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'''Durin I''' ([[Years of the Trees]] – [[First Age]]), also known as '''Durin the Deathless''', was the eldest of the seven [[Fathers of the Dwarves]], the first of that race to be created by the [[Valar|Vala]] [[Aulë]]. He was set to sleep under the mountains of [[Middle-earth]] until after the [[Awakening of the Elves]].
{{disambig-more|Durin|[[Durin (disambiguation)]]}}
{{dwarves infobox
| image=[[File:Liz Danforth - Durin I.jpg|250px]]
| name=Durin
| pronun=
| othernames=Durin the Deathless<br/>"Father of the Dwarves"
| titles=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]<br/>[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| position=
| location=[[Moria|Khazad-dûm]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Khuzdul]]
| birth=[[Years of the Trees]]
| birthlocation=[[Mount Gundabad]]
| rule=
| death=[[First Age]]
| deathlocation=
| age=
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| parentage=None; created by [[Aulë]]
| siblings=
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
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}}
'''Durin I''' ([[Years of the Trees]] – [[First Age]]), also known as '''Durin the Deathless''' due to his longevity, was the first of the seven [[Fathers of the Dwarves]], the founder of the city of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]], and the first king of the [[Longbeards]].
 
==History==
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Aulë and the Seven Fathers.jpg‎|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Aulë and the Seven Fathers'']]
Long before the awakening of the [[Elves]] it is said that Aulë, yearning for the [[Children of Ilúvatar]], fashioned the Seven [[Fathers of the Dwarves]] in a hall under the mountains in [[Middle-earth]].  Pleased with his work, Aulë was instructing his creations in the [[Khuzdul|speech]] he had devised for them when [[Ilúvatar]] rebuked him, pointing out that they were mere counterfeits that would only stand idle without Aulë’s will.  Aulë humbled himself before Ilúvatar and prepared to destroy the Dwarves, but at that moment Ilúvatar gave them independent life.  However, Ilúvatar would not suffer their arrival in the world before the Firstborn, so the seven fathers were laid to sleep until after the coming of the [[Elves]].<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref>
 
Ilúvatar commanded Aulë to lay the sleeping fathers in deep places, each with a mate, save Durin the eldest who had none.<ref>{{L|212}}</ref>  Durin was set to sleep under [[Mount Gundabad]] in the [[Misty Mountains]] during the [[Years of the Trees]].<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}</ref> 
===King of the Longbeards===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Durin I Discovers the Three Peaks.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Durin I Discovers the Three Peaks'']]
When he awoke he journeyed south alone through the wild where no person ever wandered before, and gave name to "nameless hills and dells", perhaps [[Azanulbizar]] and the nearby features<ref>{{FR|Journey}}</ref>. He came upon [[Kheled-zâram]]. Looking upon [[Seven Stars|mysterious stars]] set [[Durin's Crown|like a crown]] reflected in its surface, he took this as a sign, and there in the caves above the lake, founded a great city. This was [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]], later called [[Moria]], and for many years it was the greatest Dwarven city in Middle-earth.<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>


'''Durin''' awoke at [[Mount Gundabad]] in the [[Misty Mountains]] during the Years of the Trees. He journeyed in the wilds until he came upon [[Mirrormere]] (''Kheled-zâram'' in [[Khuzdul]]). Looking upon mysterious stars reflected in its surface, he took this as a sign, and there founded a great city. This was [[Khazad-dûm]], later called [[Moria]], and for many years it was the greatest Dwarven city in Middle-earth.
Durin was the founder of the [[Longbeards]] house, which became known as [[Durin's folk]].  He lived to a great age even by the measure of the Dwarves until he was known as "The Deathless". However, he was not actually immortal, and died sometime during the First Age.<ref name="Durin"/>


'''Durin''' lived to a great age even by the measure of the Dwarves, outliving many of his children, until he was known as "The Deathless". However, he was not actually immortal, and died sometime during the First Age.
All that can be known for certain about his age, is that he was born before {{YT|1250}}<ref name="GA">{{GA|19}}</ref> and died before the end of the [[First Age]].<ref name="Durin"/> This makes Durin ''at least'' 2,395 years old, about ten-times the lifespan of [[Dwarves]].<ref group="note">[[coranar|Years of the Sun]]. Each Year of the Trees is equal to 9.582 Years of the Sun, and the Years of the Trees ended in the year 1500. So, 9.582 x 250 = 2,395.</ref>


Durin was the founder of the [[Longbeards]] clan, which later became known as [[Durin's folk]]. These were the Dwarves chronicled by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] in the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age|Third Ages]]. The Longbeards believe that '''Durin''' will return to them seven times, and in each reincarnation he will again be named '''Durin''' and reign as King.
==Legacy==
The Longbeards believed that Durin would return to them seven times, and in each reincarnation he will again be named Durin and reign as King. He did have six descendants that were named Durin, all were kings of Durin's folk.<ref name="Durin"/>


