Tharbad:

"...until the coming of the Great Plague in Third Age 1636, both kingdoms shared an interest in this region
[Enedwaith], and together built and maintained the Bridge of Tharbad...A considerable garrison of soldiers,
mariners and engineers had been kept there until the seventeenth century of the Third age. But from then
onwards the region fell quickly into decay;"

(Unf. Part 2, II, p.264).

This is most likely indicative of a general decline in trade and contacts between the two realms. Further
factors in declining relations were the focus of royal attention in Gondor on the threat from the Wainrider's
from the mid-eighteenth century TA and the reduced importance to Gondor's rulers and people of the
surviving region of Arnor:

"..to most men in Gondor, the realm in Arthedain seemed a small thing, for all the lineage of its lords."

(LOTR App.A (iv) p.1087)

The two royal thrones are described as becoming estranged until around 1940 TA when they again started
to take counsel together.

"It was in the reign of Araphant in the North [1891-1969] and of Ondoher..in the South [1936-1944] that
the two kingdoms again took counsel together after long silence and estrangement."

(LOTR App.A (iv) p.1086)

Subsequent events are described in detail in Appendix A (iv) to the Lord of the Rings: the perception by the
Araphant and Ondoher that they had a common enemy who was directing apparently separate assaults
against the survivors of Numenor, the marriage of Arvedui, heir to the Northern throne, to the daughter of
the King of Gondor, and the agreement for the kingdoms to aid each other as soon as was possible. This
new co-operation, though borne out of the danger facing each kingdom, was a good omen. Events take an
unexpected twist in 1944 with the death of the Ondoher and his three sons: Arvedui claims the throne of
Gondor, but his right is rejected by the Council of Gondor (because of pride, and fear perhaps of another
Kin-Strife). Arvedui as King of Gondor and heir to the throne of Arthedain, would have restored the High-
Kingship and this may have prevented later evils (see the words of Malbeth the Seer, LOTR App. A (iv) p.
1087).

War prevented either kingdom from aiding the other until in 1973 Arthedain sent urgent pleas for aid; the
King of Gondor prepared a force and dispatched it under his son. Angmar meanwhile conquered Arthedain.
But the Gondorian army with the aid of Lindon and the surviving people of Arnor destroyed Angmar.
Though it failed to save its allie and sister kingdom, Gondor's action did prevent a victorious Angmar from
ravaging Eriador and eventually posing a threat to Gondor's western border.

My work contains an amount of speculation mapped onto the known facts, but the overall pattern of
relations is clear: Relations were closest under the High-King Elendil, and were still strong in the Third
Age, until the Great Plague of 1636, after which contacts declined for three centuries. Contacts were
renewed by the royal marriage of 1940 TA but then terminated by the fall of Arthedain. There the matter
ends until the Fourth Age and the return of the King. The Northern Realm is gradually restored and Elessar
rules both Gondor and Arnor as High-King of the Reunited Kingdom, suggesting a single throne for both
realms and a return to the close ties that existed under Elendil.

(Warren Lawless 1996)