House Hightower
House Hightower of the Hightower | |
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We Light the Way
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Coat of arms |
A white tower crowned with flames on smoke grey (Cendrée, a tower argent, beacon inflamed gules) |
Seat | The Hightower, Oldtown |
Head | Leyton Hightower |
Region | The Reach |
Titles | |
Heir | Ser Baelor Hightower |
Overlord | House Tyrell |
Ancestral weapon | Vigilance |
Founder | Uthor of the High Tower |
Founded | Age of Dawn |
House Hightower of the Hightower is one of the most powerful of the noble houses in the Reach. Their seat is the Hightower, located in the city of Oldtown. The sigil of House Hightower is a stone white watchtower, with a fire on the top.[1][2] Their motto is "We Light the Way".[3] They possess a Valyrian steel sword called Vigilance.[4]
The Hightowers are among the oldest and proudest of the Great Houses.[3] They have often preferred trade instead of war,[3] and have also avoided many wars because of their support for the Faith of the Seven.[5] The Hightowers can be legitimately referred to as being either "of Hightower" or "of Oldtown." [6]
Some Hightowers are said to have dabbled in alchemy and necromancy.[3]
Contents
History
Hightower Kings
The family is ancient, existing since the dawn of days when they were petty-kings. While most scholars believe they descend from the First Men, Maester Yandel posits they descend from the seafarers and traders that settled at the top of the Whispering Sound in an earlier time, men who came to Westeros before the First Men and seem to have founded the original incarnation of Oldtown. Whatever the truth, the Hightowers resided in the ancient black stone fortress of Battle Isle at the mouth of the Honeywine before the "Hightower" of stone was built.[7]
The Hightowers built four successive wooden beacon towers atop the fortress. The legendary King Uthor of the High Tower is said to have commissioned Bran the Builder or his son Brandon to design the fifth tower, one built entirely of stone. Uthor's sons, King Urrigon and Prince Peremore the Twisted, were integral in the foundation of the Citadel.[7][3]
During these early days Oldtown was threatened and sacked many times, including by ironborn raiders, Dornishmen, and the armies of the Kings of the Reach, House Gardener of Highgarden. The Kings of the High Tower raised strong walls and higher towers to keep any further invaders out. Oldtown was not brought into the realm of the Gardeners by conquest, but by marriage, during the reigns of King Lymond Hightower and King Garland II Gardener. Lymond the Sea Lion wed the daughter of Garland, while Garland put aside his own wives to marry Lymond's daughter.[8]
During the Andal invasion, the Hightowers and the Gardeners allied with the newcomers. Thus they were able to keep their wealth, lands and privileges. Protected by the might of Highgarden, the lords of Oldtown turned their eyes to trade and commerce and grew with every generation to become one of the richest and most powerful noble families in Westeros. The Hightowers were also one of the first great lords to accept the Faith of the Seven and thus gave their patronage to the establishment of the office of High Septon and the building of the Starry Sept as the center of the Faith.
Targaryen Era
During Aegon's Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Manfred Hightower heeded the High Septon and did not join his liege lord, King Mern IX Gardener, on the march to the Field of Fire. Soon, Mern was dead and Highgarden surrendered, with the Tyrells replacing the Gardeners. When Aegon the Conqueror arrived at Oldtown on dragonback, Manfred opened his gates. Aegon spared the city, and the High Septon anointed him and acknowledged House Targaryen's right to rule all Seven Kingdoms.
The Hightowers were strong supporters of the greens against the blacks during the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. King Aegon II Targaryen was supported by his mother, the Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, and his grandfather, the Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower. Ser Gwayne Hightower served as second-in-command of the City Watch of King's Landing. Lord Ormund Hightower commanded the greens' army from the Reach, which also included the knights Bryndon and Hobert Hightower. Three of the Hightowers' bannerhouses (the Costaynes, Mullendores and Beesburys) fought for the blacks, however.[4]
Perhaps because of their heavy losses during the Dance of the Dragons, House Hightower gave strong support to neither side during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, keeping a foot in both Targaryen and Blackfyre camps.[9]
Ser Abelar Hightower challenged Prince Valarr Targaryen in the first tilt of the tourney at Ashford Meadow and was defeated.[1] House Hightower was among the houses that Ser Eustace Osgrey mentioned as part of his litany of great houses that Osgrey maids once married into.[9]
Prince Oberyn Martell and Princess Elia Martell visited Oldtown on their way to Casterly Rock where their mother was to broker their marriage to the Lannister twins, Cersei and Jaime. While in Oldtown they met Baelor Hightower, whom Elia fancied but Oberyn mocked after he farted in their presence.[10] Lord Tywin Lannister later offered his youngest son, Tyrion, as a match for a Hightower daughter, but Lord Leyton Hightower declined.[11]
Baratheon Era
During Robert's Rebellion, the Hightowers remained loyal to King Aerys II and the Targaryen dynasty.[12] Ser Gerold Hightower, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, was killed at the Tower of Joy.[13] The Hightowers knelt to the new king, Robert I Baratheon, after the defeat of the Targaryens.
