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Denethor (2930 - 3019) is known to have secretly used a palantír to probe Sauron's strength. The effort aged him quickly, and the knowledge of Sauron's overwhelming force depressed him greatly. Sauron used the palantír to drive him mad with despair. He retained, however, an air of nobility and power.

In 2976 he married Finduilas of Dol Amroth (2950 - 2988), daughter of Prince Adrahil of Dol Amroth. She gave birth to two sons: Boromir (2978 - 26 February 3019) and Faramir (b. 2983).

The death of Boromir, his firstborn and favorite, together with the siege and apparent doom of his capital city, drove him over the edge into insanity. He ordered his men to burn him alive on a pyre. He also attempted to take the grievously injured and apparently dying Faramir with him, but was thwarted in that by the timely intervention of Peregrin Took with the aid of Beregond, a guard of the City, and ultimately Gandalf the White.

Denethor committed suicide on 15 March 3019, having thrown a torch onto the pyre prepared for him and Faramir. He took the white rod of his office and broke it on his knee, casting it into the flames, symbolizing the end of his stewardship and the end of the rule of the Stewards. He laid himself down on the table and so perished, clasping the palantír in his hands. The Stewardship passed to Faramir.

In Peter JacksonPeter Jackson CNZM (born October 31, 1961), is a film writer, director and producer born in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand to Bill and Joan Jackson. He first gained attention with his "splatstick" horror comedies, and came to prominence with his movie Heavenly's movie trilogy, Denethor was played by John NobleJohn Noble (born August 20, 1948) is an Australian film, television actor and theatre director of more than 80 plays. He was born in Port Pirie, South Australia, Australia. He makes occasional appearances on the television series All Saints (Australian te. In the movie, Denethor appears completely irrational; he sends his remaining son on a suicidal mission to enemy-captured OsgiliathIn the fiction of J. Tolkien, Osgiliath is a city of Middle-earth, the old capital city of Gondor. Founded by Elendil and his sons at the end of the Second Age, Osgiliath straddled the Great River Anduin at a point approximately half way between the citie and refuses to light the warning beacons of GondorTolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, the warning beacons of Gondor were an alarm system for the realm of Gondor. The beacons were great fire places permanently manned by men of Gondor, and were placed on top of seven peaks in the range of the Whi to call for the aid of RohanRohan originally Rochand is a fictional location from J. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth. Rohan is a kingdom of herdsmen and some farmers on the northern borders of Gondor in Middle-earth. Well-known for their horses and cavalry, they are Gondor's most. In the book, the danger of his madness is that it seems to follow a certain logic; Sauron does have vastly superior forces, all of which he has surely shown to the Steward in the palantír. His actions, however, do not immediately proclaim his insanity; the OsgiliathIn the fiction of J. Tolkien, Osgiliath is a city of Middle-earth, the old capital city of Gondor. Founded by Elendil and his sons at the end of the Second Age, Osgiliath straddled the Great River Anduin at a point approximately half way between the citie mission is less obviously suicidal, as the city has not yet been overrun, and the warning beacons have indeed been lit, although Denethor expects little help.

For Denethor, leader of the Nandor see: Denethor (First Age).