House Blackwood

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House Blackwood
House Blackwood.png
Coat of arms Sanguine, inescutcheon sable a weirdwoodtree argent, surrounded by ravens sable.
Seat Raventree Hall
Head Lord Tytos Blackwood
Region The Riverlands
Title Lord of Raventree
Heir Lucas Blackwood
Overlord House Tully
Founded Age of Heroes

House Blackwood of Raventree Hall is an old house from the Riverlands, with blood of the first men in its veins. They are sworn to House Tully. They had been petty kings during the Age of Heroes. They lost this status when the Andals came, but still managed to keep many of their cultural legacies including the cult to the Old Gods, being one of the few houses south of the Neck to do so. They have an old bitter feud against their neighbors the Brackens, coming from the Age of Heroes were both houses ruled as kings, and prolonged through the years, aided by House Bracken's change to the Faith.[1]

Their blazon is a flock of ravens on scarlet surrounding a dead weirwood upon a black escutcheon. Their words do not appear in the books.

The Blackwood House at the end of the third century

The known Blackwoods during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:

With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch of the house there is also:

References in the books

Dunk and Egg

  • Ser Duncan sees the banner of Ser Otho Bracken and some Blackwoods at the Ashford Tourney, and recalls how three years before Ser Otho slew Lord Quentyn Blackwood in a tourney, reinvigorating the old feud.
  • Ser Steffon Fossoway considers convincing Ser Otho or the Blackwoods fighting for Dunk at the trial by seven, but reflects that it'll be impossible to make them fight both on the same side.
  • Ser Eustace Osgrey boasts that in the past members of important families married Osgreys, citing Blackwoods as one of the examples.
  • Septon Sefton explains that when Lord Bracken dies, Ser Otho Bracken will inherit and the Blackwoods won't suffer him, meaning war. He recalls the current Hand Lord Bloodraven is half Blackwood, so he is unlikely to stop it.
  • When Lord Bloodraven marched on Whitewalls to quash the Second Blackfyre Rebellion, among the Riverlords who came in support was Lord Blackwood.

A Song of Ice and Fire

  • When dismissing the idea of reccurring to her father's bannermen to deal with the Lannisters, Catelyn Tully complains that Blackwoods and Brackens are always quarreling.
  • After Jaime Lannister defeated the Riverlords and captured Edmure Tully, Lord Tyros led the survivors back to Riverrun. The duty of defending the city during the siege befell to him.
  • With Lord Tytos gone, Raventree fell to he Lannisters.
  • When Robb Stark attacked the Lannister army, Tytos Blackwood led the sortie that took their rear and freed Edmure Tully.
  • Lord Blackwood and hisfeathered cloak is seen by Catelyn at the godswood of Riverrun, praying with her son to the Old Gods after the victory.
  • At the war council at Riverrun, Tytos urged to continue fighting the Lannisters and march against Harrenhal.
  • After Robb was proclaimed king Lord Tytos returned to Raventree Hall and expulsed the Lannisters, only to find that his lands had been left a scorched desert.
  • Lucas Blackwood was one of the highborn companions of Lady Catelyn Tully in the delegation to King Renly's camp.
  • Lucas Blacwood was cut down by Ser Hosteen Frey at the Red Wedding
  • After the Brackens surrendered to the Iron Throne and were welcomed back to the King's peace they attacked the Blackwoods, that refused to yield.
  • After the surrender of Riverrun, Jaime Lannister had the intention to go to Raventree. Lord Karyl Vance recommends to him to go to Raventree Hall, since Lord Blackwood is never going to surrend to Lord Bracken.

References and Notes

  1. Blackwood-Bracken feud and Coinage, (August 13, 2003) So Spake Martin