The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Race
Division
Culture
Family
Settlements
Ruled Erebor after the death of his cousin Thorin II Oakenshield
Meaning
Apparently a reference to the armour of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills1
Title of

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 15 August 2020
  • This entry is complete

Ironfoot

The surname of King Dáin II

The title and surname of Dáin son of Náin, ruler of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills and later King under the Mountain. While still a youth of thirty-two, he fought in the Battle of Azanulbizar, and gained great fame by slaying the leader of the Orcs, Azog, before the gates of Moria. Some sources suggest that Dáin gained the name Ironfoot from that victory, holding down Azog's iron collar under his foot and then chopping off his head (though the history of the event in The Lord of the Rings is not so explicit, saying simply that Dáin '...slew [Azog], and hewed off his head.' [Appendix A III, Durin's Folk]). However he acquired the title, it suited him well as the ruler of the Iron Hills, but when his distant cousin Thorin was slain in the Battle of Five Armies, Dáin Ironfoot succeeded him to become King Dáin II of the Longbeards.


Notes

1

The use of 'Ironfoot' as a title for Dáin is nowhere canonically explained. As mentioned above, it has been speculated that he received it from his great deeds in the Battle of Azanulbizar in III 2799 (the same battle where Thorin earned the name 'Oakenshield') but this is never explicitly stated. In early drafts of The Hobbit (quoted in John D. Rateliff's The History of the Hobbit), there is a reference to the Dwarves of the Iron Hills wearing caps and shoes of iron, and the origins of the title 'Ironfoot' may simply be a reference to this customary armour of Dáin's people.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 15 August 2020
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1999, 2001, 2012, 2020. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.
Explore team dynamics, relationships, leadership and more with Discus team-building.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry