Dale

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Dale
Matěj Čadil - Dale.jpg
General information
LocationBetween Erebor and Carnen; later extended far south and east of Lake-town[1][2]
CapitalDale
Major townsLater: Lake-town[1][2]
People
PopulationMen of Dale
LanguageLanguage of Dale, Westron
GovernanceLord of Dale
Later the King of Dale
History
FoundedSoon after T.A. 2590
See below
DestroyedT.A. 2770
Re-foundedT.A. 2944
GalleryImages of Dale

Dale was the great township and city-state of the Northmen beneath the Lonely Mountain.

It was known as a merry town that traded, mainly in food-supplies, for the skills and craft-pieces of the Dwarves. Dale's toy market was the wonder of the North[3] and the town was renowned for its bells.[4]

Geography

Dale was situated in the valley between the south-western and south-eastern arms of the Lonely Mountain, nestled in a sharp U-shaped bend of the River Running.[5] When it was re-founded the township consisted of the city of Dale and the valley of the River Running before the gates of the Lonely Mountain.[6] By the time of the War of the Ring, its boundaries and influence extended far south and east of Lake-town,[1] all the way to the River Carnen.[2]

History

Early History

Foundation

In T.A. 2590, King Thrór re-established the Kingdom under the Mountain.[7] The realm prospered and Northmen living to the south came up the River Running and built Dale.[3] The town shared in the prosperity of the Dwarves and was governed by the Lord of Dale, of whom the last was named Girion.[8]

Destruction

In T.A. 2770, Smaug descended upon the Dwarf-kingdom.[7] Although the Men of Dale fielded warriors against the dragon, they could not prevent him from killing or scattering the Dwarves and then occupying the Lonely Mountain. After the attack, the dragon would crawl out of the Front Gate of the Mountain by night and ravage the city, carrying away people (especially maidens) from Dale to eat.[3] The remaining population soon fled and the deserted city fell into ruin.[3]

Re-establishment

Three years after the death of Smaug and the Battle of Five Armies, Dale was rebuilt in T.A. 2944 by Bard the Bowman,[7] who had killed the dragon and was the descendant of Girion. Dale soon again enjoyed prosperity; Bard re-founded Dale as its first King and gathered men from the Long Lake, the South, and the West. Lake-town was rebuilt and grew wealthy from traffic with Dale.[9] Its people became known as Bardings, after their new ruler.[7]

War of the Ring

Jan Pospisil - The Battle of Dale

During the reign of King Brand, the grandson of Bard the Bowman, Dale served as the capital for the lands he ruled, which extended far south and east of Lake-town.[10] However, as Glóin revealed at the Council of Elrond, in T.A. 3017 a messenger from Mordor came to ask King Dáin Ironfoot at the gate to the Lonely Mountain for news of Hobbits and to ask for Bilbo's ring. Messengers had also spoken to King Brand and he was afraid,for the Sauron's forces began gathering beyond the Carnen.[11]

During the War of the Ring, Easterlings crossed the border and moved to attack the city. On 17 March T.A. 3019 the Battle of Dale began.[2] Not able to hold back the Easterlings, the Bardings and their allies, the Dwarves of Erebor, retreated into the Lonely Mountain, but lost Kings Brand and Dáin Ironfoot who were both slain at the Gate of Erebor.[2] For seven days, the Men and Dwarves barricaded themselves in Erebor until news came from the south of the defeat of Sauron.[2] The heirs to the kings of Dale and Erebor, Bard II and Thorin III Stonehelm, broke the siege and routed the remnants of the Easterlings and soon after, Bard II was crowned King of Dale.[2]

Later History

After the Battle of Dale, the Easterlings did not trouble Dale in the future.[2] King Bard II also sent an ambassador to the crowning of King Elessar.[2] Dale remained independent but in friendship with Gondor and under the protection and crown of the King of the West.[2]

Etymology

The word dale means "valley", as it was built in the Celduin valley between two arms of Erebor.

In Other Versions of the Legendarium

Tolkien left no foundation date for Dale in any of his published works. In The Hobbit, Thorin tells Bilbo that men built “the merry town of Dale” during the time when his grandfather Thror was King under the Mountain, soon after T.A. 2590. This is the only definitive statement. However, in the Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth, the section titled “Cirion and Eorl” contains a lengthy description of the wars between Gondor and the Wainriders. In that story, the following comment is found (after the defeat of King Narmacil II of Gondor in T.A. 1856):

As for the Northmen, a few, it is said, fled over the Celduin (River Running) and were merged with the folk of Dale under Erebor (with whom they were akin), some took refuge in Gondor, and others were gathered by Marhwini son of Marhari (who fell in the rearguard action after the Battle of the Plains).
J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"

It is possible to reconcile the texts if T.A. 1856 is seen as the year of the foundation of the first, primitive Northmen settlements in the area with the years after T.A. 2590 as the foundation of the city with the coming of the Dwarves; the canonicity of this, however, is unknown.

Portrayal in adaptations

Dale in BFME II

2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II:

The City of Dale appears in the Erebor map, just south-east of the mountain itself. It appears to contain several houses, taverns and bridges, as well as a statue of a man. The city is built around the mountain's river.

2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

Glimpses of the sack of Erebor and the destruction of Dale were shown in the opening prologue sequence.

2013: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug:

The ruined city of Dale appears briefly in the scene when Bilbo Baggins and the Dwarves are heading for Erebor.

2014: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies:

After the death of Smaug, the villagers of Lake-town seek refuge in the ruined city. During the Battle of Five Armies, they hide inside Dale while the Lake-men combat the enemy forces. When the Orc army attacks the ruined city, Bard and the Lake-towners run to defend it, leaving the Dwarves and the Elves to protect the gates of Erebor. The Elves later come to join the Men in defending the city.

See also

References