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'''King of Durin's Folk''' was a title given to [[Durin the Deathless]] and his descendants who ruled the [[Dwarves]] of [[Durin's folk]]. Famous among these were [[Thorin II Oakenshield]], who reclaimed [[Erebor]] from [[Smaug]], and [[Dáin II Ironfoot]], who fought in the [[War of the Ring]].
The '''Kings of Durin's Folk''' were those of the [[House of Durin]] who ruled as kings, even when in exile.


No complete list of the Kings is known. The table below shows the names of those Kings who have been recorded, or whose existence can be deduced. As the descendants of Durin were forced by circumstance to travel widely in [[Middle-earth]], the main seat(s) of their Kingship is shown alongside each King.
The kings were all descended from [[Durin|Durin the Deathless]] of the [[First Age]]; in fact, five of the kings after Durin I were held to be reincarnations of him by the [[Dwarves]].  No complete list of all kings is known. The table below shows the names of those Kings who have been recorded, or whose existence could be deduced. In the table all information was obtained from ''The Lord of the Rings'', Appendix A, "Durin’s Folk"<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> unless otherwise indicated.  The "Realm(s)" column indicates which place or places the kings ruled from during their reigns.


== Kings of Durin's Folk ==
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="TGtable">
 
<tr style="background:#EFEFEF;"><th>Name</th><th>Birth</th><th>Death</th><th>Realm(s)</th><th>Historical Notes</th></tr>
* '''[[Durin I]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]'' - One of the seven [[Fathers of the Dwarves]], and the founder of the Longbeards, [[Durin's folk]]. He ruled his people for centuries - so long, in fact, that he became known as the '[[Durin the Deathless]]' - but eventually he passed away. From time to time over the millennia, one among Durin's descendants would arise so similar in bearing to his ancient ancestor that he, too, would be given the name 'Durin'.
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin|Durin I]] the Deathless</td><td align=center>[[Years of the Trees]]</td><td align=center>[[First Age]]</td><td>[[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]</td><td>One of the seven [[Fathers of the Dwarves]] and founder of the Longbeards, [[Durin's Folk]]. He ruled his people for centuries - so long, in fact, that he became known as the 'Durin the Deathless' - but eventually he died during the First AgeHe discovered the caves of Khazad-dûm and began his reign there.</td></tr>
   
