Editing Bastardy

[[File:Natascha RoeoesliJonSnowGhost.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Jon Snow]], the acknowledged bastard son of [[Eddard Stark]], by Natascha Roeoesli © Fantasy Flight Games]]
A '''bastard''' is a person whose parents are not married to each other.{{Ref|TMK}} A bastard can also be referred to as '''natural son''' or '''natural daughter'''.{{ref|ASOS|38}}{{Ref|ASOS|53}}{{Ref|ASOS|68}}{{Ref|AFFC|21}} 

==Social status==
[[File: Rick Sardinha The Bastard of Bolton.JPG|thumb|350px|[[Ramsay Snow]], the Bastard of Bolton, by Rick Sardinha © Fantasy Flight Games]]
A polite way of referring to someone who is bastard-born is referring to them as a "natural son" or "natural daughter".{{ref|ASOS|38}}{{Ref|ASOS|53}}{{Ref|ASOS|68}}{{Ref|AFFC|21}} Others might refer to a bastard simply as "bastard-born".{{Ref|ASOS|15}}{{Ref|ASOS|36}}{{Ref|ASOS|48}} The term "baseborn"{{Ref|AGOT|19}}{{Ref|AGOT|30}} is used to refer to a child of whom one parent is of the [[smallfolk]].{{ref|TMK}}{{ref|AGOT|19}}{{Ref|AGOT|30}}{{Ref|AGOT|35}} A euphemism for being bastard-born is being "born on the wrong side of the blanket".{{ref|TMK}}

It is not unexpected for noblemen to have bastard children,{{Ref|AGOT|6}} though it is considered rude to pry into the origins of a man's bastards.{{ref|ASOS|73}} While it is not typical for a noble to bring his bastards home and raise them with his own children, it is usually expected that he will see to the child's well-being to some degree.{{Ref|AGOT|6}} Some might chose to have their bastards fostered at the home of another lord,{{ref|ACOK|16}} while others might decide to raise their bastard at their own home, in the position of a servant (e.g. [[Falia Flowers]]).{{ref|AFFC|29}} A noble-born wife can take insult at her husband's bastards being introduced into her household and being commensurate in rank with her trueborn children.{{ref|AGOT|6}}

[[File:Lucamore Strong Pleads His Case (The Rise of the Dragon).jpg|thumb|350px|Ser Lucamore Strong's children were attainted as bastards after his secret marriages were exposed © John McCambridge for ''[[The Rise of the Dragon]]'']]
There is a certain stigma that comes from being born as a bastard. They are said to be born from lust, lies, and weakness,{{Ref|ASOS|55}}{{Ref|ASOS|73}}{{Ref|TSS}} and as such, they are said to be wanton and treacherous by nature.{{Ref|ASOS|55}}{{Ref|ASOS|73}}{{Ref|TSS}} The presence of bastards can be considered offensive by some,{{ref|AGOT|5}}{{ref|ASOS|7}}{{ref|ASOS|38}} and the inclusion of bastards in marriage proposals can be considered dishonorable.{{ref|FAB|Aegon's Conquest}}{{ref|AFFC|44}}

Because of the stigma bastards have to deal with, they are said to grow up faster than trueborn children.{{Ref|AGOT|5}}{{Ref|AGOT|26}} Bastards can be resentful of their origins.{{ref|TMK}}{{ref|AFFC|29}}{{ref|ADWD|12}} Even after being legitimized, bastards can have difficulty in removing the stigma of having been bastard-born.{{Ref|TSS}}{{Ref|ADWD|32}}

Nonetheless, a bastard might rise high. Male bastards may study at the [[Citadel]] and become a [[maester]] (e.g., [[Walys]], a former maester of [[Winterfell]]).{{Ref|ADWD|37}} Female bastards are allowed to join the [[Faith of the Seven]] and become [[septa]]s, like [[Alysanne (daughter of Aegon IV)|Alysanne]], [[Lily]], [[Willow (daughter of Aegon IV)|Willow]], and [[Rosey (daughter of Aegon IV)|Rosey]], the four bastard daughters of King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] by his second mistress, [[Megette]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV}} Potentially, this might mean that male bastards could become [[septon]]s.

