{{orc infobox
|image=[[Image:Azog.jpg|250px]]
|name=Azog
|othernames=
|birth=
|death=[[Third Age 2799|T.A. 2799]]
|race=[[Orcs|Orc]]
|gender=Male
|height=
|hair=
|eyes=
}}'''Azog''' was an [[Orcs|Orc]]-chieftain of [[Moria]], who started the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]] when he slew [[Thrór]]. He was himself slain by [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin II Ironfoot]] in the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]], and was succeeded by his son [[Bolg]].<ref>{{H|1}}</ref><ref>{{H|17}}</ref><ref>{{App|A3}}</ref>{{Pronounce|Azog.mp3|Ardamir}}

==History==
Of Azog's origins we know little; he was the chief of the [[Orcs]] of [[Moria]], and apparently the most important [[Orcs|Orc]] of the northern lands. The average lifespan of an Orc is unknown, but it is conceivable that he was one of those sent to [[Moria]] by [[Sauron]] in about [[Third Age|T.A.]] 2480. He had one son that we know of, [[Bolg]], who succeeded him after his death.

Azog entered history in the year [[Third Age|T.A.]] 2790 due to King [[Thrór]]'s desire to revisit and perhaps refound the lost realm of [[Khazad-dûm]], in whose mighty ruins Azog dwelt. Azog captured and slew [[Thrór]], and branded his hewn head with his own name, "AZOG". The Orc flung the head at Nár, then a money purse at containing "few coins of little worth", warning that he would tolerate no future Dwarf beggars entering his domain at Moria.

When news of this reached [[Thrór]]'s heir [[Thráin II|Thráin]], he was greatly angered, and mustered a force of [[Dwarves]] to seek revenge on Azog. So began the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]: the [[Dwarves]] hunted Azog, and many battles were fought beneath the earth. After nine years of war, the climactic [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] was fought before the gates of [[Moria]] itself.

King [[Thráin II]] and his son [[Thorin|Thorin]] were in that battle (it was here that Thorin gained the surname ''[[Oakenshield]]''). Near the end of the battle, Azog himself emerged and fought with Thráin's cousin [[Náin son of Grór|Náin]] and, after breaking Náin's neck, his young son [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]]. Though only 32 years old, Dáin swept the head from Azog's shoulders, and helped to win the day. Azog's head was impaled on a spike, with the same coin-filled purse stuffed in his mouth that he had flung at Nár after he killed Thrór nine years before.

The [[Dwarves]] made no attempt to press their advantage, though, because [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] had glimpsed [[Durin's Bane]] during his battle, and warned the [[Dwarves]] not to attempt to enter [[Moria]]. Azog's underground dominions in the north, though greatly reduced in the War, fell to his son [[Bolg]], who held them for more than 150 years until he too met his end at the [[Battle of Five Armies]].
==Etymology==
The meaning and origin of the name ''Azog'' is unknown. It is most likely a name in the [[Black Speech]] (e.g., the similarity between ''azog'' and ''[[nazg]]''), though [[Mágol]] may also be a possibility.<ref>{{HM|RB}}, p. 787, note 38</ref>

==Portrayal in Adaptations==

'''2012-13: ''[[The Hobbit films]]'':'''
: Azog will be played by [[Conan Stevens]].

{{references}}
[[Category:Orcs]]
[[Category:Black Speech words]]
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Evil]]
[[de:Azog]]
[[fr:/encyclo/personnages/orques/azog]]
[[fi:Azog]]

Bree

2011-09-06T00:40:54Z

24.185.111.35: /* History */

{{location
| image=[[Image:The White Council - Bree Street View.jpg|250px]]
| name=Bree
| othernames=
| etymology=Celtic, "hill"
| type=Town
| location=[[Eriador]], on [[Bree-hill]]
| inhabitants=[[Men]], [[Hobbits]]
| realms=[[Arnor]]<br/>[[Cardolan]]<br/>Independent<br/>[[Reunited Kingdom]]
| description=
| events=
| references=
|}}

'''Bree''' was a village in [[Middle-earth]], east of [[The Shire]] and south of [[Fornost Erain]].

==History==
Bree was settled in the early [[Third Age]], in the realm [[Cardolan]]. Though the Princes of Cardolan claimed it, Bree continued to thrive without any central authority or government for many centuries. Bree was the most westerly settlement of men in all Middle-earth by the time of the [[War of the Ring]].

The origins of its [[Men of Bree|inhabitants]] are obscure, but apparently they were [[Pre-Númenóreans]], related to the [[Dunlendings]], who had moved far to the North, and then were absorbed into [[Arnor]]. In any case, the Bree-landers managed to survive through the violent history of Middle-earth up to that point, and they were still thriving in Bree long after Arnor had collapsed and the memory of [[Kings of Arnor|fallen kings]] faded into the grass. It was also the only place of Middle-earth where Men lived with Hobbits on a daily basis: the population of the Bree-land had become a mix of Men and Hobbits, who had migrated from [[Angmar]] around {{TA|1300}}. The ratio varied between each of the four townships of the Bree-land, but Bree itself had a sizable Hobbit population.