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin II]]</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td>Khazad-dûm</td><td></td></tr>
* '''[[Durin II]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]'' - We know nothing of this King, except that the appearance of his descendant [[Durin III]] in the middle years of the [[Second Age]] shows that he must have ruled in Khazad-dûm at some time before that.
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin III]]</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td>Khazad-dûm</td><td>He was the king of Khazad-dûm at the time of the forging of the [[Rings of Power]] (sometime between {{SA|1500}} and {{SA|1590|n}}<ref>{{App|SA}}</ref>) and a great friend of [[Celebrimbor]] the Lord of [[Eregion]] to the west. He received one of the Rings (later known as the [[Ring of Thrór]]) as a gift from his friend.</td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin IV]]</td><td align=center>Late Second Age</td><td align=center>Likely early Third Age</td><td>Khazad-dûm</td><td>He was the king during the [[War of the Last Alliance]], and he led an army to fight Alongside the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]].</td></tr>
* '''[[Durin III]]''' -''[[Khazad-dûm]]'' - The ruler of Khazad-dûm at the time of the forging of the Rings of Power, Durin III was a great friend of Celebrimbor the Lord of Eregion to the west. He received one of the Rings (later known as the Ring of Thrór) as a gift from his friend.  
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin V]]</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td>Khazad-dûm</td><td> </td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin VI]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|1731|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|1980|n}} †</td><td>Khazad-dûm</td><td>He was king when the [[Balrogs|Balrog]] was awakened in {{TA|1980|n}}.<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>  After he was killed by it the Balrog was called [[Durin's Bane]] and Khazad-dûm was known as Moria.</td></tr>
* '''[[Durin IV]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]''
<tr><td align=center>[[Náin I]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|1832|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|1981|n}} †</td><td>Khazad-dûm</td><td>He reigned for just one year before was also slain by [[Durin's Bane]].</td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Thráin I]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|1934|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2190|n}}</td><td>[[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]</td><td> He led a great part of his people away from Khazad-dûm into the north and east of Middle-earth and founded the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] in {{TA|1999|n}}.<ref name="TA"/></td></tr>
* '''[[Durin V]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]'' - Like Durin II, we know nothing of the reigns of these two Kings, except that they must have ruled during the late Second Age or earlier Third Age. We can safely deduce their existence because we know that Durin VI took the throne in the late second millennium of the Third Age.
<tr><td align=center>[[Thorin I]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2035|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2289|n}}</td><td>Erebor, [[Ered Mithrin]]</td><td>Learning that his people were regrouping in the the [[Grey Mountains]], Thorin I abandoned Erebor and reestablished the throne in the Ered Mithrin in {{TA|2210|n}}.<ref name="TA"/></td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Glóin (King of Durin's Folk)|Glóin]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2136|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2385|n}}</td><td>Ered Mithrin</td><td></td></tr>
* '''[[Durin VI]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]'' - (Ruled to III 1980) The first King of Durin's Folk for whom we have specific dates was Durin VI, who ruled in Khazad-dûm at the time the Balrog was awoken. It slew Durin, for which reason it became known as Durin's Bane. Durin was succeeded briefly by his son.  
<tr><td align=center>[[Óin (King of Durin's Folk)|Óin]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2238|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2488|n}}</td><td>Ered Mithrin</td><td> </td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Náin II]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2338|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2585|n}}</td><td>Ered Mithrin</td><td>In {{TA|2570|n}}, the prosperous Dwarves began to suffer attacks by the dragons of the north.<ref name="TA"/></td></tr>
* '''[[Náin I]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]'' - (Ruled 1 year to III 1981) He ruled for just a year in Khazad-dûm before he too was slain by the Balrog. He was succeeded by his son.  
<tr><td align=center>[[Dáin I]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2440|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2589|n}} †</td><td>Ered Mithrin</td><td>His short reign came to a swift end when he was slain by a [[Cold-drakes|cold-drake]] before the entrance to his [[Dáin's halls|halls]]. He was succeeded by his son.</td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Thrór]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2542|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2790|n}} †</td><td>Ered Mithrin, Erebor, exile, [[Dunland]]</td><td>He led his people out of the dragon-infested north back to the Lonely Mountain. He had been King under the Mountain for more than 180 years when the dragon [[Smaug]] descended on the mountain and [[Sack of Erebor|sacked]] it. He escaped the destruction, and went wandering in the wild before settling in Dunland. Later, went to reclaim Khazad-dûm where he was murdered by [[Azog]] the Orc, a crime that provoked the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]].</td></tr>
* '''[[Thráin I]]''' - ''[[Erebor]]'' - (Ruled 209 years to III 2190) He led a great part of his people away from Khazad-dûm into the north and east of Middle-earth. It was Thráin who founded the great Dwarf-kingdom of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain above the Long Lake. He was succeeded by his son.  
<tr><td align=center>[[Thráin|Thráin II]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2644|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2850|n}} †</td><td>Dunland, [[Ered Luin]]</td><td>He avenged his father's death with the defeat of Azog's Orcs at the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. In the early part of his reign, he dwelt in Dunland, but he later moved northwest to the [[Ered Luin]] west of Eriador and established a [[Thorin's Halls|new realm]]. Before his reign ended, he resolved to return to Erebor, but while wandering in the wild he was captured in {{TA|2845|n}}<ref name="TA"/> and died in the dungeons of the [[Necromancer]].</td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2746|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|2941|n}} †</td><td>Ered Luin, Erebor</td><td> He ruled as King in the Ered Luin for many years, but like his father before him he determined to return to his ancient home of Erebor. Accompanied by [[Gandalf]] and [[Bilbo Baggins]], he led a troop of companions into the east, and against all hope recovered the Lonely Mountain from Smaug. After Smaug's death, Thorin was slain in the [[Battle of Five Armies]]. The only remaining descendants of Thrór's line, Thorin's nephews [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]], were also lost in the battle. So the Kingship passed to the line of Thrór's younger brother Grór, and specifically to his grandson [[Dáin Ironfoot]].</td></tr>
* '''[[Thorin I]]''' - ''[[Grey Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 99 years to III 2289) Discerning that the great host of his people were gathering in the northern range of the Grey Mountains, Thorin I abandoned Erebor and removed there. He was succeeded by his son.  
<tr><td align=center>[[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin II Ironfoot]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2767|n}}</td><td align=center>{{TA|3019|n}} †</td><td>Erebor</td><td> He ruled in prosperity as King under the Mountain for many years until the time of the War of the Ring. He was slain in the [[Battle of Dale]].</td></tr>
 
