Difference between revisions of "House Bracken"

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Revision as of 01:41, 8 September 2015

House Bracken of Stone Hedge
Bracken sigil coat.png
Coat of arms A red stallion upon a gold shield, on a brown field
(Tenné, on an escutcheon or a stallion rampant gules)
Seat Stone Hedge
Head Jonos Bracken
Region Riverlands
Overlord House Baelish of Harrenhal
Founded Age of Heroes

House Bracken of Stone Hedge is an old house from Stone Hedge in the riverlands, one of the main familes sworn to House Tully. They blazon their arms with a red stallion upon a golden escutcheon on brown.[1][2] Their words do not appear in the books.

The Bracken lands lie along the Red Fork of the Trident.[3]

History

The Brackens have the blood of the First Men in their veins and were kings of the riverlands during the Age of Heroes. They have an old and bitter feud against their neighbors, the Blackwoods. According to the Brackens, the Blackwoods were vassals who betrayed the Brackens and usurped their crown.[4]

The Brackens and Blackwoods allied together against the Andal invasion, but they were defeated in the Battle of the Bitter River.[5] The feud has continued throughout the years, aided by House Bracken's change to the Faith of the Seven after the Andal invasion.[6] The Blackwoods believe the Brackens poisoned the weirwood at Raventree Hall.[4] Battle Valley and the village of Blackbuckle are part of the disputed land. There have been numerous peaces between the Brackens and Blackwoods, many sealed by marriage, but the feud always restarts.[4] Benedict Rivers was a bastard born from both houses who eventually became King Benedict I Justman.[5]

When Lady Agnes Blackwood led the resistance of the river lords to King Harwyn Hoare, Lord Lothar Bracken attacked Agnes's army from behind. It is possible Lothar hoped to become King of the Trident after Harwyn defeated the Storm King Arrec Durrandon, but House Hoare instead took the riverlands for themselves. Harwyn starved Lothar to death when he rose in rebellion.[5]

House Bracken aided Aegon the Conquerer during his War of Conquest and rebelled against Harwyn's grandson, King Harren the Black of Harrenhal.[7] The Brackens and the Blackwoods had been weakened by a private war a decade before the rebellion, however, and Aegon granted the new title of Lord Paramount of the Trident to Lord Edmyn Tully of Riverrun.[8]

A Bracken fought a duel with a Blackwood over Rhaenyra Targaryen in 112 AC, but the princess eventually wed Ser Laenor Velaryon.[9]

Lord Bracken served as Hand of the King to King Aegon IV Targaryen. His daughter Barba Bracken, the fifth mistress of Aegon IV, was the mother of Aegor Rivers, the Great Bastard known as Bittersteel. According to Ser Eustace Osgrey, Lord Bracken was to sail with Myrish crossbowmen to aid Daemon Blackfyre and Bittersteel during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, but was delayed by storms.[10]

Ser Otho Bracken slew Lord Quentyn Blackwood at a tourney in King's Landing, reinvigorating the feud. Three years later Otho and some Blackwoods participated in the tourney at Ashford Meadow.[11] Ser Steffon Fossoway considered convincing Otho or the Blackwoods to fight for Dunk at his trial of seven, but decided it would be impossible to make them fight on the same side.[11] When Lord Bracken lay dying, Septon Sefton explained that Otho would inherit and the Blackwoods would not suffer him, meaning war. Lord Bracken's eldest son died in the Great Spring Sickness. The then-Hand of the King, Bittersteel's rival Lord Bloodraven, was half-Blackwood, so he was unlikely to stop it.[10]

Lords Bracken and Blackwood came to Riverrun when Lysa Tully was young to put their feud before Lord Hoster Tully's judgment.[12] Hoster attempted to marry Ser Brynden Tully to Lord Bracken's daughter.[13] The daughter of Elys Waynwood was on her way to marry a Bracken when she was kidnapped by the Burned Men and not heard from again.[14]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Three Bracken men-at-arms, Kurleket, Lharys and Mohor, assist Catelyn Tully in arresting Tyrion Lannister at the inn at the crossroads.[15] The three die during the trek to the Vale of Arryn, slain by mountain clansmen.[16]

