Last Ruling Steward of Gondor, Denethor held a long dislike for Gandalf, and it may have hindered him. Upon Denethor's hearing of Boromir's death, he fell into a deep depression, and his last days were blackened. Even though the swearing in of Pippin as a Swordthain of Gondor cheered him some, it was not enough to save him. Denethor ordered his own execution, after hearing of Faramir's illness after his encounter with a Nazgul. Denethor had intended to burn both himself and Faramir in the pyre, but Faramir was saved by Pippin, Gandalf, and Beregond. It is supposed that the vision that Denethor saw in the Palantir also contributed to his eventual suicide.