View source for War of the Dwarves and Dragons

{{unnamed}}
{{War
| previous=[[Wainrider/Balchoth War]]
| next=[[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]
| name=War of the Dwarves and Dragons 
| image=[[File:Kevin Ward - Cold-drake.jpg|280px]]<br/>"Cold-drake" by [[:Category:Images by Kevin Ward|Kevin Ward]]
| begin={{TA|2570}}
| end={{TA|2589}}
| place=[[Grey Mountains]]
| result=Victory for the [[Dragons]]
*Most of [[Durin's Folk]] leave the [[Grey Mountains]]
*[[Thrór]] re-establishes the [[Kingdom Under the Mountain]]
*[[Grór]] establishes the lordship of the [[Iron Hills]]
| battles=
| side1=[[Durin's Folk]]
| side2=[[Dragons]]
| commanders1=[[Náin II]]<br>[[Dáin I]]†<br>[[Frór]]†
| commanders2=
}}

{{quote|The [[Dwarves]] hid themselves in deep places, guarding their hoards; but when evil began to stir again and [[dragons]] reappeared, one by one their ancient treasures were plundered, and they became a wandering people.|{{App|B2}}}}

The '''War of the Dwarves and Dragons''' is a name given to the conflict that took place between [[Durin's Folk]] and the [[Dragons]] of the [[Grey Mountains]], which took place from {{TA|2570}} to around {{TA|2589|n}}. It brought about the death of King [[Dáin I]] and resulted in [[Durin's Folk]] returning to the [[Lonely Mountain]].<ref name="Durin" />

==Background==
Following the defeat of [[Morgoth]] in the [[War of Wrath]], many Dragons were left in [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{S|IV}}</ref> Between the [[Second Age|Second]] and the [[Third Age]], the [[Seven Rings]] helped the Dwarves increase their treasure troves and established their legendary [[Seven Hoards]], which however drew the mightiest of dragons and opponents; and over the years they plundered the works of the Dwarves and devoured some of the Rings.<ref>{{S|V}}</ref>

Many centuries before the beginning of the war, the [[Long-worm]] [[Scatha]] had plundered treasure from the [[Dwarves]] and kept it in his hoard. Scatha was slain by [[Fram]] of the [[Éothéod]], who kept the treasure for himself and refused to yield a penny of it to the Dwarves.<ref>{{App|Eorl}}</ref>

==History==
===Prelude===
Following the loss of [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] to [[Durin's Bane|the Balrog]], in {{TA|1999}} [[Thráin I]] established the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]] at [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. However, in {{TA|2210|n}} Thráin's son, [[Thorin I]], abandoned Erebor and removed his people to the [[Grey Mountains]] to join the rest of [[Durin's Folk]].<ref name="AppB" /> 

===Conflicts===
{{blockquote|But there were dragons in the wastes beyond; and after many years they became strong again and multiplied, and they made war on the Dwarves, and plundered their works.|{{App|Durin}}}}
The Dragons in the North eventually multiplied and became strong, and in {{TA|2570}}<ref name="AppB">{{App|B2}}</ref> they made war on [[Dwarves|Durin's Folk]], sacking and plundering their halls. The Dwarves held out for around twenty years, but finally in {{TA|2589|n}}<ref name="AppB" /> the Dragons attacked the halls of King [[Dáin I]]. King Dáin, and his second son [[Frór]], were killed by a great [[Cold-drake]] outside the doors to his halls.<ref name="Durin" />

Following the death of their king, most of [[Durin's Folk]] abandoned the Grey Mountains. In {{TA|2590|n}},<ref name="AppB" /> King [[Thrór]] and his uncle [[Borin]] returned to Erebor with the [[Arkenstone]] to re-establish the [[Kingdom under the Mountain]]. However, Thrór's younger brother [[Grór]] led others to the [[Iron Hills]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>

===Aftermath===
The [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills]] and the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] managed to prosper for the following couple of centuries.<ref name="Durin" /> However the threat of Dragons would return: in {{TA|2770}} the dragon [[Smaug]], hearing of the wealth of Erebor, flew south from the North "like a hurricane" and [[Sack of Erebor|sacked]] the wealthy [[Kingdom under the Mountain]].<ref>{{H|1}}</ref> Smaug dwelt in the Lonely Mountain until the [[Quest for Erebor]] in {{TA|2941|n}} which resulted in Smaug being killed by the [[Black Arrow]] shot by [[Bard]].<ref>{{H|Fire}}</ref> Although [[Thorin]] was killed in the subsequent [[Battle of Five Armies]], [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin]] of the [[Iron Hills]] (grandson of [[Grór]]) became [[Kings of Durin's Folk|King of Durin's Folk]] and [[King under the Mountain]].<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref>

{{references}}
{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Wainrider/Balchoth War]]
| list=Major events of [[Middle-earth]]
| dates={{TA|2570}} - {{TA|2589}}
| next=[[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]]
}}
{{seq-end}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the Third Age]]
[[Category:Wars]]