Difference between revisions of "House Greyjoy"

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** ''[[House Goodbrother|House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn]]'' are the senior branch. Its Lord is titled Lord of Great Wyk.
** ''[[House Goodbrother of Shatterstone]]''. They reside on Old Wyk, a cadet branch of the former.
** ''House Goodbrother''. They reside on Orkmont, a cadet branch of the former.
** ''[[House Goodbrother of Orkmont]]''. They reside on Orkmont, a cadet branch of the former.
* [[House Harlaw|'''House Harlaw''']] of Harlaw. Several branches of the house exist, including:
** ''[[House Harlaw|House Harlaw of Ten Towers]]''. The senior house. Its Lord is titled the Lord of Harlaw.  The wife of Lord Balon Greyjoy is a Harlaw.

Revision as of 08:37, 24 August 2015

House Greyjoy of Pyke
Greyjoy coat sigil.png
Coat of arms Sable, a kraken Or
Words We Do Not Sow
Seat Pyke
Lord King Euron Greyjoy
Region Iron Islands
Title King of Salt and Rock
Son of the Sea Wind
Lord Reaper of Pyke
Heir Theon Greyjoy
Overlord None, sovereign (disputed by House Baratheon of King's Landing and House Baratheon of Dragonstone)
Founded Age of Heroes
Pyke, castle and seat of House Greyjoy- by Zippo514 ©

House Greyjoy of Pyke is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. It rules over the Iron Islands, a harsh and bleak collection of forbidding islands off the west coast of Westeros, from the Seastone Chair in the castle of Pyke on the island of the same name. The head of the family is traditionally known as the Lord Reaper of Pyke. Their sigil is a golden kraken on a black field, and their house motto is "We Do Not Sow."[1][2] Members of the family tend to be attractive and well-built, with black hair.


The Greyjoys of Pyke claim descent from the Grey King of the Age of Heroes. Legend says the Grey King ruled not only the western isles but the sea itself, and took a mermaid to wife.

In the era when the ironborn chose their rulers through the kingsmoot, only Houses Greyiron and Goodbrother produced more kings than the Greyjoys.[3] For instance, the Old Kraken, Loron Greyjoy, was chosen as a King of the Iron Islands in a kingsmoot. The iron lords, including the Greyjoys, intermarried with the victorious Andals when they invaded the Iron Isles.[4]

Come the Wars of Conquest, King Harren the Black of House Hoare ruled all the lands between the mountains, from the Neck to the Blackwater Rush. When Harren and his sons perished in the burning of Harrenhal, Aegon Targaryen granted the riverlands to Edmyn Tully of House Tully. The surviving lords of the Iron Islands fell into chaotic squabbling, leading Aegon to invade the islands to subdue them. After they bent the knee Aegon allowed them to revive their ancient custom and chose who should have the primacy among them. They chose Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke.[3]

Thus relegated to their dismal homeland and constrained by the king's peace, the Greyjoys have kept themselves distant from the other Great Houses, rarely taking part in events on the mainland (which they call the "green lands"), even when asked.

At various times the Greyjoys have tried to return to their ancient practices of raiding the western coastlines. At the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons, the Lord Reaper of Pyke, Dalton Greyjoy, was offered the position of master of ships to replace Ser Tyland Lannister, who had been made master of coin of King Aegon II Targaryen.[5] Dalton, the Red Kraken, instead sacked Lannisport and sent the ironborn to raid the coasts, capturing Kayce and Faircastle on Fair Isle. Dalton defied the Iron Throne for two years, but he was eventually murdered in Faircastle.[6]

Lord Dagon and the ironmen later raided the coastal areas of Westeros, sacking the town of Little Dosk. Lord Beron Stark gathered swords and House Lannister built ships in an effort to drive Lord Dagon and his ironmen back to the Iron Islands,[7] and Dagon was ultimately unable to resist the Targaryens.[8]

Lord Quellon Greyjoy tried to reform the ironborn and integrate them with the mainland, but he was killed late in Robert's Rebellion. His son, Lord Balon Greyjoy, rejected Quellon's reforms and desired a return to the Old Way. He created the Iron Fleet and led his own rebellion against the Iron Throne, declaring himself King of the Iron Islands, like many of his ancestors. Despite initiating several strong early strikes, such as burning of the Lannister fleet at anchor, he was defeated. Balon's own fleet under the command of his brother Victarion burned and his two eldest sons Rodrik and Maron were slain during the war. His last son Theon was given as a hostage and ward to Lord Eddard Stark after he swore fealty to House Baratheon of King's Landing.

Since their revolt, the Greyjoys have been as insular as ever. With Theon living in the green lands, Lord Balon raised his daughter Asha as his heir. Balon exiled his brother Euron when he raped the salt wife of their brother Victarion, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. Victarion was forced to kill his wife to retain his honor. Since then Euron has sailed the world aboard the Silence, reaving and pillaging, unwelcome in the Isles while Balon still lives. Another brother, Aeron Damphair, had been changed by his experience of washing overboard during the Battle of Fair Isle, and became a priest of the Drowned God.

