Shield Islands

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The Reach and the location of the Shield Islands
The Reach and the location of the Shield Islands
Shield Islands
The Reach and the location of the Shield Islands

The Shield Islands, commonly called the Shields[1] or Four Shields,[2] are four islands of the Reach. They are located in the Sunset Sea west of Highgarden and protect the Mander from the Iron Islands.[2] The ruling houses are House Chester of Greenshield, House Grimm of Greyshield, House Hewett of Oakenshield, and House Serry of Southshield.[3]

Culture

When any sign of longships is spotted, elders in watchtowers light beacon fires, which in turn cause other watchtowers to light their own beacons and spread the warning to settlements further inland so they will not be caught unaware.[2]

The people of the Four Shields often marry one another.[2]

History

Ancient History

Shield Islands dromon engages an ironborn vessel, by Ben Zweifel © Fantasy Flight Games

According to legend, Owen Oakenshield, a son of Garth Greenhand, conquered the islands and drove selkies and merlings into the sea.[4]

The Shield Islands were originally known as the Misty Islands. Thousands of years ago, the ironborn were free to plunder villages and towns along the Mander and its tributaries.[2] Torgon Greyiron used Greyshield as his stronghold.[5] Joron I Blacktyde, High King of the Iron Islands, captured Gyles II Gardener, King of the Reach, in a naval battle near the Misty Islands.[6]

The Misty Islands were renamed the Shield Islands once King Garth VII Gardener drove out the ironmen and fortified them with men from the Reach.[7] The Gardener kings armed the fisher folk of the Shield Islands to protect not only themselves, but also the Mander, thus giving the islands their name.[2] The Shields were included within the Reach proper.[8]

Recent History

During her search for the missing Aerea Targaryen, Rhaena Targaryen and her dragon, Dreamfyre, were seen flying over the Shields and the Arbor.[9] King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and his granddaughter, Princess Rhaenys, visited the Shields in 89 AC.[10]

Prince Daeron Targaryen forced the submission of the Shields to King Aegon II Targaryen during the Dance of the Dragons.[11] Galleys from the Shields joined the fleet of Lord Alyn Oakenfist when he sailed to confront Lord Dalton Greyjoy.[12]

Prince Oberyn Martell and Princess Elia Martell visited the Shields on their way to Casterly Rock, where their mother was to broker their marriage to the Lannister twins, Cersei and Jaime.[13]

During Robert's Rebellion, longships of the Shield Islands were defeated by House Greyjoy in the battle at the Mander, although Quellon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, was killed in the fighting.[14]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

In 300 AC the Shield Islands are invaded by ironborn led by Euron Greyjoy, King of the Isles and the North. The ironborn ships outmaneuver the local island defenses and captures most of their fleet. Following the taking of the Shields, Euron names Harras Harlaw as Lord of Greyshield, Andrik the Unsmiling as Lord of Southshield, Maron Volmark as Lord of Greenshield, and Nute the Barber as Lord of Oakenshield.[2]

After the siege of Dragonstone ends, the Redwyne fleet begins sailing back to the Reach.[15] Using the Shields as their base, the ironborn raid the Mander and attack the Arbor.[15][16]

A Dance with Dragons

Victarion Greyjoy leads the Iron Fleet from the Shields to Slaver's Bay. Captives from the Shields are to be sold into slavery in Lys.[17]

Quotes

In ancient days, the ironborn had boldly sailed the river road and plundered all along the Mander and its vassal streams ... until the kings of the green hand had armed the fisherfolk on the four small islands off the Mander's mouth and named them his shields.[2]

—thoughts of Victarion Greyjoy

Though the men of the Shield Islands called themselves sailors, they crossed the seas in dread and went lightly clad in battle for fear of drowning.[2]

—thoughts of Victarion Greyjoy

References

  1. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 32, Cersei VII.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 29, The Reaver.
  3. A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
  4. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Garth Greenhand.
  5. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 26, The Wayward Bride.
  6. The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns.
  7. The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings.
  8. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach.
  9. Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
  10. Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
  11. Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
  12. Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Voyage of Alyn Oakenfist.
  13. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 70, Tyrion X.
  14. The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Old Way and the New.
  15. 15.0 15.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
  16. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
  17. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 56, The Iron Suitor.