Editing High King of the Iron Islands

[[File:Driftwood Crown by JZee.jpg|thumb|350px|Driftwood [[Crowns_(object)#Crowns_of_the_Ironborn|Crown]] by Jen Zee©]]

'''High King of the Iron Islands''',{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands}} alternatively '''High King of the Isles''',{{ref|AGOT|Appendix}} was a title claimed by [[ironborn]] monarchs chosen through [[kingsmoot]]s to rule all of the [[Iron Islands]]. These '''driftwood kings''' were eventually succeeded by hereditary [[Kings of the Iron Islands]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings}}

==History==
===Origin===
In antiquity each of the [[Iron Islands]] was ruled by two petty kings, a [[rock king]] who ruled the land and a [[salt king]] who led the island's ships, with both kings chosen by the island's captains in [[kingsmoot]]s.{{ref|AGOT|Appendix}} [[Galon Whitestaff]], a [[prophet of the Drowned God]], eventually called all of the salt and rock kings and the captains to [[Nagga's Hill]] on [[Old Wyk]], where [[Urras Greyiron]] was chosen from among them as the first High King of the Iron Islands. Urras became the first monarch to rule all ironborn since the [[Grey King]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}

After the death of Urras, his eldest son [[Erich I Greyiron|Erich]] claimed the kingship. An outraged Galon insisted that only a kingsmoot could choose the king, however, and the ironborn who gathered to Old Wyk condemned Erich to death. The would-be king was able to spare his life by breaking up Urras's crown and casting it into the sea, and [[Regnar Drumm]] was chosen as High King instead.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} Whenever a high king died, his driftwood crown would thus be traditionally broken into the sea, and his successor, always chosen through a kingsmoot at the [[Grey King's Hall]] on [[Old Wyk]],{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands}} would then craft his own personalized crown from [[driftwood]] freshly washed up on the isle of his home.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}

===Conquests and Losses===
[[File:Qhored Hoare.png|thumb|350px|King [[Qhored I Hoare]] as depicted in ''[[Game of Thrones]]'': ''Histories & Lore'']]
According to Archmaester [[Haereg]]'s ''[[History of the Ironborn]]'', there were at least 111 high kings.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} At least thirty-eight of them came from [[House Greyiron]], twice as many as any other house.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings}}

While reavers of earlier generations had returned to their isles after raids, the united realm of the High Kings began to conquer distant lands.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} The ironborn controlled the western shore of [[Westeros]] along the [[Sunset Sea]] during the reign of King [[Qhored I Hoare]], who boasted his writ ran "wherever men can smell salt water or hear the crash of waves".{{ref|AGOT|Appendix}}

Qhored was followed by weaker kings, however, and houses from the [[green lands]] such as the [[House Hightower|Hightowers]], [[House Gardener|Gardeners]], and [[House Lannister|Lannisters]] gained in strength.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} [[Westermen]] recovered [[Fair Isle]] and [[Kayce]] from ironborn control, and [[Gerold Lannister]], [[King of the Rock]], led the [[Lannister fleet]] in a raid on the Iron Islands. The high kings eventually lost the [[Arbor]], [[Bear Island]], [[Flint's Finger]], and much of the western shore over the following centuries.{{ref|AGOT|Appendix}}{{ref|AGOT|Appendix}}

===Final Kingsmoots===
When King [[Urragon III Greyiron]] died during the [[Age of Heroes]], a kingsmoot was called by his family while the king's oldest son, [[Torgon Greyiron]], was away raiding the [[Mander]]. Urragon the Bald's younger sons were hoping that one of them would be elected, but the ironborn chose King [[Urrathon IV Goodbrother]] instead. The new king's first act was to order the executions of the sons of Urragon who were at the kingsmoot, and Urrathon became known as Badbrother during his two years of cruel rule.{{ref|ADWD|26}}

When Torgon returned to the Iron Islands, he declared the kingsmoot's decision unlawful as he had not been present to put forth his own claim. The priests, smallfolk, and captains agreed, and Urrathon was put down and hacked to pieces by his own captains.{{ref|ADWD|26}} Although he was not chosen at a kingsmooot, Torgon the Latecomer succeeded Badbrother as king.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} Torgon had his son Urragon help him rule when he was old, and after Torgon died the son claimed the throne as King [[Urragon IV Greyiron]], again without having been chosen at a kingsmoot.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}

Urragon's own dying wish was for his great-nephew [[Urron Greyiron]] to succeed him as high king. The priests insisted upon a kingsmoot after Urragon passed, however, and hundreds of ironborn came to Old Wyk. Urron Redhand sent axemen to attack the attendees, with thirteen rock and salt kings and half a hundred priests killed.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} [[House Greyiron]] henceforth ruled as hereditary [[Kings of the Iron Islands]] unchosen by kingsmoot,{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} and the rock and salt kings were reduced to vassal [[lord]]s or extinguished.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings}}

