Eldacar was born as Vinitharya in the Kingdom of Rhovanion. In TA 1260, he was brought to Gondor by his father. His reign saw the already lingering unrest explode, for he was the son of princess Vidumavi, a daughter of the Northmen King Vidugavia, a lesser man. After ascending the throne in TA 1432, he reigned for five years when he was deposed and driven from Osgiliath into exile to Rhovanion by his far relative Castamir the Usurper, who reigned for ten bloody years in a civil war called the Kin-strife. While being in exile he slowly gathered support from the Northmen and the Dúnedain from the northern parts of Gondor. One reason for their hatred was that Castamir had executed Ornendil, Eldacar's firstborn son.