Iron Hills

The Iron Hills was a known territory of Dwarves who were kin of Durin. It was a mountain range found in the northern part of Middle-earth.

The Iron Hills live along with the north and east areas of Middle-earth. This mountain range was amid Rhun and Rhovanion while its lesser hills were on the east side of the Lonely Mountain.

These hills gained its name from the abundance of iron and other mineral deposits in its land. In earlier days, these were a section of the immense Iron Mountains, the seat of Morgoth’s dominion. However, the mountain range diminished, hence the Angmar mountain, Ered Mithrin, and the Iron Hills remained of its past formation. The River Redwater also surges from the springs of Iron Hills. The wealthy deposits of iron pigments the redness of the water. And downriver, Redwater unites with the River Running.

In the First Age, The Dwarves of Durin’s Clan, [1] also called the kin of the Longbeards, were the first dwellers of the Iron Hills. For thousands of years, they ceaselessly excavated the mines with its unlimited reserves of iron. The Longbeards also established the Old Dwarf Road. It was a route that passed through Mirkwood, connecting the Misty Mountains to the Iron Hills. While the Longbeards mined the Iron Hills, they lived in their mansions called Khazad-dûm and Gundabad in the Misty Mountains.

The Dwarves of the Iron Mountain [2] were originally from the Grey Mountains. But the Cold-drakes fought them, greedy of the mountain’s massive riches. King Dáin I died during the attack, hence the Dwarves abandoned the Grey Mountains and exiled to the west. For this reason, in the Third Age around 2500, Grór, the son of Dáin I, established the new self-sufficient realm of the Iron Hills. The Dwarf settlers of the Iron Hills have a pleasing affiliation with the Dwarves of Erebor from the Lonely Mountain. The two Dwarf groups were both kin to Thrór and Grór, and alike in mindset and features. Later on, the Lord of the Iron Hills inherited the throne of the Lonely Mountain, thus declared as King of the two realms. After many years, the capital of Gror maintained by his heirs remained in the premises of the Iron Hills. Although its name and whereabouts are unknown. Compared to this structure of Erebor which remains in the water sources of River Celduin, the later settlement must be near the spring of Carnen along its waters rushing from the hills.

Before the founding of the Iron Hills, relatives of the Dwarves of Durin’s Folk occupied the Grey Mountains. However, the Cold-drakes terrorized them in pursuit of the mountain’s riches. The Cold-drakes murdered King Dain I in the assaults. The king’s tragic death prompted the Dwarves to leave the Grey Mountains and head west. In TA 2590 Grór, son of King Dáin I, built their new independent realm in the Iron Hills. Durin’s folk lived in the Iron Hills for a prolonged period. They used the Old Forest Road for trade, communication, and connection among the eastern and western Dwarf groups. During TA 2941 in the Battle of the Five Armies, Lord Dáin II Ironfoot of the Iron Hills rallied his forces of five hundred Dwarves to aid Thorin Oakenshield. But in the end, Thorin died. Therefore Dáin II who was his comrade and kin gained the title of King of the Lonely Mountain. There was no account of the Iron Hills after the battle. Still, there is a great expectation that King Dáin II Ironfoot would not abandon his home in the Iron Hills for Erebor. And his descendants will always keep their previous domain, along with its rich iron mines.

Grór was the son of Dwarf King Dáin I of Durin’s Folk, from their previous kingdom of the Grey Mountains. With his father’s death and the exile of his kin from their past domain, Grór founded and built the new realm of the Iron Hills. He reigned as the Iron Hill’s first Lord. Náin was the son of Grór and the second ruler of the Iron Hills. In the Battle of Azanulbizar, tragedy strikes the Dwarves when the Orc lord Azog of Moria killed Náin. Dáin II was the son of Náin and ruled after his father’s death. He avenged his father and slew Azog the Orc at a considerably young age. From then on, the realm regarded Dáin II as a renowned, powerful Dwarf. He gained the title of King under the Mountain upon the death of the dragon Smaug and the fall of Thorin II Oakenshield during the Battle of the Five Armies. Dáin II reigned until he died in the War of the Ring. Thorin III Stonehelm was the son of Dáin II and proclaimed King of the Dwarves in Lonely Mountain and the Iron Hills after the death of his mighty father. He was famous for his help in rebuilding Dale and the Lonely Mountain. He also built a new realm of Dwarves at Helm’s Deep during his reign.

1. ^Kingship of Durin's Folk.
2. ^Dwarves of the Iron Hills.