Lord Leyton attended the tourney at Lannisport to watch his sons joust. Lynesse accompanied her father, meeting and marrying Jorah Mormont, Lord of Bear Island. Mormont's hall proved underwhelming, however, and Lynesse eventually became the chief concubine of Tregar Ormollen in Lys.[12]
House Hightower continues to be patrons of both the Citadel and the Faith of the Seven.[3] They are as rich as House Lannister and can field three times as many swords as other Tyrell bannermen, as well as the manpower of Oldtown.[14] The four-decked Honor of Oldtown is the flagship of the Hightower fleet.
The current head of the house, Lord Leyton, has not descended from the High Tower in over a decade.[15] His fourth and current wife is Rhea Florent. Besides her family, the Hightowers are connected to several prominent Reach houses; Leyton's second daughter, Alerie, is wed to their liege, Mace Tyrell.
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Alerie Hightower's daughter, Margaery Tyrell, marries Renly Baratheon at Highgarden.[16]
A Clash of Kings
At the start of the War of the Five Kings, the Hightowers follow the Tyrell lead in supporting Renly.[17] The Hightowers do not change to Stannis Baratheon's side after Renly's assassination.
A Storm of Swords
Following the Battle of the Blackwater, the small council of King Joffrey I Baratheon grants some lands from the defeated to Lord Leyton Hightower.[11]
With the Tyrells allied with House Lannister, Alerie travels to King's Landing, where she attends the royal wedding of Margaery to Joffrey, during which the king dies.[18]
A Feast for Crows
Alerie attends the funeral of Lord Tywin Lannister[19] and Margaery's wedding to the new king, Tommen I Baratheon.[20]
House Hightower's caution changes in response to the Greyjoy taking of the Shields and attacks on the Reach. Old Lord Leyton stays in his tower with Malora the Mad Maid, supposedly researching books of spells, and sends forth his sons with varying tasks. Baelor Brightsmile is building ships, Gunthor is building up the harbor's defenses, Garth Greysteel is training men, and Humfrey is traveling to his sister Lynesse in Lys, where he hopes to hire sellsails. Euron Greyjoy's ironborn conquer parts of the Arbor and attempt to blockade the Honeywine. One attack on Oldtown's harbor is repulsed by the defenders, but the city remains under serious threat.[14]
House Hightower at the end of the third century
The known Hightowers during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Lord Leyton Hightower, called the Old Man of Oldtown.
- Lady Rhea Florent, his fourth wife.
- Ser Baelor Hightower, his eldest son and heir. Called Baelor Brightsmile. Married to Rhonda Rowan.
- Malora Hightower, his eldest daughter. Called the Mad Maid.
- Alerie Hightower, his second daughter. Married to Lord Mace Tyrell.
- Ser Garth Hightower, his second son. Called Garth Greysteel.
- Denyse Hightower, his third daughter. Married to Ser Desmond Redwyne.
- Leyla Hightower, his fourth daughter. Married to Ser Jon Cupps.
- Alysanne Hightower, his fifth daughter. Married to Lord Arthur Ambrose.
- Lynesse Hightower, his sixth daughter. Married to Ser Jorah Mormont; now concubine to Tregar Ormollen in Lys.
- Ser Gunthor Hightower, his third son. Married to Jeyne Fossoway.
- Ser Humfrey Hightower, his fourth son.
- Lady Rhea Florent, his fourth wife.
- Ser {Gerold Hightower}, the White Bull. Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under Aerys II Targaryen. His uncle. Slain at the Tower of Joy.
With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch:
- Maester {Walys Flowers}, son of a Hightower girl and an Archmaester of the Citadel. Maester to the late Lord Rickard Stark.
Unknown Hightower | Unknown wife | Gerold | Unknown Hightower | Unknown Archmaester | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three wives | Leyton | Rhea Florent | Walys Flowers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Baelor | Rhonda Rowan | Malora | Garth | Alerie | Mace Tyrell | Leyla | Jon Cupps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Willas Tyrell | Garlan Tyrell | Loras Tyrell | Margaery Tyrell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Denyse | Desmond Redwyne | Alysanne | Arthur Ambrose | Gunthor | Jeyne Fossoway | Humfrey | Lynesse | Jorah Mormont | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Denys Redwyne | Alyn Ambrose | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Historical Members
- King Uthor of the High Tower, a legendary figure of the Dawn Age, credited with the building of the first stone Hightower.
- King Urrigon Hightower, his eldest son and successor, who bequeathed lands for the foundation of the Citadel.
