House Connington

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House Connington of Griffin's Roost
House Connington.png
Coat of arms Per pale gules and argent, two griffins combatant counterchanged.
Seat Griffin's Roost
Head Jon Connington
Region The Stormlands
Title The Knight of Griffin's Roost
Overlord House Baratheon

House Connington of Griffin's Roost is a knightly house from Griffin's Roost in the Stormlands, sworn to Storm's End. It was formerly a lordly house whose lands once extended many leagues west, north, and south of Griffin's Roost, including reaching near to the rainwood.[1]

Their blazon shows two griffins combatant countercharged per pale on red and white.[2][3] Their motto is unknown, though their traditional battle cry is A griffin! A griffin![1]

History

An old house, the Conningtons were a significantly wealthy house during the rule of House Targaryen. Lord Commander Alyn Connington was one of the best war leaders in the history of the Kingsguard.

Lord Armond Connington always desired land, and he once sought assistance from Prince Rhaegar Targaryen regarding a dispute with Lord Morrigen.[1] The White Book entry on Barristan Selmy records how he defeated Armond's son, Lord Jon Connington, in the Tourney at Storm's End. Ashara Dayne danced with Jon at the Tourney at Harrenhal.

Griffin's Roost is the seat of House Connington. © FFG

Jon was later named Hand of the King by the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen. The previous Hand, Owen Merryweather, had been exiled for his failure to face Robert's Rebellion, and Lord Connington was a noted warrior of proven loyalty, being one of Prince Rhaegar's best friends. During the Battle of the Bells at Stoney Sept,[4] Jon wounded Hoster Tully and killed Ser Denys Arryn, the Darling of the Vale, with an axe.[5] After being defeated by the rebels at Stoney Sept, Jon was stripped of his lands and sent into exile in the Free Cities, where he drank himself to death.[6]

Aerys allowed the Connington lands to remain with Jon's cousin, Ronald Connington, the castellan of Griffin's Roost,[1] but Ronald joined the rebellion after the Battle of the Trident.[6] When Robert Baratheon was crowned king after the death of Aerys, he allowed Ronald to keep Griffin's Roost, but the Conningtons lost their lordship and nine-tenths of their land was distributed among neighbors who were more fervent in their support of Robert.[1] House Connington's status thus fell from from being a full noble house to a knightly one.[6]

Through the initiative of Ronald, his son Ronnet was betrothed when he was sixteen to twelve-year-old Brienne of Tarth. Ronnet rejected her when he met her, however, as he did not find Brienne attractive.[6] Ronnet now rules as the Knight of Griffin's Roost.

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

Catelyn Tully sees Ser Ronnet Connington, a helmetless red-bearded man with a griffin on his shield, falling to Brienne of Tarth during the meleé at Bitterbridge. After riding for Renly Baratheon, Ronnet turns to Stannis Baratheon, and fights for him in the Battle of the Blackwater. He is made prisoner and bends the knee to King Joffrey Baratheon.

A Storm of Swords

Arstan Whitebeard tells Daenerys Targaryen that the young Lord Jon Connington was dear to Daenerys's late brother, Rhaegar Targaryen.[7]

A Feast for Crows

Brienne of Tarth remembers the day she was presented to Ronnet Connington, who refused to marry her for being too ugly. He gave her a rose, saying that that was all she was going to get from him.[8] In a dream, Brienne chops off Ronnet's hand when he offers her the rose.[9]

Red Ronnet is part of Ser Jaime Lannister's army assembled in King's Landing to end the siege of Riverrun. At Harrenhal, Jaime punches Ronnet with his golden hand for speaking of Brienne without due respect. Jaime sends Ronnet to deliver Wylis Manderly to Maidenpool so that he does not have to look at him anymore.

A Dance with Dragons

Despite rumors that he drank himself to death in Essos, Jon Connington is revealed to be alive, having gone into hiding under the alias "Griff" with the help of Varys. He has raised Aegon Targaryen, the son of his friend Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, with the hope of one day placing him on the Iron Throne. Jon and his companions are attacked by stone men in Chroyane while traveling via barge down the River Rhoyne. Jon contracts greyscale during the ambush while saving Tyrion Lannister.

After the landing of the Golden Company at Cape Wrath, Jon leads the Golden Company to Griffin's Roost in the night. The fight only takes a few minutes and Jon declares himself as its new lord; Ser Ronnet Connington is away serving under Jaime Lannister in the Riverlands. Ronnet's bastard son Ronald Storm and his siblings Raymund and Alynne Connington are kept as prisoners at Griffin's Roost.[1]

After returning to King's Landing from Maidenpool, Ronnet wants to prove his loyalty to King Tommen Baratheon and vows to bring the head of his uncle to Tommen's small council. Ser Kevan Lannister, the regent for Tommen, keeps Ronnet under guard in King's Landing for the time being.[10]

House Connington at the end of the third century

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


Lord
Connington
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Armond
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jon
 
 
 
 
Ronald
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
woman
 
Ronnet
 
Raymund
 
Alynne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ronald
Storm
 


Historical Members

References and Notes