Bastards can also be knighted, and may even be appointed to the [[Kingsguard]] (e.g., [[Mervyn Flowers]]).{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III}} Bastards can even rise to become the [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]], as [[Robert Flowers]] and [[Addison Hill]] did.{{ref|AFFC|16}} In the [[Night's Watch]], any man may rise to command, no matter the circumstance of his birth. Bastards who have risen to positions of command include [[Cotter Pyke]],{{ref|AGOT|19}} who is the commander at [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]], and [[Robin Hill]]{{Ref|ASOS|55}} and [[Jon Snow]],{{Ref|ASOS|79}} who both became [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander]]s.

Another example is the origin of [[House Justman]]. This house was founded by [[Benedict Rivers]], a bastard son descending of both [[House Blackwood]] and [[House Bracken]]. House Justman ruled the [[riverlands]] for three centuries before being eventually wiped out during a war against the [[ironborn]] and King [[Qhored Hoare]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Riverlands}}

==Surnames==
[[File:Heliotropa Mya Stone.jpg|thumb|[[Mya Stone]] by Heliotropa © 2012]]
Bastards in the [[Seven Kingdoms]] can receive regional surnames by [[customs|custom]], not law. Bastards with a high-born parent are given these surnames to hold them apart from their parent's houses.<ref name=SF>[http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/2999/ SF, Targaryens, Valyria, Sansa, Martells, and more (June 26, 2001)]</ref> Some parents of bastard children may also have a secondary reason for bestowing a regional surname on their child, such as with [[Jon Waters]], whose family lore held that his mother [[Elaena Targaryen]] gave him the name Waters in honor of his father, the famed admiral [[Alyn Velaryon]].{{Ref|AFFC|8}} The parents may give a bastard a different surname if they wish, e.g. [[Tyrion Tanner]],{{Ref|ADWD|Appendix}} or no name at all. Bastard children of two people of the [[smallfolk]] are not given a distinctive surname.<ref name=SF/> A bastard might also chose a surname for himself. [[Daemon Waters]] took the surname [[House Blackfyre|Blackfyre]] at the age of twelve, after having been knighted and having received lands and the [[Valyrian steel]] sword [[Blackfyre|of the same name]] from his father, King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV}} Similarly, [[Ulf White]] and [[Hugh Hammer]] took the surnames White and Hammer after becoming [[dragonrider]]s and raised to nobility during the [[Dance of the Dragons]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

The surname a bastard received appears to be connected to the location the child is raised, though this is not a consistent rule. Because of this, bastards who are half-siblings might have different surnames. For example, King [[Robert I Baratheon]]'s eldest bastard, born and raised in the Vale, is called [[Mya Stone|Mya ''Stone'']], while his bastard from the stormlands (fathered on a noblewoman from the [[Reach]]) is called [[Edric Storm|Edric ''Storm'']]. However, whilst [[Aegor Rivers]] was raised at [[Stone Hedge]] in the [[riverlands]], his half-brother [[Brynden Rivers|Brynden]] was also called ''Rivers'', despite having lived at least the first few years of his life with his mother at [[King's Landing]] in the [[crownlands]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV}} Prince [[Oberyn Martell]]'s eight bastard daughters all have the surname ''Sand'', even though the eldest, [[Obara Sand|Obara]], lived in [[Oldtown]] in the [[Reach]] during the earlier years of her life,{{Ref|AFFC|2}} and her sister [[Nymeria|Nymeria]] was born in [[Volantis]], across the [[narrow sea]].{{Ref|AWOIAF|Nymeria Sand}} As the [[crownlands]] are the youngest region in the realm, it is unclear when "Waters" became the common surname for bastards from [[Blackwater Bay]]:{{ref|AFFC|8}} the earliest mention is from {{Date|74}}, applied to some of the children of Ser [[Lucamore Strong]], a shamed knight of the [[Kingsguard]].{{Ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}}

