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Evil Organization
- TV Series
- ASOIAF
Full Name
Alias
Origin
Foundation
Headquarters
Casterly RockLannisport
Red Keep
Harrenhal (formerly)
Red Keep
Harrenhal (formerly)
Commanders
Lord Tywin Lannister (deceased)Queen Cersei Lannister
Ser Kevan Lannister (deceased)
Tyrion Lannister (claimant, disputed and not supported)
Ser Kevan Lannister (deceased)
Tyrion Lannister (claimant, disputed and not supported)
Agents
Ser Jaime Lannister
Lady Joanna Lannister (deceased)
Ser Tygett Lannister (deceased)
Gerion Lannister (deceased)
Tyrion Lannister (formerly, traitor)
Ser Stafford Lannister (deceased)
Ser Daven Lannister
Lord Lancel Lannister (formerly)
Lady Genna Lannister
Lord Emmon Frey
Ser Damon Lannister
Ser Damion Lannister
Willem Lannister (deceased)
Martyn Lannister
Tion Frey (deceased)
Tyrek Lannister (presumed dead)
Rosamund Lannister
Maester Creylen
Ser Benedict Broom
Red Walder Frey
Robert Brax
Whitesmile Wat
Ser Addam Marbrand
Ser Gregor Clegane (deceased)
Ser Amory Lorch (deceased)
Sandor Clegane (formerly)
Father Clegane (deceased)
Reginald Lannister
Alton Lannister (deceased)
Ser Cadwyn
Ser Dunaver
Ser Osfryd Kettleblack
Ser Osney Kettleblack
Ser Lyonel
Jodge
Ser Ilyn Payne (formerly)
Jyck (deceased)
Morrec (deceased)
Vylarr
Bronn
Qyburn
Josmyn Peckledon
Jocelyn Swyft
Podrick Payne
Lewys Piper
Garrett Paege
Dake
Tregar (deceased)
Godwyn
Lum
Lester
Hoke
Rolder
Shortear
Puckens
Senelle (deceased)
Dorcas
Brella
Rennick (deceased)
Bernadette
Captain of the archers
Septa Saranella (status unknown)
Ben Blackthumb
Weese (deceased)
Maester Tothmure (deceased)
Lucan (deceased)
Mebble
Tuffleberry
Goodwife Harra (deceased)
Pia
Gendry (formerly, defected)
Weasel (Arya Stark, formerly, defected)
Hot Pie (formerly, defected)
Maester Volarik (TV series only)
Bryan (TV series, status unknown)
Polliver (TV series only, deceased)
Rorge (TV series only, deceased)
Biter (TV series only, deceased)
Lady Joanna Lannister (deceased)
Ser Tygett Lannister (deceased)
Gerion Lannister (deceased)
Tyrion Lannister (formerly, traitor)
Ser Stafford Lannister (deceased)
Ser Daven Lannister
Lord Lancel Lannister (formerly)
Lady Genna Lannister
Lord Emmon Frey
Ser Damon Lannister
Ser Damion Lannister
Willem Lannister (deceased)
Martyn Lannister
Tion Frey (deceased)
Tyrek Lannister (presumed dead)
Rosamund Lannister
Maester Creylen
Ser Benedict Broom
Red Walder Frey
Robert Brax
Whitesmile Wat
Ser Addam Marbrand
Ser Gregor Clegane (deceased)
Ser Amory Lorch (deceased)
Sandor Clegane (formerly)
Father Clegane (deceased)
Reginald Lannister
Alton Lannister (deceased)
Ser Cadwyn
Ser Dunaver
Ser Osfryd Kettleblack
Ser Osney Kettleblack
Ser Lyonel
Jodge
Ser Ilyn Payne (formerly)
Jyck (deceased)
Morrec (deceased)
Vylarr
Bronn
Qyburn
Josmyn Peckledon
Jocelyn Swyft
Podrick Payne
Lewys Piper
Garrett Paege
Dake
Tregar (deceased)
Godwyn
Lum
Lester
Hoke
Rolder
Shortear
Puckens
Senelle (deceased)
Dorcas
Brella
Rennick (deceased)
Bernadette
Captain of the archers
Septa Saranella (status unknown)
Ben Blackthumb
Weese (deceased)
Maester Tothmure (deceased)
Lucan (deceased)
Mebble
Tuffleberry
Goodwife Harra (deceased)
Pia
Gendry (formerly, defected)
Weasel (Arya Stark, formerly, defected)
Hot Pie (formerly, defected)
Maester Volarik (TV series only)
Bryan (TV series, status unknown)
Polliver (TV series only, deceased)
Rorge (TV series only, deceased)
Biter (TV series only, deceased)
Powers/Skills
WealthResources
Large and well-equipped army
Naval fleet
Royal army and fleet of the crownlands
Large and well-equipped army
Naval fleet
Royal army and fleet of the crownlands
Goals
Maintain their influence and power in the Seven Kingdoms, especially the Westerlands (failed).Restore the king's peace in the Seven Kingdoms (failed).
Destroy House Baratheon during the War of the Five Kings (failed).
Serve House Baratheon of King's Landing and their king (failed).
Vanquish Robb Stark and end the northern invasion in the south (succeeded).
Destroy House Tully as a revenge to Catelyn for starting the war and conquer the Riverlands (succeeded in the books though Edmure Tully is still alive, failed in the tv show).
Control the North through House Bolton (barely going well and struggling in the books, failed in the show; failed).
Obliterate House Stark as a punishment for their disrespect (presumed succeeded in the books, failed in the show).
Defeat Daenerys Targaryen (TV series only; failed).
Betray House Stark and House Targaryen in the war against the Night King (TV series only).
Destroy House Baratheon during the War of the Five Kings (failed).
Serve House Baratheon of King's Landing and their king (failed).
Vanquish Robb Stark and end the northern invasion in the south (succeeded).
Destroy House Tully as a revenge to Catelyn for starting the war and conquer the Riverlands (succeeded in the books though Edmure Tully is still alive, failed in the tv show).
Control the North through House Bolton (barely going well and struggling in the books, failed in the show; failed).
Obliterate House Stark as a punishment for their disrespect (presumed succeeded in the books, failed in the show).
Defeat Daenerys Targaryen (TV series only; failed).
Betray House Stark and House Targaryen in the war against the Night King (TV series only).
Crimes
TreasonManipulation
Mass murder
Larcenies
Rape
Oppression
Torture
Theft
Mass murder
Larcenies
Rape
Oppression
Torture
Theft
Type of Villains
“ | Hear me roar. | „ |
~ House Lannister motto. |
“ | A Lannister always pays his debts | „ |
~ Common Lannister saying. |
House Lannister of Casterly Rock is one of the nine great houses of Westeros in the novel series A Song of Ice and Fire and its TV adaptation A Game of Thrones. Their sigil is a golden lion against a red background. The Lannisters are known for being the wealthiest house in Westeros, their source of income is the gold mines of the Westerlands. They are also notorious for their ruthlessness, underhandedness, and general lack of honor. Though this reputation is fairly new, being fabricated by the deeds of Tywin Lannister. Under Lord Tywin and his daughter Cersei, the house as a whole frequently serve a villainous and antagonistic role and also employ other brutal characters, such as Ser Gregor Clegane, Ser Amory Lorch, and the Brave Companions. They serve under their overlord family, House Baratheon of King's Landing, founded and ruled by King Robert I Baratheon. After he died, most Baratheon retainers rode back to the Stormlands, and because of their lack of true power and influence over House Baratheon, the royal children and House Baratheon of King's Landing ended up being only pawns with nominal power, a Lannister cadet branch.
History
House Lannister was supposedly founded during the Age of Heroes by the legendary figure Lann the Clever, who swindled Casterly Rock from the Casterlys using nothing but his wits. During the events of the main series, they war against the Baratheons, the Starks, and the Tullys over the right to rule the Seven Kingdoms, as the Lannisters support King Joffrey I Baratheon, while the Starks rebelled against the Iron Throne and fought the Lannisters initially for revenge for killing Lord Eddard Stark, later to free the Riverlands and get the Stark girls back so that they could ride back in the North and close it to the Lannisters. The victory of the Lannisters and the Tyrells against King Stannis Baratheon was the day of the solidification of the Lannister power in the south and the end of the first phase of the War of the Five Kings. After that, Lord Tywin refused to aid either King Balon Greyjoy and King Robb Stark in their war for the north, stating that the two were kings and since they had both insulted King Joffrey, they had no reason to be friends, thus the protection of their kingdoms was their problem. The Lannisters also rejected Bowen Marsh's call for aid for the Night's Watch against Mance Rayder's army beyond the Wall until Lord Janos Slynt would be made Lord Commander, and the Watch would stop being neutral.
After the massacre at the Twins, during Lord Edmure Tully's wedding, later known as the Red Wedding, (secretly orchestrated by Tywin Lannister and Walder Frey), the Lannisters gain control over most of the Riverlands. Later Joffrey is shortly thereafter poisoned during his own wedding feast, and then Tywin Lannister is killed by his long-abused son Tyrion shortly a short time later. The war in the Riverlands resulted with an invasion of mass refugees who become Sparrows and King Tommen I's royal court goes in a power struggle between Cersei, Kevan Lannister, Mace Tyrell, and other nobles.
Game of Thrones
In the TV Series, Cersei Lannister becomes the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms after destroying the Great Sept of Baelor and slaughtering most of her enemies (and dozens if not hundreds of people too). Cersei forges an alliance with King Euron Greyjoy, who later becomes the captain of the Iron Throne fleet. Queen Daenerys Targaryen comes to Westeros intending to seize the Iron Throne from the Lannisters. Even after the common enemy of the White Walkers is revealed to the Iron Throne, Cersei arrogantly refuses to work with Daenerys and Jon Snow against them, prompting a disgusted Jaime Lannister to abandon her.
After defeating the Night King Jaime decided to return to Kings Landing and Cersei. During the sack of Kings Landing he made his way inside a crumbling Red Keep and found Cersei. The two attempted to escape through the Keep's crypt, but found their way blocked. The two were crushed to death as the crypt collapsed around them.
The deaths of Cersei and Jaime left Tyrion as the last known surviving Lannister, and presumably leader of the House. House Lannister faces an uncertain future with their goldmines depleted, and weather or not Tyrion will be able to produce children.
Known Members
- Lord {Tywin Lannister}, Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, Warden of the West and Hand of the King. Slain by his son.
- Lady {Joanna Lannister}, his wife, and cousin. Died in childbirth.
- Queen Cersei Lannister, Queen Dowager and Lady of Casterly Rock, his daughter. The widow of King Robert I.
- Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, his eldest son. Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Maimed by Vargo Hoat.
- Tyrion Lannister, his second son. Disinherited by Tywin. Called the Imp and Halfman. In exile. Currently with the Second Sons.
- Sansa Lannister (née Stark), his wife. A former hostage of the Iron Throne, disappeared during Joffrey I's wedding day. Currently at the Gates of the Moon (House Arryn's winter castle).
- Lady {Joanna Lannister}, his wife, and cousin. Died in childbirth.
- Ser {Kevan Lannister}, Tywin's eldest brother, Lord Regent for Tommen I and Protector of the Realm. Married to Dorna Swyft. Assassinated by Varys.
- Dorna Lannister (née Swyft), his wife and Ser Harys' eldest daughter.
