The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms

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Maester Malleon's Tome, by Yulia Startsev © Fantasy Flight Games

The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, With Descriptions of Many High Lords and Noble Ladies and Their Children is a book written by Grand Maester Malleon. It is a massive[1] and old book[N 1] which describes the lineages of the great houses in the Seven Kingdoms.[2]

History

Lord Eddard Stark, by Tiziano Baracchi © Fantasy Flight Games

Lord Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, borrowed the book from Grand Maester Pycelle,[3] but he fell ill the following day[3] and quickly died.[4]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Lord Eddard Stark uses the book while looking into the death of his predecessor as Hand of the King, Lord Jon Arryn.[2]

After reading that historical marriages listed in the book between Baratheons and Lannisters all resulted in black-haired children, Eddard concludes that the children of Queen Cersei LannisterJoffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen Baratheon—were not actually fathered by King Robert I Baratheon.[1]

Quotes

Eddard: I should be curious to examine the book that you lent Jon the day before he fell ill.
Pycelle: I fear you would find it of little interest. It was a ponderous tome by Grand Maester Malleon on the lineages of the great houses.[3]

Petyr: Now there is tedious reading if ever I saw it. A sleeping potion, my lord?

Eddard: Jon Arryn was studying this volume when he was taken sick.

Petyr: In that case, death must have come as a blessed relief.[1]

Game of Thrones

Depiction of the book in Game of Thrones

The version of the book used in the television series Game of Thrones includes non-canon members of House Baratheon, House Hunter, House Karstark, House Royce, and House Umber, as well as the non-canon Houses Blackbrow and Greenleaf.

Notes

  1. Although Eddard Stark describes the book as being "over a century old" and that "scarcely a man now alive had yet been born when Malleon had compiled his dusty lists of weddings, births, and deaths", the book states the marriage between Gowen Baratheon and Tya Lannister occurred "some ninety years ago". Therefore Eddard's comments should not be taken literally.

References