Most legitimate offspring of a bastard decides to keep the bastard surname.<ref name=SF/> If two bastards from two different regions (i.e. with two different surnames) marry, the children will most likely take their father's surname.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Bastards_Offspring Bastard's Offspring (January 20, 1999)]</ref> Some later legitimate offspring of bastards might change their surname to demonstrate their legitimate nature, and remove the bastard-born taint.<ref name=SF/> One such an example is the son of [[Jon Waters]]. Jon was the bastard son of Princess [[Elaena Targaryen]] and Lord [[Alyn Velaryon]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Baelor I}}{{Ref|AFFC|8}} Jon's trueborn son changed his name from ''"Waters"'' to ''"[[House Longwaters|Longwaters]]"'' in an attempt to remove the taint of bastardy,{{Ref|AFFC|8}} and to demonstrate he was of legitimate birth himself.<ref name=SF/>

{| class="wikitable" width=50%i
|-
! Region
! Surname
! Example 
|-
| [[Blackwater Bay]] ([[Crownlands]]) || Waters{{Ref|AFFC|8}}{{Ref|AFFC|12}} || [[Aurane Waters]]
|-
| [[Dorne]] || Sand{{Ref|ASOS|38}} || [[Ellaria Sand]]
|-
| [[Iron Islands]] || Pyke{{Ref|AGOT|19}}{{Ref|ASOS|70}} || [[Cotter Pyke]]
|-
| [[North]] || Snow{{Ref|AGOT|2}}{{Ref|AGOT|34}} || [[Jon Snow]]
|-
| [[Reach]] || Flowers{{Ref|AGOT|34}} || [[Falia Flowers]]
|-
| [[Riverlands]] || Rivers{{Ref|AGOT|59}} || [[Walder Rivers]]
|-
| [[Stormlands]] || Storm{{Ref|ACOK|10}} || [[Rolland Storm]] 
|-
| [[Vale of Arryn]] || Stone{{Ref|AGOT|34}} || [[Mya Stone]]
|-
| [[Westerlands]] || Hill{{Ref|ASOS|Prologue}} || [[Joy Hill]]
|}

==Acknowledgement==
[[File:MagaliVilleneuve Bastard Daughter.jpg|thumb|350px|A bastard daughter of Prince [[Oberyn Martell]], by Magali Villeneuve © Fantasy Flight Games]]
At any point, the biological father of a bastard may acknowledge him and bring him formally into his house. King [[Robert I Baratheon]] acknowledged [[Edric Storm]] at his birth, although the boy was raised at [[Storm's End]].{{ref|ACOK|10}} Lord [[Roose Bolton]] brought his bastard son, [[Ramsay Snow]], to the [[Dreadfort]] following the death of his only trueborn son, [[Domeric Bolton|Domeric]], albeit without acknowledging him.{{ref|ACOK|16}}{{ref|AWOIAF|Ramsay Snow}} An acknowledged bastard might even be considered to inherit a seat when no direct heirs can be found.{{ref|ACOK|16}}

Prince [[Oberyn Martell]] has fathered [[Sand Snakes|eight bastard daughters]] on five mothers.{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}} His children are raised at the court of [[Sunspear]], where several are close to the heir of Prince [[Doran Martell]], Princess [[Arianne Martell|Arianne]].{{Ref|AFFC|13}}{{Ref|AFFC|22}} The Dornish are not greatly concerned about whether or not a child is trueborn or bastard-born, especially not if the child born to a paramour.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} While Prince Oberyn's four elder daughters were born of mothers of variable social stations - [[Obara Sand|Obara]]'s mother was a whore, [[Nymeria Sand|Nymeria]]'s mother a [[Volantis|Volantene]] noblewoman, [[Tyene Sand|Tyene]]'s mother a septa and [[Sarella Sand|Sarella]]'s mother a trader captain from the [[Summer Islands]] - they appear to be treated no differently from [[Elia Sand|Elia]], [[Obella Sand|Obella]], [[Dorea Sand|Dorea]], and [[Loreza Sand|Loreza]], the children he fathered on his recognized paramour, [[Ellaria Sand]].{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}}{{Ref|AFFC|13}}{{Ref|AFFC|40}}