- Lord Lancel Lannister, Kevan's eldest son, Lord of Darry. Joined the Warrior's Sons.
- {Willem Lannister}, Kevan's second son. Slain at Riverrun under Lord Rickard Karstark's orders. Twin to Martyn.
- Martyn Lannister, Kevan's third son. Twin to Willem.
- Janei Lannister, Kevan's daughter.
- Dorna Lannister (née Swyft), his wife and Ser Harys' eldest daughter.
- Lady Genna Lannister, Tywin's sister. Married to Lord Emmon Frey.
- Ser {Tygett Lannister}, his second brother. Died from a pox.
- Darlessa Lannister (née Marbrand), his widow.
- {Tyrek Lannister}, his son. Missing since the bread riots at King's Landing and presumed dead.
- Darlessa Lannister (née Marbrand), his widow.
- {Gerion Lannister}, his third brother. Missing in Essos and presumed dead.
- Joy Hill, Gerion's bastard daughter.
- Ser Damon Lannister, older (half-)brother of Stafford and Joanna Lannister.
- Ella Lannister, wife of Damon and mother to his son Damion. Cousin of an unknown branch.
- Ser Damion Lannister, Damon's son, castellan of Casterly Rock, married to Shiera Crakehall.
- Shiera Lannister (née Crakehall), his wife
- Ser Lucion Lannister, his son.
- Lady Lanna Lannister, his daughter, married to Lord Antario Jast.
- Shiera Lannister (née Crakehall), his wife
- Ser Damion Lannister, Damon's son, castellan of Casterly Rock, married to Shiera Crakehall.
- Ella Lannister, wife of Damon and mother to his son Damion. Cousin of an unknown branch.
- Ser {Stafford Lannister}, younger brother of Joanna Lannister. Slain at the Battle of Oxcross by Lord Rickard Karstark.
- Myranda Lannister (née Lefford), his widow.
- Ser Daven Lannister, Stafford's son. Made Warden of the West after Tywin Lannister's death.
- Cerenna Lannister, Stafford's daughter.
- Myrielle Lannister, Stafford's daughter.
- Myranda Lannister (née Lefford), his widow.
- Lynora Hill, bastard daughter of Jason Lannister, sister to Joanna, Stafford and Damon.
With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch there is also:
- Lady Margot Lannister, a cousin of an unknown branch, who married to Lord Titus Peake.
Household
At Casterly Rock
- Maester Creylen, healer and counselor at Casterly Rock.
- Vylarr, captain of the red cloak guards at Casterly Rock.
- Ser Benedict Broom, master-at-arms at Casterly Rock.
- Whitesmile Wat, a singer at Casterly Rock. Followed Genna Lannister during the Second Siege of Riverrun. Currently back at the Rock.
- Walder Frey, also known as Red Walder, Lord Emmon's youngest son, a squire.
- Robert Brax, a page.
In King's Landing
- Bronn, also known as Ser Bronn of the Blackwater and Lord Stokeworth, a sellsword once in the service of Tyrion Lannister.
- Podrick Payne, once squires to Cedric Payne first, then Ser Lorimer, then Tyrion Lannister, and now Brienne of Tarth.
- Vylarr, former captain of the red cloak guards in King's Landing. Currently back at Casterly Rock.
- Lum and Lester, called 'Red Lester', Hoke, called 'Hoke Horseleg', Shortear, Puckens - all guardsmen.
- Ser Osfryd Kettleblack, household knight and captain of Cersei's redcloaks from after Vylarr's departure until his appointment as Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing.
- Josmyn Peckledon, known as 'Peck', squire to Jaime Lannister. Currently in the Riverlands with Jaime.
- Lewys Piper, known as 'Little Lew', younger son of Lord Clement Piper, and Garrett Paege, squires to Ser Jaime and hostages of the Iron Throne. Currently in the Riverlands with Jaime.
- Ser Osney Kettleblack, a sellsword in Cersei's service. Currently prisoner of the Faith of the Seven.
- {Senelle}, a serving-woman. Died in the Red Keep's black cells, tortured and experimented on by Qyburn.
- Dorcas, a serving woman in the Red Keep.
- Jocelyn Swyft, handmaiden to Queen Cersei
- Brella, a servingwoman attending Sansa Stark and formerly running Renly Baratheon's household.
The Household at Harrenhal during the Lannister Cccupation
- {Maester Tothmure}, healer and counselor, executed by Lord Roose Bolton for sending ravens to King's Landing and Casterly Rock during the fall of Harrenhal to the northmen.
- Ben Blackthumb, an old blacksmith.
- {Weese}, the understeward of the Wailing Tower at Harrenhal. Killed by his own dog, after the animal was manipulated by Jaqen H'ghar.
- {Lucan}, a blacksmith and the master of the armory, beheaded by Steelshanks Walton on the order of Lord Roose Bolton for making weapons for the Lannisters.
- Mebble, better known as Pinkeye, the alcoholic and bellicose understeward.
- Goodwife {Harra}, an old woman, executed by Lord Roose Bolton for telling the servants of Lady Whent to serve the Lannisters.
- Tuffleberry, a servant who takes care of the brewhouse.
- Hot Pie, former cook of the kitchen. Last time saw working at the Inn of the Kneeling Man.
- Gendry, former blacksmith of Harrenhal. Currently a knight blacksmith of the Brotherhood without Banners.
- Pia, also known as Pretty Pia and 'the Slut', a promiscous servant in the buttery.
- Weasel, a little girl formerly assistant to the steward Weese. She was actually Arya Stark.
Known Lannister Guards
- Dake
- Godwyn
- Hoke
- {Jyck}, killed by the Vale mountain Clansmen.
- Ser Osfryd Kettleblack, Lannister captain.
- Lester
- Lum
- Ser Ilyn Payne, formerly, joined the Iron Throne court during the Baratheon reign.
- Puckens
- Rolder
- Shortear
- {Tregar}, killed by Eddard Stark in the streets of King's Landing.
- Vylarr, Lannister captain.
Other Lannister Retainers
- Ser Addam Marbrand, knight of House Marbrand, eldest son of Lord Damon, and one of Tywin Lannister's chief knights. He served as the Commander of the City Watch of King' Landing after the Battle of the Blackwater until Tywin's death. Currently in the Riverlands, searching for the fugitive Ser Brynden Tully.
- Ser {Amory Lorch}, a knight of House Lorch and later Castellan of Harrenhal. Executed by Vargo Hoat, on Roose Bolton's order, by being thrown at Vargo's bear.
- {Tion Frey}, third son of Ser Emmon Frey and Genna Lannister. Slain at Riverrun under Lord Rickard Karstark's orders.
- Lord Qyburn, a disgraced former maester of the Citdael and necromancer. A former member of the Brave Companions. Currently in King's Landing, serving as a healer, torturer, and executioner for Queen Dowager Cersei. Also served as her master of whisperers until Ser Kevan and Grand Maester Pycelle's regency.
- Ser Cadwyn, a knight from the westerlands. Likely dead during the Fall of Harrenhal.
- Ser Dunaver, a knight in service of the Lannisters. Status unknown.
- Ser Lyonel, a knight in service of the Lannisters. Status unknown.
- Jodge, squire of Ser Dunaver. Status unknown.
Cadet Branches
Besides House Lannister of Lannisport and House Lannister of Darry, other houses said to be distant kin to the Lannisters are 3 noble houses settled at Lannisport: House Lannett, House Lanny, and House Lantell.
House Lannister of Lannisport
An ancient branch of House Lannister in the Westerlands who live in the city of Lannisport, rather than the main branch's seat of Casterly Rock. Neither their words nor their arms are known. Members of the family often have the same blond hair as the main branch. According to semi-canon sources they rule the city or are at least gentry.
Known Members:
- Rosamund Lannister, a handmaiden to Princess Myrcella Baratheon.
- Theomore Lannister, now known as Maester Theomore, a maester in service at White Harbor. Kept away from war messages by Lord Wyman Manderly during the war, due to his bias towards his family.
- Reginald Lannister, TV series-only character. Lord Tywin's officer during the War of the Five Kings, sent back to Lannisport for insubordination.
- Cynda Lannister, TV series-only character. Alton's mother.
- Ser {Alton Lannister}, TV series-only character. Killed by his cousin, Jaime Lannister, inside a prison cell at Robb Stark's camp.
House Lannister of Darry
A new noble house from Castle Darry in the Riverlands. The new houses' sigil is the Lion of Lannister, gold on red, quartered with the Darry plowman.
Known Members
- Ser Lancel Lannister, former Lord, he was the new Lord of Darry, son of Ser Kevan Lannister. Forsook lands, title, and wife to join the Warrior's Sons.
- Lady Amerei Frey, called 'Gatehouse Ami' for her promiscuity, his wife. Current head.
Household:
- Lady Mariya Darry, Lady Amerei's mother.
- Marissa Frey, Lady Amerie's sister, and Lady Mariya's daughter, a maid of three-and-ten.
- Ser Danwell Frey, Lady Amerei's uncle.
- Ser Arwood Frey, Lady Amerei's cousin.
- Ser Leslyn Haigh a half-uncle of Lady Amerei's, and his sons Ser Harys, and Ser Donnel, household knights all
- Maester Ottomore, counselor, and healer.
- Ser Harwyn Plumm, called 'Hardstone', commander of the Darry garrison.
Sworn Bannermen
- Lord Damon Marbrand, Lord of Ashemark, father of Ser Addam.
- Lord {Leo Lefford}, Lord of the Golden Tooth. He drowned during the Battle of the Fords.
- Lady Alysanne Lefford, Lord Leo's heir, the Lady of the Golden Tooth.
- Lord {Andros Brax}, Lord of Hornvale. Drowned at the Battle of the Camps.
- Lord Tytos Brax, his eldest son. A former captive of House Stark fled during the war and alive.
- Ser {Robert Brax}, his second son. Slain at the Battle of the Fords.
- Ser Flement Brax, his third son, married to Morya Frey and father of Robert, Walder, and Jon Brax. Currently in the riverlands with Jaime.
- Ser {Rupert Brax}, Andros' brother. Slain at the Battle of Oxcross.
- Lord Roland Crakehall, Lord of Crakehall.
- Ser Tybolt Crakehall, his eldest son, and heir to Crakehall.
- Ser Lyle Crakehall, his second son, called the 'Strongboar'. A former captive of House Stark at Pinkmaiden Castle and released after the Red Wedding. Currently in the riverlands in search of Sandor Clegane.
- Ser Merlon Crakehall, his third son
- Ser {Burton Crakehall}, his brother. A fierce knight. Slain by the brotherhood without banners.
- Ser Harys Swyft, the Knight of Cornfield and Kevan Lannister's father-in-law. Currently at Braavos to deal with the Iron Bank, serving as Master of Coin for Tommen I.
- Ser Steffon Swyft, his son, and heir. Currently in the riverlands with Jaime.
- Ser Humfrey Swyft, a knight. Currently in the riverlands with Jaime's host.
- Ser {Gregor Clegane}, the Knight of Clegane's Keep; called 'The Mountain That Rides'. A raider captain of Tywin Lannister and commander of his vanguard, killed by the poisoned spear of Oberyn Martell.
- {Sandor Clegane}, Gregor's younger brother; called 'The Hound' and 'Dog'. Former Lannister bodyguard, then sworn shield, and later Kingsguard to Joffrey Baratheon, until he deserted and turned rogue warrior; thought dead in the riverlands.