===Recent History===
After the destruction of [[House Hoare]], [[Kings of the Isles and the Rivers]], in [[Aegon's Conquest]], the [[Iron Islands]] fell into chaos and infighting. In opposition to [[Qhorin Volmark]], who claimed to be [[King of the Iron Islands]], a holy man named [[Lodos]] was given a [[driftwood]] crown by [[priests of the Drowned God]] at [[Old Wyk]]. Continuing the [[Wars of Conquest]], King [[Aegon I Targaryen]] led an [[invasion of the Iron Islands]] and beheaded Qhorin. Lodos, meanwhile, walked into the sea with his followers after his claim that [[kraken]]s would destroy Aegon's fleet failed to occur.{{ref|FAB|Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I}}

==Recent Events==
===''A Feast for Crows''===
[[Aeron Greyjoy]] calls for the first [[kingsmoot]] in thousands of years{{ref|AFFC|11}} after the death of his older brother, [[Balon Greyjoy]],{{ref|AFFC|1}} who had declared himself [[King of the Iron Islands]]{{ref|ACOK|46}} and then [[King of the Isles and the North]].{{ref|ACOK|49}} Against Aeron Damphair's intentions, his brother [[Euron Greyjoy|Euron Crow's Eye]] is chosen during the [[kingsmoot on Old Wyk]].{{ref|AFFC|19}}

==Known High Kings of the Iron Islands==
Traditionally, there have been 111 driftwood kings. However, the exact number of high kings is unknown, and their line of succession is rife with contradictions.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} At least thirty-eight of them came from [[House Greyiron]], twice as many as any other house, with [[House Goodbrother]] and [[House Greyjoy]] ranking respectively the second and third in amount of driftwood kings after them.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Greyjoys of Pyke}}{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings}}
*{{coa|Greyiron|s}} [[Urras Greyiron]], known as Urras Ironfoot, the first king over all ironborn since the [[Grey King]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Greyiron|s}} [[Erich I Greyiron]], who was deposed by [[Galon Whitestaff]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Drumm|s}} [[Regnar Drumm]], known as Raven-feeder.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Hoare|s}} [[Qhored I Hoare]], known as the Cruel, expanded ironborn rule over the western shore of [[Westeros]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Greyjoy|s}} [[Theon III Greyjoy]], slain by [[Lymond Hightower]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Greyjoy|s}} [[Balon V Greyjoy]], known as Coldwind, destroyed the fleets of the [[King in the North]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Harlaw|s}} [[Erich V Harlaw]], retook and then lost [[Fair Isle]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Harlaw|s}} [[Harron Harlaw]], slew [[Gareth II Gardener]], [[King of the Reach]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Blacktyde|s}} [[Joron I Blacktyde]], known as Maidensbane, defeated [[Gyles II Gardener]], King of the Reach.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Greyjoy|s}} [[Loron Greyjoy]], known as the Old Kraken.{{ref|AFFC|1}}
*{{coa|Greyiron|s}} [[Urragon III Greyiron]], known as Urragon the Bald.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Goodbrother|s}} [[Urrathon IV Goodbrother]], known as Badbrother.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Greyiron|s}} [[Torgon Greyiron]], known as Torgon the Latecomer.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}
*{{coa|Greyiron|s}} [[Urragon IV Greyiron]],{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}} who was succeeded by the first [[King of the Iron Islands]], [[Urron Greyiron]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings}}

Other driftwood kings of uncertain dating are the following.
* [[Hagon the Terrible]]{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: The Gardener Kings}}
* [[Sylas Flatnose]]{{ref|AFFC|1}}
*{{coa|Hoare|s}} [[Harrag Hoare]]{{ref|AFFC|1}}

==Quotes==
{{Quote|Once the reavers had gone forth seeking food to sustain them during hard winters, wood to build their longships, [[salt wives]] to give them sons, and the riches the [[Iron Islands]] lacked, but they had always returned home with their plunder. Under the driftwood kings the practice gave way to something far more difficult and dangerous: conquest, colonization, and rule.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}|writings of [[Yandel]]}}

{{Quote|Thus every [[driftwood]] crown was different from those that had gone before. Some were small and simple, others huge, unwieldy, and magnificent.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns}}|writings of [[Yandel]]}}

{{Quote|Yet in the [[dawn of days]] the [[ironborn]] chose their own kings, raising up the worthiest amongst them. It is time we returned to the [[Old Way]], for only that shall make us great again. It was a [[kingsmoot]] that chose [[Urras Greyiron|Urras Ironfoot]] for High King, and placed a [[driftwood]] crown upon his brows. [[Sylas Flatnose]], [[Harrag Hoare]], the [[Loron Greyjoy|Old Kraken]], the kingsmoot raised them all.{{ref|AFFC|1}}|[[Aeron Greyjoy]] to [[Meldred Merlyn]]}}

==See also==
*[[High king]]
*[[King of the Iron Islands]]

==References==
{{References}}

{{Rulers}}

[[Category:High Kings of the Iron Islands| ]]
[[Category:Iron Islands]]
[[Category:Ironborn culture]]
[[Category:Titles]]