After the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings, Ser Gregor Clegane burns out the Brackens, laying waste to their fields, slaughtering their smallfolk and leaving Stone Hedge a smoking ruin. Lord Jonos Bracken is listed among the nobles Joffrey commands to do him fealty or be declared traitors.[17] Lord Jonos arrives at Riverrun after the Battle of the Camps. At the war council at Riverrun, Jonos suggests to pledge fealty to King Renly Baratheon, perhaps only to contradict Lord Tytos Blackwood's previous statement. After Greatjon Umber speaks, Jonos joins the other river lords in declaring Robb Stark to be King in the North.[18]

A Clash of Kings

Lord Jonos recovers Stone Hedge from the Lannisters, but he is wounded and his nephew Hendry is killed in the fighting.[19]

A Storm of Swords

Lord Quenten Banefort is held captive by House Bracken.[20] Among those claimed to have been murdered by the Lannisters by the brotherhood without banners was the Harry Rivers, the Bastard of Bracken.[21] Brienne of Tarth, Cleos Frey, and Jaime Lannister find the bodies of tavern wenches hanged for associating with Lannister troops while traveling through Bracken lands.[3] Lord Jonos is among the seven nobles who launch Lord Hoster Tully's funeral boat.[22]

Following the death of King Robb Stark in the Red Wedding, Jonos surrenders to the Iron Throne and receives a royal pardon.[23] The Brackens then fight House Blackwood, who remain loyal to House Stark, on behalf of House Baratheon of King's Landing.[24]

A Feast for Crows

Dead soldiers bearing the colors of House Bracken have washed up on the Quiet Isle. According to the Elder Brother, they are buried next to their Blackwood enemies.[25] The Brackens besiege the Blackwoods at Raventree Hall.[26]

A Dance with Dragons

Lord Tytos Blackwood refuses to surrender to Jonos Bracken, leading Jaime Lannister to attempt to resolve the siege of Raventree. Jonos desires to gain the east bank of the Widow's Wash, from Crossbow Ridge to Rutting Meadow, Grindcorn Mill, Lord's Mill, Muddy Hall, the Ravishment, Battle Valley, Oldforge, Buckle, Blackbuckle, Cairns, Claypool, Mudgrave, Waspwood, Lorgen's Wood, Greenhill, Barba's Teats, and Honeytree. However, Tytos only agrees to transfer Woodhedge, Crossbow Ridge, Buckle, Lord's Mill, and Honeytree. Jaime orders Jonos to send one of his daughters to serve Queen Regent Cersei Lannister in King's Landing.[4]

It is also revealed a dozen Bracken men were killed in the Red Wedding.[4]

House Bracken at the end of the third century

The known Brackens during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch of the house there is also:

  • {Harry Rivers}, the Bastard of Bracken, the natural son of a member of House Bracken, claimed to be Lord Jonos's son.
  • Lord Bracken's daughter. One of the possible matches for Brynden Tully in his youth. Possibly a sister of Lord Jonos.[18]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
woman
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jonos
 
 
 
Unknown
second wife
 
 
 
 
 
Sibling(s)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
first wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lady Bracken
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harry
Rivers
 
Barbara
 
Jayne
 
Catelyn
 
Bess
 
Alysanne
 
Hendry
 


Historical Members

Quotes

We've had a hundred peaces with the Brackens, many sealed with marriages. There's Blackwood blood in every Bracken, and Bracken blood in every Blackwood. The Old King's Peace lasted half a century. But then some fresh quarrel broke out, and the old wounds opened and began to bleed again. That's how it always happens, my father says. So long as men remember the wrongs done to their forebears, no peace will ever last. So we go on century after century, with us hating the Brackens and them hating us. My father says there will never be an end to it.[4]

- Hoster Blackwood to Jaime Lannister

References and Notes