===Legitimization===
Besides being acknowledged, bastards can also be legitimized. This power is usually reserved to monarchs alone but in some cases to [[High Septon]]s as well.{{Ref|ASOS|45}}<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Jon_Snow Jon Snow (August 6, 2000)]</ref> Once a bastard is legitimized, this cannot be undone.{{ref|fab|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} 

Queen [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]] legitimized the brothers [[Addam Velaryon|Addam]] and [[Alyn Velaryon|Alyn of Hull]] as heirs of Lord [[Corlys Velaryon]].{{ref|TPATQ}}

The children of Lord [[Lyonel Hightower]] and Lady [[Samantha Tarly]] were rendered legitimate once a new High Septon allowed the couple to marry.<ref name="highsepton">[https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/169198/which-bastards-in-westeros-were-automatically-legitimized-once-their-parents-mar Which bastards in Westeros were automatically legitimized once their parents married? (September 8, 2017)]</ref>{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}

King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] legitimized all of his bastards on his deathbed, both those born by highborn mothers, who were also known as the [[Great Bastards]], and those who had been baseborn.{{ref|tss}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV}} This act by King Aegon eventually played a large role in several wars fought over the [[Iron Throne]] between the trueborn descendants of King Aegon and his bastard-born offspring, the [[Blackfyre Pretenders]].{{Ref|ASOS|45}}

Following his role in the [[War of the Five Kings]], the bastard-born son of Lord [[Roose Bolton]], [[Ramsay Snow]], is legitimized in order to marry a [[Arya Stark|highborn bride]].{{Ref|ASOS|72}}

==Rights of Inheritance==
:{{See also|Inheritance}}
The bastard-born have few rights under [[Law and justice|law]] and [[customs|custom]].{{Ref|AGOT|30}} When it comes to rights of inheritance, there are no clear cut laws.<ref name=hornwoods>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/The_Hornwood_Inheritance_and_the_Whents The Hornwood Inheritance and the Whents (November 2, 1999)]</ref>

A bastard may inherit if the father has no other trueborn children nor any other direct heirs to follow him. For example, in {{Date|299}}, following the deaths of Lord [[Halys Hornwood]] and his trueborn son, [[Daryn Hornwood|Daryn]], Halys's natural son [[Larence Snow]] is considered as a potential heir by [[House Hornwood]]s overlords, [[House Stark]].{{Ref|ACOK|16}} However, in order to inherit or be installed as an heir, the bastard-born child will first have to be legitimized by a royal decree.{{Ref|ASOS|45}}

It is unclear whether a legitimized bastard would be placed in the succession according to birth order, or would be placed at the end, after the trueborn children.<ref name=hornwoods/>

===Coat of Arms===
[[File:Marc Simonetti Bittersteel.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Aegor Rivers]], a [[Great Bastard]] fathered by [[Aegon IV Targaryen]], by Marc Simonetti ©]]
Bastards do not have the right to use the arms of the highborn families from which they descend.{{Ref|AGOT|7}} Recognized bastards who take arms (noble born, knighted, etc.) often, but not always, take the [[Heraldry|coat of arms]] of their fathers with the colors reversed.{{Ref|TSS}} A bend sinister is sometimes added, as exemplified by Ser [[Walder Rivers]]'s sigil.{{Ref|AFFC|38}} A bastard that wants to emphasize his affiliation and minimize his own bastardy may decide to use the same sigil as his father, as did [[Glendon Flowers]],{{Ref|TMK}} perhaps illegally.{{Ref|THK}}{{Ref|AGOT|7}} Other bastards might choose to combine multiple sigils, as [[Aegor Rivers]] did.<ref name=greatbastards>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/The_Great_Bastards/ (December 26, 2005)]</ref>

