Iron Hills

The Iron Hills are a range of mountains located in the northeastern part, approximately in the middle of both Rhovanion and Rhûn of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth, east of the Lonely Mountain, that are home to a Dwarf mining community. In "The Hobbit", the Dwarf warrior Dáin II Ironfoot of the Iron Hills led an army to the defence of Thorin Oakenshield which then joined in the Battle of Five Armies.The Iron Hills are remnants of the Iron Mountains where Morgoth dwelt.

Founded

The Iron Hills is one of the seven kingdoms of the race of Dwarves and was founded by Grór son of Dáin I after the Dwarves were exiled from the Grey Mountains to the west (And south, see Thrór and Erebor) because of attacks by Cold-Drakes seeking the vast wealth of the mountains, which resulted in the death of the king Dáin I. The Iron Hills were colonized at around the time of 2500 of the Third Age.

Folk of the Iron Hills

The exiles who settled in the Iron Hills were of the clan of the Longbeards, most commonly known as Durin's Folk so were of the most noble kind of Dwarves. They also were on friendly relations with the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain (Erebor), who because of Grór and Thrór's kinship were of similar like and mind.

Notable Dwarves from the Iron Hills

Grór

As mentioned above was the son of the mighty and highly renowned dwarf, Dáin I, and was the founder and first ruler of the Iron Hills.

Náin (See: List of Middle-earth Dwarves)

Náin was the son of Grór founder of the Iron Hills. He was killed during the Battle of Nanduhirion by the Orc lord Azog.

Dáin II

He was the lord of the Iron Hills after the death of his father. He was considered a mighty dwarf because he killed the Orc Azog of Moria, and therefore avenged his father, when he was at an age considered young to Dwarves. He became King of Erebor after the slaying of Smaug until his death during the War of the Ring.

Thorin III Stonehelm (See: List of Middle-earth Dwarves)

Son of Dáin II and after the death of his father become the Lord of the people of both Erebor and the Iron Hills. He was praised for helping to reconstruct Erebor and Dale. During his rule a new dwarven settlement was founded at Helm's Deep.

Landscape and Area

The Iron Hills were rich in minerals, most notably iron - which is why the Hills was given its name. The Hills were originally a part of the massive Iron Mountains; other remains of this vanished range are the Mountains of Angmar and Ered Mithrin. The Iron Hills is also the source of the River Redwater, which was given its name because of iron ore mixing into the water. The river joins onto the River Running.

ee also

*Grey Mountains
*Erebor
*Dwarf (Middle-earth)

References

*Tolkien, J.R.R. (1937 [2002] ). The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin. paperback: ISBN 0-618-26030-7
* [http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.asp The encyclopedia of Arda]