A salt wife is a lesser wife associated with the Old Way in traditional ironborn culture. Salt wives are women kidnapped by ironmen during raids outside of the Iron Islands.[1] The keeping of salt wives has declined since Aegon's Conquest.[2]
Traditions
Women captured by ironborn fill a variety of serving roles when brought back to the Iron Islands, with the prettiest, strongest, and most nubile being claimed as salt wives. An ironman may keep several salt wives, but only one freeborn rock wife from the Iron Islands.[1] Salt wives are bound to their captors in a religious ceremony performed by a priest of the Drowned God, though it is less solemn than that of their rock wife. The number of salt wives kept by an ironman is a symbol of status and virility.[2]
Unlike paramours from Dorne, salt wives have a lower status in the society of the Iron Islands, like thralls. They are not considered whores or slaves, and their salt sons can inherit property or lands in lieu of trueborn heirs born of a man's rock wife.[3]
History
House Humble descends from salt wives and thralls.[4]
The Wulls who live along the Bay of Ice hate the ironborn for taking their wives and daughters as thralls and salt wives.[5]
Harwyn Hoare, King of the Iron Islands, killed Lady Agnes Blackwood during his conquest of the riverlands when she refused to become his salt wife.[6]
Queen Rhaenys Targaryen urged King Aegon I Targaryen to forbid the stealing of women in the Seven Kingdoms, so salt marriages have declined since Aegon's Conquest.[2] Ironborn still raid the Stepstones and the Summer Sea, and some wish the return of the Old Way.[7]
During the Dance of the Dragons, Lord Dalton Greyjoy claimed four of Lord Farman's daughters as salt wives.[8] After the civil war, the Red Kraken refused the Iron Throne's order to restore women carried away by Dalton's ironmen.[9] Dalton was eventually killed by Tess, one of his twenty-two salt wives. Dalton did not have a rock wife, so succession passed to Toron Greyjoy, the eldest of his salt sons. Toron's claim was contested, however, and a struggle for power in the Iron Islands broke out.[10]
When he was fifteen, Balon Greyjoy reaved in the Stepstones with Dagmer Cleftjaw and took his first two salt wives.[11]
Victarion Greyjoy's third wife was a salt wife.[4]
Recent Events
A Clash of Kings
The daughter of the captain of the Myraham sleeps with Theon Greyjoy and offers to become his salt wife, but he refuses.[1]
During the harrying of the Stony Shore, wives and daughters from a fishing village are claimed as salt wives.[12]
A Feast for Crows
Salt wives and thralls serve the ironborn who attend the kingsmoot on Old Wyk.[13]
Instead of having them brought back to the Iron Islands as salt wives or thralls, Euron Greyjoy decides to have captives from the taking of the Shields sold as slaves, which upsets his more traditional brother Victarion.[14]
A Dance with Dragons
The Willing Maiden is captured while the Iron Fleet sails toward Meereen, and Victarion announces that enslaved girls on the ship can be honored by becoming salt wives.[15]
Quotes
Salt wives are almost always women and girls captured during raids. The number of salt wives that a man can support speaks to his power, wealth, and virility.[2]
—writings of Yandel
Only the Drowned God may sunder the bond between a man and his salt wives.[9]
—Dalton Greyjoy responding to the Iron Throne
Theon: Once I might have carried you home as a prize, and kept you to wife whether you willed it or no. The ironmen of old did such things. A man had his rock wife, his true bride, ironborn like himself, but he had his salt wives too, women captured on raids.
Daughter: I would be your salt wife, milord.
Theon: I fear those days are gone.[1]
The Lyseni would have made whores of you, but we have saved you. Now you need only serve one man instead of many. Those who please their captains may be taken as salt wives, an honorable station.[15]
—Victarion Greyjoy to the girls captured from the Willing Maiden
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 11, Theon I.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Voyage of Alyn Oakenfist.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 18, The Iron Captain.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The North: The Mountain Clans.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Old Way and the New.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Under the Revents - The Voyage of Alyn Oakenfist.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 1, The Prophet.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 37, Theon III.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 19, The Drowned Man.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 29, The Reaver.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 63, Victarion I.