History of the Dwarves

The History of the Dwarves began with their creation, and here ends with the dwindling of their race.

The Creation of the Dwarves

The Dwarves were created by Aulë the smith (whom they called Mahal) somewhere in Middle-earth, and were put to sleep until the creation of the Elves. The Seven Fathers of the Dwarves were created, by which all Dwarves are descended from. However, Aulë did not have the power to give life to his creations; only Eru Ilúvatar could give life. Realizing this, Aulë went to Eru to confess his sin and gave Eru his children. Eru accepted them and made them his adopted children, and they were to awake after the Elves appeared on Arda.

The Years of the Trees

The Seven Fathers awoke throughout Arda in pairs: the Firebeards and Broadbeams, Ironfists and Stiffbeards, Blacklocks and Stonefoots, and Durin I the father of the Longbeards, who awoke alone. These clans made their halls where they awoke: the Firebeards and Broadbeams, in the Ered Luin, where they built the cities of Nogrod and Belegost, and Durin who awoke in the Misty Mountains settled in the caves above Kheled-zâram. We do not know exactly where the Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots awoke.

They all became very prosperous in their mountains, making fine jewelry, weapons, and other treasures.

The first meeting of Elves and Dwarves in Beleriand took place in the year 1250 of the Trees. Even if their friendship was cool, the Dwarves worked for the Sindar, delving the caves of Menegroth and forging weapons for them.

The First Age

The First Age came with the awakening of Men.

After the Return of the Noldor, Finrod Felagund desired to settle himself in the Caverns of Narog. So he built a great city in those caverns, and the Dwarves of the Ered Luin aided him. They liked him, and gave him the dwarven name of Felagund, which meant “hewer of caves”. They eventually made for him the Nauglamír.