Battle of Five Armies

The Battle of Five Armies was a great battle fought at the foot of Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, at the close of the quest told in The Hobbit. It pitted Dwarves, Elves, and Men against a host of Orcs and wolves (Wargs), and ended the contest over the dragon-hoard of Smaug.

Background

After the dragon Smaug was slain by Bard of Lake-town, his vast treasure-hoard lay unguarded within Erebor, held by Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves. Both the Men of Lake-town, whose home Smaug had destroyed, and the Elves of the Woodland Realm came to the mountain to claim a share of the wealth. Thorin, gripped by the gold-lust that ran in his line, refused them, and the three peoples stood on the brink of war over the hoard, with the mountain besieged.

The five armies

Before blood was shed among them, a great host of Orcs and Wargs swept down from the Misty Mountains, seeking vengeance and the treasure for themselves. At this the Dwarves, Elves, and Men united against the common enemy. The five armies of the battle's name were thus the Orcs and the Wargs on one side, and the Dwarves, Elves, and Men on the other. The Dwarves were further reinforced by Dáin Ironfoot, who came with an army from the Iron Hills.

Course and outcome

The battle was hard-fought and the free peoples were nearly overcome, until the timely arrival of the Eagles, and of Beorn the skin-changer, turned the tide. The Orc host was destroyed. The victory came at a heavy cost: Thorin Oakenshield was mortally wounded, and his kinsmen Fíli and Kíli fell defending him. Before he died, Thorin was reconciled with Bilbo Baggins.

After the battle, the treasure was justly divided, Dáin Ironfoot became King under the Mountain, and the realms of Dale and Erebor were restored.