<tr><td align=center>[[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]]</td><td align=center>{{TA|2866|n}}</td><td align=center>Early [[Fourth Age]]</td><td>Erebor</td><td>He was besieged in Erebor after the loss of his father, but when news reached the forces of Sauron that their master had been defeated, he was able to drive them back. With Thorin III, detailed records of the reigns of the Kings come to an end, but there is a record of just one of his descendants.</td></tr>
* '''[[Glóin son of Thorin I|Glóin]]''' - ''[[Grey Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 96 years to III 2385) He continued the rule of Durin's Folk in the Grey Mountains, and was succeeded by his son.
<tr><td align=center>[[Durin VII]]</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td align=center>Unknown</td><td>Khazad-dûm<ref>{{PM|Aiv}}</ref></td><td>Was the last supposed incarnation of Durin I, and led his people back to Khazad dûm where he reestablished the throne of Durin.</td></tr>
 
</table>
* '''[[Óin King of Durin's Folk|Óin]]''' - ''[[Grey Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 103 years to III 2488) He was succeeded by his son.
 
* '''[[Náin II]]''' - ''[[Grey Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 97 years to III 2585) In his time, the prosperous Dwarves began to suffer attacks by the dragons of the north. He was succeeded by his son.
 
* '''[[Dáin I]]''' - ''[[Grey Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 4 years to III 2589) His short reign came to a swift end when he was slain by a cold-drake before his own doors. He was succeeded by the eldest of his three sons.  
 
 
* '''[[Thrór]]''' - ''[[Erebor]]'' - (Ruled 201 years to III 2790) He led his people out of the dragon-infested north back to the Lonely Mountain, while his younger brother Grór led some part of their people further east, to settle in the Iron Hills. He had been King under the Mountain for more than 180 years when the great dragon Smaug descended on his kingdom and sacked it. He escaped the destruction with his son and grandson, and went wandering in the wild. Eventually reaching his people's ancient home of Khazad-dûm, he found it infested with Orcs. His death at the hands of their leader, Azog, sparked the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. He was succeeded by his son.
 
* '''[[Thráin II]]''' - ''[[Erebor]], [[Dunland]], [[Blue Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 60 years to III 2850) He avenged his father's death with the defeat of Azog's Orcs at the Battle of Azanulbizar. In the early part of his reign, he dwelt in Dunland, but he later moved northward to the Blue Mountains west of Eriador. Before his reign ended, he resolved to return to Erebor, but wandering in the wild he was captured by evil things, and died in the dungeons of the Necromancer. He was succeeded by his eldest son.
 
