House Merryweather

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House Merryweather of Longtable
House Merryweather.svg
Behold Our Bounty[1]
Coat of arms A golden horn of plenty spilling out apples, carrots, plums, onions, leeks, turnips, and fruits of many colors on a white field bordered in gold
(Argent, a cornucopia or overflowing with apples, carrots, plums, onions, leeks, turnips and fruits variegated all proper within a bordure of the second)
Seat Longtable[2]
Head Orton Merryweather[2]
Region The Reach[2]
Title Lord of Longtable[2]
Heir Russell Merryweather[2]
Overlord House Tyrell[2]

House Merryweather of Longtable is a noble house from the Reach. Their seat of Longtable is located at the confluence of the Mander and the Blueburn.[3] Historically a prominent family of the Reach,[4] House Merryweather has lost lands and wealth after Robert's Rebellion.[5]

Their blazon is a a golden horn of plenty spilling out apples, carrots, plums, onions, leeks, turnips, and fruits of many colors, over a white field bordered in gold.[6][7] Their motto is "Behold our Bounty."[1]

History

Targaryen dynasty

During the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye in 43 AC, old Lord Merryweather joined the Lords Caswell and Peake in marching from the Reach to add their levies to King Maegor I Targaryen's host against Prince Aegon the Uncrowned. While Lords Merryweather and Caswell advanced against Aegon's host from the south, King Maegor quickly killed his young nephew and the battle turned into a rout. Old Lord Merryweather was later killed the following year by the outlawed Warrior's Sons who remained loyal to Ser Joffrey Doggett.[8][9]

When the Dance of the Dragons began, Lord Merryweather was among the lords at court loyal to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and imprisoned for his loyalties. Lord Merryweather was brought before the King's Justice and beheaded for refusing to bend the knee to King Aegon II Targaryen.[10] Shortly after, Lady Merryweather was besieged at Longtable by Lord Ormund Hightower. When Lady Merryweather yielded the castle, Lord Hightower did her no harm, but stripped Longtable of its wealth and food before marching to Bitterbridge.[11] Later during the First Battle of Tumbleton, levies from Longtable joined the blacks' host to fortify Tumbleton against the Hightowers.[12]

During the regency of King Aegon III Targaryen, young Jeyne Merryweather was considered an option as a potential bride for the young king. Believing her to be a rival to his own daughter, Lord Unwin Peake had rumors spread that Jeyne dressed in squire's garb to visit the brothels of King's Landing in an attempt to disparage the girl.[13] Towards the end of the regency in 136 AC, Lord Marq Merryweather was chosen by lot in a Great Council to become a regent for the young king.[14] Noted for his love to feast, Merryweather was considered an inoffensive, though undistinguished, choice. When King Aegon III came of age later that year, he dismissed Merryweather from his office.[15]

Recent history

House Merryweather was once a powerful and rich family during the reign of House Targaryen. After Lord Tywin Lannister resigned from Hand of the King, King Aerys raised Lord Owen to the office.[16] For his sigil, Owen was known as "the Horn-of-Plenty Hand."[17] When tensions grew between King Aerys II and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, it fell to Lord Owen and Grand Maester Pycelle to keep the peace between their supporters.[18] Aerys II later stripped the Merryweathers of their lands and exiled Lord Owen in 282 AC for his failures as Hand to prevent Robert's Rebellion.[6][19]

When the rebellion ended, Orton Merryweather convinced King Robert I Baratheon to restore Longtable, its titles, and some of their lands to him,[17][20] but Robert emptied the Merryweather treasury in compensation;[20] the family's wealth and status have not completely recovered. Lord Orton Merryweather is not as rich and powerful as his grandfather, Owen.[5]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

Lady Taena of Myr, the wife of Lord Orton Merryweather, is a companion of Margaery Tyrell when she arrives at King's Landing.[21] Lord Orton is present at the wedding of Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark.[22] After King Joffrey I Baratheon is poisoned at his wedding, Lady Taena swears at Tyrion Lannister's trial that she had seen him drop something into the king's wine during his wedding feast.[23]

A Feast for Crows

Lady Taena plays a significant part during the start of King Tommen I Baratheon's reign, being a confidant, adviser, and occasionally sharing the bed of Queen Regent Cersei Lannister. Cersei offers to foster Russell Merryweather, the young son of Lady Taena and Lord Orton, in King's Landing, which Taena says she will consider.[24]

Cersei names Lord Orton to her small council as justiciar and master of laws.[25] Cersei later raises him to be the new Hand of the King after she demotes Ser Harys Swyft to master of coin and lord treasurer.[26] After Cersei's imprisonment by the Faith of the Seven, Taena and Orton flee King's Landing and return to Longtable.[27]

House Merryweather at the end of the third century

The known Merryweathers during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

Owen
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Son
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Orton
 
Taena
of Myr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Russell
 


Historical Merryweathers

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Citadel. House Mottoes
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 A Dance with Dragons, Appendix.
  3. A Dance with Dragons, Map of the South
  4. The World of Ice & Fire, House Tyrell.
  5. 5.0 5.1 The Citadel. “Knights and Lords” March 02, 2002 So Spake Martin
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 11, Jaime II.
  7. The Citadel. Heraldry: Houses in the Reach
  8. The Sons of the Dragon.
  9. Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  10. Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold.
  11. Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
  12. The Princess and the Queen.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows.
  14. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
  15. Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.
  16. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II.
  17. 17.0 17.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 16, Jaime II.
  18. The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring.
  19. Young Lord Connington, (August 25, 2000) So Spake Martin
  20. 20.0 20.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Longtable.
  21. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa I.
  22. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 59, Sansa IV.
  23. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66, Tyrion IX.
  24. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 28, Cersei VI.
  25. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
  26. 26.0 26.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 39, Cersei IX.
  27. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 43, Cersei X.
  28. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.