Lonely Mountain
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In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, the Lonely Mountain (Sindarin Erebor) is a mountain in the northeast of Rhovanion. It is also the source of the Celduin river. This was the ancestral home of the descendants of Durin, also known as Durin the Deathless because many of his descendants were named after him, and were so much like him in appearance and spirit that many said that it was Durin returned to life. This Kingdom Under the Mountain was one of the largest dwarven treasure hoards in Middle-earth.
The mountain was aptly named, as it was hundreds of miles from the nearest mountain range. Tolkien's map shown in The Hobbit depicts the mountain as having six ridges stretching out from a central peak that was snowcapped well into Spring. The Front Gate faced southward. The whole mountain was perhaps ten miles in diameter. The town of Dale was built between the two southern spurs.
The ancestral home of the King under the Mountain, it became a Dwarven stronghold, where the Dwarves became a numerous and prosperous people. The Dwarves of that time were skilled in Masonry and stone work, and there was great demand for their work by the surrounding peoples. Clearly through this the Dwarves became very rich and amassed a large amount of gold and treasure. This is what attracted Smaug to the mountain.
Whilst Thorin Oakenshield was one day out hunting, Smaug (being quite young then, and small enough to fit through the large gate) came from the mountains and took over the mountain, hoarding all the gold. Thráin II and several companions escaped by (as was later discovered) a secret door. For many years the dwarves lived in exile in the Ered Luin until, by a chance meeting, Gandalf the Grey met Thorin Oakenshield, and they planned to reclaim the mountain. This is told in detail in The Quest of Erebor.
In The Hobbit, Bilbo and Thorin's company travel to the Lonely Mountain to regain the treasure Smaug had stolen. Set into the side of the mountain was a secret door, five feet high and wide enough for three to walk abreast. Gandalf had managed to obtain the door's key, which would only open it when the setting sun and the last moon of autumn were in the sky together. By a fortunate coincidence, this happened just as Bilbo and the dwarves arrived. Smaug made it out of the mountain, though he most likely had to break through the gates to make them bigger so he could fit, came out of the mountain and headed for Lake Town.
Smaug was eventually slain — shot out of the sky with a well-aimed arrow by Bard the Bowman, a man of Esgaroth — and Thorin claimed the mountain. Bard later became king of the area in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain, known as Dale. However Elves of Mirkwood and Men of Esgaroth claimed a part of the treasure, which Thorin refused to share. This led to the Battle of Five Armies, where Dáin II Ironfoot came to the aid of his cousin Thorin, but Dwarves, Elves, and Men joined ranks together with the Eagles against the Goblins. During the battle, Thorin was mortally injured and died shortly afterwards. The titles King under the Mountain and King of Durin's Folk then passed to Dáin.
With the restoration of the Kingdom under the Mountain the area became prosperous again, and Dwarves and Men reforged their friendship. Dáin was killed during the War of the Ring, and was succeeded by his son Thorin III Stonehelm.
| Dwarves from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium | |
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Azaghâl | Balin | Bifur | Bofur | Bombur | Borin | Dáin I | Dáin II Ironfoot | Dís | Dori | Durin(s) | Dwalin | Fíli | Flói | Frerin | Frár | Frór | Fundin | Gamil Zirak | Gimli | Glóin | Gróin | Grór | Ibûn | Khîm | Kíli | Lóni | Mîm | Náin I | Náin II | Náin son of Grór | Náli | Nár | Narvi | Nori | Óin | Ori | Telchar | Thorin I | Thorin II Oakenshield | Thorin III | Thráin I | Thráin II | Thrór |
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| Kingdoms of the Dwarves | |
| Belegost | Iron Hills | Khazad-dûm | Lonely Mountain | Nogrod | |
| Mountains from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium | |
|---|---|
| Ranges: | Crissaegrim | Echoriath | Ephel Dúath | Ered Engrin | Ered Gorgoroth | Ered Lithui | Ered Luin | Ered Lómin | Ered Mithrin | Ered Nimrais | Ered Wethrin | Hithaeglir | Iron Hills | Orocarni | Mountains of Angmar | Pelóri |
| Notable peaks: | Amon Anwar | Caradhras | Celebdil | Erebor | Fanuidhol | Meneltarma | Methedras | Mindolluin | Mount Dolmed | Mount Gram | Mount Gundabad | Mount Rerir | Orodruin | Starkhorn | Taniquetil | Thangorodrim |
| Notable passes: | Aglon | Calacirya | Cirith Gorgor | Cirith Ungol | Cirith Forn en Andrath | Redhorn Pass |
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|---|---|
| Realms of Men: | Arnor • Arthedain • Breeland • Cardolan • Corsairs of Umbar • Dale • Dol Amroth • Dunland • Éothéod • Esgaroth • Gondor • Harad • Khand • Rhovanion • Rhudaur • Rhûn • Rohan • Umbar |
| Realms of the Elves: | Lindon • Lothlórien • Northern Mirkwood • Rivendell |
| Realms of the Dwarves: | Belegost • Erebor • Grey Mountains • Iron Hills • Khazad-dûm |
| Realms of the Hobbits: | Breeland • Gladden Fields • The Shire |
| Realms of the Ents: | Fangorn forest |
| Uncertain population: | Dorwinion |
| Realms of the enemy: | Angmar • Barad-dûr • Dol Guldur • Isengard • Mordor |
