The Iron Hills
The Iron Hills were a range of mountains in Middle-earth and a realm of the Dwarves of Durin's Folk.
Description
Location
The Iron Hills are located in the northern and eastern parts of Middle-earth. The mountain range is in between Rhovanion and Rhûn. The hills are east of the Lonely Mountain.
The Land
The Iron Hills were rich in many minerals and got their name from the iron that was commonly found in the area. The Iron Hills used to be part of very large mountains called the Iron Mountains. The Iron Hills held the River Redwater which joins to the River Running.
Dwarves of the Iron Hills
The exiled Dwarves in Iron Hills were the clan of Longbeards or Durin's Folk and so were the noblest Dwarves. They had friendly relations with the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountains because Grór and Thrór's kinship was of similar in like and mind.[1]
History
The Iron Hills were probably used as iron-ore mines by the Dwarves of Durin's Folk for many years, and the Old forest road was probably used as a trade route and as a means for the Dwarves of the east and west to communicate with one another. The realm of the Iron Hills was formerly founded by Grór son of Dáin I in TA 2590 after the Dwarves were driven out of the Grey Mountains, because of the continuing attacks by the Cold-drakes for the vast wealth of the mountains which became the death of the King Dain I.
The Location of the Iron Hills in Middle-earth
In TA 2941, the Dwarflord Dáin II Ironfoot of the Iron Hills led an army of five hundred warriors to the defense of Thorin Oakenshield which then joined in the Battle of the Five Armies and fought valiantly there. After Thorin's death after the battle, the vacant throne of the Lonely Mountain passed to Dain who then became its King and the Iron Hills passed out of records afterwards but they may not have been deserted, and it was possible that his son still lorded over it.[2][3]
Notable Dwarves of the Iron Hills
- As he was mentioned above, Grór was the son of the mighty Dwarf, Dáin I and was also the founder and first ruler of the Iron Hills.
- Náin was the son of Grór who was the founder of the Iron Hills. Náin was killed during the Battle of Azanulbizar by the Orc lord Azog of Moria.
- Dáin II was son of Náin, after his death and became the lord of the Iron Hills after the death of his great father. He was considered a mighty Dwarf because he killed the Orc Azog when he was at an age which was considered young to the Dwarves. He became the King under the Mountain after the slaying of Smaug and loss of Thorin II Oakenshield in the Battle of the Five Armies until his death during the War of the Ring.
- Thorin III was the son of Dáin II, after his father's death and soon became the Lord of both the people of the Lonely Mountain and possibly the Iron Hills. He was praised for helping to reconstruct the Lonely Mountain and Dale. During his rule a new Dwarven settlement was founded at Helm's Deep.
See also
| Mountain Ranges of Arda |
|---|
|
Ash Mountains | Blue Mountains | Echoriad | Ephel Dúath | Ered Gorgoroth | Ered Lómin | Ered Wethrin | Grey Mountains (north) | Grey Mountains (south) | Iron Hills | Iron Mountains | Misty Mountains | Mountains of Angmar | Mountains of Mirkwood | Mountains of Mithrim | Mountains of the Wind | Orocarni | Pelóri | Walls of the Sun | White Mountains | Yellow Mountains |
| Dwarven Realms of Middle-earth throughout the Ages | |
|---|---|
| Years of the Trees & First Age: | Bar-en-Nibin-Noeg | Belegost | Khazad-dûm | Mount Gundabad | Nogrod | Nulukkizdîn | Iron Hills | Blue Mountains |
| Second Age: | Khazad-dûm | Belegost | Nogrod | Mount Gundabad | Blue Mountains | Iron Hills |
| Third Age: | Grey Mountains | Iron Hills | Khazad-dûm | Lonely Mountain | Blue Mountains | Dunland |
| Fourth Age: | Glittering Caves | Khazad-dûm | Lonely Mountain | Blue Mountains | Grey Mountains | Iron Hills |
References
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, Regional Maps, "Eriador"
- ↑ The Hobbit, Chapter XV: "The Gathering of the Clouds"
- ↑ The Hobbit, Chapter XVII: "The Clouds Burst"
