|
|
House Greyjoy of Pyke is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. It rules over the Iron Islands, a harsh and bleak collection of islands off the west coast of Westeros, from the castle at Pyke. The head of the house is the Lord Reaper of Pyke. House Greyjoy's sigil is traditionally a golden kraken on a black field.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balon Greyjoy was the head of House Greyjoy and Lord of the Iron Islands. He was a hard, ambitious and ruthless man. Balon was married to Alannys of House Harlaw. They had four children Rodrik, Maron, Yara and Theon. Yara is their only daughter. Long ago, Balon declared himself King of the Iron Islands and rose in the rebellion against the Iron Throne. He was, however, defeated in a bloody war, but was allowed to remain Lord of the Iron Islands. He met his death by the hands of his brother, Euron, who pushed him off a bridge.
Yara, the only daughter of Balon and Alannys, was born and raised at Pyke. With Yara as Balon's only remaining child in the Iron Islands, he raised her as a surrogate son, encouraging her to become a reaver in her own right, which is unusual for women in the patriarchal culture of the ironborn. She is a fierce warrior and commands her own longship, to the disquiet of some of the ironborn who hold that women should not fight or command men in battle. Yara formed an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, but was captured by Euron during the assault on the Targaryen Fleet.
Theon, once a prince of Winterfell, was born at Pyke and is Balon and Alannys's fourth child. After Balon's defeat against the Iron Throne, his condition to remain the lord of Iron Islands was to offer Theon as a hostage. Theon became a ward of Eddard Stark. Despite his status as a hostage at Winterfell, Theon was treated well by the Starks, and he came to see Eddard as a surrogate father, while becoming best friends with Robb Stark. Theon is a skilled archer. His cocky arrogance and cavalier actions contrast with the staid ways of the North.
King Euron Greyjoy is also the captain of the longship Silence, the flagship of the Iron Fleet, and wields a two-handed battleaxe in combat. After murdering Balon, Euron took control of the Salt Throne with the support of many Ironborn, forms an alliance with Cersei Lannister, and defeats the allies of Daenerys in Blackwater Bay. He delivers the captured Ellaria and Tyene Sand, as a gift to Cersei. However, witnessing Jon Snow's proof of the White Walkers invasion terrifies him, so he abandons Cersei and sets out to return to the Iron Islands along with his entire fleet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aeron Greyjoy, brother of Balon and Euron, is a Drowned Man in service to the Drowned God, the deity worshiped by the Ironborn of the Iron Islands off the western coast of Westeros. When his niece Yara swears on the Salt Throne that she will avenge her father's murder, Aeron reminds her that the King of the Iron Islands must be chosen in the Kingsmoot. This is an ironborn custom where all the lords and ship captains of the Iron Islands would gather at an assembly known as a Kingsmoot to hold an election for a new king from among their own numbers.
Lorren is a famous Ironborn Raider, noted for his experience and ferocity in battle. He was loyal to House Greyjoy and among Theon's ironborn who seized Winterfell. He captured Ser Rodrik Cassel and brought him before Theon, who brutally executes the defiant Rodrik. Lorren and the other ironborn at Winterfell were flayed alive by Ramsay and the House Bolton soldiers despite Robb Stark's promise of mercy.
Dagmer is an Ironborn Raider and Reaver, noted for his skill in battle and his loyalty to House Greyjoy. He assists Theon besieging Torrhen's Square and then strikes at Winterfell once it has been left poorly defended. As Theon is rallying the last remaining men to fight, Dagmer hits him over the head, knocking him out cold. He places a cloth bag over his head and Theon is dragged away. When Maester Luwin tries to intervene, Dagmer stabs him. Dagmer was among the ironborn flayed alive by Ramsay.