- Prince Peremore Hightower, called the Twisted, who brought a group of scholars together, who, in the end, would go on to found the Citadel.
- King Otho II Hightower, who strengthened the defenses of Oldtown to prevent further sacking by foreign forces.
- King Lymond Hightower, called the Sea Lion, who defeated an invasion of ironborn raiders and married the daughter of Garland II Gardener, thus bringing Oldtown under the power of Highgarden. Afterwards he ruled as the first Lord of Oldtown.
- Lord Jeremy Hightower, who fostered trade and doubled his house's wealth.
- Lord Jason Hightower, his son and heir, who rebuild the Hightower a hundred feet higher.
- Lord Dorian Hightower, who set aside his wife for an Andal princess and the stability of trade.
- Lord Damon Hightower, called the Devout, his grandson, who was the first to accept the Faith of the Seven.
- Lord Triston Hightower, his son, who was fostered by the Faith and raised the Starry Sept.
- Lord Barris Hightower, his son, who gave the High Septon his first crystal crown.
- Lord Triston Hightower, his son, who was fostered by the Faith and raised the Starry Sept.
- Lord Damon Hightower, called the Devout, his grandson, who was the first to accept the Faith of the Seven.
- Runcel Hightower. He was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and tried to bequeath the Watch to his bastard son.
- Lord Manfred Hightower, was the head of House Hightower during Aegon's Conquest.[21]
- Lord Martyn Hightower eldest son and heir of Manfred.
- Lady Ceryse Hightower, daughter of Martyn, first wife of Maegor I Targaryen. Died in 45 AC, possibly killed under Maegor's command.
- Ser Morgan Hightower. Had recently joined the Warrior's Sons during the Conquest,[21] and later became the Commander of the chapter at Oldtown. He was the sole Warrior's Son pardoned by Maegor I following the Faith Militant uprising.[7][22]
- A son who had recently taken the vows of a septon at the end of Aegon's Conquest.[21]
- A son
- Unknown number of daughters. Manfred offered his youngest to Aegon I Targaryen upon opening the gates of Oldtown to him, which Aegon declined so as not to offend his Queens.[21]
- Lord Martyn Hightower eldest son and heir of Manfred.
- Patrice Hightower, maiden sister of Manfred and aunt of Martyn. Suspected by some to have murdered her nephew, the High Septon, in 44 AC.
- Ser Otto Hightower. He was the Hand of the King during the reigns of Jaehaerys I, Viserys I and Aegon II. He was the uncle of Lord Ormund Hightower.[4][23]
- Alicent Hightower, daughter of Ser Otto and the Queen of King Viserys I Targaryen, who gave him three sons and a daughter, including Aegon II Targaryen, who was one of the claimants in the Dance of the Dragons.[4]
- At least one other son.
- Ser Gwayne Hightower, the youngest brother of Queen Alicent.[4]
- Lord Ormund Hightower. Lord of the Hightower during the Dance of the Dragons. He knighted Prince Daeron Targaryen, using the Valyrian longsword Vigilance, dubbing the prince Ser Daeron the Daring. He was killed by Lord Roderick Dustin at the First Battle of Tumbleton.[4]
- An unnamed number of sons.[4]
- Ser Bryndon Hightower, the foremost knight of Oldtown, cousin to Lord Ormund. Killed alongside Ormund by Lord Roderick Dustin at the First Battle of Tumbleton.[4]
- Ser Hobert Hightower, cousin to Lord Ormund. Sixty years old in 130 AC.[4]
- Garmund Hightower, married to Rhaena Targaryen and had six daughters.[24]
- Lord Jon Hightower, Lord of the Hightower, and Hand of the King in the final years of the reign of King Aegon IV Targaryen.[25]
- Ser Abelar Hightower. He was a participant of the tourney at Ashford Meadow and heir of Hightower.[1]
- Lord Quenton Hightower. He ordered Oldtown closed and ordered anyone trying to leave to be killed to prevent the spread of the grey plague as it took half the city. Survivors of the plague killed him and his young son in the streets the day he had those orders rescinded.
Sworn Houses
- House Beesburyof Honeyholt
- House Bulwer of Blackcrown
- House Costayne of the Three Towers
- House Cuy of Sunhouse
- House Mullendore of Uplands
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Hedge Knight.
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: Houses in the Reach
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 The Princess and the Queen.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Oldtown.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: The Arryns and the Hightower, May 1999
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Oldtown.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: The Gardener Kings.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 70, Tyrion X.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 39, Eddard X.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 69, Tyrion IX.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 31, Catelyn III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 60, Tyrion VIII.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 7, Cersei II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 12, Cersei III.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
- ↑ The Sons of the Dragon.
- ↑ Ran's comment [1]
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Targaryen Lineage.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Aegon IV.
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