- Lord Gawen Westerling, Lord of the Crag. Father of Jayne Westerling, Robb Stark's widow. Currently on his way back to the Crag after the Second Siege of Riverrun.
- Lady Sybell Westerling (née Spicer), his wife. Conspired with Lord Tywin the preparations of the Red Wedding. Currently on her way back to the Crag after the Second Siege of Riverrun.
- Lord Rolph Spicer, Lord of Castamere. Formerly castellan of the Crag. Sybell's older brother. Rewarded for helping Lord Tywin and Lord Walder in the preparations of the Red Wedding.
- Ser Samwell Spicer, his cousin.
- Lord Lewys Lydden, Lord of the Deep Den.
- Lord Quenten Banefort, Lord of Banefort. A former captive of House Stark at Stone Hedge. Released after the Red Wedding.
- Ser Lorent Lorch landed Knight of House Lorch.
- Ser {Cedric Payne}, a knight who died in the riverlands during the war.
- Ser Jon Bettley, better known as Beardless Jon. Currently with Ser Lyle in search for Sandor Clegane and outlaws.
- Lord Regenard Estren, Lord of Wyndhall. A former captive of House Stark at the Twins and released after the Red Wedding.
- Ser Garth Greenfield, the Knight of Greenfield. A former captive of House Stark at Raventree Hall and released after the Red Wedding.
- Lord Antario Jast, head of House just and husband of Lanna Jast (née Lannister). A former captive of House Stark at Pinkmaiden Castle and released after the Red Wedding.
- Lord Garrison Prester, Lord of Feastfires.
- Ser Forley Prester, his cousin. Currently escorting the captives Lord Edmure Tully and Jeyne Westerling at Casterly Rock.
- Ser Lymond Vikary, head of House Vikary. A former captive of House Stark at Wayfarer's Rest and released after the Red Wedding.
- Ser Philip Foote, the new Lord of Nightsong and Lord of the Marches after killing the storm lord Bryce Caron during the Battle of the Blackwater. Currently in King's Landing with his titles disputed by the castellan of Dragonstone, Ser Rolland Storm.
- Lord Sebaston Farman, Lord of Fair Isle.
- Lord Terrence Kenning (not to be confused with the ironborn Kennings), Lord of Kayce.
- Ser Kennos of Kayce, a knight in service to Lord Terrence. Currently in the riverlands with Ser Jaime.
- Lord Robin Moreland, head of House Moreland.
- Ser Tybolt Heatherspoon landed Knight of House Heatherspoon. His daughter, Melara Heatherspoon, was murdered by her friend Cersei Lannister during childhood.
- Lord Philip Plumm, head of House Plumm.
- Ser Dennis Plumm, his eldest son, and heir.
- Ser Peter Plumm, his second son.
- Ser Harwyn Plumm, known as 'Hardstone', his third son. Currently in the riverlands with Jaime.
- Ser Raynard Ruttiger, landed Knight of House Ruttiger. Accompanied Ser Daven Lannister during the Second Siege of Riverrun.
- Ser Manfryd Yew landed Knight of House Yew. Accompanied Ser Daven Lannister during the Second Siege of Riverrun.
- Ser Gareth Clifton, landed Knight of House Clifton. Relative to Queen Margaery's guard, Hugh Clifton, and King Stannis's knight, Ser Humfrey Clifton.
- Lord Selmond Stackspear, head of House Stackspear.
- Ser Alyn Stackspear, his second son. Currently in King's Landing.
- Ser Lambert Turnberry, a knight. Currently imprisoned in Qyburn's dungeon in King's Landing under the false accusation of being Queen Margaery's lover.
Traitor Sworn Bannermen
The most unruly bannermen of the westerlands, sworn rivals of House Lanniser who tried to take over the westerlands, taking advantage of Lord Tytos Lannister's weakness, until his son and heir, Ser Tywin, intervened. As a punishment for years of disrespect, insult, and open mockery, Tywin eradicated the whole houses of Reyner and Tarbeck, killing almost every single member, including the children and tearing down their castles:
- Lord {Roger Reyne}, known as the Red Lion of Castamere, Lord of Castamere. Slain during the Fall of Castamere.
- Ser {Reynard Reyne}, his younger brother. Slain during the Fall of Castamere.
- Lord {Walderan Tarbeck}, Lord of Tarbeck Hall, described as muttonheaded. Slain during the Fall of Tarbeck Hall.
- Lady {Ellyn Reyne}, last known as Ellyn Tarbeck, his wife and younger sister of Roger Reyne. The main cause of the rebellion. Initially betrothed to Tywald Lannister, married first to Ser Tion Lannister, and last to Lord Walderan Tarbeck, with whom she had three children. Slain during the Fall of Tarbeck Hall.
- Rohanne Tarbeck, his first daughter. Forced to join the silent sisters.
- {The last Lord Tarbeck}, the young son of Rohanne. Presumably killed by Ser Amory Lorch.
- Cyrelle Tarbeck, his second daughter. Forced to join the silent sisters.
- {Tion Tarbeck}, known as Tion the Red, Walderan's youngest son. Died with his mother when Tarbeck Hall's keep collapsed on them.
- Rohanne Tarbeck, his first daughter. Forced to join the silent sisters.
- Lady {Ellyn Reyne}, last known as Ellyn Tarbeck, his wife and younger sister of Roger Reyne. The main cause of the rebellion. Initially betrothed to Tywald Lannister, married first to Ser Tion Lannister, and last to Lord Walderan Tarbeck, with whom she had three children. Slain during the Fall of Tarbeck Hall.
Historical Members of House Lannister
Original Lineage
- Lann the Clever, legendary founding ancestor of House Lannister during the Age of Heroes.
- King Loreon Lannister, the Lion, the first true known Lannister king.
- King Tybolt Lannister, the Thunderbolt, who made sure that the first Andal warlords in the westerlands met a bloody end.
- King Tyrion III Lannister, who instead of fighting the Andals, took their sons and daughters for wards and fosterlings.
- King Gerold II Lannister, son of King Tyrion III, who took the same approach as his father regarding the Andal invaders.
- King Gerold III Lannister, died without male issue.
Andal Lineage
- Ser Joffrey Lydden, married the only daughter of Gerold III, adopted the Lannister name and arms as his own. First Andal to rule the Rock as King Joffrey Lannister.
- King Cerion Lannister, extended his rule as far east as the Golden Tooth.
- King Tommen I Lannister, built a great fleet and brought Fair Isle into the realm.
- King Loreon II Lannister, held the first tourney ever seen in the westerlands.
- King Tywell II Lannister, who was identified by some as being the king in the tale of the Rat Cook.
- King Lancel I Lannister, the Lion, rode to war against the Gardener kings and conquered the Reach as far south as Old Oak.
- King Loreon III Lannister, son of King Lancel I, lost all his father gained and earned the mocking name Loreon the Limp.
- King Gerold Lannister, the Great, sailed to the Iron Islands and returned with a hundred hostages.
- King Lancel IV Lannister, is said to have beheaded the ironborn king Harrald Halfdrowned and his heir with the House's Valyrian steel sword Brightroar in one swing. Invaded the Reach during the reign of Gyles III Gardener. He was killed by Ser Wilbert Osgrey at Red Lake.
- King Norwin Lannister, the Niggardly, who was not known for his openhandedness.
- King Loreon IV Lannister, the Lackwit, one of Casterly Rock's many weak, cruel and feeble kings.
- King Loreon V Lannister, known as Queen Lorea, for he was fond of dressing in his wife's clothing walking the docks of Lannisport in the guise of a common whore. One of Casterly Rock's many weak, cruel and feeble kings.
- King Tyrion II Lannister, the Tormentor, a strong king, famed for his prowess with a battle-ax, his true delight was torture.
- King Lancel V Lannister
- Queen Lelia Lannister, the wife of King Harmund II Hoare and mother of Kings Harmund III and Hagon Hoare.
- King Tommen II Lannister, the Lion King, disappeared with the ancestral greatsword Brightroar during an expedition to Valyria.
- King Loren I Lannister, Loren the Last, last King of the Rock at the time of Aegon's Conquest, he rose a lord.
- Lord Lyman Lannister, the Lord of Casterly Rock during the Faith Militant uprising.
- Lord Tymond Lannister, who was present at the Great Council of 101 AC.
- Lord Jason Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock during King Viserys I's reign and Aegon II's. He was the older twin brother of Tyland Lannister. Killed during the Dance of the Dragons by Pate of Longleaf.
- Lady Johanna Lannister, his widow.
- Ser Tyland Lannister, master of ships during the reign of Viserys I and the younger twin brother to the Lord of Casterly Rock. Later made a master of coin and Hand of the King.
- Tya Lannister, last Lannister to wed a Baratheon before the reign of Robert I Baratheon.
- Lord Damon Lannister, known as the Grey Lion, a participant at the Ashford tourney and head of house during the reign of Daeron II.
- Lord Tybolt Lannister, the eldest son, and heir of Damon, succeeded as Lord of Casterly Rock during the reign of Aerys I.
- Lady Cerelle Lannister, daughter and only child of Lord Tybolt, the child-Lady of Casterly Rock. Rumored to have been murderd by her uncle Gerold.
- Lord Gerold Lannister, known as Gerold the Golden, younger brother, and adviser to Lord Tybolt. Regent for Lady Cerelle.
- Lady Alysanne Farman, Gerold's first wife.
- Lady Rohanne Webber, Gerold's second wife. Mother to his children. Vanished under mysterious circumstances.
- Ser Tywald Lannister, his eldest son. Squire to Lord Roger Reyne. Knighted on his deathbed.
- Ser Tion Lannister, Gerold's second son, and Tywald's twin. Killed at Battle of Wendwater Bridge during the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion.
- Lord Tytos Lannister, known as the Toothless Lion, Lord Gerold's third son and successor. Lord of Casterly Rock. Succeeded by Lord Tywin.
- Jason Lannister, Gerold's fourth son. Father of Damon, Stafford and Joanna Lannister, two others sons and two other daughters, and a bastard daughter, Lynora Hill.
- Lord Tybolt Lannister, the eldest son, and heir of Damon, succeeded as Lord of Casterly Rock during the reign of Aerys I.
Trivia
- They are loosely based off of Houses Lancaster and York from the real life War of the Roses, but as something of a reversal; typically House York was considered the 'bad guys' by most historians, while the Lancasters (whose name most resembles the Lannister name), were seen as the 'good guys' by most historians.
- Ironically, their sigil greatly resembles that of House Gryffindor from Harry Potter, despite being in many ways the opposite of Gryffindor (villainous instead of heroic, dishonorable and treacherous instead of loyal and courageous, etc.)
- In the TV series, it is stated that the Lannister mines in the westerlands have gone dry. In the books, the gold mines are still active.
Navigation
(Redirected from House Lannister)
George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels feature a sizable cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyond Westeros' northern border; and the ambition of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled heir of the previous ruling dynasty. The Great Houses of Westeros represent the Seven Kingdoms forged across the continent: the North, the Iron Islands, the Vale of Arryn, the Westerlands, the Stormlands, the Reach, and Dorne. A massive Wall of ice and old magic separates the Seven Kingdoms from the largely unmapped area in the most northern portion of the continent.