Durin's [[Durin's Axe|axe]] survived him and would become a great heirloom of Durin's folk.
[[Durin's Axe]], a great heirloom of Durin's folk, was probably his; it was apparently found when [[Balin]] and [[Balin's colony|his colony]] came to Khazad-dûm in {{TA|2989}}.<ref>{{FR|Bridge}}</ref><ref>{{App|B2}}</ref>


The age of '''Durin''' had been speculated, and it is believed to have lived more than 6-800.  Which would make the oldest Dwarf ever.
==Etymology==
''Durinn'' is one of the Dwarfs in the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. The name means "Sleepy".<ref>Chester Nathan Gould, "Dwarf-Names: A Study in Old Icelandic Religion", published in ''Publications of the Modern Language Association of America'', Vol 44 (1929), issue #4, pp. 939-967</ref>


{{sequence
{{references|note}}
|prev=none
{{seq-start}}
|next=[[Durin II]] at some later time
{{seq-head
|list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk]]
| race=dwarf
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
}}
{{seq
| pvac=None
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| prow=2
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]]
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{{sequence
{{seq
|prev=none
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
|next=[[Durin II]] at some later time
|list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm]]
}}
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Characters in The Silmarillion]]
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[de:Durin I.]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:1a:durin_ier]]
[[fi:Durin Kuolematon]]

Revision as of 19:54, 25 April 2014

The name Durin refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Durin (disambiguation).
Durin
Dwarf
Liz Danforth - Durin I.jpg
Biographical Information
Other namesDurin the Deathless
"Father of the Dwarves"
TitlesKing of Durin's Folk
King of Khazad-dûm
LocationKhazad-dûm
LanguageKhuzdul
BirthYears of the Trees
Mount Gundabad
DeathFirst Age
Family
HouseHouse of Durin
ParentageNone; created by Aulë
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Durin

Durin I (Years of the TreesFirst Age), also known as Durin the Deathless due to his longevity, was the first of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves, the founder of the city of Khazad-dûm, and the first king of the Longbeards.

History

Ted Nasmith - Aulë and the Seven Fathers

Long before the awakening of the Elves it is said that Aulë, yearning for the Children of Ilúvatar, fashioned the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-earth. Pleased with his work, Aulë was instructing his creations in the speech he had devised for them when Ilúvatar rebuked him, pointing out that they were mere counterfeits that would only stand idle without Aulë’s will. Aulë humbled himself before Ilúvatar and prepared to destroy the Dwarves, but at that moment Ilúvatar gave them independent life. However, Ilúvatar would not suffer their arrival in the world before the Firstborn, so the seven fathers were laid to sleep until after the coming of the Elves.[1]

Ilúvatar commanded Aulë to lay the sleeping fathers in deep places, each with a mate, save Durin the eldest who had none.[2] Durin was set to sleep under Mount Gundabad in the Misty Mountains during the Years of the Trees.[3]

King of the Longbeards

Ted Nasmith - Durin I Discovers the Three Peaks

When he awoke he journeyed south alone through the wild where no person ever wandered before, and gave name to "nameless hills and dells", perhaps Azanulbizar and the nearby features[4]. He came upon Kheled-zâram. Looking upon mysterious stars set like a crown reflected in its surface, he took this as a sign, and there in the caves above the lake, founded a great city. This was Khazad-dûm, later called Moria, and for many years it was the greatest Dwarven city in Middle-earth.[5]

Durin was the founder of the Longbeards house, which became known as Durin's folk. He lived to a great age even by the measure of the Dwarves until he was known as "The Deathless". However, he was not actually immortal, and died sometime during the First Age.[5]

All that can be known for certain about his age, is that he was born before Y.T. 1250[6] and died before the end of the First Age.[5] This makes Durin at least 2,395 years old, about ten-times the lifespan of Dwarves.[note 1]

Legacy

The Longbeards believed that Durin would return to them seven times, and in each reincarnation he will again be named Durin and reign as King. He did have six descendants that were named Durin, all were kings of Durin's folk.[5]

Durin's Axe, a great heirloom of Durin's folk, was probably his; it was apparently found when Balin and his colony came to Khazad-dûm in T.A. 2989.[7][8]

Etymology

Durinn is one of the Dwarfs in the Dvergatal. The name means "Sleepy".[9]

Notes

  1. Years of the Sun. Each Year of the Trees is equal to 9.582 Years of the Sun, and the Years of the Trees ended in the year 1500. So, 9.582 x 250 = 2,395.

References

Durin I
House of Durin
None
Position created
King of Durin's FolkUnknown
Next known:
Durin II
King of Khazad-dûm