Thrór

**Thrór** was the eldest son of Dain I, brother of Frór and Grór father of Thráin II, the paternal grandfather of Thorin, Frerin and Dís and great-grandfather of Fíli and Kíli.

## History

### Early life

Thrór was born in TA 2542 to Dain I. He also had two younger siblings to follow. The family at the time had lived in the dragon-plagued Grey Mountains. However, cold-drakes, dragons who did not breath fire, from the North attacked the Mountains, killing Thror's father and Fror. It forced Thrór and his youngest brother, Grór, to flee while their brother and father perished.

### As King under the Mountain

#### Re-settlement in Erebor

After their father's death, Thrór was given the title as King under the Mountain. The brothers agreed to split their colony in half. Thror took a small portion of those who remained from the Grey Mountain kingdom to recolonizing Erebor while Gror took the larger portion of their kingdom to the Iron Hills, where Gror became the Lord of the Iron Hills. It is heavily presumed that the brothers remained in touch with each other.

Thror was married and had a son named Thrain II, after the ancestor of the same name, born in TA 2644. His son also married a noblewoman and therefore, Thror became a proud grandfather with his first born grandson Thorin born in TA 2746, Frerin born in TA 2751 and his only known granddaughter Dis, born in TA 2760.

Under Thror's rule, Erebor was expanded and became "the greatest kingdom in Middle Earth." The nearby cities of Dale and Esgaroth prospered from its neighbooring on Thror's realm, and all other Dwarf mansions were subjected to Thror is the heir to the Throne of Durin.

#### The Treasure Hoard and Golden Statue

Thror, however, began hoarding a treasure that was beyond measure or any practical use, becoming enamoured with the gold. Thranduil warned him that this will bring evil to his realm, but he would not listen. Due to this, and a possible lack of payment, Thror would later provoke the Elvenking by denying him the White Gems of Lasgalen, which he sent for the Dwarves to fashion as a necklace.

Statues in Thror's likeness were carved in and around the mountain - one such statue laid on the side of the Hidden Door into the mountain. Thror had the Dwarves mine gold in order to create a statue of his person in pure gold, which was to be cast in the Gallery of the Kings. During the mining operation, a jewel called the Arkenstone was found. The greedy Thror took it to himself and called it "The King's Jewel", and it would later become the symbol of his line.

It was this hoarding of gold that attracted Smaug to the mountain, and resulted in the Sack of Erebor. During Smaug's attack, Thror remained in the throne room, took the Arkenstone and foolishly went down the Lower Halls to hide in his treasure hoard. He was surprised to find that Smaug was already there, and dropped the Arkenstone. Thorin rescued him.

### In Exile

Thror's people crossed the Wilderland, denied shelter by Thranduil, and went to Dunland.

Thror tried leading them to Moria, but they soon learned that it was overrun by Orcs. Thror gave his Ring to his son Thrain and they went into battle. Azog, leader of the Orcs, defeated Thror, cut off his head, carved his own name in runes over his forehead and threw the head at Thorin.

As Thrain was also lost in the battle, Thorin became King of Durin's Folk, but was unable to exert his will on the other Dwarf Lords without the Arkenstone.