Each chapter is narrated in the third-person limitedpoint of view through the eyes of a single character. Beginning with nine POV characters in A Game of Thrones (1996), a total of 31 such characters have narrated over the course of the first five volumes of the series.
- 1House Stark
- 2House Targaryen
- 3House Lannister
- 4House Baratheon
- 5House Arryn
- 6House Greyjoy
- 7House Martell
- 8House Tully
- 9House Tyrell
- 10Night's Watch and Free Folk
- 11Royal court and officials
- 12Other characters
- 13References
House Stark [edit]
Coat of arms of House Stark
House Stark is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and the principal house of the North. Its seat is at Winterfell, one of the oldest castles in the Seven Kingdoms. Its coat of arms displays a grey direwolf running on a white field, and its words are Winter is Coming. Bastards born in Winterfell are called Snow. House Stark had ruled as the Kings in the North for thousands of years until House Targaryen conquered Westeros, whereafter the Starks are the Lords of Winterfell and Wardens of the North. For prizing honor and devotion to duty, House Stark is the closest of the noble houses to heroism.
Over the course of the novels, the Starks are scattered by the War of the Five Kings, and the fate of the House remains uncertain, as most characters believe that all the legitimate Stark sons are dead.
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Eddard Stark[edit]
Eddard 'Ned' Stark is the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, and briefly serves as Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon. He is executed, by Joffrey's order, on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Sean Bean. Robert Aramayo and Sebastian Croft have both played younger versions of the character in flashbacks.
Catelyn Stark[edit]
Catelyn Stark is the Lady of Winterfell, wife of Lord Eddard Stark, and mother to his children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. She is the daughter of Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun; niece to Ser Brynden Tully (also known as the legendary 'Blackfish') and sister to Lysa Arryn of the Vale and to Edmure Tully.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Michelle Fairley.
Robb Stark[edit]
Robb Stark is the oldest child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, and the heir to Winterfell. He is not a POV character, but features in the POV chapters of his family members in the first three novels in the series.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Richard Madden.
Sansa Stark[edit]
Sansa Stark is the second child and elder daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She serves as a POV character for twenty-four chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows. Sansa is introduced as beautiful and demure.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Sophie Turner.
Arya Stark[edit]
Arya Stark is the third child and younger daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She serves as a POV character for thirty-three chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. So far she is the only character to appear in all 5 books as a POV character.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Maisie Williams.
Bran Stark[edit]
Brandon 'Bran' Stark is the second son and fourth child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. He serves as the third-person narrator of twenty-one chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons. In A Game of Thrones, he sees Queen Cersei and her brother Jaime Lannister committing incest, and Jaime pushes Bran from the window to keep the relationship secret. Bran survives, but loses the use of his legs. While comatose, Bran dreams of a three-eyed raven. Slowly, he develops the ability to assume his wolf Summer's consciousness, making him a warg or skinchanger. After his older brother Robb is crowned King in the North, Bran becomes Robb's heir and the acting Lord of Winterfell. In A Clash of Kings, Jojen Reed teaches Bran how to correctly use his telepathy, and directs him beyond the Wall. In A Dance with Dragons, Bran meets the Three-Eyed-Raven: an alias of the last trained clairvoyant.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Isaac Hempstead Wright.[S 1][S 2]
Rickon Stark[edit]
Rickon Stark is Ned Stark's youngest child and is three years old in A Game of Thrones.[1] When Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell in A Clash of Kings, Rickon hides in the crypts. After Winterfell is sacked, he and the wildling woman Osha travel through the North.[2] In A Dance with Dragons, he is said to be on an island of cannibals, presumably Skagos.[3]
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Art Parkinson.[S 1][S 3]
Jon Snow[edit]
Jon Snow was raised as Ned Stark's illegitimate son and serves as the point of view character in 42 chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons. He shares the Stark family values of honour, and tries to stay morally correct and honest, even when forced to act otherwise. He is theorized to be the son of Lyanna Stark, Ned Stark's sister, and Rhaegar Targaryen.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Kit Harington.
Benjen Stark[edit]
Benjen Stark is Ned Stark's younger brother and a First Ranger in the Night's Watch. He appears briefly at the start of A Game of Thrones, first in Winterfell and then later on the Wall at Castle Black, where he travels with his bastard nephew Jon Snow. Benjen is sent on a mission into the lands beyond the Wall to search for a missing ranging party, but he and his men also disappear. The bodies of two of his men are later found and brought back to Castle Black; they reanimate as undead wights and kill several men before they are destroyed, but no trace of Benjen has yet been found.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Joseph Mawle.
Lyanna Stark[edit]
Lyanna Stark was Eddard Stark's younger and only sister,[4] and has been deceased for 14 years at the beginning of A Game of Thrones, but is mentioned in every published book in the series. She died at the young age of 16, was said to have been beautiful by all who knew her as 'a child-woman of surpassing loveliness',[5] headstrong and 'had a touch of' the fabled Starks' 'wolf blood', and was one of the best horse-riders in the North. She was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, who was deeply in love with her,[5] although she was unimpressed by Robert's reputation for infidelity. Her life's tales are mainly told through the words of Eddard Stark and Meera Reed (via Bran Stark's viewpoint chapter), with some passing commentaries from other people such as Barristan Selmy, Cersei Lannister, Roose Bolton, and Kevan Lannister.
During the Tourney at Harrenhal, the greatest tourney in Westerosi history, Lyanna was chosen by the eventual jousting champion, Crown PrinceRhaegar Targaryen, as the tourney's 'Queen of Love and Beauty'. Because Rhaegar was already married, and Lyanna was a maiden betrothed to Robert Baratheon, Rhaegar wooing's of Lyanna was considered an outrageous scandal at the time. One year later, she was said to have been abducted and raped by Rhaegar, triggering a civil war that resulted in the overthrow of House Targaryen. At the end of the war, Eddard and six of his companions ventured to the Tower of Joy within Dorne, where Lyanna was located and guarded by three of the most prominent Kingsguard knights — the 'Sword of the Morning' Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent, and the 'White Bull' Ser Gerold Hightower (lord commander of the Kingsguard). After a fierce skirmish that killed everyone except Eddard and his close friend Howland Reed, Eddard entered the tower and found Lyanna dying in a bed of blood. Before she died, she asked her brother Eddard to make a promise, something that Eddard regarded as a price he paid that haunted him days and nights for 14 years. Eddard later takes her body home, to be entombed in Winterfell's crypt, and installs a stone statue in her likeness in front of her sarcophagus. When he returns, he also brings back a newborn boy named Jon Snow, whom he claims is his own bastard by a tavern wench named Wylla. Although Jon Arryn persuaded Robert to marry Cersei Lannister, Robert greatly mourns Lyanna for over a decade, causing great strain in his marriage with Cersei.
In the HBO television adaptation, Lyanna is portrayed by Cordelia Hill in childhood and Aisling Franciosi during her late teens, when she married Rhaegar and later met with Eddard on her deathbed. In the show, Lyanna had just given birth to an infant son, whom she named Aegon, and revealed to Eddard that she was in love with Rhaegar and voluntarily eloped with him. Fearing that Robert will murder the child, on her deathbed, she asks Eddard to promise to protect him. To do so, Eddard renamed the boy Jon Snow and raised him under the guise of his bastard son. Bran Stark's vision of the past reveals Rhaegar had annulled his marriage to his wife Ellia Martell and formally married Lyanna, making Lyanna's son Jon/Aegon the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne.
Roose Bolton[edit]
Lord Roose Bolton is a significant vassal of Lord Eddard Stark. His seat is the Dreadfort and his sigil is a flayed human, a homage to the ancient Bolton tradition of flaying enemies. He is nicknamed 'the Leech Lord' for regular leechings meant to improve his health.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Michael McElhatton.[S 4]
Ramsay Bolton [edit]
Ramsay Snow is the bastard son of Lord Roose Bolton, later legitimized as Ramsay Bolton. He is known as the Bastard of Bolton or the Bastard of the Dreadfort. Ramsay is vicious, ruthless, psychopathic, sadistic, opportunistic, unpredictable, and fearless. He takes great pleasure and pride in torturing others and enthusiastically practices the Bolton custom of flaying their enemies. Roose suspects that Ramsay murdered Roose's legitimate heir and expects that Ramsay will kill all of Roose's future children. He is described as ugly, with blotchy skin and dry, dark hair.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Iwan Rheon. Aika mexico city extended mix mp3 320kbps video.
Rickard Karstark[edit]
Banner of arms of House Karstark
Rickard Karstark is the Lord of Karhold and one of the main Stark vassals. During the Battle of the Whispering Wood Jaime Lannister kills two of his sons, who were guarding Robb Stark. Rickard's surviving son Harrion Karstark is later killed by the Lannisters. When Catelyn helps Jaime escape in an attempt to recover her daughters, Rickard murders two of Jaime's cousins and has his army desert Robb to search the Riverlands for Jaime, offering his daughter Alys Karstark to whoever brings him the Kingslayer. Due to this Robb executes Rickard personally.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by John Stahl.
Alys Karstark[edit]
Alys Karstark is the only daughter and youngest child of Lord Rickard Karstark. She is betrothed to Daryn Hornwood, heir to the Hornwood, but Jaime Lannister kills him alongside two of her brothers. Her father offers her to whomever captures Jaime Lannister, so the sadistic sellsword Vargo Hoat captures Jaime in the hope of becoming Lord of Karhold. However, after Rickard's death his uncle Arnolf Karstark plots to take control of Karhold. He declares for Stannis when he comes North in the hope this will mean the Lannisters execute his great-nephew Harrion Karstark, so Karhold will pass to Alys, whom Arnolf intends to force into marriage with his son Cregan Karstark. Arnolf also intends to betray Stannis when the Boltons attack. However, Alys (pursued by Cregan) flees to the Wall seeking Jon Snow's help and reveals her uncles' plans. To protect her Jon imprisons Cregan and arranges for Alys to marry the Wildling leader Sigorn, Magnar of Thenn, in a ceremony performed by Melisandre, which will aid Wildling integration into the North. If Harrion dies childless, Karhold will pass to the newly formed House Thenn.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Megan Parkinson.
Wyman Manderly[edit]
Wyman Manderly is the Lord of White Harbor, the only city in the North, and the wealthiest of the Stark Vassals. He is an enormously fat man, with two sons, Ser Wylis and Ser Wendel Manderly. During the War of the Five Kings the Manderlys and Boltons begin a private war over the Hornwood lands after Ramsay kidnaps the widowed Lady Donella Hornwood, Wyman's cousin, forces her to marry him and then starves her to death. Wyman's heir Wylis is captured when Roose Bolton treacherously sends a large Northern force to be wiped out by Randyll Tarly. Wyman's younger son Wendel is murdered at the Red Wedding by the Freys. Due to his heir being held captive Wyman cannot openly defy the Lannisters. Three Freys come to his city with Wendel's bones and a peace is apparently made, in which Wyman's granddaughters Wynafryd and Wylla will marry one of these Freys, Rhaegar Frey, and another of Walder Frey's grandsons 'Little' Walder Frey. When Davos Seaworth arrives in White Harbor to treat with Wyman to support Stannis, Davos denounces the Freys present for their treachery. Wyman apparently has him executed but secretly executes a criminal in his place, leading to Cersei returning his heir. Wyman reveals to Davos he knows where Rickon Stark is hiding and will support Stannis if Davos returns him. Wyman is implied to have murdered the White Harbor Freys when their stay was over (thus keeping to guest right), then put them in pies which he serves to the Freys and Boltons when he attends Ramsay's wedding, even eating some himself. The Freys suspect him of murdering their kin, and when Little Walder is murdered (possibly by his cousin Big Walder Frey) their uncle Hosteen Frey attacks Wyman. It is unclear if he survives.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Sean Blowers.