Several examples:
{| cellspacing="5" border="0" style="text-align:left;"
| [[File:House Targaryen.svg|75px|''House Targaryen'']]
| [[File:House Blackfyre.svg|75px|''House Blackfyre'']]
|Arms of [[House Blackfyre]] (right), founded by [[Daemon I Blackfyre]], a bastard descending from [[House Targaryen]], has the colors of the Targaryen sigil (left) reversed.{{ref|TSS}}
|}

{| cellspacing="5" border="0" style="text-align:left;"
| [[File:House Frey.svg|75px|''House Frey'']]
| [[File:House Frey (Walder Rivers).svg|75px|'' personal arms of Walder Rivers'']]
|The personal arms of [[Walder Rivers]] (right), bastard son of Lord [[Walder Frey]], has the colors of the sigil of [[House Frey]] (left) reversed and a red bend sinister added.{{ref|AFFC|38}}
|}

{| cellspacing="5" border="0" style="text-align:left;"
| [[File:House Blackfyre.svg|75px|''House Blackfyre'']]
| [[File:House Bracken.svg|75px|''House Bracken'']]
| [[File:Bittersteel.svg|75px|''personal arms of Aegor Rivers'']]
|The coat of arms of [[Aegor Rivers]] (right), a bastard son of King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]]. He has combined the sigils of his mother's house, [[House Bracken]] (middle), and [[House Blackfyre]] (left).
|}

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File: Anders Finer Joffrey lannisterr.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Joffrey Baratheon]] by Anders Finer © Fantasy Flight Games]]
Prince [[Joffrey Baratheon]] is believed by King [[Robert I Baratheon]] to be his trueborn son, and is therefore the heir to [[House Baratheon of King's Landing]], and heir to the [[Iron Throne]]. However, Lord [[Eddard Stark]] discovers that Joffrey, as well as his siblings [[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]] and [[Tommen Baratheon|Tommen]], are actually the bastards of Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] and her twin brother, [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]].{{Ref|AGOT|45}} After Robert's death, King Joffrey has Lord Stark executed after he admits to treason.{{ref|AGOT|65}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
The revelation of Joffrey's bastardy, as the product of adultery on the part of Queen [[Cersei Lannister]], causes Joffrey's claim to the Iron Throne to be disputed after Robert's death by Robert's eldest brother, [[Stannis Baratheon]].{{Ref|ACOK|Prologue}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
[[Ramsay Snow]]'s official bastard status is removed by a royal decree, as a reward for the [[House Bolton|Boltons]] betraying the [[House Stark|Starks]] in the [[Red Wedding]] and bowing to the [[House Lannister|Lannisters]], and he becomes the heir of House Bolton.{{Ref|ASOS|72}}

[[Robb Stark]], as [[King in the North]], planned to legitimize his bastard half-brother [[Jon Snow]] and proclaim him as his heir.{{Ref|ASOS|45}} Following Robb's death in the Red Wedding, Stannis, having proclaimed himself [[King of Westeros]], also proposes to legitimize Jon and make him [[Lord of Winterfell]].{{Ref|ASOS|76}} Jon declines Stannis's offer, however, agreeing to instead serve as [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]] after being elected by his Sworn Brothers.{{Ref|ASOS|79}}

Having fled [[King's Landing]] with the aid of Lord [[Petyr Baelish]], [[Sansa Stark]] poses as his supposed natural daughter, "Alayne Stone".{{Ref|ASOS|68}}

===''A Feast for Crows''===
Sansa continues posing as Alayne Stone, the bastard-born daughter of Littlefinger, while in the [[Vale of Arryn]].{{Ref|AFFC|10}}{{ref|AFFC|41}}

