Gandalf: "The old wisdom bourne out of the west was forsaken. Kings made made tombs more splendid than the houses of the living, and counted the old names of their descent dearer than the names of their sons. Childless lords sat in aged halls musing on herladry, or in high cold towers asking questions of the stars.
And so the people of gondor fell into run. The line of kings failed. The white tree whithered. The rule of Gondor was given over to lesser men."

Они больше считались с именами предков, чем с именами сыновей.