Hodor[edit]
Hodor is a simple-minded stable-boy at Winterfell. He is popularly known as Hodor because that is the only word he is capable of saying. He is over seven feet tall, and it is hinted that he may have giant ancestry. He has a friendly, childlike disposition and possesses great strength, though he is reluctant to use it against others. After Bran Stark is crippled in A Game of Thrones, Hodor is employed to carry him in a sling on his back. Old Nan (Hodor's great-grandmother) reveals to Bran that Hodor's real name is Walder.[6] When Winterfell is destroyed, Hodor escapes to the north with Bran, Jojen, Meera, Rickon, and Osha.
In the HBO television adaptation (in which Hodor's real name has been changed to Wylis, ostensibly to avoid confusion with another character, Walder Frey), he is portrayed by Kristian Nairn as an adult and Sam Coleman as a child.
Osha[edit]
Osha (/ˈoʊʃə/) is a wildling woman who sneaks south of the Wall to escape the Others. When she and her fellow refugees try to kidnap Bran Stark in A Game of Thrones, she is captured by Robb Stark and taken back to Winterfell and eventually employed as a scullery maid and is given limited freedom for her good behavior.[7][8] She becomes close to Bran Stark and often gives him advice about the oncoming winter.[8][9] When Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell, Osha chose to protect Bran and Rickon over her freedom. She joins Bran and Rickon hiding in Winterfell's crypt after faking escape.[2] She later parts ways with Bran and is entrusted to take care of Rickon through the North in their escape, and by A Dance with Dragons, they are reported to have landed on the island of Skagos, supposedly inhabited by cannibals.[2][3]
In the HBO television adaptation, Osha is portrayed by Natalia Tena.[S 1]
Jeyne Poole[edit]
Jeyne Poole is the daughter of Vayon Poole, the steward of Winterfell, and Sansa Stark's best friend.[10] She has brown eyes and dark hair and is described as being very pretty.[11] Following the arrest of Eddard Stark in A Game of Thrones, the members and servants of his household are killed. Jeyne reappears in A Dance with Dragons, having survived the massacre but being sent to Petyr Baelish's brothels. The Lannisters use her as a stand-in for Sansa's younger sister Arya and send her north to marry Ramsay Bolton at Winterfell. Theon Greyjoy recognizes that she is a fake, and that the Boltons are aware of the ruse.[12][13] It is implied that Ramsay Bolton tortures her and forces her to perform sexual acts on dogs.
Jon Snow, Arya's half-brother, believes Jeyne to be the real Arya and sends Mance Rayder to rescue her.[14] The group enlists Theon's help, but their cover is blown and Theon and Jeyne barely escape.[15]
In the first season of the television adaptation, an unidentified extra appeared briefly as Jeyne in the pilot episode. In season five, her storyline was partially blended into Sansa Stark's.
Jojen and Meera Reed [edit]
Jojen and Meera are the children of Howland Reed, the Lord of Greywater Watch and a loyal Stark bannerman. They first appear in A Clash of Kings, where they are sent to attend the harvest festival in place of their father to renew House Reed's pledge to House Stark and support the children of the late Eddard Stark. They become fast friends with Bran Stark and his baby brother Rickon, and are narrated completely through Bran's point of view chapters.
The older sister Meera is sixteen years old when introduced in A Clash of Kings. As typical of crannogmen, Meera is short, slim and flat-chested, has long brown hair and green eyes, and is described as having a cheerful disposition. She is intensely loyal and protective of her 'prince' as well as her own brother, with Bran commenting that the only thing that ever makes her angry or upset is her brother Jojen. Although she is never described as being particularly beautiful, both Theon Greyjoy and Bran Stark seem to consider her attractive. She is a skilled huntress, and fights with a small fishing net and a three-prongedfrog spear (similar in style to a retiarius), able to defeat Bran's direwolf Summer in mock combat by entangling the direwolf with her net. The legacy of Bran's late aunt Lyanna Stark is also largely narrated through her story-telling.
The younger brother Jojen is thirteen when he first appears, but his sullen seriousness and maturity make him seem older. He is short and slim with unusually deep green eyes, wearing green-colored clothing. He claims to have 'greensight' and the power of prophetic 'green dreams', from where he knows a number of arcane things, including the day of his death. In Winterfell, Jojen recognizes Bran Stark as a skinchanger who is able to enter the mind of an animal and control it, and mentors Bran to gain control of his abilities. When Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell, Jojen and Meera accompany Bran and Rickon in hiding inside Winterfell's crypt after faking escape, and later escort Bran's journey north in search of the three-eyed raven after Ramsay Snow sacks and burns Winterfell. At the end of A Storm of Swords, they travel beyond the Wall and Jojen becomes very weak. In A Dance with Dragons, Meera struggles to keep the group's spirits up, but implies that Jojen's future is bleak.
In the HBO television adaptation, Jojen and Meera Reed are portrayed by English actors Thomas Sangster and Ellie Kendrick respectively.[S 5][S 6]
Jeyne Westerling[edit]
Jeyne Westerling is the daughter of a family sworn to House Lannister. She meets Robb Stark when he is wounded, and falls in love with him during his convalescence. He marries her the next day to preserve her honour, in doing so breaking a marriage contract with House Frey. After Robb's departure for the Twins, Jeyne remains in Riverrun and does not witness the massacre. After the Red Wedding, she is granted a royal pardon. In A Feast for Crows, she is openly mourning and last appears riding to Casterly Rock as a political prisoner.
During the 2014 San Diego Comic Con, George R. R. Martin stated that Jeyne Westerling will appear in the prologue of the sixth book, The Winds of Winter, but did not reveal whether she would be the prologue POV character.
In the television adaptation, the character was adapted into Talisa Maegyr, a highborn healer from Volantis who falls in love with Robb. The two marry and she becomes pregnant with his child; unlike in the books, she is present at the Red Wedding and is killed alongside Robb. She is played by Oona Chaplin.[S 7]
House Targaryen [edit]
Coat of arms of House Targaryen
House Targaryen was the ruling house of the Seven Kingdoms for nearly 300 years, holding royal court in King's Landing. Its coat of arms shows a red, three-headed dragon breathing fire on a black field, and its words are Fire and Blood.
The Targaryens originally came from Valyria on the continent of Essos. Before Valyria was destroyed, the Targaryens left for Dragonstone. A century after the Valyrian 'Doom', Aegon I Targaryen conquered six of the Seven Kingdoms with his dragons, and his descendants won the seventh through a political marriage. The Targaryen dragons were the last known to exist and died out long before the events of A Game of Thrones. People of Targaryen ancestry, referred to as 'blood of the dragon', tend to have silvery-gold or platinum hair and purple eyes ranging from lilac to violet.[16]
Fifteen years before the events of the series, the Targaryens were deposed in Robert's Rebellion, with the children Viserys and Daenerys fleeing to Essos.
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Aegon V Targaryen[edit]
Aegon Targaryen, nicknamed 'Egg' in his youth, is one of the two main characters in the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. As a child, his father Prince Maekar reluctantly permitted him to serve as squire to the knight errant Ser Duncan the Tall, in the hopes that the lessons learned through humble service and hard experience would help him avoid the excesses and shortcomings of his royal brothers. He was later crowned as King Aegon V when a Great Council bypassed those before him in the line of succession and his older brother Aemon chose to abdicate by joining the Night's Watch. He was called 'Aegon the Unlikely' because he was previously way down the line of succession and therefore considered unlikely to inherit the Iron Throne.
Aegon V's reign lasted more than twenty-five years, during which he tried to push policies more favorable to the interests of common people, and frequently clashed with noble lords as a result. He later perished in the 'Tragedy of Summerhall', a huge fire at the Targaryen summer palace, along with his son Prince Duncan and close friend Ser Duncan the Tall. After he died, his son Jaehaerys inherited the throne. When Jaehaerys died three years later, the Iron Throne was passed to his son Aerys.
In the television adaptation Game of Thrones, Aegon is the father of Aerys the Mad King, rather than his grandfather.
Aerys II Targaryen [edit]
Aerys Targaryen, also called The Mad King, ruled the Seven Kingdoms as the last Targaryen king. While his rule started out well, he slowly descended into madness. He was married to his sister Rhaella, who bore him eight children, but only three survived into adulthood: sons Rhaegar and Viserys, and daughter Daenerys. After Rhaegar absconded with Lyanna Stark, Aerys had Ned Stark's father and brother executed, beginning Robert's Rebellion. When Aerys planned to burn King's Landing rather than let Robert rule, he was assassinated by a member of his own Kingsguard, Jaime Lannister.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by David Rintoul.
Rhaegar Targaryen[edit]
Rhaegar Targaryen, the 'Last Dragon', was the eldest son of King Aerys II and the heir apparent to the Iron Throne, and the older brother to Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. He died 14 years before the events of A Game of Thrones, and his life's tales are mainly narrated through the words of Jaime Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Barristan Selmy and Daenerys (via visions of sorcery), as well as commentaries by Eddard Stark, Aemon Targaryen, Jorah Mormont, Meera Reed, Jon Connington and Gilly.
Rhaegar married the Dornish princess Elia Martell of Sunspear, and fathered with her a daughter named Rhaenys and son named Aegon (Aegon VI). After winning the Tourney at Harrenhal, the greatest tourney in Westerosi history, he surprised everyone by passing over his wife Elia and crowning Lyanna Stark as the tourney's 'Queen of Love and Beauty'. One year later, he and Lyanna both disappeared, with rumors that he abducted and raped Lyanna. Enraged, Lyanna's oldest brother Brandon went to King's Landing to confront Rhaegar, which resulted in both him and his father Lord Rickard being brutally executed by King Aerys. Lyanna's other older brother Eddard, her betrothedRobert Baratheon, their foster fatherJon Arryn and Brandon's father-in-law-to-be Hoster Tully then started a rebellion against Aerys, with Robert personally killing Rhaegar in single combat at the Battle of the Trident, and ultimately overthrowing House Targaryen. Though Robert continues to vilify Rhaegar throughout A Game of Thrones, many other characters express admiration for him.
Daenerys's stillborn son Rhaego and her dragon Rhaegal are named after Rhaegar.[17]
In the HBO television adaption, he is portrayed by Wilf Scolding. Appearing in flashbacks, he is depicted as Jon Snow's biological father.[18]
Viserys Targaryen[edit]
Viserys Targaryen is the second born son of Aerys II Targaryen.[1] Thirteen years before the events of the series, he and his sister Daenerys fled Westeros to escape death at the hands of rebel Robert Baratheon.[16] Viserys is an arrogant, cruel and ambitious man given to violent mood swings. Daenerys named one of her dragons as Viserion, in respect of her brother.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Harry Lloyd.[S 1][S 2]
Daenerys Targaryen[edit]
Daenerys Targaryen, referred to sometimes as 'Daenerys Stormborn', 'Khaleesi', the 'Mother of Dragons', is the daughter and youngest child of King Aerys II Targaryen and is one of the last surviving members of House Targaryen.[16][1] She serves as the point of view character in thirty-one chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, she is portrayed by Emilia Clarke.
