Durins

Durins refers to a legendary sequence of Dwarven rulers in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. The name Durin is the regnal designation used by seven successive kings, collectively known as Durin’s Folk or the Longbeards. This royal line is closely tied to the northern Dwarf realms, most famously Khazad-dûm, the great underground city later known as Moria.

The name Durin and the associated title are rooted in Dwarven tradition. Durin I is traditionally regarded as the founder of Khazad-dûm, initiating a lineage that would endure for many ages. The name Durin is said to be of the Khuzdul tongue, the language of the Dwarves, and Durin I is frequently styled with the epithet “the Deathless” by his people, a legendary sobriquet reflecting reverence for his memory and the enduring prestige of his line rather than literal immortality.

Over the ages, several bearers named Durin are spoken of in the histories of Durin’s Folk. The Longbeards’ kingship framed much of Dwarven history in the Elder and into the later Ages, shaping the destiny of Khazad-dûm and its surrounding realms. The lineage is invoked in genealogies, chronicles, and songs of the Dwarves, underscoring the enduring legacy attributed to Durin’s line.

In Tolkien’s works, Durin’s Folk remains a central element of Dwarven identity. Balin, a companion of Bilbo and leader who attempts to reclaim Moria, is described as a member of Durin’s line, illustrating how the legacy of Durin persists in dwarven memory and questing in the Third Age.