Girion

Girion was the last lord who ruled the grandest city of Dale.

Although all the names from Dale come from the Northern Germanic language, Girion seems to be a Sindarin name. The translation, however, is not very clear. Etymologies point out to a Noldorin root in which “Gir” means “to quiver or shudder”, both of which seem related.

Raised in Dale, Girion was a Man of Dale before becoming the lord of the city after his father’s death. He ruled the city peacefully under the Dwarves of Erebor for at least seven years until the dark days began. [1] Except that he had a wife and two sons, not much has been noted about his life and rule. The necklace made of five hundred emeralds was in his possession. When the Dwarves of Erebor created the dwarf-linked rings out of mithril for Girion’s eldest son, he gave them the necklace as a tribute to the bonding between the Dwarves and the Northons. In the Third Age 2880, when Smaug the dragon assaulted Dale city and neighboring dwarf kingdoms of Erebor, Girion had witnessed his arrival. During the destruction of Dale city, Girion’s two sons managed to escape down the River Running. An angered Girion attempted to slay the beast before he could cause any more harm. He rallied his archers and fired black arrows from a mounted crossbow. Unfortunately, all of his shots bounced back harmlessly due to the dragon’s armor. Except for one arrow which broke one of the dragon’s scales. In the same firestorm, Girion was killed by the dragon’s flames before he could fire the final arrow. Girnir, his son, managed to get hold of the last Black Arrow which he then handed over to his nephew, Bard Bowman.

A lot of Northons never forgot how close Girion got to killing the dragon. During the destruction of Esgaroth, Bard avenged his death by using the same Black Arrow to shoot Smaug in his gem’s armour which was possibly the only vulnerable spot on his body. The Hobbit also mentions that Girion’s necklace of five emeralds was later discovered among the treasures that Smaug had hoarded inside the Lonely Mountain. Bard took the necklace from Dain Ironfoot and handed it over to the Elven King Thranduil. After the Battle of Five Armies ended, Bard continued Girion’s legacy and became the first king of Dale city.

1. ^What is the political and cultural relationship between Dale?