Young Griff/Aegon VI Targaryen[edit]
Aegon Targaryen is the only known son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. Fifteen years before the events of the series, the infant Aegon was reported to have been killed along with his mother and sister by Gregor Clegane.
In A Dance with Dragons, Varys claims to have switched Aegon with another, lowborn infant (known as the 'Pisswater prince') and smuggled Aegon out of King's Landing prior to the capital's fall. During his exile in Essos, Tyrion Lannister (under the alias Hugor Hill) meets Young Griff, a well-trained teenage boy endorsed by Varys's associate Illyrio Mopatis, who claims to be the surviving Aegon and is under the guardianship of Rhaegar's close friend Jon Connington (under alias of Griff). He is to be used by Varys and Illyrio as a puppet king. Young Griff intends to travel to Slaver's Bay to visit Daenerys Targaryen and propose marriages, but Tyrion provokes him during a cyvasse game and convinces him to abandon the proposal and independently attack Westeros. Revealing himself Aegon, Griff persuades the Golden Company into supporting his invasion, landing his army in the Stormlands and capture several castles, and plans to lay siege to the Baratheon seat of Storm's End. In the upcoming sixth book,The Winds of Winter, according to news received by Arianne Martell, Aegon's forces have successfully captured Storm's End. Many fans believe that Young Griff is not actually Aegon, but rather a Blackfyre or Illyrio's illegitimate son or just a boy of the right age.
Jon Connington[edit]
Lord Jon Connington is the exiled Lord of Griffin's Roost and was a close friend of Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon serves as a third-person narrator for two chapters in A Dance with Dragons. Fifteen years before the events of the series, King Aerys II made Jon his Hand of the King. However, Jon also failed to contain the rebellion. Aerys stripped him of his lands and titles, giving them to Jon's cousin Ronald Connington, and exiled him. Biding his time in Essos, he raises Young Griff, supposedly Rhaegar's son Aegon. Jon and Aegon eventually decide to attack Westeros while it is embroiled in civil war. During the return trip, Connington contracts Greyscale Plague when saving Tyrion. The group lands in the Stormlands and captures several castles, including Griffin's Roost. Aegon plans to lead the attack on Storm's End, the next target.
Jorah Mormont[edit]
Coat of arms of House Mormont
Ser Jorah Mormont is the exiled Lord of Bear Island in the North, which he inherited after his father Jeor Mormont joined the Night's Watch. His wife's lavish lifestyle lead to debts and Jorah engaging in sellng slaves. Escaping justice, he fled to Essos and eventually joined the service of Daenerys Targaryen, becoming one of her chief advisors.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Iain Glen.[S 1][S 2]
Brynden Rivers[edit]
Brynden Rivers, better known as 'Lord Bloodraven', is a legitimized bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen (called Aegon the Unworthy) and Melissa Blackwood. He is one of only three characters (the others being Aemon Targaryen and Walder Frey) to have appeared in both the A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. He is an albino, with white skin, long white hair, and red eyes. He has a red birthmark on his left cheek, said to be in the shape of a raven, and thus the source of his nickname 'Bloodraven'.
Bloodraven remained loyal to his half-brother King Daeron II Targaryen (called Daeron the Good) throughout the Blackfyre Rebellions against another of Aegon's legitimized bastards, Daemon Blackfyre, and their descendants, but was later thrown in prison by his great-nephew King Aegon V Targaryen (called Aegon the Unlikely) for ordering the execution of Aenys Blackfyre despite promising safe passage. He was sent to the Wall as the punishment and later elected the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and served in that capacity for many years before disappearing during a ranging beyond the Wall. In A Dance with Dragons, Bloodraven is shown to have become the last greenseer and is fused to the root of a weirwood tree. He begins training Bran Stark in clairvoyance.
In the HBO television adaptation, the character is only known as 'The Three-eyed Raven', and his backstory regarding the Targaryens and the Night Watch is never mentioned. He was briefly portrayed by Struan Rodger in the fourth season finale 'The Children', and more extensively by Max von Sydow in the sixth season. In a 2017 interview, Isaac Hempstead Wright (who portrays Bran) hinted that in the television series the Three-Eyed Raven had been 'sitting in a cave looking through time' for 'thousands of years'.[19]
Missandei[edit]
Missandei is a slave interpreter for Kraznys mo Nakloz when Daenerys Targaryen comes to inspect the Unsullied in Astapor. After Daenerys strikes a bargain with the Good Masters of Astapor concerning payment for the Unsullied, Kraznys gives Missandei to Daenerys as an interpreter to give them commands. Afterwards, she becomes a trusted confidante and handmaiden to Daenerys.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Nathalie Emmanuel.[S 8]
Daario Naharis[edit]
Daario Naharis is a leader in the Stormcrows mercenary company. Daario is won over by Daenerys and brings the Stormcrows over to her side. He becomes romantically involved with her, eventually becoming one of her advisors.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Ed Skrein in season three, and by Michiel Huisman from season four to season six.[S 9]
Grey Worm[edit]
Grey Worm is an Unsullied purchased by and sworn to Daenerys Targaryen. He is the commander of Daenerys's Unsullied and one of her trusted advisors. After Daenerys flees Mereen, Grey Worm becomes a member of the ruling council of the city.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Jacob Anderson.[S 10]
Maekar I Targaryen[edit]
Maekar is a character in The Tales of Dunk and Egg. He is the fourth and youngest son of Daeron II Targaryen. Maekar married Dyanna Dayne and had six children, four sons, Daeron, Aerion, Aemon and Aegon, and two daughters. He was made Prince of Summerhall, a summer castle built in the Stormlands by his father. Maekar is resentful that his achievements are often overlooked, especially in favor of his eldest brother Baelor 'Breakspear'. He was angry when his father Daeron ordered that his third son Aemon be sent to the Citadel. At the Tourney at Ashford, Maekar sends his other three sons, and is angered when Dunk attacks the cruel Aerion to defend Tanselle, a Puppeteer. When Aerion asks for a Trial by Seven, Maekar takes his son's side, however, Baelor takes Dunk's side. In the fight, Dunk forces Aerion to withdraw his accusation, but Maekar while trying to reach his son is stopped by Baelor and accidentally strikes him a blow to the head that kills him. He allows Dunk to take Aegon as his squire when Dunk points out how Daeron and Aerion turned out. Maekar would eventually become King but died 12 years later at the Peake Uprising, when a stone thrown from the Peake's castle Starpike crushed his head.
House Blackfyre [edit]
House Blackfyre is a semi-extinct cadet house of House Targaryen. Their sigil is a three headed black dragon on a red field, the reverse of House Targaryen. House Blackfyre was founded when Aegon IV 'the Unworthy' (reigned AL 172–184) legitimized all his bastard children on his death bed. Aegon gave 'Blackfyre', the sword of the first Targaryen king to his bastard Daemon, seeming to signify his favour for Daemon over the heir apparent: his true born son Daeron. When Aegon IV died, Daemon I Blackfyre contested Daeron II Targaryen's right to the Iron Throne. This challenge set off conflicts between AL 184–260 where a series of Blackfyre pretenders vied for the Iron Throne.[20]
House Lannister [edit]
The lion rampantcoat of arms of House Lannister
House Lannister is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and the principal house of the Westerlands. Its seat is at Casterly Rock and they are also given the title Wardens of the West. Its coat of arms displays a golden lion rampant on a crimson field, and its words are Hear Me Roar! More famous than its official motto is the House's unofficial one: A Lannister always pays his debts. Bastards born in The Westerlands are given the surname 'Hill'. The Lannisters ruled as Kings of the Rock until House Targaryen invaded Westeros. They are the richest family in the Seven Kingdoms because of the gold mines located in their lands.
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Tywin Lannister[edit]
Tywin Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West. He is a calculating, ruthless, and controlling man. In his youth, he witnessed his father grow old and weak. Eventually several nobles revolted against Lannister rule. Disgusted with his father's inaction, Tywin personally led the Lannister army and utterly destroyed the rebellious vassals, placing the bodies of their entire families on display at Casterly Rock. Impressed with his decisive actions in putting down the rebellion, Aerys II Targaryen appointed the young Tywin Hand of the King. Tywin proved himself a ruthless but capable leader and his tenure was marked by peace and prosperity.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Charles Dance.[S 1][S 11]
Cersei Lannister[edit]
Cersei Lannister is the twin sister of Jaime, (the elder of the two), and the only daughter of Tywin Lannister. She serves as the third-person narrator of twelve chapters in A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. She became queen by marrying Robert Baratheon. She has three children (all of whom are in actuality fathered by her twin brother) and two of whom eventually become king after Robert's death.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Lena Headey.[S 1][S 2]
Jaime Lannister[edit]
Jaime Lannister is the twin brother of Cersei and the first son of Tywin Lannister. He serves as the third-person narrator of seventeen chapters throughout A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. He was widely considered one of the best swordsmen in all the Seven Kingdoms before having his right hand chopped off by Vargo Hoat.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.[S 1][S 2]
Tyrion Lannister[edit]
Tyrion Lannister is the younger brother of Cersei and Jaime Lannister, and serves as a third-person narrator for 47 chapters in A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Dance With Dragons. He is the narrator with the most chapters in the books.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Peter Dinklage.
Joffrey Baratheon[edit]
Joffrey Baratheon's personal coat of arms
Joffrey is the eldest of Queen Cersei Lannister's children. Though a Baratheon in name, Joffrey is actually a product of incest between Cersei and Jaime Lannister, but unaware of his true parentage. He is described as a strong-willed child with a vicious temper and a sadistic streak.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Jack Gleeson.
Myrcella Baratheon[edit]
Princess Myrcella Baratheon is the second oldest child and only daughter of Queen Cersei Lannister. Like her brothers, she was fathered by Cersei's brother Jaime Lannister, but she is ostensibly unaware of this. She is described as delicate, beautiful and courteous, and is said to have all her mother's beauty but none of her cruel nature. To ensure that House Martell will support Joffrey, Myrcella is betrothed to marry Prince Trystane Martell when they come of age and is sent to Dorne in A Clash of Kings. After Joffrey's death in A Storm of Swords, Princess Arianne Martell schemes to kidnap Myrcella and crown her queen of Westeros. The plan goes awry, however, and Myrcella is severely injured in the kidnapping.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Aimee Richardson in seasons one and two, and Nell Tiger Free in seasons five and six.[S 1] Her fate is changed from that in the novels—in the television version, Myrcella is poisoned by Ellaria Sand as revenge against the Lannisters for the death of Oberyn Martell. Myrcella dies in Jaime's arms moments after acknowledging him as her father.
