Realm of the Dwarves

Before the coming of Elves and Men, the Dwarves came from the Valar Aule, also known as Mahal. Due to his longing for beings to share his knowledge and craftsmanship. Iluvatar did not create them. And so, he was furious with Aule when he knew of this. Aule was regretful and offered them to Iluvatar, to use however he pleases. He attempted to get rid of his creations. As he was about to strike them, the Dwarves cried in fear, diminished in size, and asked him to spare them. With Iluvatar's mercy, he commanded Aule to put them to sleep, buried in the deep until the Children of Iluvatar came. For when Iluvatar's Elves and Men arrive, then the Dwarves may awaken. The Kingdoms of the Dwarves arose from their seven forefathers, one of which was the ancestor of Durin's folk, Durin I. All of them and their descendants' built majestic kingdoms and halls, and the Dwarves dispersed over the lands of Middle-earth.

Khazad-dum was the grandest of all the Dwarven kingdoms. It was in the deep, majestic halls within the Misty Mountains, later called Moria. Khazad-dum was home to the Longbeards, and later to the Broadbeams and Firebeards who escaped Belegost and Nogrod. It stood in power and wealth for many millennia but came to its downfall when the Dwarves dug too deep for treasures, awakening the Balrog, which led them out of this domain. Afterward, they called it Moria, which is Sindarin for Black Pit. But in the Fourth Age, the Dwarves in command of Durin VII reclaimed Moria, restoring the wealth and glory of Khazad-dum. The Dwarves returned mining its abyss, garnering an abundance of treasure as long as the race of Dwarves remained.

Erebor, located in the Lonely Mountain, also called the Kingdom under the Mountain, was among the most renowned and prosperous realm of the Dwarves. The first King Thrain I established it, but later his successor Thorin I forsook the domain. After many years, Thror, Thorin's successor, returned and reclaimed it. Then, the Dragon Smaug drove them out. In TA 2941, Thorin II Oakenshield reclaimed Erebor but perished in the battle after.

The Iron Hills was another realm controlled by the Longbeards. It was a humble range filled with iron mines. In TA 2500, the Dwarves inhabited the hills after fleeing from the Grey Mountains, led by Gror, son of the fallen King Dain I. Gror established the realm and named the Lord of the Iron Hills. The Dwarves of Iron Hills kept a good connection with the Dwarves of Erebor as they were of the same clan of Durin, likewise in thinking and appearance. At the end of the Battle of the Five Armies, most of their citizens moved there upon Erebor's re-establishment.

These vast caverns of the White Mountains were alongside Helm's Deep. After the War of the Ring, the Gimli, together with a large number of Erebor Dwarves, resided here to restore the gates and structures of Rohan and Gondor. Their most well-known work was the restoration of the Gates of Minas Tirith made stronger with steel and mithril. They also revived the Hornburg as a significant stronghold, which the Rohirrim held with the Dwarves. They developed the Glittering Caves, strengthening its walls, placing illuminating lamps on its caves, carving new chambers and passages. At the start of the Fourth Age, the Glittering Caves of Aglarond became a significant Dwarven realm.

Nogrod and Belegost were the two Dwarven realms of the Blue Mountains. The Firebeards ruled in Nogrod while the Broadbeams commanded Belegost. But in the War of the Wrath, both of the kingdoms fell, completely devastated. And so the Firebeards and Broadbeam Dwarves escaped to Khazad-Dum in SA 40 although a few attempted to restore their former realms. In the third Age, the Durin's folk (Longbeards) also built Thorin's Halls in the Blue Mountains, also called Ered Luin, and became their haven. Still, the Firebeards and Broadbeams remained in Ered Luin even until the Fourth Age. Dwarves lived in the east arms of the Blue Mountains, and there was a belief that they would always endure until the Dwarves passed on to legend.

The Grey Mountains, also called Ered Mithrin, was the refuge of the Dwarves of Durin upon their expulsion from Khazad-dum. They prospered in this new realm, gained an abundance of wealth from its mines, and protected it from the Orcs of the west and the Dragons of the north for five hundred years. However, the Cold-drake, powerful but flameless dragons, finally overpowered the Dwarves, driving them out and killing their King Dain I. The Dwarves later reclaimed the Grey Mountains. From the Third to Fourth Age, they sustained a small population, continued to dig its mines, and inhabit its halls.

Mount Gundabad resides in the Misty Mountain's northern region, near the west arms of the Grey Mountains. It was an ancient, sacred site for Dwarves. The first of the Dwarves, Durin I the Deathless, the father of all Dwarves, awakened here. It remained a notable region for them, held as the place of gathering for all Dwarf folk, but there was no clear evidence of a settlement within. During the Second Age, the Orc forces of Sauron conquered Gundabad. They occupied it until the end of the Second Age, the downfall of Sauron, and the disappearance of the One Ring. During the Third Age, the Orc armies of Angmar captured it once more and made it their center of command. In the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, the Dwarves slaughtered the Orcs of Angmar. But the Orcs still kept their control over Gundabad. In the Hobbit, the goblin forces gathered for the Battle of the Five Armies here. Finally, in the Fourth Age, with the Reunited Kingdom and recapturing of Khazad-dum, the Dwarves of Durin also recovered Gundabad. From then on, they kept their hold on the sacred place.

The Dwarves founded this eastern realm in the mountains of the Orocarni range. Four clans of Dwarves resided here in their grand mansions. The only detail referenced about this realm is that the distance from their lands to Gundabad or Misty Mountains was farther than the extent from Gundabad to the western Blue Mountains.

The Dwarves of Erebor fled from the Dragon Smaug and first took refuge in Dunland, therefore setting there a new realm. In TA 2790, Thror and his comrade Nain left from this land into Moria, where the Orcs viciously killed Thror. At the end of the Battle of Azanulbizar, Train II, his son Thorin and their folk returned to Dunland. Later on, they moved to the Blue Mountains and settled there for a time.

Nulukkizdin or the Caverns of Narog was the hidden realm of the Petty-dwarves. These caves were along the west banks of the Narog river, under the woody slopes of Taur-en-Faroth. It also became the Elf realm of Nargothrond. Many years after, Mim the Petty Dwarf returned here and claimed it as his ancestral domain. He lived there up to his death from the hands of Hurin. It remained abandoned throughout the First Age. And in the War of Wrath, Nulukkizdin fell with all of Beleriand.