House Mormont

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire

House Mormont of Bear Island
Coat of arms	Fir-tree topped vert, a bear sable
Words	Here We Stand
Seat	Bear Island
Current Lord	Maege Mormont
Region	The North
Title	Lord of Bear Island
Heir	Alysane Mormont
Overlord	House Stark House Baratheon of Dragonstone
Ancestral Weapon	Longclaw (formerly; now gifted to Jon Snow)

House Mormont of Bear Island is an old, proud, and honorable house,^[1] sworn to House Stark of Winterfell. Their seat is at Bear Island, located in the Bay of Ice far to the north-west of Winterfell. Their blazon is a a black bear over a green wood^[2][3] and motto "Here We Stand".^[4]

House Mormont is one of the few houses to have an ancestral weapon of Valyrian steel: a bastard sword called Longclaw. However, due to Bear Island's lack of valuable resources, the Mormonts are a rather poor house. Their hall is made of huge logs, surrounded by an earthen palisade. On the gate is a carving of a woman in a bearskin with a child in one arm suckling at her breast and a battleaxe in the other. Like the other women of Bear Island, the women of House Mormont learn how to defend themselves from ironmen and wildlings.

Contents 1 History 2 Recent Events 3 The Mormont House at the end of the third century 4 References in the books 4.1 A Song of Ice and Fire 5 References and Notes

History

Legend has it that King Rodrik Stark won Bear Island in a wrestling match (presumably from the ironborn king who controlled it at the time) and gave it to the Mormonts.^[5]

When Eddard Stark called his banners to fight in Robert's Rebellion, Lord Jeor Mormont led the Bear Island men to war. Abdicating his lordship in the next few year to join the Night's Watch, Jeor was succeeded by his son Jorah, who earned fame in the Greyjoy Rebellion and subsequent Tourney at Lanniport. Jorah, however, was driven from the North by Lord Stark after selling poachers to a Tyroshi slaver in order to pay for the tastes of his wife. Jorah fled to the Free Cities and was succeeded by his aunt, Jeor's sister Maege Mormont. Jeor meanwhile becomes Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Lady Mormont’s heir is Dacey Mormont, a tall, lanky warrior-woman.

Recent Events

Lady Mormont answers Robb Stark's call to arms and she, her heir Dacey and their bannermen follow him south against the Lannisters. Maege acted as part of Robb's war councils and Dacey rode with his battle companions and guards, being the only woman of the group. Both Mormont women are present when Robb is named King in the North.

Lady Maege and Dacey accompany Robb into the Westerlands. After the Battle of Oxcross, Maege captures thousands of livestock and drives them back to the Riverlands. Later she is sent by King Robb on a Mallister longship to the Neck to contact the crannogmen, while Dacey is killed during the Red Wedding, making Alysane Mormont the heir.

When Stannis Baratheon demands the fealty of the northlords, young Lyanna Mormont sends Bear Island's denial. However, after Stannis takes Deepwood Motte and restores it to House Glover, the Mormonts join his cause. Alysane joins his army when it marches on Winterfell, becoming one of the guards of the captive Asha Greyjoy.

The Mormont House at the end of the third century

The known Mormonts during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:

• Lady Maege Mormont, Lady of the Bear Island. A short, stout and grey-haired woman who dresses in mail.
  • {Dacey Mormont}, her eldest daughter. Slain at the Red Wedding.
  • Alysane Mormont, her daughter and heir to Bear Island.
    • A daughter of nine
    • A son of two
  • Lyra Mormont, her daughter.
  • Jorelle Mormont, her daughter.
  • Lyanna Mormont, her daughter.
• Lord {Jeor Mormont}, her older brother. Called the Old Bear. Lord of Bear Island until he chose to take the black. Was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Slain at Craster's Keep by his own men.
  • Ser Jorah Mormont, an exiled knight. Lord of Bear Island until sentenced to death for selling poachers into slavery.
    • Lynesse Hightower, his wife. She abandoned him after his disgrace, and now is a chief concubine of a Lysene merchant.
• Some of Maege's daughters have children of their own.

References in the books

A Song of Ice and Fire

• Jorah Mormont is invited at Magister Illyrio's party, where he gets to know Prince Viserys Targaryen and Daenerys Targaryen. Since then, he plays a significant part in Dany's storyline.
• Jeor Mormont is Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and is introduced when Tyrion Lannister and Jon Snow arrive at the Wall. Later he chooses Jon as his steward and acts as a mentor to young Jon.
• Ser Jorah Mormont was exiled by Daenerys Targaryen when she discovered that he had been spying on her for Varys.
• Maester Aemon sent a raven to Bear Island in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.
• Lyanna Mormont wrote the response to Stannis Baratheon's claim of kingship and demands of fealty, rejecting him.
• The Mormonts join Stannis after he takes Deepwood Motte from Asha Greyjoy and restores it to House Glover.
• Lyra and Jorelle Mormont are with their mother while Alysane joins Stannis' march to take Winterfell from Roose Bolton.

References and Notes

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