Tommen Baratheon[edit]
Prince Tommen Baratheon is the younger brother of Prince Joffrey and Princess Myrcella and is second in line for the throne. Tommen is Queen Cersei Lannister's youngest child and, like his siblings, he is also the son of Cersei's brother Jaime Lannister, but he is unaware of this, as he believes Robert Baratheon to be his father. Like his sister, he shares none of his mother's ruthlessness, and is in fact, mild-mannered, courteous, and kind-hearted.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Callum Wharry in seasons one and two, and Dean-Charles Chapman from season four onwards.[S 1]
Kevan Lannister[edit]
Ser Kevan Lannister is Tywin Lannister's younger brother and most trusted captain, known for his reliability and loyalty. He serves as the third-person narrator for the epilogue of A Dance with Dragons. He is comfortable with carrying out Tywin's wishes and resigned himself to perpetually living in his brother's shadow. In A Storm of Swords, he is appointed Master of Laws to his great-nephew King Joffrey Baratheon, and after Tywin's death, he is offered the position Hand of the King in A Feast for Crows but refuses to serve under Cersei. After Cersei's imprisonment, the council appoints him Lord Regent to King Tommen Baratheon, and he tries to solve the problems Cersei created. Because his efforts to stabilize the kingdom threaten Aegon VI Targaryen's plans to take the throne, Varys murders Kevan.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Ian Gelder.[S 12]
Lancel Lannister[edit]
Lancel Lannister is the oldest son of Kevan Lannister and serves as squire to King Robert Baratheon at King's Landing, in A Game of Thrones. He helps Queen Cersei kill Robert. In A Clash of Kings, Cersei knights him for his part in Robert's death. After Cersei takes Lancel as a lover, Tyrion discovers the affair and blackmails Lancel into spying for him. During an attack on King's Landing, Lancel guards Cersei's son King Joffrey Baratheon and is seriously wounded in the fighting. During his recovery in A Storm of Swords, he experiences a spiritual awakening and spends much of his time atoning for his sins. When the Faith Militant, the military order of the Faith, is reinstated, Lancel renounces his wife and lands, and joins the organization.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Eugene Simon.[S 1][S 2]
Bronn[edit]
Bronn is a skilled sellsword of low birth. He is described as having a sardonic sense of humor and a pragmatic, amoral philosophy. He helps Catelyn take Tyrion to the Eyrie, where he befriends Tyrion.[21][22] Bronn offers to champion for Tyrion in a trial by combat, and wins the duel.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Jerome Flynn.[S 1][S 2]
Gregor Clegane[edit]
Coat of arms of House Clegane
Ser Gregor Clegane, known as the Mountain That Rides, or simply the Mountain, is the older brother of Sandor Clegane and is a vassal to Tywin Lannister.[1] His size and strength make him a fearsome warrior, and he has earned a reputation for brutality.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Conan Stevens in season one, by Ian Whyte in season two, and by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson in season four onwards.[S 2][S 11]
Sandor Clegane[edit]
Sandor Clegane, known as the Hound, is a retainer to House Lannister and the younger brother of Gregor Clegane. He is regarded as one of the most dangerous and skilled fighters in Westeros. His face is distinguished by gruesome burn scars, which he received as a child when his brother pushed his head into a brazier.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Rory McCann.[S 1][S 2]
Podrick Payne[edit]
Coat of arms of House Payne
Podrick Payne, Pod for short, is a squire to Tyrion Lannister toward the end of A Game of Thrones.[23] Despite being painfully shy and insecure, he proves himself to be a loyal and capable squire. In A Clash of Kings, he rescues Tyrion from an assassination attempt.[24] He continues his duties through A Storm of Swords until Tyrion vanishes in A Feast for Crows.[25][26] He follows Brienne of Tarth, knowing that she was searching for Tyrion's wife Sansa Stark. He becomes Brienne's squire and serves her as faithfully as he did Tyrion.[27][28] He and Brienne are captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners, and Podrick is sentenced to be hanged for serving as Tyrion's squire. His fate is currently unknown.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Daniel Portman.[S 13]
House Baratheon [edit]
Coat of arms of House Baratheon
House Baratheon is the youngest of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and the principal house of the Stormlands. It was founded by the bastard half-brother of the first Targaryen King, Orys Baratheon. The main seat of House Baratheon is at Storm's End under Renly, with a royal branch at King's Landing under Robert, and a cadet branch at Dragonstone under Stannis. The Baratheon coat of arms displays a black stag on a field of gold; a crown was added after Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne. The house motto is Ours is the Fury.[1] Bastards born in the Stormlands are generally given the surname 'Storm'.
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Notes:
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Robert Baratheon[edit]
Robert Baratheon is King of the Seven Kingdoms at the beginning of A Game of Thrones. He was the ward of Jon Arryn and was raised at the Eyrie alongside Eddard Stark. Fifteen years before the novels, Robert was betrothed to Ned's sister Lyanna, and after Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen disappeared, Robert killed Rhaegar and seized the throne.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Mark Addy.[S 1][S 2]
Stannis Baratheon[edit]
Game Of Thrones Lannisport
Personal coat of arms of Stannis Baratheon
Stannis Baratheon is the younger brother of King Robert and older brother of Renly.[1] He is portrayed as a brooding and humorless man with a harsh sense of justice and an obsession with slights both real and imagined. He is regarded as a skilled but overcautious military commander.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Stephen Dillane.[S 14][S 1]
Selyse Florent[edit]
Selyse Baratheon is the wife of Stannis, and was a Florent before her marriage. She is described as being fairly unattractive with extremely prominent ears and a hint of a mustache on her upper lip. Selyse has a cold relationship with her husband. She is the first of her family to be converted to the religion of the Red God by Melisandre.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Tara Fitzgerald.
Renly Baratheon[edit]
Renly Baratheon is the youngest of the Baratheon brothers and Lord of Storm's End. He is described as handsome and charismatic, winning friends easily. Renly serves on Robert's council as Master of Laws.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Gethin Anthony.[S 1] The adaptation openly depicts Renly and Ser Loras Tyrell as lovers, an interaction obliquely addressed in the novels.[S 15][S 16]
Shireen Baratheon[edit]
Shireen Baratheon is the only living child of Stannis Baratheon and Selyse Florent. She contracted the lethal greyscale disease as a child, disfiguring her by leaving the left side of her cheek and most of her neck covered by grey, cracked, and stone-like skin.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Kerry Ingram.
Melisandre[edit]
Melisandre of Asshai is a priestess of R'hllor in service to Stannis Baratheon. She is introduced in A Clash of Kings and serves as the third-person narrator for one chapter of A Dance with Dragons. She is described as a beautiful woman with red eyes, always dressing in red and rarely sleeping or eating.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Carice van Houten.[S 1][S 14]
Davos Seaworth[edit]
Coat of arms of Davos Seaworth
Ser Davos Seaworth, called the Onion Knight, is the common-born head of the newly founded House Seaworth and was formerly known as an elusive smuggler. He is introduced in A Clash of Kings and is the third-person narrator for thirteen chapters throughout A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons. During the Siege of Storm's End, Davos smuggled food to the starving Stannis Baratheon, earning him a knighthood and choice lands. Before knighting him, Stannis removed the last joints from four fingers on Davos' left hand as punishment for years of smuggling.
In A Clash of Kings, he supports Stannis' claim to the throne, making him Stannis' most trusted adviser,[29] but Davos is a follower of the Faith of the Seven and opposes Melisandre. During the Battle of the Blackwater, his ship is destroyed but Davos survives while losing four sons.[30] He blames Melisandre for the deaths of his sons and plans to kill her, but she receives word of the plot and he is jailed.[31][32] Stannis eventually pardons Davos and names him his Hand of the King.[33] As Hand, Davos convinces Stannis to help the Watch against the wildling army.[33][34]
After Stannis sails to the Wall, he tasks Davos with enlisting the support of House Manderly, but Davos is taken prisoner. After staging Davos' death, Manderly asks Davos to rescue Rickon Stark from Skagos.[35][36] His fate is unknown.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Liam Cunningham.[S 17][S 1]
Brienne of Tarth[edit]
Brienne, the Maid of Tarth, serves as a POV narrator for eight chapters in the fourth book of the series, A Feast for Crows. A tall and imposing but extremely plain woman, she is mocked by many as 'Brienne the Beauty'. She is a maiden on a quest.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Gwendoline Christie.[S 18]
Beric Dondarrion[edit]
Beric Dondarrion is a gallant knight with great fighting skill. In A Game of Thrones, Eddard Stark sends him to arrest Gregor Clegane and bring peace to the Riverlands. He is ambushed and killed by Lannister forces. Thoros of Myr accidentally revives him with magic during the funeral service. By A Storm of Swords, he and his men have formed an outlaw band called the Brotherhood Without Banners. The Brotherhood starts a guerrilla war against raiders in the Riverlands. The success of these ambushes earns him the nickname the Lightning Lord, also reference to his coat of arms. He will be killed several other times, only to be repeatedly brought back to life. These continuous resurrections lead him to lose part of the memories related to his previous life every time. In the third book, he and his men find the corpse of Catelyn Stark. He resurrects her with the last of his life force and dies for the final time.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by David Michael Scott in season one, and by Richard Dormer in seasons three, six, seven and eight.[S 5][S 6][37]
Gendry[edit]
Gendry is one of Robert Baratheon's many bastard children. He lives in King's Landing as an armorer's apprentice and is unaware of his true parentage. Gendry later joins the Brotherhood without Banners.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Joe Dempsie.
Edric Storm[edit]
Edric Storm is Robert Baratheon's only acknowledged bastard. He was conceived on Stannis and Selyse's wedding night, when Robert seduced one of Selyse's cousins, Delena Florent, in Stannis' marriage bed. Edric was sent by Stannis to be fostered by his other uncle Renly Baratheon. Edric was raised under the guardianship of Storm's End Castellan Ser Cortnay Penrose. After Renly dies Cortnay refuses to surrender Storm's End, fearing Stannis' intentions for Edric, as a result he is assassinated by Melisandre. Stannis then sends Edric to Dragonstone. Melisandre and Selyse tell Stannis to sacrifice Edric, claiming his king's blood will enable them to raise a dragon. To prevent this, Davos sends Edric to Lys under the guardianship of one of Robert's cousins, Andrew Estermont.
In the HBO television adaptation Edric's storyline is combined with Gendry.
House Arryn [edit]
Coat of arms of House Arryn
House Arryn is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal house in the Vale. It is descended from Kings of Mountain and Vale. Its main seat is at the Eyrie, a small castle located at the top of a mountain and reputed to be impregnable, where they are the Wardens of the East. Its coat of arms displays a white moon-and-falcon on a sky blue field, and its words are As High as Honor.[1] Bastards born in the Vale are generally given the surname 'Stone'.
Jon Arryn was the head of the Arryn family until he was poisoned shortly before A Game of Thrones. His only child, Robert 'Robin' Arryn, became Lord of the Vale with Lysa Tully acting as regent.
