House Cerwyn
| House Cerwyn of Cerwyn | |
|---|---|
 Honed and Ready
| |
| Coat of arms |
A black battle-axe on silver (Argent, a battle-axe sable) |
| Seat | Castle Cerwyn |
| Head | Lady Jonelle Cerwyn |
| Region | North |
| Title | Lord of Cerwyn |
| Overlords |
|
House Cerwyn of Cerwyn is a noble house from the north. They are one of the closest bannermen to the Starks, Castle Cerwyn being just a half day's ride from Winterfell,[1] and are among the most powerful as well.[2]
Their blazon is a black battle-axe on silver.[3][4] Their words do not appear in the books, but according to semi-canon sources, they are "Honed and Ready".[5]
Contents
History
Lord Cerwyn was believed to have been the closest friend of Cregan Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Lord Cerwyn supported the blacks during the Dance of the Dragons and was at court in King's Landing during the Hour of the Wolf.[6]
Lord Robard Cerwyn was wed to Aregelle Stark, the daughter of Edric Stark and granddaughter of Lord Cregan Stark.[7][8]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
The Cerwyn blazon is seen by Bran Stark at Winterfell when Robb Stark calls his banners. While encamped there, a Bolton man stabs a Cerwyn man at the Smoking Log in the winter town outside the castle. Medger Cerwyn, Lord of Cerwyn, brings his daughter Jonelle with him to Winterfell, to cook for him and sit at his left hand on the march to Moat Cailin. However, Theon Greyjoy suspects that Medger intends to put the girl in Robb's bed. Lord Jon Umber threatens to return home with his levies if he is placed behind the Hornwoods or the Cerwyns in the order of march.[9]
When Robb's army split at the Twins, Medger marches with Lord Roose Bolton's eastern army. Tyrion Lannister sees the Cerwyn battleaxe among the northern forces at the battle on the Green Fork, at which Lord Cerwyn is wounded and taken prisoner.[10]
A Clash of Kings
Cley Cerwyn comes to Winterfell with two dozen lances for the harvest feast, where he dances with Beth Cassel. A Cerwyn knight ridicules King Joffrey I Baratheon as Joffrey the Illborn.[1][11]
While Hand of the King, Tyrion offers to exchange Lord Medger and Ser Donnel Locke for his cousin Tion Frey, assuring that a Lannister is worth two northmen.[12]
Arya Stark, disguised as a peasant at Harrenhal, learns that the captive Lord Cerwyn is being treated in a tower cell. Arya intends to sneak past the guards and reveal her identity to him, but Medger dies from his wound before she can do so, however. Arya sees three silent sisters taking away a body covered by a cloak of silk decorated with his battleaxe sigil.[13] Arya later sees Cerwyn men amid the fall of Harrenhal.[14]
Now lord of his House, Cley brings three hundred men to join Ser Rodrik Cassel on his march to clear the ironmen from the Stony Shore[15] and Torrhen's Square.[16]
Rodrik stops at Castle Cerwyn before launching the final attack to take back Winterfell from Theon Greyjoy's ironmen.[17] Cley comes to the Winterfell walls with a peace banner, announcing to Theon that Rodrik wishes to parley with him. After Ramsay Snow's treachery, Cley is slain by Bolton men at the battle at the winter town in front of the castle, and his corpse is presented to Theon with an arrow in his eye.[18]
Osha considers bringing Bran and Rickon Stark to the Cerwyns after the sack of Winterfell, but the dying Maester Luwin explains that Cley is dead.[19]
A Storm of Swords
After crossing the ruby ford, Lord Roose Bolton leaves six hundred men to guard the crossing. Many of them are Cerwyn men under the command of Ser Kyle Condon, who was Lord Medger's right hand. It is unknown what happened to these men after the Red Wedding.[20]
Maester Aemon sends a raven to Castle Cerwyn in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.[21]
A Feast for Crows
Brienne of Tarth spots the badge of House Cerwyn among those that have been collected from the dead after the battle at Duskendale.[22]
Later Brienne and her companions see the corpses of the perpetrators of the raid on Saltpans hanged from trees. Among the dead are men with axes badges sewn on their breasts, presumably Byrch or Cerwyn men-at-arms who became broken men during the War of the Five Kings.[23]
A Dance with Dragons
Lady Jonelle Cerwyn swears fealty to the new Warden of the North, Lord Roose Bolton, and the Cerwyns contribute troops to Ramsay Bolton's siege of Moat Cailin.[24] The banner of House Cerwyn is seen when Roose gathers the northern forces to Barrow Hall in Barrowton,[25] and Cerwyn cousins attend the wedding of Ramsay to "Arya" (actually Jeyne Poole) at Winterfell.[26] However, Roose is skeptical of the Cerwyns' loyalty.[27]
Cerwyn survivors from the earlier battle at Winterfell rally to the side of King Stannis Baratheon.[28]
House Cerwyn at the end of the third century
The known Cerwyns during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Lord {Medger Cerwyn}, Lord of Cerwyn. He dies from his wounds at Harrenhal.
- Lady Jonelle Cerwyn, his daughter. A homely maid, past thirty. She is the new Lady of Cerwyn.
- Lord {Cley Cerwyn}, his son. He is killed in the battle at Winterfell.
- Unidentified cousins.[26]
Household
- Ser Kyle Condon, a knight in service to Lord Medger. Whereabouts unknown.
- Maester Rhodry, currently at Winterfell.
Historical Members
- Lord Cerwyn, the closest friend of Lord Cregan Stark, accompanied him during the Dance of the Dragons.[6]
- Lord Robard Cerwyn, Lord of Cerwyn. Married to Aregelle Stark, had issue.[7][8]
Sworn Houses
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 16, Bran II.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 53, Jon VII.
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: the North
- ↑ The Citadel. House Mottoes
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Stark Lineage.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 asoiaf.westeros.org: The Wiki-Timeline Project v2 – Comment by Ran (March 16, 2020)
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran VI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 62, Tyrion VIII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 21, Bran III.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 26, Arya VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 30, Arya VII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 47, Arya IX.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 46, Bran VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 56, Theon V.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 55, Catelyn VII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 66, Theon VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 69, Bran VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 9, Brienne II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 37, Brienne VII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 15, Davos II.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 37, The Prince of Winterfell.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 32, Cersei VII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 35, Jon VII.
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