Balon Greyjoy
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
 Balon Greyjoy by Amoka© | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Reign | 298AL - 299AL |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Balon Greyjoy, the Ninth of His Name Since the Grey King |
| Alias | Balon the Brave Balon the Blessed Balon the Twice-Crowned The Greyjoy |
| Other Titles | Iron King King of the Iron Islands and the North King of Salt and Rock Son of the Sea Wind Lord Reaper of Pyke |
| Died in | 299AL, at Pyke. |
| Family | |
| Royal House | House Greyjoy |
| Heir | Theon Greyjoy |
| Successor | Euron Greyjoy |
| Queen | Alannys Harlaw |
| Father | Quellon Greyjoy |
| References | |
| Books | A Game of Thrones (Mentioned) A Clash of Kings (Appears) A Storm of Swords (Mentioned) A Feast for Crows (Mentioned) A Dance with Dragons (Mentioned) |
| Played by | Patrick Malahide |
| TV series | Season 2 |
Balon Greyjoy is the head of House Greyjoy of Pyke; as such he is lord paramount of the Iron Islands. He is captain of the Great Kraken.[1] He is a follower of the old ways of the Ironborn and tried to bring them back to prominence. In 289AL he proclaimed their independence from the Iron Throne but was defeated by King Robert's forces. In the TV series, Balon is played by Patrick Malahide.[2]
Contents |
Appearance and Character
Balon has a personality to match his people: stubborn, fearless, and quarrelsome. He is uncompromising even when it comes to his own family, and his faith in the Old Way is absolute.[3]
Balon had always been thin, but by 298 AL he is gaunt with a hard face. He has hard black eyes with long grey hair flecked with white that hangs past the small of his back.[1] See also this collection of images.
Life
Balon is the eldest surviving son of Lord Quellon Greyjoy and a lady of House Sunderly. It is not clear when he was born.
Balon learned to sail when still young and was a very skilled captain. Balon scaled the Flint Cliffs to the Blind Lord's haunted tower when he was ten. By thirteenth year, he had become an expert oarsman. At fifteen he sailed with Dagmer Cleftjaw to the Stepstones on a reaving, killing his first man and taking his first two salt wives there. By seventeen he captained his own longship.[4] Later he often went raiding and was known for his fierceness and fearlessness.
He succeeded his father as Lord Reaper of Pyke when the latter died during a raiding journey. When he returned to Pyke he found out his younger brother Urrigon had died of gangrene after being injured in the finger dance. The maester had tried to save the hand of the boy but his potions had failed and Urrigon (14 years old) lost his life instead. Balon commanded the same treatment be used on the maester, who died along with Balon's stepmother.[4]
Balon was married to Alannys Harlaw, who gave him three sons and a daughter: Rodrik, Maron, Asha, and Theon.
Later Balon and Alannys grew apart.
First Rebellion
- Main article: Greyjoy Rebellion
In the past the ironborn raided their neighbors. They used to attack, killing any who resisted, taking thralls and salt wives, and leaving before an army could assemble. An ironborn man took pride in not having to pay for jewelery but taking it from those too weak to hold it ("Paying the Iron price"). They ruled large parts of Westeros, including the Riverlands, Bear Island and the Arbor. After Aegon's Conquest they had lost their independence and were not allowed to raid other territories of the Kingdom. Balon wished to return to those customs, which he considered a better way for the ironborn.
Balon watched as Robert Baratheon overthrew the Targaryens taking no part. Balon was quick to seize the chance to revert to the ways of old when he thought that Robert's recently gained rule, through conquest, would not have the support, the men and/or the will to resist him and launched his Rebellion.
The ironborn won early success when they attacked Lannisport and destroyed its fleet, but Balon's triumph was short lived, his elder son Rodrik died at the walls of Seagard and his fleet and forces were defeated, his second son Maron died while defending Pyke. Balon was forced to accept defeat and bent the knee, re swearing fealty to the Baratheons, allowing Theon, his sole surviving son, to be taken hostage by Eddard Stark.[1]
In 297AL Balon's brother Euron seduced the wife of their other brother Victarion. To prevent bloodshed between the brothers Balon sent Euron to exile and swore he would be killed if he returned. To keep his honor Victarion killed his wife.
Second Rebellion
- Main article: War of the Five Kings
Though defeated, Balon Greyjoy never gave up on his desire to become King of the Iron Islands, at the out break of the War of the Five Kings, an opportunity presented it self. Balon assembled his fleet and ordered all ships which visited the Iron Islands to remain so he would have the element of surprise.
Robb Stark, the King in the North, had offered to ally with Balon against the Lannisters but Balon spurned the offer, which was carried to him by his son Theon.[1] Instead he declared himself King of the Iron Islands and the North, taking the Neck and cutting off Robb's army campaigning in the Riverlands and the Westerlands. Then the ironborn, led by Asha, Theon, and Dagmer Cleftjaw, went ravaging the western coastline of The North.
His forces were able to conquer a number of castles because most soldiers had left with Robb to fight in the south. Amongst these were: Deepwood Motte, Torrhen's Square and the seat of the Starks: Winterfell.[5][6][7][8]
Death and succession
Balon died in a fall while crossing a bridge during a storm in 299AL.[9][10] Some portents and the timely return of his brother Euron lead to speculation that Balon may have been murdered by an assassin at Euron's command.[11][12][13]
After his death, his daughter Asha and his brothers Victarion and Euron were among candidates to succeed him.[4][13][14] Theon had been taken prisoner by the Boltons and was not able to press his claim.[15][16] The matter was decided during a Kingsmoot organized by Aeron Greyjoy, another brother of Balon.[4][14] Euron, Balon's eldest brother, was chosen as his successor after he promised to conquer the whole of Westeros with the power of dragons.[17]
Family
| Unknown of House Stonetree | Quellon | Unknown of House Sunderly | Unknown of House Piper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balon | Alannys Harlaw | Euron 'Crow's Eye' | Victarion | Urrigon | Aeron | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Harlon | Quenton | Donel | Rodrik | Maron | Asha | Theon | Robin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References and Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 11, Theon.
- ↑ HBO: Game of Thrones: cast and crew
- ↑ A Song of Ice and Fire Campaign Guide
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 1, The Prophet.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 24, Theon.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 37, Theon.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 46, Bran.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 56, Theon.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 48, Daenerys.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 22, Arya.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 11, The Kraken's Daughter.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 18, The Iron Captain.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 66, Theon.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 19, The Drowned Man.
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