In Thorin Oakenshield’s company, he played a vital role in the destruction of Smaug and during the Battle of Five Armies, winning great treasures as a reward.
Glóin, son of Gróin, was a Dwarf of of Durin’s Folk and the Longbeards Clan. Born in Exile, he joined Thorin Oakenshield’s Quest of Erebor with his brother Óin to retake the Dwarven realm from the Dragon Smaug. After the One Ring of Sauron was rediscovered, he traveled to Rivendell, where he represented the Dwarves in the Council of Elrond with his son Gimli, who later volunteered to join The Fellowship of the Ring.
Biography
Glóin was born in the Blue Mountains, known as Ered Luin in Sindarin, in the land of Eriador, which lies west of the Shire. The Dwarves of Durin’s folk had fled from the Lonely Mountain in Erebor to the Blue Mountains after the Dragon Smaug attacked the great Dwarven kingdom and destroyed it, gathering their treasures into a great hoard.
Although strange for Dwarves, Glóin was only 16 when he took part in the Battle of Azanulbizar in the Dimril Dale before the Gates of Moria and therefore was still considered a mere boy. The battle was the last in the War of the Dwarves and the Orcs and was fought against the Orc forces from Mount Gundabad in the Misty Mountains. Although it ended in victory for the Dwarves, they had lost many warriors and this prevented them from retaking Moria. The victorious Dwarves returned to the Blue Mountains, dejected and mourning their loss.
Life in The Blue Mountains
After some time living in the Blue Mountains, King Thráin II took some of his people and contrived to return to Erebor, but he was captured by the forces of the Necromancer of Dol Guldur, and the Ring of Power he inherited from his father, Thrór, was taken from him. He was then thrown in the dungeons, where Gandalf found him many years later. After the departure of King Thráin, the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains prospered under his son, King Thorin, and trafficked goods with the surrounding lands in exchange for their skills, but they always held the Lonely Mountain in their hearts and dreamt of retaking it.
The Quest of Erebor
On his way back to the Blue Mountains, King Thorin ran into the Grey Wizard Gandalf in the Prancing Pony Inn in Bree. Gandalf convinced the Dwarven King to set up a company of Dwarves to retake the lost realm of Erebor from Smaug. Gandalf had begun to suspect that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur was none other than the remerged Dark Lord Sauron, and wanted Smaug disposed of before the two creatures could ally. Even though many Dwarves had no respect for their Hobbit neighbors due to their simple and timid nature, as shown by Glóin’s disdain, Gandalf convinced the company to take Bilbo Baggins along with them on the Quest as a burglar.
Glóin arrived at the Unexpected Party in Bag End with the fourth group of Dwarves, wearing a white hood. He sat glumly, glaring at Bilbo, and neither helped to set the table nor did he play any musical instruments when Thorin requested some music. Gandalf had convinced the Dwarves to take the Hobbit along with them to Erebor by telling them that they needed a bugler and that Bilbo was the best one around. After Bilbo became frightened when Gandalf struck a light in the dark with his staff and swooned, Glóin mocked the Hobbit and wondered if he was as good a bugler as Gandalf claimed.
On their journey to Erebor, Glóin proved very useful and resourceful and was tasked with making campfires. As they escaped capture in King Thranduil’s halls in Mirkwood by floating downriver in barrels, Glóin nearly drowned as his barrel became flooded. As they reached safety near Esgaroth, the Dwarves found him passed out in his waterlogged barrel and had to carry him to the shore.
Glóin also took part in the Battle of Five Armies, distinguishing himself with feats of valor, and received his share of Smaug’s hoard from King Dain Ironfoot who became King Under the Mountain after Thorin Oakenshield died from his battle wounds. Glóin settled in the Lonely Mountain, along with the survivors of the battle, and grew prosperous in Erebor under the leadership of King Dáin.
War of the Ring
At the beginning of the War of the Ring, King Dain sent Glóin and his son Gimli to the House of Elrond in Rivendell to seek council about a messenger who had arrived at the gates of Erebor from the Dark Lord Sauron asking for news about the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins and the location of the Shire. Dain also wanted to know the fate of Balin, a Dwarf of the Lonely Mountain, who had taken several Dwarves to refound the colony in Moria.
Glóin sat next to Frodo Baggins during Elrond’s feast to celebrate his recovery and gave him news of Erebor and the surrounding country since the time of Bilbo’s adventure. During the Council of Elrond, Glóin spoke of the shadow that had fallen upon his people, Balin’s expedition to Moria, and the sinister messenger from Mordor.
Glóin would have also taken part in the battle of Dale against the Easterlings allied to Sauron during the War of the Ring.
Later Life
Glóin lived to see the fortunes of the Dwarves rise again after the defeat of the Dark Lord Sauron. The Dwarves retook Moria and resettled it, and his son Gimli took many Dwarves and settled in the Glittering Caves in Rohan.
FAQs
When Gimli and Glóin attended the council of Elrond, did Glóin know at this point that Balin and Oin had died? If so, why didn’t he mention it?
Glóin was unaware of his brother Oin and his cousin Balin’s fates at the time of the Council of Elrond. The Dwarves had not received news from Balin’s colony in Moria for many years. It was part of the reason why the father and son duo were sent to Rivendell to search for news of what became of them.
Is Glóin related to Durin?
Glóin was a Dwarf of Durin’s folk, which means that he is a descendant of Durin I, also known as Durin the Deathless, who was the eldest and longest-living of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves.
Why didn’t Gimli accompany Balin, Glóin, and Thorin Oakenshield’s Company in their quest to the Lonely Mountain
Gimli was only 62 years old during the Quest of Erebor and was considered to be too young to take part in dangerous expeditions; therefore, was not allowed to go with the other Dwarves.
Who played Glóin in The Hobbit?
In Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Glóin was played by the New Zealand actor, Peter Hambleton.