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
[[Tyrion Lannister]] uses the name Hugor Hill while traveling through [[Essos]], pretending to be a bastard from [[Lannisport]].{{Ref|ADWD|8}}{{Ref|ADWD|14}}

The legitimized Ramsay becomes enraged whenever he is called Snow instead of Bolton.{{ref|ADWD|12}}

==Notable Bastards==
:''See also'': [[:Category:Bastards|List of known bastards]]''
'''Crownlands'''
* Addam of Hull, legitimised as [[Addam Velaryon]], a dragonrider and heir to [[Driftmark]].
* Alyn of Hull, legitimised as [[Alyn Velaryon]], an admiral and heir to Driftmark after Addam's death.
*[[Tyrion Tanner]], the bastard son of [[Lollys Stokeworth]] and an unknown father, conceived in a riot at [[King's Landing]].
* [[Aurane Waters]], better known as the Bastard of [[Driftmark]]. He was part of Queen [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei's]] small council as the grand admiral and [[master of ships]].
* Ser [[Daemon I Blackfyre|Daemon Waters]], later known as Daemon I Blackfyre, was the recognized and legitimised son of King Aegon IV Targaryen and [[Daena Targaryen]]. Founder of [[House Blackfyre]].
* [[Humfrey Waters]], the current Commander of the [[City Watch of King's Landing]].
* Ser [[Marston Waters]], was a knight of Kings [[Aegon II Targaryen|Aegon II]]'s and [[Aegon III Targaryen|Aegon III]]'s [[Kingsguard]].
* [[Gendry]], an unrecognized bastard of King [[Robert I Baratheon]]. Unaware of his heritage but is the spitting image of Robert when he was young.
* [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]], [[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]] and [[Tommen Baratheon]] are bastards conceived by Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] with her own twin brother, Ser [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]], although they are commonly believed to be her legitimate children by King [[Robert I Baratheon]].


'''Dorne''' 
*[[Ellaria Sand]], the bastard daughter of Lord [[Harmen Uller]]. She is also the paramour of Prince [[Oberyn Martell]].
*The [[Sand Snakes]] is the collective name for the eight bastard daughters of Prince [[Oberyn Martell]], the Red Viper. They are, in order of age:
**[[Obara Sand]], daughter of an [[Oldtown]] whore.
**[[Nymeria Sand]], called Lady Nym, her mother was a noblewoman from [[Volantis]].
**[[Tyene Sand]], daughter of a [[Faith of the Seven#Septa|septa]]. 
**[[Sarella Sand]], daughter of a trader from the [[Summer Isles]].
**[[Elia Sand]], called Lady Lance. The oldest daughter of Oberyn's paramour [[Ellaria Sand]], and granddaughter of Lord [[Harmen Uller]].
**[[Obella Sand]], daughter of Ellaria Sand.
**[[Dorea Sand]], daughter of Ellaria Sand.
**[[Loreza Sand]], daughter of Ellaria Sand. 
* Ser [[Daemon Sand]], better known as the Bastard of [[Godsgrace]], is the bastard son of [[Ryon Allyrion]].


'''Iron Islands'''
* [[Cotter Pyke]], a member of the Night's Watch and the current Commander of [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]].
* [[Wex Pyke]], the baseborn son of [[Sargon Botley]]; the squire of [[Theon Greyjoy]].


'''North'''
* [[Jon Snow]], the recognized bastard son of Lord [[Eddard Stark]] and 998th [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]].
* [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton]], formerly known as Ramsay Snow, the recognized and legitimised son of Lord [[Roose Bolton]]. Commonly known as the Bastard of Bolton or the Bastard of the [[Dreadfort]].
* [[Larence Snow]], the son of Lord [[Halys Hornwood]].