* '''[[Thorin II Oakenshield]]''' - ''[[Blue Mountains]]'' - (Ruled 91 years to III 2941) He ruled as King in the Blue Mountains for many years, but like his father before him he at last determined to return to his ancient home of Erebor. Accompanied by Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins, he led a troop of companions into the far east, and against all hope recovered the Lonely Mountain from Smaug. After Smaug's death, the Battle of Five Armies was fought beneath Erebor, and Thorin was slain. The only remaining descendants of Thrór's line, Thorin's young nephews Fíli and Kíli, were also lost in the battle. So the descent of the Kingship passed to the line of Thrór's younger brother Grór, and specifically to Grór's grandson Dáin Ironfoot.  
 
* '''[[Dáin II Ironfoot]]''' - ''[[Erebor]]'' - (Ruled 78 years to III 3019) He ruled in prosperity as King under the Mountain for many years until the time of the War of the Ring. He was slain in that war, in the [[Battle of Dale]], and succeeded by his son.  
 
* '''[[Thorin III Stonehelm]]''' - ''[[Erebor]]'' - He was besieged in Erebor for seven days after the loss of his father, but when news reached the forces of Sauron that their master had been defeated, he was able to drive them back. With Thorin III, detailed records of the reigns of the Kings come to an end, but we have a record of just one of his descendants.  
 
* '''[[Durin VII]]''' - ''[[Khazad-dûm]]?'' - He was said to be the last of the Durins to rule over Durin's Folk. Durin's Bane had been destroyed in the War of the Ring, so that Khazad-dûm lay open for recovery by its ancient owners, and there is some evidence that it was Durin VII who at last achieved this.
 
 
We know that Durin I died before the end of the First Age, so that between his rule and that of Thorin III, the Kings of Durin's line ruled for a period of about 6,500 years. Given that the average length of a reign among the Longbeards seems to have been roughly a century, we can deduce that there are probably about fifty Kings' names missing from this list.


Durin I died before the end of the First Age, so that between his rule and that of Thorin III, the Kings of Durin's line ruled for a period of about 6,500 years. Given that the average length of a reign among the Longbeards seems to have been roughly a century, it can be deduced that there were probably about fifty Kings that have went unmentioned.
{{References}}
{{durinskings}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[de:Durins Volk#Stammbaum]]
[[de:Durins Volk#Stammbaum]]
[[fr:encyclo/personnages/nains/rois_du_peuple_de_durin]]
[[fi:Durinin heimon kuninkaat]]
[[fi:Durinin heimon kuninkaat]]

Revision as of 05:31, 7 April 2016

The Kings of Durin's Folk were those of the House of Durin who ruled as kings, even when in exile.

The kings were all descended from Durin the Deathless of the First Age; in fact, five of the kings after Durin I were held to be reincarnations of him by the Dwarves. No complete list of all kings is known. The table below shows the names of those Kings who have been recorded, or whose existence could be deduced. In the table all information was obtained from The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Durin’s Folk"[1] unless otherwise indicated. The "Realm(s)" column indicates which place or places the kings ruled from during their reigns.

