House Greyjoy

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House Greyjoy is a fictional family from George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. House Greyjoy is the principal noble house on the Iron Islands; many lesser ironborn houses are sworn to them. Their seat is at Pyke. Their sigil is a golden kraken on a black field, and their words are "We Do Not Sow."

History

The House descends from the legendary Grey King in the Age of Heroes. The Greyjoys became Lords Paramount of the Iron Isles after the Targaryen conquest, when Aegon I allowed the ironborn to choose who would have primacy over them. They chose Vickon Greyjoy and his line.

House genealogy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown of
House Stonetree
 
 
 
 
 
Quellon
 
 
 
Unknown of
House Sunderly
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown of
House Piper
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harlon
 
Quenton
 
Donnel
 
Balon
 
Alannys
Harlaw
 
Euron
'Crowseye'
 
Victarion
 
Urigon
 
Aeron
 
Robin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rodrik
 
 
 
Maron
 
 
 
Asha
 
 
 
 
Theon
 

Current members

Balon

Lord of the Iron Islands, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and Lord Reaper of Pyke. A harsh and fierce man, devoted in most respects to ironborn custom, he nonetheless sees his daughter Asha as his successor. He led a rebellion against King Robert Baratheon, which was put down by House Baratheon and Lord Eddard Stark. Balon's elder sons Rodrik and Malon were killed during this conflict, and his third son Theon was taken hostage by Lord Stark. Balon is married to Lady Alannys Harlaw, from whom he is estranged.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

After Robert Baratheon's death, Balon spurned Robb Stark's offer of an alliance and declared himself King of the Iron Islands and the North, taking the Neck and ravaging the coastline of the Stark-held North.

Balon died in a fall while crossing a weak bridge during a storm. Some portents and the timely return of his brother Euron lead characters to speculate that Balon may have been murdered by an assassin at Euron's command.

Aeron

Aeron Greyjoy, known as Damphair, is a priest of the Drowned God and the younger brother of Balon Greyjoy.

Asha

She is a fierce and proud captain who defies traditional gender roles by commanding her own ship and leading men into battle.

Euron

A younger brother of Balon and captain of the Silence, a ship crewed entirely by mutes whose tongues Euron ripped out. Euron is a wildly unpredictable man, known for his delight in playing vicious mind games and waging psychological warfare on anyone around him. He is hated by all his brothers for this reason. He wears a patch over his left eye, and is nicknamed "Crow's Eye", though it is unclear what he hides beneath the patch. He was banished from the isles by Balon for seducing Victarion's wife and warned never to return while Balon was alive.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Euron returned to the isles the day after Balon's death. He claimed to have reaved all over the world during his exile, including a trip to the feared ruins of Valyria. He also captured and holds hostage several warlocks of Qarth, who may have coached him in black magic. At the Kingsmoot called by Aeron, he promised to conquer all Westeros for the ironborn using dragons, which he claimed he could bind to his will with a magic horn. He was elected king, and began raids upon the Reach. These raids were wildly successful, and Euron weakened possible rivals by giving lands and titles to key followers of theirs. However, he failed to move the ironborn beyond raiding and to continue their quest for the dragons. Instead, he sent Victarion to find Daenerys Targaryen, court her in his name, and bring her and her dragons to Westeros.

Theon

Theon is the son and heir apparent of Balon until he was taken as a hostage and ward by Eddard Stark. Raised in the North against his will, Theon is caught between two cultures and two families.

Victarion

Brother to Balon and commander of the Iron Fleet, Victarion loves battle and the open sea.

Past and historic members

Quellon

The Lord of Pyke before Balon. He sired nine sons from three marriages. The children from his first wife, a woman of the Stonetrees, all died early; two, Quenton, and Donel, died in infancy, while Harlon died of grayscale in childhood. Balon, Euron, Victarion, Urrigon, and Aeron were born of his second marriage to a Sunderly of Saltcliffe. For a third wife Quellon married a Piper of Pinkmaiden Castle, who gave him a sickly idiot boy named Robin that also died in childhood. Their second child, a daughter, was stillborn; the woman died giving birth. Quellon died reaving with Balon, Euron and Victarion.

Urrigon

Called "Urri". Fourth son of Lord Quellon and his second wife, younger brother of Balon, Euron and Victarion, older brother of Aeron. A favored son and brother, he died at the age of fourteen from an infected wound inflicted by Aeron while playing the Finger Dance. His wound could have been healed, but his stepmother relied on the maester. The maester sewed the hand back on, but infection had set in. Poultices and potions proved ineffectual; by the time the maester amputated the arm, gangrene had set in and Urri died shortly afterward. After Lord Quellon died reaving, Balon returned as King and promptly inflicted the same wound on the maester. He commanded his stepmother to try and heal him.

Sworn Houses

  • House Blacktyde of Blacktyde.
  • House Botley resides on Blacktyde.
  • House Codd. A house of very low standing. Their words are "Though All Men Do Despise Us."
  • House Drumm of Old Wyk.
  • House Farwynd. The Farwynds are considered strange by their fellow ironborn. Several branches of the house exist, including:
    • Farwynd of Sealskin Point. Located on the western shore of Great Wyk
    • Farwynd of Lonely Light. Located on one of the westernmost islets of Great Wyk. They are rumored to be skinchangers, taking the shape of various sea mammals.
  • House Goodbrother of Great Wyk. There are three branches of this house:
    • House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn are the senior branch its Lord is titled Lord of Great Wyk.
    • House Goodbrother of Shatterstone they reside on Old Wyk, a cadet branch of the former.
    • House Goodbrother they reside on Orkmont, a cadet branch of the former.
  • House Harlaw of Harlaw. Several branches of the house exist, including:
    • House Harlaw of Ten Towers. The senior house. Its Lord is titled the Lord of Harlaw. The wife of Lord Balon Greyjoy is a Harlaw.
    • House Harlaw of Grey Garden. A cadet branch.
    • House Harlaw of Tower of Glimmering. A cadet branch.
    • House Harlaw of Harridan Hill. A cadet branch.
  • House Humble. A house of low standing, originating from the blood of thralls.
  • House Merlyn of Pebbleton.
  • House Orkwood of Orkmont.
  • House Saltcliffe of Saltcliffe.
  • House Sparr resides on Great Wyk.
  • House Stonehouse resides on Old Wyk.
  • House Stonetree of Harlaw.
  • House Sunderly resides on Saltcliffe.
  • House Wynch of Iron Holt.

References

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Greyjoy.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history of House Greyjoy.
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