Dale

Dale was a city-state of Men in north-eastern Rhovanion, to the south of the Lonely Mountain (Erebor), in Middle-earth.

History
In The Hobbit, Dale was a city of men on the River Running between the Lonely Mountain and the Long Lake. It was ruled by Girion until its destruction in TA 2770 by the Smaug the Dragon.

Situated in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain, it was deserted for many years while the mountain was under the control of Smaug.The town was repopulated after the Battle of the Five Armies, when Bilbo Baggins and his dwarf companions entered the Lonely Mountain to claim back Erebor and its treasure. At this point, Smaug, in rage, flew to Esgaroth upon the Long Lake in an attempt to destroy it. This attempt failed however as Smaug was shot down by Bard, a man of Esgaroth. With Lake-town in ruins, the men sought a portion of Thorin's treasure, in payment for their help in the overthrowing of the dragon, to rebuild their town, but in his pride Thorin refused. The squabble almost resulted in war between the men (and their wood-elf allies) and Thorin and his soon-to-arrive dwarven kin in the Iron Hills. Just as they were about fight, Gandalf arrived with a warning that the goblins of the Misty Mountains and their Warg allies sought to destroy them to avenge the death of the Goblin King and claim Smaug's treasure. This then became the Battle of the Five Armies with the dwarves, the elves and the men joining forces against the orcs. When the battle was over, the dwarves restored their kingdom under the Lonely Mountain and men began to settle once more in Dale, with Bard, the man who slew the dragon, becoming their first king.

Dale was sacked for a second time during the War of the Ring by invaders from the east. The people of Dale took refuge in the Lonely Mountain with the dwarves, and it was during the resulting Siege of Erebor that King Dáin II Ironfoot of Erebor and King Brand of Dale were slain. However, after the fall of Sauron, the siege was broken and Dale was rebuilt once more.

Gandalf was indirectly responsible for the rebuilding of Dale, in that he set in motion the quest that would result in the slaying of Smaug and provided vital aid to it. Some argue that he foresaw the upcoming war, and did this in a successful attempt to create one more front for Sauron.

Lords of the Kingdom of Dale
Old Kingdom
 * Girion

Dale renewed

 * 1) Bard the Bowman, a.k.a. Bard I
 * 2) Bain
 * 3) Brand
 * 4) Bard II

Military
Dale's armies consist of militia and knights from the city as well as men from the surrounding lands. The weapons of Dale are made by the nearby Dwarves, ensuring only the best quality. The bowmen of Dale are known for their skill, and their volleys support the infantry of Dale as they fight to defend their kingdom from the various forces that oppose them, mainly Rhûn.

External link


Thal Dale Dal Дейл