NameBirthDeathRealm(s)Historical Notes
Durin I the DeathlessYears of the TreesFirst AgeKhazad-dûmOne of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves and founder of the Longbeards, Durin's Folk. He ruled his people for centuries - so long, in fact, that he became known as the 'Durin the Deathless' - but eventually he died during the First Age. He discovered the caves of Khazad-dûm and began his reign there.
Durin IIUnknownUnknownKhazad-dûm
Durin IIIUnknownUnknownKhazad-dûmHe was the king of Khazad-dûm at the time of the forging of the Rings of Power (sometime between S.A. 1500 and 1590[2]) and a great friend of Celebrimbor the Lord of Eregion to the west. He received one of the Rings (later known as the Ring of Thrór) as a gift from his friend.
Durin IVLate Second AgeLikely early Third AgeKhazad-dûmHe was the king during the War of the Last Alliance, and he led an army to fight Alongside the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.
Durin VUnknownUnknownKhazad-dûm
Durin VI17311980Khazad-dûmHe was king when the Balrog was awakened in 1980.[3] After he was killed by it the Balrog was called Durin's Bane and Khazad-dûm was known as Moria.
Náin I18321981Khazad-dûmHe reigned for just one year before was also slain by Durin's Bane.
Thráin I19342190Erebor He led a great part of his people away from Khazad-dûm into the north and east of Middle-earth and founded the Kingdom under the Mountain in 1999.[3]
Thorin I20352289Erebor, Ered MithrinLearning that his people were regrouping in the the Grey Mountains, Thorin I abandoned Erebor and reestablished the throne in the Ered Mithrin in 2210.[3]
Glóin21362385Ered Mithrin
Óin22382488Ered Mithrin
Náin II23382585Ered MithrinIn 2570, the prosperous Dwarves began to suffer attacks by the dragons of the north.[3]
Dáin I24402589Ered MithrinHis short reign came to a swift end when he was slain by a cold-drake before the entrance to his halls. He was succeeded by his son.
Thrór25422790Ered Mithrin, Erebor, exile, DunlandHe led his people out of the dragon-infested north back to the Lonely Mountain. He had been King under the Mountain for more than 180 years when the dragon Smaug descended on the mountain and sacked it. He escaped the destruction, and went wandering in the wild before settling in Dunland. Later, went to reclaim Khazad-dûm where he was murdered by Azog the Orc, a crime that provoked the War of the Dwarves and Orcs.
Thráin II26442850Dunland, Ered LuinHe avenged his father's death with the defeat of Azog's Orcs at the Battle of Azanulbizar. In the early part of his reign, he dwelt in Dunland, but he later moved northwest to the Ered Luin west of Eriador and established a new realm. Before his reign ended, he resolved to return to Erebor, but while wandering in the wild he was captured in 2845[3] and died in the dungeons of the Necromancer.
Thorin II Oakenshield27462941Ered Luin, Erebor He ruled as King in the Ered Luin for many years, but like his father before him he determined to return to his ancient home of Erebor. Accompanied by Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins, he led a troop of companions into the east, and against all hope recovered the Lonely Mountain from Smaug. After Smaug's death, Thorin was slain in the Battle of Five Armies. The only remaining descendants of Thrór's line, Thorin's nephews Fíli and Kíli, were also lost in the battle. So the Kingship passed to the line of Thrór's younger brother Grór, and specifically to his grandson Dáin Ironfoot.
Dáin II Ironfoot27673019Erebor He ruled in prosperity as King under the Mountain for many years until the time of the War of the Ring. He was slain in the Battle of Dale.
Thorin III Stonehelm2866Early Fourth AgeEreborHe was besieged in Erebor after the loss of his father, but when news reached the forces of Sauron that their master had been defeated, he was able to drive them back. With Thorin III, detailed records of the reigns of the Kings come to an end, but there is a record of just one of his descendants.
Durin VIIUnknownUnknownKhazad-dûm[4]Was the last supposed incarnation of Durin I, and led his people back to Khazad dûm where he reestablished the throne of Durin.

Durin I died before the end of the First Age, so that between his rule and that of Thorin III, the Kings of Durin's line ruled for a period of about 6,500 years. Given that the average length of a reign among the Longbeards seems to have been roughly a century, it can be deduced that there were probably about fifty Kings that have went unmentioned.

References

Kings of Durin's Folk
Durin I* (Y.T.) · Durin II* · Durin III* (fl. S.A. 1600) · Durin IV* · Durin V* · Durin VI* (until T.A. 1980) · Náin I* (1980 - 1981) · Thráin I (1981 - 2190) · Thorin I (2190 - 2289) · Glóin (2289 - 2385) · Óin (2385 - 2488) · Náin II (2488 - 2585) · Dáin I (2585 - 2589) · Thrór (2585 - 2790) · Thráin II (2790 - captured 2845, d. 2850) · Thorin II Oakenshield (after 2845 - 2941) · Dáin II Ironfoot (2941 - 3019) · Thorin III Stonehelm (T.A. 3019 - Fourth Age) · Durin VII (Fourth Age)*
* Kings of Khazad-dûm · Kings under the Mountain