Battle of Dale

2011-10-30T20:25:53Z

67.87.123.56:

{{battle
|name=Battle of Dale
|image=[[Image:Jan Pospisil - Dale units vs. Rhun.jpg|300px]]
|conflict=[[War of the Ring]]
|date=[[17 March|March 17]]th - [[27 March|March 27]]th, {{TA|3019}}
|place=Outside [[Dale]] and then the [[Lonely Mountain]]
|result=Easterlings were driven out of Dale after a long siege.
|side1=[[Men]] of Dale and [[Esgaroth]], [[Dwarves]] of Erebor and [[Iron Hills]]
|side2=[[Easterlings]]
|commanders1=* [[Brand]] †
* [[Dáin Ironfoot]] †
* [[Bard II]]
* [[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]]
|commanders2=* Unknown Easterling commander
|forces1=
|forces2=
|casual1=[[Brand]], [[Dáin Ironfoot]], and many Dwarves and Men
|casual2=Thousands, virtually entire force
}}{{wotr}}
{{quote|When you think of the great [[Battle of Pelennor Fields|Battle of the Pelennor]], do not forget the battles in Dale and the valour of Durin's Folk. Think of what might have been. Dragon-fire and savage swords in [[Eriador]]! There might be no [[Arwen|Queen]] in [[Gondor]].|[[Gandalf]]<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>}}
The '''Battle of Dale''' and the subsequent '''Siege of Erebor''' were decisive battles in the northern theatre of the [[War of the Ring]]. Even though it cost the lives of Kings [[Dáin Ironfoot]] and [[Brand|Brand of Dale]], it was a decisive victory for the [[Free peoples]].
==History==
=== Prelude===
The [[Dwarves]] of the [[Lonely Mountain]] and the [[Men]] of [[Dale]] refused to acknowledge the overlordship and alliance of Sauron.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref> While his southern armies menaced Gondor, the Dark Lord sent an army north to extend his dominion to prevent the armies of his enemies joining together under one banner, which could have proved disastrous for [[Mordor]].

=== The Battle ===
On [[17 March]] {{TA|3019|n}}, [[Sauron]] sent a large contingent of [[Easterlings]] to attack Dale. The combined forces of the Men of Dale under King [[Brand]] and the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain under King [[Dáin Ironfoot]] marched out to meet the Easterlings in battle. After three days of heavy close-quarters fighting, they were forced to retreat towards the Lonely Mountain.<ref name="B3">{{App|B3}}</ref>

The armies fought bravely before the [[Gate of Erebor]], which was not taken. In the end, Dáin was killed as he stood defending the body of his ally Brand.<ref name="Durin"/> Meanwhile, the defenders of the Mountain were able to withstand the siege.<ref name="B3"/>

However, the forces of [[Gondor]] and Rohan defeated the main power of Sauron in the Morannon theatre on [[25 March]], causing the northern army to lose hope. Seeing the morale of their foes being sapped by news of victory in the south, the Army of Dale under the new Kings - [[Bard II]] and [[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]] - managed to lift the siege on [[27 March]] and drove the Easterlings out of Dale.<ref>{{App|B4}}</ref>

=== Aftermath and Repercussions ===
The battle was incredibly important in the course of the [[War of the Ring]]: if Sauron's Easterling armies had beaten the Dwarves and Men of Dale, they would have been able to join up with Sauron's forces from [[Dol Guldur]] in their attacks on the [[Woodland Realm]] of [[Mirkwood]] and [[Lothlórien]], tipping the scales in favor of Mordor. This would have enabled Mordor's armies to flank the forces of Gondor and Rohan from the North and rear. [[Gandalf]] himself commented that had the Battle of Dale been lost in this way, the forces of the West would have been crushed regardless of the victory at the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]].<ref name="Durin"/>

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''[[2006]]: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:The Siege of Erebor is the penultimate level of the good campaign. The forces are Mordor are led by the [[Mouth of Sauron]], and originate from [[Dol Guldur]] rather than the [[Rhûn|East]]. Groups of [[Corsairs]] and [[Haradrim]] first attack Dale, before the main host attacks. The first of three waves is led by a horsed [[Ringwraith]], and the third (made up almost entirely of trolls and siege weapons) by a Ringwraith on a [[Fell beast]]. After the third wave is broken, the [[Mouth of Sauron]] enters Erebor via a hidden entrance, and has to be killed. Almost simultaneously, [[Glorfindel]], [[Glóin]] and [[Thranduil]] arrive with reinforcements from Mirkwood. At the level's conclusion, they are credited with defeating the enemy.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'', "Erebor"</ref>

{{references}}

[[Category:Conflicts of the War of the Ring]]
[[Category:Sieges]]
[[de:Schlacht von Thal]]
[[fr:encyclo:evenements:3a:guerres:bataille_de_dale]]
[[fi:Laakson taistelu]]

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Battle of Dale