Rodrik Greyjoy

	Rodrik and Balon Greyjoy by Shebsart
Title	Captain
Allegiance	House Greyjoy
Culture	ironborn
Born	267–274 AC
Died	289 AC; Seagard
Father	Balon IX Greyjoy
Mother	Alannys Harlaw
Books	A Game of Thrones (appendix); A Clash of Kings (mentioned); A Storm of Swords (appendix); A Feast for Crows (mentioned); A Dance with Dragons (mentioned); The Winds of Winter (mentioned);

Rodrik Greyjoy was a member of House Greyjoy and the oldest son of Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, and Lady Alannys Harlaw. He was killed during Greyjoy's Rebellion. He may have been named after his maternal uncle, Lord Rodrik Harlaw of Harlaw.

Character

According to Theon Greyjoy, Rodrik had a tendency for "drunken cuffs".^[2]

History

According to Asha Greyjoy, Theon lived in awe and fear of their elder brothers, Rodrik and Maron.^[3] Rodrik was good friends with Harras Harlaw in their youth.^[4]

Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, rose in rebellion against Robert I Baratheon, thinking the new king did not have great support amongst the nobility of the Seven Kingdoms and that Balon would be allowed to go his own way. Rodrik led longships in the storming of Seagard, causing the bronze bell of the Booming Tower at Seagard to be rung for the first time in three hundred years. Jason Mallister, Lord of Seagard, killed Rodrik beneath the castle walls and threw the ironmen back into the sea.^[2] Maron was later killed in the battle at Pyke.^[2]

Balon blames Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, for the deaths of Rodrik and Maron during Greyjoy's Rebellion, though neither was actually slain by Eddard.^[2] Alannys Harlaw, Balon's grieving wife, eventually began to roam the halls of Pyke in search of her lost sons, even walking the rope bridge to the Sea Tower while barefoot; a maester often had to draw splinters from her heels.^[5]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

Theon Greyjoy has little love for his eldest brother, telling Patrek Mallister he holds no enmity towards Patrek's father, Lord Jason, or the Mallisters for slaying Rodrik during Greyjoy's Rebellion.^[2]

After the capture of Winterfell and the supposed deaths of Bran and Rickon Stark, two of Lord Eddard Stark's sons, Theon claims he has laid to rest the ghosts of his own brothers, Rodrik and Maron.^[6]

A Feast for Crows

Alannys Harlaw continues to deeply grieve the loss of her eldest sons.^[5]

Victarion Greyjoy recalls that after Balon Greyjoy's sons were born, he grew to accept that he would have to kneel to one of them one day.^[4]

The Winds of Winter

Warning
This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change.

Asha Greyjoy informs Stannis Baratheon that the deaths of Rodrik and Maron had shattered their mother, Alannys.^[7]

Quotes

Patrek: Never mind that the bell has been rung just once in three hundred years.
Theon: When my brother stormed Seagard. If your father supposes I bear him some enmity for that, it's only because he never knew Rodrik.^[2]
—Patrek Mallister and Theon Greyjoy

Balon: Not here, not in Pyke, not in my hearing, you will not name him brother, this son of the man who put your true brothers to the sword. Or have you forgotten Rodrik and Maron, who were your own blood?
Theon: I forget nothing. I remember my brothers very well.^[2]
—Balon Greyjoy and Theon Greyjoy

And now I must tell her that Theon is dead, and drive yet another dagger through her heart. There were two knives buried there already. On the blades were writ the words Rodrik and Maron, and many a time they twisted cruelly in the night.^[5]
—thoughts of Asha Greyjoy