Thrór

From Tolkien Gateway
Thrór
Dwarf
Donato Giancola - Carc and Thror.jpeg
"Carc and Thror" by Donato Giancola
Biographical Information
TitlesKing of Durin's Folk
King under the Mountain
LocationGrey Mountains
Lonely Mountain
LanguageKhuzdul
BirthT.A. 2542
Grey Mountains
RuleT.A. 2589 - 2790
Death2790 (aged 248)
Moria
Family
HouseHouse of Durin
ParentageDáin I
SiblingsFrór, Grór
ChildrenThráin II
Physical Description
GenderMale
GalleryImages of Thrór

Thrór (T.A. 25422790, lived 248 years) was King of Durin's Folk for 201 years, from 2589 to 2790. He was the eldest son of Dáin I and brother of Grór and Frór.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

After a great Cold-drake killed both his father and brother Frór, the remaining brothers Thrór and Grór led their people away from the Grey Mountains. As Dáin's heir Thrór led many Dwarves back to Lonely Mountain in T.A. 2590[2], where he became King under the Mountain, a title held earlier by his ancestor, Thorin I. Grór continued east with a great following of Durin's folk to the Iron Hills, where he founded his own realm.[1]

King under the Mountain[edit | edit source]

At Erebor, Thrór and his people re-established the Kingdom under the Mountain and became very prosperous. Thrór brought the Arkenstone back to Erebor[1] and the hall of feasting and council, the Great Chamber of Thrór,[3] was named after him.

Thrór and his people gained the friendship of the Northmen who lived along the river Celduin. These people later founded the town of Dale and had much trade of goods, beautiful trinkets, and weapons with the Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor also had much traffic of ores with their kinsman in the Iron Hills and the region had peace and prosperity for many years.

But in 2770[2] their prosperity ended. The Dragon Smaug heard of the wealth of Thrór and his people. He flew south from the Ered Mithrin and sacked the Lonely Mountain, killing many Dwarves. From the destruction many escaped, the last of them being Thrór and his son Thráin from the hidden Back Door. With a small company of kin and faithful followers they made a great wandering southward, until they reached the hills of Dunland.[1]

On a Mid-year's Day under a broad crescent moon, Thrór created his map of the Lonely Mountain and the Desolation of the Dragon. In addition to the readily visible features on the map, Thrór added the details about the hidden Back Door into the Mountain, written in Moon-letters for secrecy.[4]

Dunland, and the journey to Moria[edit | edit source]

In Dunland, his people tried to make a living, but twenty years[2] after the Sack of Erebor, despondent and homeless, Thrór left his people and went north with a single companion, Nár. Before leaving, Thrór gave his son Thráin II his Ring of Power, along with the map and key to the Lonely Mountain. Thrór wished to see the fabled city of his ancestors, Khazad-dûm.

Eventually they made it over the Redhorn Pass down into Azanulbizar, the Dimrill Dale. Coming to the East-gate of Moria Thrór found it open. Nár begged him to beware, but ignoring his companion Thrór walked through the gates as the heir who had returned. But he did not come back.[1]

Azog and Nár by Steamey

Death[edit | edit source]

Nár hid nearby for many days until he saw Thrór's body flung down the steps; his severed head lay face downward on the ground. As he knelt there, Nar saw branded across his forehead in Dwarvish runes the name AZOG. This Orc then threw a small purse of coins at him, calling him a beggar. Nár fled weeping down the Silverlode, while Orcs emerged and hacked Thrór's body into pieces and fed them to the crows.[1]

When Nár told Thráin what had happened, he declared war on the Orcs and called all the Seven Houses of the Dwarves together for vengeance. Nine years later in T.A. 2799[2] at the Battle of Azanulbizar, the climax of the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, the death of Thrór was avenged when Azog was beheaded by Dáin Ironfoot. Thráin took Azog's severed head, shoved the purse of coins into his mouth and then set it on a stake.[1]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Jim Allan has suggested that the name Thrór derives from Þrór, a dwarf from the Dvergatal. According to Allan, Þrór means "boar", deriving from a root meaning "to expand" (linking the meaning to Thrór's expanding of the "diggings and wealth of the Lonely Mountain").[5]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Náin II
2338 - 2585
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dáin I
2440 - 2589
 
