East-gate

The East-gate or Great Gate was the Eastern entrance to Khazad-dûm. It was located in Dimrill Dale.

History

When first built, the Gate was awe-inspiring, and held spells in Elvish, Khuzdul, Westron and Orkish. The Door itself had been destroyed in battle at an unknown point in time.

In T.A. 2790 Thrór and his companion Nár went to Moria to see the ancient halls of their ancestors. Despite the warnings of Nár, Thrór went through the East-gate. He was captured by Orcs under the command of Azog, who beheaded him. Azog wrote his own name in Dwarvish runes on Thrór's head and threw it outside the gate for Nár to retrieve. He let Nár go to tell all the Dwarves that an Orc ruled Moria now, and so Nár did, which started the War of the Dwarves and Orcs.

In T.A. 2799, the War came to its climax with the Battle of Azanulbizar, which was the largest battle of the war. After the battle Dain II Ironfoot, the victor, would not allow his people to reclaim it, for he had once looked through its doors, and knew that the Balrog lurked there still.

On January 15, T.A. 3019, the Fellowship of the Ring, after the loss of Gandalf, exited Moria through its eastern access. It was not heavily guarded. Prior to that, both Gandalf and Aragorn had passed through it.