Durin’s House

The long line of descendants of Durin, eldest of the race of Dwarves and founder of the great mansions of Khazad-dûm in the Misty Mountains. The clan of Dwarves who followed Durin were known as the Longbeards, but also simply as Durin's Folk, and Durin's House provided the line of Kings of Durin's Folk. For most of the history of these Dwarves they ruled in Khazad-dûm, until the awakening of the Balrog known as Durin's Bane. After this time the seat of Durin's House moved from place to place as the exiled Dwarves travelled across Middle-earth, settling at times in the Grey Mountains, Dunland and the Blue Mountains before finally re-establishing themselves in Erebor.

Though the long-lived founder of the House was known as Durin the Deathless, he did eventually die. A peculiarity of his House was that he would apparently return at times, with a member of his House being born with a striking likeness to the original Durin. These successors were also given the name 'Durin', and there were six such rulers after Durin the Deathless. Of these, it was Durin VI who was ruler of Khazad-dûm when the Balrog awoke, and was among its first victims (and for this reason it became known as Durin's Bane).

Durin's House played a great part in the events at the end of the Third Age. Indeed, it was the quest of Durin's distant heir Thorin Oakenshield to recover Erebor that led to the finding of the One Ring. Thorin was slain in the Battle of Five Armies, bringing his direct line to an end, but Durin's House continued under the rule of Dáin Ironfoot, himself descended from Durin the Deathless. It continued until at least the time of Durin VII, who according to tradition led Durin's Folk back to their ancient home of Khazad-dûm.

For a detailed list of the known heads of Durin's House, see the entry for King of Durin's Folk. For a genealogy of the House, see the entry for House of Durin.