Dáin Ironfoot

2011-11-19T22:13:03Z

71.231.240.89: /* The Battle of Five Armies */

{{disambig-two|the successor of [[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]]|earlier King of Durin's Folk|[[Dáin I]]}}
{{Dwarves infobox
|image= [[Image:Dain-ironfoot.jpg|250px]]
|name=Dáin II Ironfoot
|othernames=King under the Mountain, Lord of the Iron Hills
|life={{TA|2767}} - [[17 March|March 17]], {{TA|3019}}
|realm=[[Lonely Mountain]], [[Iron Hills]]
|parentage=[[Náin son of Grór|Náin]]
|lineage=[[Durin's line]]
|hood=
|gender=Male
}}{{Pronounce|Dain.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Dáin II''' or '''Dáin Ironfoot''' ([[Third Age]] 2767 – 3019, aged 252 years) was the [[Lord of the Iron Hills]] and [[King under the Mountain]]. In his life, he fought in the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]], the [[Battle of Five Armies]] and the [[Battle of Dale]]. He was renowned as a warrior across Middle-earth.<ref name="Erebor">{{UT|Erebor}}</ref>

==History==
===Early Life===
Dáin was born in {{TA|2767}} in the [[Iron Hills]], the son of [[Náin]], during the reign of his grandfather [[Grór]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

=== War of the Dwarves and Orcs ===
[[File:Liz Danforth Dain and Azog.png|thumb|left|200px|Dáin figths [[Azog]].]]

After the murder of [[Thrór]] by [[Azog]] in {{TA|2790}}, his son [[Thráin II]] swore revenge. He summoned all available Dwarves, and sacked every Orc stronghold in the [[Misty Mountains]], battling his way to [[Moria]]. There, the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]] raged before the gate of the ancient Dwarf stronghold.

[[Náin]] and his son Dáin arrived late in the battle, but proved pivotal. Fresh and well equipped, they drove through the Orc forces, until at last Náin confronted Azog. But Náin was weary and filled with anger, and Azog storng and agile. He darted from the dwarf's blows, and when the warrior stumbled, Azog hewed and broke his neck. However, all across the valley, his troops were in retreat. He tried to escape back inside, but he was followed by Dáin who with his red axe, hewed off his head before the doors of the East-Gate. He was a very young Dwarf at thirty-two at the time, and it was heralded as a magnificent feat.

After the battle King [[Thráin II]] wanted to enter Moria as his own. But Dáin dissuaded him, because he alone looked past the gate into Moria, and had the wisdom to know that it was impossible for Durin's folk to return at that time because of [[Durin's Bane]].<ref name="Durin"/>

=== Lord of the Iron Hills ===
Dáin returned to the Halls of Grór with his people, and with his father dead, became [[Lord of the Iron Hills]] at his grandfather's death in {{TA|2805}}. He had one son, [[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin]], born in {{TA|2866}}.<ref name="Durin"/>

During his reign his people became the strongest in [[Wilderland]], being the only realm capable to resist [[Sauron]] if he dared come North and retake the realm of [[Angmar]] and the northern passes of the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Erebor"/>

=== The Battle of Five Armies ===
[[Image:Dain II.jpg|thumb|right|''Dáin'' by [[Angus McBride]].]]
Nearly a hundred years later, King [[Thorin]], the son of [[Thráin II]], set out on a journey to reclaim [[Erebor|Erebor, the Lonely Mountain]], which had been usurped by the [[Dragon]] [[Smaug]].<ref>{{H|Party}}</ref>

The dragon was slain, though by [[Bard]] of [[Lake-town]] and not by Thorin's company. Thorin claimed the entire hoard and proclaimed himself [[King under the Mountain]], but both Bard and the Elven king [[Thranduil]] both longed for compensation of their suffering caused by the Dragon. Because his company of thirteen could not hold the mountain, Thorin sent for Dáin.<ref>{{H|Gathering}}</ref>

Dáin responded to Thorin's call and set out with more than five hundred dwarves, well armed and experienced. They were originally intent on driving off the Elves and Men, but [[Gandalf]] arrived to inform them of the approaching Orcs and [[Wargs]]. They all united against the common enemy, and so was fought the [[Battle of Five Armies]] in the valley of Dale.<ref>{{H|Burst}}</ref>

Thorin was killed in the battle, as were his sister-sons [[Kíli]] and [[Fíli]]. This made Dáin the next in line to become [[King under the Mountain]], and King of all of Durin's folk.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref>

===King under the Mountain===
During his reign as king, he became exceedingly rich and his people were very prosperous. The town of [[Dale]] was rebuilt and its border stretched far to the South and East and the friendship between the [[Elves of Mirkwood]], [[Men of Dale]], and [[Dwarves of Erebor]] was close, especially between the Men and Dwarves. For the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] now exceeded all their ancestors in the art of masonry and mining, and created many beautiful things in Dale.<ref>{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>

