Durin III

Durin III was a King of Durin's Folk, and the first bearer of the mightiest of the seven Dwarf Rings, though this was not known to outsiders until the end of the Third Age.
== Biography ==
As a descendant of Durin I who bore the same name, Durin III was considered by many Dwarves to be the reincarnation of the original Durin due to the great similarity in appearance and manner.
He is the father of Durin IV; a more traditionally-minded Dwarf in contrast to his son, who is willing to seek alliances with other peoples. After Durin IV hosts his friend Elrond for dinner and hears of the Elf's proposal, he brings the news to his father, who is skeptical and expresses a desire to remain isolated.
Sometime shortly after SA 1500, Durin received one of the Seven rings; the Dwarves of Durin's Folk claimed the ring was given by Celebrimbor himself, and not by Sauron, though Sauron was involved in the making. This was the ring that Thráin II later carried and had taken from him when he was captured by the agents of Sauron. During the War of the Elves and Sauron the Dark Lord's forces were on the point of overtaking and destroying the refugees and army of Elrond, when the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm sortied from the Doors of Durin and attacked Sauron's forces in the rear, giving the Elves time to escape and earning the Dark Lord's enmity. After this time the gates of Khazad-dûm were shut.