The founder of Arendelle was Lord Aren (as named in the midquel novel "Forest of Shadows"). The companion novel "Frozen II: Dangerous Secrets" also lists King Eric and Queen Else as ancestors of King Runeard, who was married to Queen Rita. Succeeding them was their son King Agnarr, who married Iduna, who was a member of the northern tribe Northuldra, but kept this a secret for many years before she revealed it to Agnarr. On the winter solstice,[2] Iduna gave birth to Elsa, who was gifted with the ability to manipulate ice and snow, as a reward to Iduna for her heroism with saving Agnarr when war broke out between the Arendellians and Northuldra due to Runeard's own actions, but neither Iduna or Agnarr initially realized this. Three years later, on the summer solstice,[2] Iduna had her second child, Anna, who lacked any magical abilities.
Due to the unstable nature of Elsa's powers, the castle was closed off for thirteen years, per Agnarr's orders; this was done for Elsa's safety, as well as the safety of Arendelle's populace.
During Elsa and Anna's teenage years, Agnarr and Iduna perished in a storm at sea. Unknown to anyone at the time, it was during an attempt by the Arendellian sovereigns to find the source of Elsa's magic, believing it to be located in the legendary glacier Ahtohallan. Before their ship went down, Iduna stored the information regarding their trip in the waterproof compartment so if the ship ever washed ashore, someone would be able to find it, possibly their daughters, and finish what they started.
Three years after their deaths, on the day of Elsa's coronation, her magical abilities were unintentionally exposed to the public by Anna. Upon running away, Elsa accidentally sets off an eternal winter that consumes the kingdom. While Anna searched for Elsa to end the curse, Hans—a visiting prince from the Southern Isles to whom Anna had been engaged—took on the task of governing the kingdom in her absence.
Unbeknownst to either Anna or Elsa, Hans had hidden agendas to eventually usurp the throne to rule as king. After Elsa's incarceration as punishment for her curse, and Anna's supposed death as a result of a curse accidentally inflicted by Elsa, Hans became the illegitimate king of Arendelle, fooling the citizens into believing he and Anna married prior to her death, leaving the kingdom in his hands.
Towards the end of the film, thanks to Anna's efforts and love for her sister, Elsa found the capacity to undo the eternal winter and peace was restored to the kingdom; Hans was sent back to his homeland to face punishment for his actions of treason against the princess and queen, trade was cut with the neighboring kingdom of Weselton as their duke led an assassination plot against Elsa during the eternal winter, and Elsa regained her position as reigning monarch.
Three years later,[3] the kingdom of Arendelle was at peace, filled with happy citizens who reaped the benefits of a kingdom of plenty, even with new people arrived from outside seeing Arendelle as a favourite destination for immigration, and Elsa was a highly respected and loved ruler. One fall night, however, the kingdom was jeopardized by the elemental spirits of the Enchanted Forest, who sapped the kingdom's natural elements, forcing everyone to evacuate. Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven led a dangerous journey into the forest to find the source of the threat to Arendelle, while the citizens were watched over by the trolls and Grand Pabbie.
The journey was ultimately successful, as they learned that the spirits were angered over a 34-year-old conflict between Arendelle and the Northuldra that had been instigated by Runeard when he built a dam in the forest and started a war with the tribe, causing the forest to be covered by an impenetrable mist. Anna led the Earth Giants to destroy the dam, which lifted the mist, but also sent a large wave which threatened to destroy Arendelle. Elsa used her ice magic to freeze and dissipate the wave, saving Arendelle. With the curse broken, the elemental spirits' anger was sated and Arendelle was returned to its former glory.
Having found her place in the Enchanted Forest, Elsa stood down as queen, appointing her sister as monarch. Following Anna's coronation as the new queen of Arendelle and Elsa’s newfound purpose as the Fifth Spirit, the peace between the Arendellians and the Northuldra that had been destroyed by Runeard's actions was restored and the two cultures lived together in harmony, aided by the fact that Anna and Elsa each lived with one of the groups to help maintain peace and harmony, united in love.
Time period[]
The time period for Frozen is set in July 1843.[4] In the upper left-hand corner of the geographical map shown in Frozen II, it is suggested by a set of Roman numerals that the year in which Agnarr and Iduna’s ship sank was 1840. (MDCCCXL is the exact numeral order.) Oaken's statement, "A real howler in July, yes?", confirms the story is set in July. Given that Frozen takes place three years after the shipwreck, the events of Frozen take place in July 1843.[5]Frozen Fever takes place almost a year later on Anna’s nineteenth birthday in 1844. It is implied that Olaf's Frozen Adventure would take place in December 1843 or the first year that the castle's gates were open again. And the time period for Frozen II would be in November 1846. We learn from Lieutenant Mattias and Yelana that the mist that shrouded the Enchanted Forest lasted for 34 years, 5 months, and 23 days, meaning it began in June 1812.
Official crest[]
The official crest of Arendelle is the crocus, appearing on various items within the kingdom such as banners, capes, flags, uniforms, wallpaper, clothing and jewelry. The colors green and purple, and to a lesser extent yellow, are associated and prominent with the kingdom of Arendelle. Crest designs usually encompass the golden yellow stylized crocus, emblazoned on a background that is purple on the left half and green on the right half. On Elsa's profile banner, the left half of the background is a darker purple, and the right half a darker yellow.
Arendelle Chapel: The chapel in which Elsa's coronation ceremony took place.
Village: The village outside the castle gates. It consists of homes, shops, a marketplace, the docks, and the city's clock tower.
Blodget's Bakery
Mountains: The vast wilderness landscape surrounding the kingdom. It is here that Arendelle's primary export—ice—is harvested. Traversing through this area can be rather dangerous, as savage wolves lurk throughout.
The North Mountain: A looming, ominous mountain that towers over the rest of the land. The Snow Queen claimed it as her home with the creation of her ice palace.
The name 'Arendelle' is based on the Norwegian town of Arendal, located in the county of Agder, to the southwest of the Norwegian capital, Oslo. However, the scenery of Arendelle is based primarily on Nærøyfjord in western Norway, as well as various buildings in Oslo, Bergen, and other Norwegian cities.
Arendelle's name is also similar to that of Arundel, an English market town and civil parish in a steep vale of the South Downs, West Sussex. The name was spelled 'Arundell' until 1733, when the final l was dropped. Arundel is home to Arundel Castle, seat of the Duke of Norfolk; and to Arundel Cathedral, seat of the (Catholic) Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.
In Norwegian, 'Aren' is possibly derived from 'ørn', which means "eagle", and 'delle' is derived from 'dal', which means "valley". Thus, the literal translation of Arendelle is "eagle valley".
The crocus is a symbol of rebirth and spring. In cold regions, the flower blooms while snow is still on the ground.
The eternal winter Elsa caused may be a representation of how, in the northern reaches of Norway, winter will last anywhere from 8 to 10 months.
Reading further into the meaning of this kingdom's name, it's interesting to note that Walt Disney's own great-grandfather was named Arundel Disney.
In the film Big Hero 6, a ship from Arendelle can be spotted sitting in the docks.
As shown in Olaf's Frozen Adventure, several holidays belonging to a diverse selection of cultures and religions are celebrated in Arendelle.
The demonym of Arendelle is 'Arendellian'.
Arendelle is shown in the first episode of the fourth season of Once Upon a Time in "A Tale of Two Sisters". The kingdom is also mentioned a few times and is briefly conquered by Hans until Elsa returns with Anna and Kristoff, who takes back her throne from him. David (The Prince) also says the kingdom is frozen, referencing the film.
Elsa abdicates the throne at the end of Frozen II, leaving Anna to become the new queen of Arendelle.
Following his marriage to Anna, Kristoff will become prince consort.
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_-_Early_Concept_(Visual_Development)_Art_of_Arendelle_by_Paul_Felix.jpg "Disney's Frozen (The Snow Queen) - Early Concept (Visual Development) Art of Arendelle by Paul Felix.jpg (585 KB)")
Arendelle on Walt Disney Animation Studios Wiki
Arendelle on Frozen Wiki
Arendelle on Once Upon a Time Wiki
Arendelle on Kingdom Hearts Wiki
