Pelargir (Sindarin: "Garth of Royal Ships") was a major port-city of Gondor.
Pelargir, under attack by the Corsairs of Umbar
Pelargir was built in S.A. 2350 as a haven of the Faithful. The King's Men established havens farther South. It had in its early days been a city only a few miles away from the coasts, but after the Downfall of Númenor the coasts along the Bay of Belfalas had retreated a great distance and the city was left far inland. Pelargir was one of the cities that assembled Gondor when it was founded in S.A. 3320 by the Faithful.
It became an even greater haven in the days of the Ship-kings. Tarannon Falastur built a great house there, with its roots in the water which he so dearly loved. His wife, Berúthiel, did not, however, and preferred to live in Osgiliath with her cats. Tarannon's nephew Eärnil I, who succeeded him, rebuilt Pelargir and built a great navy to conquer Umbar.
Castamir was highly loved in the shore regions of the land, and when he usurped the throne, he purposed to move the throne from Osgiliath to Pelargir. Though he did not do so, he did move his base there. Eldacar turned the tide in the Kin-strife at the Battle of the Crossings of Erui in T.A. 1447, and Castamir's family, supporters and ships retreated to Pelargir. Eldacar besieged them by land until they were driven out, making their way to Umbar. Castamir's great-grandsons Angamaitë and Sangahyando eventually retook Pelargir in 1634, and slew king Minardil.
Like his namesake, the great general Eärnil took up residence in Pelargir. His Army of the South was stationed there during the long war with the Balchoth. News of the Disaster of the Morannon reached him on 9 July 1944, and he set out to battle. He returned victorious, and with the King and his sons slain, the general (of royal blood) was crowned King Eärnil II.<
During the War of the Ring, Pelargir was overrun by Corsairs once again. Their fleet of some fifty great ships and many more smaller vessels laid in dock, ready to sail to Harlond. It was not to be: On 12 March Aragorn and the Dead Men of Dunharrow struck fear into the men of Umbar, drove the enemy towards Pelargir and the next day they followed the enemy there, causing them to flee or dive into the river Anduin. After manning the Black Ships with his own troops, Aragorn lifted the curse that followed the Dead Men since the day of Isildur.