The Tragic Life Of Thror: How The King Under The Mountain Went Mad

The Tragic Life of Thror: How the King under the Mountain Went Mad

Introduction

In the vast and storied lands of Middle-earth, there is a tale of sorrow, madness, and the loss of a once proud and prosperous kingdom. This story revolves around Thror, the King under the Mountain, and his descent into insanity.

Duransfolk’s Exile and the Birth of Erebor

The Lonely Mountain, or Erebor as it came to be known, was not always a kingdom. During the early Second Age, it was under the control of the Dwarves of Duransfolk. When Khazad-Dum, their home in Moria, fell to the Balrog in 1981 of the Third Age, Thrain I led his people into exile and guided them to Erebor. They built an underground city within the mountain, marking the birth of the kingdom under the mountain in 1999 of the Third Age.

Wealth and Abandonment

Thrain I ruled as the first king under the mountain, discovering great riches within the rock, including the Arkenstone. The increasing wealth attracted men who founded their own settlement at the foot of the mountain. Thrain I reigned for twenty years before abdicating in favor of his son, Thorin I, not the Thorin known from The Hobbit Tale. Thorin I decided to abandon Erebor and settle in the Ered Mithrin north of Merkwood, hoping to reunite the Dorren’s folk.

Thror’s Reign and Madness

Thror, son of Thorin I, returned to Erebor centuries later. He sought to reclaim his homeland and relight the great forges of the dwarves. However, consumed by greed, Thror unwittingly awakened Smaug, the dragon that had been sleeping beneath the mountain. The fire and destruction that followed drove Thror mad, leading him to seal himself away in the halls of his ancestors, forever haunted by his failed ambition and the loss of his kingdom.

Conclusion

Thus, we see the tragic life of Thror, the King under the Mountain, who went mad after awakening Smaug. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and ambition, reminding us that power can lead to destruction if not wielded wisely.