'''Reach'''
*[[Blackshield]], an identity assumed by the Bastard of Uplands.
*[[Falia Flowers]], the bastard daughter of Lord [[Humfrey Hewett]].
*Ser [[Franklyn Flowers]], also known as the Bastard of [[Cider Hall]], a knight in service to the [[Golden Company]].
* [[Garrett Flowers]], the bastard son of [[Garth Tyrell]] the Gross. Garse's brother.
*[[Garse Flowers]], the bastard son of Garth the Gross. Garrett's brother.
*Ser [[Glendon Flowers]], mockingly referred to as the Knight of the Pussywillows, claimed to be the son of Ser [[Quentyn Ball]].
*Ser [[Mervyn Flowers]], was the bastard brother of Lord [[Unwin Peake]] and a [[knight]] of King Aegon III's Kingsguard.
*Ser [[Robert Flowers]], a former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
*[[Jafer Flowers]], a ranger of the Night's Watch.
*[[Tom Flowers]], also known as the Bastard of [[Bitterbridge]], a bastard of [[House Caswell]] who fought for the [[greens]] in the [[Dance of the Dragons]].
*Maester [[Walys Flowers|Walys]], the bastard son of a [[House Hightower|Hightower]] girl and an [[archmaester]] of the [[Citadel]]. He served at [[Winterfell]] when Lord [[Rickard Stark]] was head of [[House Stark]].


'''Riverlands'''
* The [[Bastard of Harrenhal]], who was defeated by Ser [[Arlan of Pennytree]] in [[Martial games|melee]] at a [[tourney]].{{Ref|THK}}
* Ser [[Addam Rivers]], claimed the title of [[river king]] or [[King of the Trident]].
* Ser [[Aegor Rivers]], better known as Bittersteel, was the recognized and legitimized son of King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] and [[Barba Bracken]]. Founder of the [[Golden Company]].
* [[Alys Rivers]], was a bedmate of Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]].
* Ser [[Benedict I Justman|Benedict Rivers]], later known as King Benedict I Justman, was a bastard from Houses [[House Blackwood|Blackwood]] and [[House Bracken|Bracken]]. Founder of [[House Justman]] and the first Justman [[King of the Trident]].
* [[Brynden Rivers]], better known as Bloodraven, recognized and legitimized son of King Aegon IV Targaryen and [[Melissa Blackwood]]. Former [[Hand of the King]] and [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]].
* [[Gwenys Rivers]], recognized and legitimized daughter of Aegon IV Targaryen and Melissa Blackwood.
* [[Harry Rivers]], known as  the Bastard of Bracken, is the bastard son of Lord [[Jonos Bracken]].
* [[Mya Rivers]], recognized and legitimized daughter of Aegon IV Targaryen and Melissa Blackwood.
* [[Robb Rivers|Red Robb Rivers]], also known as the Bowman of [[Raventree]], a bastard of [[House Blackwood]]. 
* Ser [[Samwell Rivers]], the bastard son of Lord [[Tommen Tully]].
* Ser [[Tristan Rivers]], an exiled knight in service to the [[Golden Company]].
* Ser [[Walder Rivers]], recognized eldest bastard son of Lord [[Walder Frey]].


'''Stormlands'''
*The [[Bastard of Blackhaven]], of [[House Dondarrion]], who fought and perished in the [[Last Storm]] during [[Aegon's Conquest]]. 
*[[Cedrik Storm]], also known as the Bastard of [[Bronzegate]].
*[[Edric Storm]], the acknowledged bastard son of King [[Robert I Baratheon]] and [[Delena Florent]].
*Ser [[Rolland Storm]], better known as the Bastard of [[Nightsong]], is the baseborn son of Lord [[Bryen Caron]].
*[[Ronald Storm]], the bastard son of Ser [[Ronnet Connington]].
*King [[Ronard Storm]], called Ronard the Bastard, who usurped his [[Morden II Durrandon|half-brother's]] rule and ruled for a stable thirty years.


'''Vale of Arryn'''
* [[Mya Stone]], the eldest bastard of King [[Robert I Baratheon]]. While she is not officially recognized, she is somewhat openly known to be the king's baseborn daughter.
* Ser [[Samwell Stone]], known as Strong Sam Stone, the master-at-arms at [[Runestone]].