But not all were content. [[Balin]] set out with several others to reclaim Moria in {{TA|2989}}. Dáin did not give his blessing when Balin, but could not dissuade them.<ref name="Council">{{FR|Council}}</ref> It was only later learned the colony was destroyed after five years.<ref>{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

===War of the Ring===
In {{TA|3018}}, a messenger came from Mordor, enquiring about a creature named "[[Bilbo Baggins|Baggins]]" from "[[the Shire|Shire]]". In return for information Dáin would be given the last three [[Dwarf-rings]]. Dáin told him to give him time to think and for many weeks he pondered until he sent [[Glóin]] and his son [[Gimli]] to [[Elrond]] for council, and to warn Bilbo of the enemy looking for him.<ref name="Council"/>

After many months war came to Erebor in the [[Battle of Dale]]. King [[Brand]] of Dale was at war with [[Easterlings]] along the River [[Carnen]], but they defeated him and he retreated back to Dale where he was given aid by Dáin and an army of Dwarves. After three days of fighting the Dwarves and Men were driven back, and Brand was slain. But defending his body stood Dáin, who at over 250 years old wasn't feeble, and still could wield his axe with great skill. But his skill was not enough and he was slain as well before the gates of Erebor.<ref name="Erebor"/>

Several days later the Easterlings learned that the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]] was lost and they were afraid. When the new King [[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]], son of Dáin, and Brand's [[Bard II]] saw this they came out of the mountain and routed their enemies.<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref>

==Etymology and names==
''Dáinn'' is a dwarf from the ''[[Völuspá|Dvergatal]]''. His name most likely means "Deadlike".<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>

The epithet ''Ironfoot'' remains unexplained in the published writings of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]. However, [[John D. Rateliff]] has pointed out that an explanation for the epithet is likely found in the original manuscript of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', where it is stated that the shoes of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills were of iron.<ref>{{HM|RB}}, p. 674 (note 12)</ref>

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | DAI | | | | | | |DAI=[[Dáin I]] ''2440 - 2589''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | | | | | THR | | FRO | | | | GRO |THR=[[Thrór]] ''2542 - 2790''†|FRO=[[Frór]] ''2552 - 2589''†|GRO=[[Grór]] ''2563 - 2803''}}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | |!| |}}
{{familytree | | | | | THN | | | | | | | | NAI |THN=[[Thráin II]] ''2644 - 2850''†|NAI=[[Náin (son of Grór)|Náin]] ''2665 - 2799''†}}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | | | |!| |}}
{{familytree | THO | | FRE | | DIS | | | | DII |THO=[[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]] ''2746 - 2941''†|FRE=[[Frerin]] ''2751 - 2799''†|DIS=[[Dís]] ''2760 - ???''|DII='''DÁIN II IRONFOOT''' ''2767 - 3019''†}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | |,|-|^|-|.| | | |!| |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | FIL | | KIL | | TH3 |FIL=[[Fíli]] ''2859 - 2941''†|KIL=[[Kíli]] ''2864 - 2941''†|TH3=[[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]] ''2866 - ???''}}
{{familytree/end}}
==Portrayal in Adaptations==
'''1968: ''[[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)]]'':'''
:Dáin's voice is provided by [[Brian Haines]].<ref>Radio Times, Volume 181, No. 2349, [[14 November|November 14]], [[1968]]</ref>

'''1977: ''[[The Hobbit (1977 film)]]'':'''
:Dáin is said to come to Thorin's aid, but he himself does not show up, or at least not distinct from his army.

'''1979: ''[[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)]]'':'''
:No actor is credited for the role of Dáin.

'''2001-2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game]]'':'''
:[[Weta]] made a special card for Dáin.

[[File:Dain BFMEII.png|250px|thumb|right|''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II|The Battle for Middle-earth II]]''.]]
'''2003: ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)]]'':'''
:Dáin has no speaking part; he only appears on parchment sections.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Dáin is a hero in the Dwarves faction. In the campaigns, he appears in the Battle of Dale in the Good Campaign, where he has to survive the onslaught of enemy forces to succeed the level.

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[House of Durin]]
| born={{TA|2767}}
| died={{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Grór]]
| list=[[Lord of the Iron Hills]]
| dates={{TA|2805}} – {{TA|2941|n}}
| nvac=Himself
| next=as King
}}
{{seq
| prow=2
| prev=[[Thorin|Thorin II Oakenshield]]
| list=[[Kings of Durin's Folk|King]] of [[Durin's Folk]]
| dates={{TA|2941}} – {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Thorin Stonehelm|Thorin III Stonehelm]]
| nrow=2
}}
{{seq
| list=5th [[Kings under the Mountain|King under the Mountain]]
| dates=T.A. 2941 – 3019
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Longbeards]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[de:Dáin II.]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:dain_ii]]
[[fi:Dáin II]]

Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Dáin Ironfoot