 
 
 
 
Borin
2450 - 2711
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THRÓR
2542 - 2790
 
Frór
2552 - 2589
 
Grór
2563 - 2805
 
Farin
2560 - 2803
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thráin II
2644 - 2850
 
 
 
 
 
Náin
2665 - 2799
 
Fundin
2662 - 2799
 
Gróin
2671 - 2923
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thorin II
2746 - 2941
 
Frerin
2751 - 2799
 
Dís
b. 2760
 
Dáin II
2767 - 3019
 
Balin
2763 - 2994
 
Glóin
2783 - Fo.A. 15

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

2003: The Hobbit (2003 video game):

A statue of Thrór stands in the great hall of Erebor.

2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

Thrór is played by Jeffrey Thomas.[6] Contrary to Tolkien's writings, Thrór is shown as the ruling king at the time of the discovery of the Arkenstone instead of his ancestor Thráin I. With this, the film portrays him as believing its discovery as a sign of his divine right to the throne.
The film also condenses the events after the Sack of Erebor to show Thrór choosing to try to retake Moria as the home of his people, but in the process being beheaded in the Battle of Azanulbizar by Azog.

2021: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Thrór's tragic fate is depicted in a flashback called "Nár's Tale", being the first of many hardships endured by the King's companion.

See also[edit | edit source]

References

Thrór
House of Durin
Born: T.A. 2542 Died: T.A. 2790
Preceded by:
Dáin I
King of Durin's Folk
T.A. 25892790
Followed by:
Thráin II
Vacant
Thorin I, 350 years earlier
3rd King under the Mountain
T.A. 25902770
Abandoned
Thorin Oakenshield,
171 years later


Kings of Durin's Folk
Durin I* (Y.T.) · Durin II* · Durin III* (fl. S.A. 1600) · Durin IV* · Durin V* · Durin VI* (until T.A. 1980) · Náin I* (1980 - 1981) · Thráin I (1981 - 2190) · Thorin I (2190 - 2289) · Glóin (2289 - 2385) · Óin (2385 - 2488) · Náin II (2488 - 2585) · Dáin I (2585 - 2589) · Thrór (2585 - 2790) · Thráin II (2790 - captured 2845, d. 2850) · Thorin II Oakenshield (after 2845 - 2941) · Dáin II Ironfoot (2941 - 3019) · Thorin III Stonehelm (T.A. 3019 - Fourth Age) · Durin VII (Fourth Age)*
* Kings of Khazad-dûm · Kings under the Mountain
The Hobbit film series
Source material: The Hobbit · The Lord of the Rings
Films An Unexpected Journey (extended editionThe Desolation of Smaug (extended edition) · The Battle of the Five Armies (extended edition)
Music An Unexpected Journey (Special Edition) · The Desolation of Smaug (Special Edition) · The Battle of the Five Armies (Special Edition) · "Song of the Lonely Mountain" · "I See Fire" · "The Last Goodbye"
Tie-in books An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide · Visual Companion · Movie Storybook · Annual 2013 · Chronicles: Art & Design · Chronicles: Creatures & Characters · The World of Hobbits
The Desolation of Smaug Official Movie Guide · Visual Companion · Movie Storybook · Annual 2014 · Chronicles: Art & Design · Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers · Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon · Activity Book · Sticker Book · Ultimate Sticker Collection
The Battle of the Five Armies Official Movie Guide · Visual Companion · Movie Storybook · Annual 2015 · Chronicles: Art & Design · Chronicles: The Art of War · Activity Book
Video games Kingdoms of Middle-earth · Armies of The Third Age · Lego The Hobbit
Characters Bilbo · Thorin · Gandalf · Balin · Fíli · Kíli · Dwalin · Dori · Nori · Ori · Óin · Glóin · Bifur · Bofur · Bombur · Smaug · Radagast · Elrond · Galadriel · Saruman · Azog · Bolg · Thranduil · Legolas · Tauriel · Bard · Bain · Tilda · Sigrid · Master of Lake-town · Alfrid · Dáin Ironfoot · Necromancer · Bert · William · Tom · Beorn · Thráin · Thrór · Goblin King · Gollum · Frodo