'''Westerlands'''
* Ser [[Addison Hill]], also known as the Bastard of [[Cornfield]], a former [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]].
* [[Joy Hill]], the recognized daughter of [[Gerion Lannister]].
* "Sweet" [[Donnel Hill]], who claims to be a bastard of the Lannisters.
* [[Lynora Hill]], the bastard daughter of [[Jason Lannister (son of Gerold)|Jason Lannister]] and a serving girl.
* [[Robin Hill]], considered one of the worst Lord Commanders of the Night's Watch.
* Ser [[Tyler Hill]], also known as the Bastard of [[Lannisport]], fought for the [[greens]] in the Dance of the Dragons.

==Quotes==
{{Quote|[[Orys Baratheon]] was a baseborn half brother to Lord [[Aegon I Targaryen|Aegon]], it was whispered, and the [[Argilac Durrandon|Storm King]] would not dishonor [[Argella Durrandon|his daughter]] by giving her hand to a bastard. The very suggestion enraged him.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest}}|writings of [[Gyldayn]]}}

{{Quote|The old [[High Septon]] told [[Maekar I Targaryen|my father]] that king's laws are one thing, and the laws of [[Faith of the Seven|the gods]] another. Trueborn children are made in a marriage bed and blessed by [[Father (the Seven)|the Father]] and [[Mother (the Seven)|the Mother]], but bastards are born of lust and weakness, he said. King [[Aegon IV Targaryen|Aegon]] decreed that his bastards were not bastards, but he could not change their nature. The High Septon said all bastards are born to betrayal ...{{Ref|TSS}}|[[Aegon V Targaryen|Aegon Targaryen]] to [[Duncan the Tall]]}}

{{quote|A bastard had to learn to notice things, to read the truth that people hid behind their eyes.{{ref|AGOT|5}}|thoughts of [[Jon Snow]]}}

{{Quote|Stone was a bastard's name in the [[Vale of Arryn|Vale]], as Snow was in the [[north]], and Flowers in [[Highgarden]]; in each of the [[Seven Kingdoms]], custom had fashioned a surname for children born with no names of their own.{{ref|AGOT|34}}|thoughts of [[Catelyn Stark]]}}

{{Quote|Go away, I wanted only [[House Frey|Freys]] up here, the [[Robb Stark|King in the North]] has no interest in base stock.{{Ref|ASOS|49}}|[[Walder Frey]] to [[Walda Rivers (daughter of Aemon)|Walda Rivers]]}}

{{Quote|Bastard children were born from lust and lies, men said; their nature was wanton and treacherous. Once Jon had meant to prove them wrong, to show [[Eddard Stark|his lord father]] he could as good a true son as [[Robb Stark]].{{ref|ASOS|73}}|thoughts of [[Jon Snow]]}}

{{Quote|His lordship was not a bastard anymore. [[House Bolton|Bolton]], not Snow. [[Tommen Baratheon|The boy king]] on the [[Iron Throne]] had made Lord [[Ramsay]] legitimate, giving him the right to use [[Roose Bolton|his lord father's]] name. Calling him Snow reminded him of his bastardy and sent him into a black rage.{{ref|ADWD|12}}|thoughts of [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

{{Quote|Well, [[Aerion Targaryen|Aerion Brightflame]] did not stay in [[Lys]] all his life, only a few years. He may have fathered a few [[bastard]]s there, which would mean [[Daenerys Targaryen|Dany]] has "relatives" of a sort in Lys... but they would be very distant relatives, from the wrong side of the blanket.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Many_Questions/ Many Questions (October 14, 1998)]</ref>|[[George R. R. Martin]]}}

==References==
{{References}}

[[Category:Bastards| ]]
[[Category:Terms]]

[[es:Bastardía]]
[[fr:Bâtard]]
[[ru:Бастард]]
[[pt:Bastardia]]