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Theon is still a ward of Winterfell nine years after the Greyjoy Rebellion. He remains there when Lord Eddard Stark rides south to become Hand of the King. He views the Stark boys as younger brothers, and helps Robb save Bran's life when the boy is attacked in the Wolfswood, but is rebuked for endangering Bran himself. When Eddard is arrested, Theon rides to war with Robb, fighting in the battles to capture Ser Jaime Lannister and break his siege of Riverrun.

House Greyjoy is among the noble houses Viserys Targaryen believes will rise for him should he land in Westeros.

A Clash of Kings

Outfitted for War by Ignacio Lazcano. © Fantasy Flight Games.

After Lord Eddard is executed in King's Landing, Robb is declared King in the North by his bannermen. Theon goes to Pyke with Robb's suggestion that Balon name himself King of the Iron Islands and join the war against House Lannister. Theon finds Asha as heir and is met with scorn from his family, who consider him softened by the green lands. Balon spurns the offer and declares himself King of the Iron Islands and the North. He sends his kin to take the lightly-held North: Victarion captures Moat Cailin in the Neck to prevent Robb's lords from returning to their seats, while Asha takes Deepwood Motte and Theon ravages Stony Shore along with Aeron Damphair and Dagmer Cleftjaw.

Each attack goes as planned. Theon, however, desires to prove himself and goes on to seize Winterfell in a daring raid. There he begins a troublesome rule, at one point murdering two children that he tells the world are Bran and Rickon Stark. Asha tells him that the ironborn will never hold landlocked castles, and leaves only a token force to help his occupation. Stark forces are arrayed to root him out, but they are betrayed by Ramsay Snow, who captures Theon and sacks Winterfell.

A Storm of Swords

Due to the Greyjoy attacks, King Robb is forced to abandon his war in the south to liberate the Northern halls. While grieving for Bran and Rickon, he weds Jeyne Westerling and breaks his marriage contract with House Frey, requiring a replacement match. Thus it is for Greyjoy-produced reasons that he marches north to free his home and to attend his uncle's wedding. Roose Bolton reveals to Robb that Theon is being flayed by Ramsay Snow at the Dreadfort. Robb never makes it home, however, as he is treacherously killed at the Twins.

A Feast for Crows

Meanwhile King Balon has died from a fall at Pyke, just a day before Euron Crow's Eye returns from his long voyage. Aeron calls the first kingsmoot in millennia, hoping that Victarion will succeed Balon to the Seastone Chair. Euron is crowned, however, beating out Asha, Victarion, and several other claimants by promising to conquer all the green lands with the power of his Dragon Horn. Aeron disappears, vowing to rouse the people against the "godless" Euron.

Euron escalates ironborn commitment in the continental war by launching a massive attack on the Reach, conquering the Shield Islands and parts of the Arbor, and threatening Oldtown. Victarion leads the attack on the Shields, but Euron steals away many of his trusted men by granting them lands on the Shield Islands. Euron goes on to ask Victarion to sail the Iron Fleet across the world to find Daenerys Targaryen to court her in his name. Victarion sets out, but secretly hopes to take Daenerys for himself.

A Dance with Dragons

During his arduous voyage Victarion rescues the red priest Moqorro, who converts him to the faith of R'hllor, supplementing his worship of the Drowned God. In the North, Theon is revealed to have been suffered horrific mind-shattering torture in the captivity of Ramsay Snow, now Ramsay Bolton, at the Dreadfort. Theon is released from the Dreadfort to perform a mission for Ramsay, who has warped the man's sense of identity and formed him into a broken creature. He is sent to Moat Cailin to treat with the ironborn garrison there, where he succeeds in getting them to surrender by promising safe passage. Ramsay reneges and flays the men alive.

Theon recognizes Ramsay's wife, "Arya Stark", as Jeyne Poole and develops a tenuous rapport with her during the tense Bolton occupation of Winterfell. He reluctantly teams with Mance Rayder to free her from the castle; they escape but are captured outside by Mors Umber, who is now sworn to Stannis Baratheon. Meanwhile Asha has returned to hold Deepwood Motte, but is defeated and captured in a sudden attack by King Stannis and the Northern mountain clans. She is brought along with Stannis's army as he marches to the Siege of Winterfell. There she finds Theon alive.

The Winds of Winter

Asha tries to ransom Theon from Stannis, but is refused since the northmen want Theon dead. Asha suggests that he behead Theon himself before a heart tree, as Ned Stark would have done.

Known members at the end of the third century

Other branches

Cousins to the mainline are:

Lady Stonetree
Lady Piper
Lady Sunderly
Alannys Harlaw
3 wives


Historical Members

Sworn Houses

References and Notes

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Greyjoy. The list of authors can be seen in the page history of House Greyjoy. As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.