Dwarves of Belegost

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Dwarves of Belegost
People
Joona Kujanen - The Battle of Unnumbered Tears.jpg
"The Battle of Unnumbered Tears" by Joona Kujanen
General Information
LocationsBelegost, Blue Mountains, Khazad-Dûm[1]
AffiliationUnion of Maedhros
LanguagesKhuzdul, Sindarin
MembersAzaghâl
Physical Description
Lifespanc. 250 years
Average heightFive feet or less

The Dwarves of Belegost were a people of Dwarves who dwelt in the city of Belegost, the northernmost of the two great Dwarf-cities that stood in the Blue Mountains during the First Age. With their cousins, the Dwarves of Nogrod, they were among the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains.

History[edit | edit source]

During the Years of the Trees the western Fathers of the Dwarves awoke from beneath the Blue Mountains creating the lines of the Broadbeams and the Firebeards. These two houses built the great Dwarven cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains.[2][note 1]

In smithing, the Dwarves of Belegost were second only to the Dwarves of Nogrod. They learned many secrets in smithing from the Elves, and Elves from the Dwarves. They created many weapons for the Elves when evil began to stir in Beleriand, and the smiths of Belegost were the first to create linked ring mail.[source?]

They had generally better relations with the Elves than their neighbors in Nogrod; friends of the Sindar, the Dwarves of Belegost were behind the building of Menegroth.[3] They first met the Noldor who came to Beleriand near Mount Rerir and a great friendship began between the two peoples; Maedhros once saved Lord Azaghâl from an Orc-assault.[4] They became their allies[5] and joined the Union of Maedhros. They fought bravely beside each other during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, where they lost their ruler Lord Azaghâl in battle to the dragon Glaurung.

When the Dwarves of Nogrod assembled a great host of Dwarves to attack Doriath, the Dwarves of Belegost tried to dissuade them from war, but their brethren from Nogrod did not heed their advice. These dwarves went on to fight in the Battle of the Thousand Caves,[6] and later met their demise the Battle of Sarn Athrad. After this tragedy the Dwarves of Belegost started leaving for Khazad-dûm, for fear of reprisal from the Elves. There was much loathing between Elf and Dwarf from there on.[7]

After the end of the First Age, around S.A. 40, the power and wealth of Khazad-dûm was much increased; for it was enriched by many people and much lore and craft when the ancient cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains were ruined in the breaking of Thangorodrim.[1] However, there always remained some Dwarves on the eastern side of the Blue Mountains in days afterwards.[7]


Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:

The Dwarves of Belegost are called Thrár's Tribe.[8][9]

Notes

  1. It is not clear from the narratives whether each city belonged to either House, and whether the Dwarves of Belegost consisted of either Firebeards or Broadbeams; it is possible that members of both Houses dwelled in either city.

References