Bree was by its nature a trading community, due to being located at the major crossroads of the [[Great East Road]]. which ran from the Blue Mountains and the coast to [[Dale]] in the far East, and the old north-south road between Arnor and [[Gondor]]. The latter had fallen out of much use since the destruction of Arnor, and was more commonly referred to as the [[Greenway]] due to its disrepair. Trade had of course drastically declined in the thousand years since the final destruction of Arnor, but even at the end of the Third Age Bree remained relatively prosperous. As a result of its location on major trade routes, one could encounter travelers from all sorts of distant lands in a bustling Bree inn. The [[Rangers of the North]] also were known to stop in Bree for resupply.

Bree is the place where seemingly by accident, [[Gandalf]] and [[Thorin]] met on [[15 March|March 15]], [[Third Age 2941|T.A. 2941]]. They were both thinking about the same problem: the [[Dragons|Dragon]] [[Smaug]] at the [[Lonely Mountain]]. The meeting led to the undertaking of the [[Quest of Erebor]], which resulted in the death of Smaug and the finding of [[the One Ring]] by [[Bilbo Baggins]].

In the night between the [[29 September|29th]] and the [[30 September|30th]] of September, [[Third Age 3018|T.A. 3018]], [[Frodo Baggins]] met [[Aragorn|Strider]] at the largest inn in Bree, [[The Prancing Pony]], owned by [[Barliman Butterbur]]. The inn was raided by servants of the [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]], forcing the retreat of Frodo and his companions.

Bree was raided by [[ruffians]] during the [[War of the Ring]], leaving several Men and Hobbits dead. When [[Travellers|Frodo and his companions]] returned in [[28 October|October 28]], [[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]], returned to Bree, it seemed like most of the worst had passed. Barliman Butterbur explained to the Hobbits that none of the Bree-landers ever realized how much the Rangers of the North had done for them, but after they all left (to fight in the War of the Ring in the south) all sorts of ruffians and highwaymen and wolves had encroached on the land. The Bree-landers had survived by throwing up some hasty defenses and posting watchmen, but trade had dropped off to almost nothing as they barricaded themselves within their town walls. The Hobbits assured Butterbur that [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]], known to him as his former customer "Strider", had now been crowned King and would soon venture north to restore order.

Presumably, Bree was re-absorbed into the revived Arnor and [[Reunited Kingdom]] of Aragorn, with increased trade allowing Bree to become more prosperous than in generations.

==Surroundings==
Directly west of Bree were the [[Barrow-downs]] and the [[Old Forest]]. Bree was the chief village of [[Bree-land]], a small wooded region near the intersection of the main north-south and east-west routes through Eriador. Bree-land was the only part of Middle-earth where [[Men]] and [[hobbits]] dwelt side by side.

Bree was on the south-western side of [[Bree-hill]], and there were three villages in Bree-land in addition to Bree proper.

*'''[[Staddle]]''' was populated primarily by hobbits who made a living from light agriculture, of pipeweed, primarily. Staddle was on the south-eastern side of Breehill, sitting south of Combe and Archet. It was the only of the villages (other than Bree itself) visible from the [[Great East Road]].

*'''[[Combe]]''' was populated primarily by Men, with some hobbits, all of whom made a living from agriculture. Combe was situated on the borders of the '''[[Chetwood]]''' and on the edge of Breehill, between the villages of Archet and Staddle.

*'''[[Archet]]''' was the furthest north. Located in the [[Chetwood]], it was populated primarily by [[Men]].

==Etymology==
The name ''Bree'' means "hill" in [[wikipedia:Brythonic languages|Brythonic]], a [[Celtic]] language, referring to the fact that the village of Bree and the surrounding Bree-lands were centered around a large hill. According to [[Tom Shippey]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] was inspired by the actual town of [[wikipedia:Brill|Brill]].

==Portrayal in adaptations==
[[Image:Bree town map.gif|thumb|right|200px|Map of Bree in [[The Lord of the Rings Online]].]]
With the absence of [[Tom Bombadil]] and the [[Barrow-downs]] in most adaptations, the distance between Bree and the Shire seems shorter than it really was.

'''1978: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)]]'':'''
:After leaving the [[Old Forest]], the Hobbits appear in the Prancing Pony without delay or introduction. Merry does not go out for a stroll, and the rooms were raided by [[Nazgûl|Ringwraiths]] rather than servants of them.

'''1981: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:Here too, Bombadil and the Barrow-downs were omitted. After taking a short walk through Bree, the hobbits enter the Pony. Merry goes out for a walk, and is found by [[Bob]] the ostler. Once again, it is the Ringwraiths rather than servants of them who raid the Pony.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''
:Frodo and his companions arrive at Bree almost immediately after the scene in which they leave the Shire. All are present in Strider's room when the Ringwraiths crash the gate, trample the gatekeeper, and raid the Prancing Pony.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|Vivendi's The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The role of Bree is greatly expanded, due to the interactiveness of the medium. It is the place where the Hobbits meet Strider, and the player shifts perspective. Strider searches the streets of Bree for Merry and materials to make decoys for (once again) the Ringwraiths to slash, while the streets are crowded with robbers and wolves.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Bree is one of the major cities in the game, located in Bree-land. Men are able to quick travel to the city if they have earned the trait, have it equipped and have one travel ration. Bree is also one of the places that players can choose as Mannish character's homeland.

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Bree|Images of Bree]]

[[Category:Arnor]]
[[Category:Cities, Towns and Villages]]
[[de:Bree]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:villes_tours_et_forteresses:eriador:bree]]
[[fi:Brii]]