Drennan is a crewman of the Sea Bitch, the ship Theon's father Balon gave him to raid the Stony Shore. Drennan then takes part in the seizing of Winterfell by Theon. Drennan's death was at the hands of Osha, who seduced Drennan and slit his throat, allowing Bran and Rickon Stark to escape Winterfell alongside Hodor, Summer, Shaggydog, and Osha herself.
|
House Greyjoy had been in open rebellion against the Iron Throne since the War of the Five Kings, during which it sought independence for the Iron Islands once more. Following the death of King Balon Greyjoy and the election of his brother, Euron, as the new King of the Iron Islands, House Greyjoy was divided between Euron and his followers, and Balon's surviving children, Yara and Theon, and their followers. Yara's faction, which had aligned with House Targaryen, was defeated by Euron, who has aligned himself with House Lannister upon the beginning of Daenerys Targaryen's invasion of Westeros.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grejoy's house words are "We Do Not Sow," although the phrase "What Is Dead May Never Die" is also closely associated with House Greyjoy and their bannermen, as they are associated with the faith of the Drowned God.
|
|
|
|
|
Moat Cailin is a ruined collection of towers located on the Neck. It is part of the North and has not been permanently manned for centuries. Because of that, it is neither a fief nor a residence of any lord. It is the lynchpin of the defense of the North from any invasion from the south. It is an ancient stronghold of the First Men. It has been degraded by time and only three towers still stand. The towers are arranged in mutually defensive positions, suggesting the heightened tactical awareness of the builders.
|
|
|
|
|
Ironborn Raiders seize Moat Cailin after Balon Greyjoy launches his campaign to conquer the North. Left to defend Moat Cailin include Captain Ralf Kenning of House Kenning and Adrack Humble of House Humble. House Kenning actually holds fealty to House Harlaw, who in turn holds fealty to House Greyjoy. Through deceit, Ramsay Bolton's army massacres and flays Moat Cailin's inhabitants.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
House Harlaw's seat is Ten Towers located on Harlaw, the easternmost of the Iron Islands. They are a powerful family with strong ties to the Greyjoys. The current head of the family is Lord Rodrik Harlaw, brother of Lady Alannys Harlaw, called Rodrik the Reader for his passion for books. As one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Iron Islands, House Harlaw has multiple cadet branches including Harlaw Hall, Grey Garden, Tower of Glimmering, and Harridan Hill.
House Blacktyde is located on the eponymous island of Blacktyde, which they rule. Baelor Blacktyde's father was killed in a battle of the Greyjoy Rebellion. Baelor was taken as a hostage for eight years in the city of Oldtown. Upon his return to Blacktyde, Baelor had converted to the mainland's Faith of the Seven - which is exceptional among the ironborn, who worship the Drowned God. Nevertheless, several Blacktydes gather around Balon Greyjoy when he crowns himself King of the Iron Islands again.
House Goodbrother's seat is Hammerhorn, a castle located on the Hardstone Hills of the island of Great Wyk, the largest of the Iron Isles. They are one of the most powerful houses from Great Wyk. Their wealth not coming from the sea but from their mines. Their blazon is a gold-banded black warhorn on red. Their current lord is Gorold Goodbrother. House Goodbrother also has three cadet branches: Downdelving, Crow Spike Keep, and Corpse Lake. House Goodbrother briefly ruled the Iron Islands as Iron Kings.
House Botley is located of the port town of Lordsport, on the island of Pyke. Along with their Kings of House Hoare, House Botley participated in the conquest of the Riverlands. Its lord is Sawane Botley. Lord Sawane has six sons. The eldest, Harren, was killed at Moat Cailin by a poisoned arrow fired by the Crannogmen. This left his second eldest, Tristifer, as his heir. Tristifer is one of the close champions and bodyguards of Yara Greyjoy. Prior to the Kingsmoot, Lord Sawane states that the Seastone Chair belongs to Theon Greyjoy by right, as Balon's only surviving son.
|
|
|
|
|
|
House Drumm was in service to House Hoare during the reign of Qhorwyn Hoare. After the Kingsmoot elected his formerly banished son Harwyn Hoare as King of the Iron Islands, he gathered the armies of the Iron Islands, including those of House Drumm and House Harlaw and attacked the mainland of Westeros.
House Sparr is a vassal house from the Iron Islands that holds fealty to House Greyjoy. Their seat is located of the island of Great Wyk, the largest of the Iron Isles. House Sparr rules over a part of Great Wyk, with their lands being six leagues from Hammerhorn, seat of House Goodbrother. Their sigil is an oak saltire on blue. Their current lord is a hatchet-faced old man with watery eyes known as "The Sparr".
House Merlyn is a vassal house from the Iron Islands that holds fealty to House Greyjoy. Their seat is located at Pebbleton on the island of Great Wyk. They blazon their arms with twining waterspouts, green on white. Their current lord is Meldred Merlyn, also known as "the Merlyn".
|
|
|
|
|