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Notes:
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Jon Arryn[edit]
Jon Arryn was the Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, Warden of the East, and Hand to King Robert Baratheon before the events of A Game of Thrones.[1] He took Robert and Eddard Stark as wards and became a father figure to both. When King Aerys II Targaryen commanded him to hand over his wards for execution, Jon rose up in rebellion.[38] To earn the support of House Tully in the rebellion, Jon married the much younger Lysa Tully.[39] Throughout Robert's reign, Jon was left with most of the responsibility of the Seven Kingdoms.[40] When Stannis Baratheon had doubts about the parentage of Queen Cersei Lannister's children, he brought his suspicions to Jon, who confirmed that Cersei's children were not fathered by Robert, but by her brother Jaime.[41] Before he could reveal this publicly, Lysa poisoned him on Littlefinger's orders to stop him from sending their son Robin Arryn away as a ward.[42]
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by John Standing.[S 2]
Lysa Arryn [edit]
Lysa Arryn, formerly of House Tully, is the second child and youngest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully. Enamored of Petyr Baelish, Lysa resented her older sister Catelyn Tully when he fell in love with her. Prior to the series, while Baelish was her father's ward, Lysa was impregnated by him after Catelyn spurned him. Learning of this, Hoster sent Baelish home and tricked Lysa into drinking an abortifacient potion, using her unborn child as proof of her fertility while marrying her off to Jon Arryn. Lysa has become a paranoid and an unstable, mercurial woman.[22]
Shortly before A Game of Thrones, Baelish convinced Lysa to poison her husband and write a letter to Catelyn to name House Lannister responsible for the act. Fearing for herself and her son, Lysa returns to the Eyrie and becomes Lady Regent of the Vale. At the Eyrie, Lysa refuses House Stark's plea for assistance and commits the Vale to a strict policy of neutrality in the war. Lysa later accepts a marriage proposal from Baelish in A Storm of Swords. After finding Baelish kissing Sansa Stark, Lysa attempts to throw her to her death, but Baelish saves Sansa by murdering Lysa.[42]
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Kate Dickie.[S 1][S 19]
Robert Arryn[edit]
Robert Arryn, sometimes called 'Sweetrobin', is the only child of Jon Arryn and Lysa Tully.[1] He suffers from frequent seizure-like episodes called a 'shaking illness', and is depicted as intellectually and physically stunted.[22] At the start of the series, he is Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale though his mother rules as regent.[1] After Lysa's marriage to Petyr Baelish and her subsequent death in A Storm of Swords, Baelish claims the rule of the Vale and guardianship of Robert. In the absence of his mother, he becomes attached to his cousin Sansa Stark in her disguise of Alayne Stone.[43]
In the television adaptation of the novels, the character is renamed 'Robin Arryn' to prevent confusion with Robert Baratheon. He is portrayed by Lino Facioli.[S 1][S 19]
Yohn Royce[edit]
Yohn Royce (sometimes called 'Bronze Yohn') is Lord of Runestone and head of House Royce. After the death of Lysa Arryn, Lord Yohn forms the Lords Declarant in opposition to Petyr Baelish's rule of the Vale.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Rupert Vansittart.
Anya Waynwood[edit]
Lady Waynwood is the lady of Ironoaks, and the head of House Waynwood, a powerful vassal to House Arryn of the Vale. Lady Anya is part of the Lords Declarant, who oppose Baelish's rule of the Vale.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Paola Dionisotti
Nestor Royce[edit]
Nestor is a cousin of Yohn Royce, from a lesser branch of House Royce. He ruled the Eyrie as High Steward of the Vale during Jon Arryn's absence and acted as Keeper of the Gates of the Moon and feels he is owed for his years of service. Littlefinger later makes him the hereditary Lord of the Gates of the Moon to keep him loyal, signing the paper declaring this so Nestor holding the Gates depends on Baelish' power.
House Greyjoy [edit]
Coat of arms of House Greyjoy
House Greyjoy is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal noble house on the Iron Islands, home to the Ironborn. Its seat is on Pyke. Its coat of arms displays a golden kraken on a black field, and its words are We Do Not Sow. Bastards born in the Iron Islands are given the surname 'Pyke'. The Greyjoys became Lords Paramount of the Iron Islands after House Targaryen conquered the Seven Kingdoms and allowed the Ironborn to choose who would have primacy over them. Balon Greyjoy is the current Lord of the Iron Islands. He has two surviving children, his only daughter, Asha, and Theon.
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Balon Greyjoy[edit]
Balon Greyjoy is the Lord of the Iron Islands, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and Lord Reaper of Pyke. [1] He is a harsh and fierce man. Ten years before A Song of Ice and Fire, he led a rebellion against King Robert Baratheon. The rebellion failed and his youngest son Theon Greyjoy was taken as a hostage and raised in Winterfell by Lord Eddard Stark. After Robert's death, Balon spurns Robb Stark's offer of an alliance in a Clash of Kings and declares himself King of the Iron Islands and the North.[44] He captures the Neck and ravages the coastline of the Stark-held North. He dies in A Storm of Swords after falling off a bridge during a storm.[45] The timely return of Balon's banished brother Euron leads many characters to believe that Euron played a part in Balon's death. Euron later admits to Aeron he was responsible for Balon's death, though not in person.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Patrick Malahide.[S 20]
Asha Greyjoy [edit]
Asha Greyjoy is Balon Greyjoy's only daughter and oldest living child. She serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters throughout A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. Asha was raised as Balon's heir despite a custom forbidding female rule, and has otherwise defied traditional gender roles by captaining her own ship and leading men into battle. When Balon orders an invasion of the North in A Clash of Kings, she captures Deepwood Motte. She returns to the Islands in A Feast For Crows after her father's death and claims her father's throne, which she loses in favor of her uncle Euron. In A Dance with Dragons, she returns to Deepwood Motte and learns that Euron has married her off by proxy.[46] She is eventually captured by Stannis Baratheon and travels with his army toward Winterfell, where she is reunited with her brother Theon.
In the HBO television adaptation, the character is renamed Yara Greyjoy to avoid confusion with the character Osha. Yara is portrayed by Gemma Whelan.[S 21][S 22] Whelan speculated in an interview that in the TV series Yara is bisexual,[47] though Martin confirmed that she is not in the novels.[48]
Theon Greyjoy[edit]
Theon Greyjoy is the only living son, and heir apparent of Balon Greyjoy. He is the third-person narrator for thirteen chapters throughout A Clash of Kings and A Dance with Dragons. He is arrogant, cocky, and proud. Ten years before the events of the series, he was taken hostage by Ned Stark to be executed if Balon displeased the king. Theon was raised at Winterfell with the Stark children and became a close friend to Robb Stark in particular.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Alfie Allen.[S 1][S 2]
Euron Greyjoy[edit]
Euron Greyjoy is the younger brother of Balon and is hated by all his brothers. He wears a patch over his left eye, for which he is nicknamed Crow's Eye and is more ruthless and sadistic than his brothers. Before the events of the series, he was banished from the Iron Islands. During his exile, he lived as a pirate and became extremely wealthy and became involved in dark magic, culminating in his gaining ownership of a horn that can control dragons. In A Feast for Crows, Euron's return from exile coincides with Balon's death, thus encouraging speculation that he played a role in his brother's demise. After becoming King of the Iron Islands at a Kingsmoot by telling the Ironborn he knows where there are dragons and that he intends to conquer Westeros, he begins successful raids along the Reach. He sends his brother Victarion away to court Daenerys Targaryen in his name and bring her and her dragons to Westeros.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Pilou Asbæk.[S 23]
Victarion Greyjoy[edit]
Victarion Greyjoy is the second youngest of Balon's surviving brothers and is Lord Commander of the Iron Fleet. He first appears in A Clash of Kings and is present as his brother, King Balon Greyjoy, reveals his plans to invade the north; Victarion is given overall command of the invasion. He appears next in A Feast for Crows and serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters throughout A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. Victarion is a devout follower of the Drowned God. Years before the events of the series, he killed his wife after he learned of her affair with Euron and has not remarried. After failing to become King of the Iron Islands, he is sent away to court Daenerys Targaryen in Euron's name, but he plans to marry her himself to spite Euron for earlier betrayals. After weathering a savage storm, the remains of his fleet reach Meereen. Victarion orders his fleet to assault the forces besieging the city. His fate is unknown.
Aeron Greyjoy[edit]
Aeron Greyjoy is the youngest of Balon's surviving brothers.[49] He is introduced in A Clash of Kings and serves as a third-person narrator for two chapters of A Feast for Crows. In his youth, he was a drunk and was scorned by Balon, thus later known as Aeron Damphair. After nearly drowning, he dedicated himself to the Drowned God, and became a high priest.[50] After Balon's mysterious death, and crowning of his brother Euron, he becomes a bitter opponent of Euron and his schemes, calling a Kingsmoot to make Victarion King instead of Euron. This fails, and Aeron goes into hiding. A preview chapter from The Winds of Winter reveals that Euron had his men capture Aeron, leaving him imprisoned in Euron's ship for several months before being tied to the ship's prow. It is also revealed that Euron had repeatedly molested Aeron in their youth, leading to Aeron's hatred of Euron.
In the HBOtelevision adaption, he is portrayed by Michael Feast.
Rodrik Harlaw[edit]
Rodrik Harlaw is the Lord of Harlaw, the most populated of the Iron Islands. He is the richest man in the Iron Islands and the maternal uncle of Asha Greyjoy, one of his sisters being Balon's wife. Rodrik is known as 'The Reader' because of his love of reading. He has so many books that they have filled one of the Towers in his castle of Ten Towers. As both Rodrik's sons died in the First Greyjoy Rebellion his various relatives are vying to become his heir. Rodrik has nominated his cousin Ser Harras Harlaw as heir to Harlaw. After Balon's death Rodrik agrees to support Asha at the Kingsmoot, but worries she won't get enough support and offers to make her heir to the Ten Towers. After Euron wins the Kingsmoot, Rodrik advises Asha to flee the Iron Islands, fearing Euron will kill her to prevent his rule being challenged. After capturing the Shield Islands, Euron makes Harras Lord of Greyshield to weaken Rodrik's power. Rodrik questions Euron's intent to conquer Westeros and claim to have sailed to Valyria, infuriating Euron.
House Martell [edit]
Coat of arms of House Martell
House Martell is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the ruling house of the kingdom of Dorne. Its seat is the castle of Sunspear. Its coat of arms displays a gold spear piercing a red sun on an orange field, and its words are Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken. Bastards born in Dorne are generally given the surname 'Sand'. Dorne, along with House Martell, is culturally, ethnically, and politically distinct from the rest of the kingdoms. The rulers of Dorne are styled Prince or Princess because Dorne resisted direct conquest and joined the rest of the Seven Kingdoms through marriage.
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Doran Martell[edit]
Doran Martell is the Prince of Dorne and the Lord of Sunspear. He is the father of Arianne, Quentyn, and Trystane. By A Game of Thrones, he is in his fifties, and his gout leaves him barely able to walk and dependent on a wheeled chair. He is a cautious, pensive man who does not display his emotions. He swears loyalty to Joffrey only after Myrcella Baratheon is betrothed to Trystane by Tyrion Lannister, sending her off to Dorne. Tyrion also gives him a position on Joffrey's council. In A Storm of Swords, Doran sends his brother Oberyn to claim the position. After Oberyn's death, Doran refuses to start a war and returns to Sunspear to reassume control of his principality. He imprisons Oberyn's vengeful daughters, called the Sand Snakes (who have been calling for war for the death of their father), to maintain peace. After foiling his daughter Arianne's attempt to crown Myrcella the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, he reveals that he has long been planning the downfall of Tywin Lannister to avenge Elia and intends to ally Dorne with House Targaryen.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Alexander Siddig.[S 24]
Arianne Martell[edit]
Arianne Martell is the eldest child of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne and heir to the Sunspear. She serves as the third-person narrator for two chapters in A Feast for Crows, and will be the narrator for at least two chapters in The Winds of Winter.[S 25] She is cunning and beautiful and is also close with her cousins, the Sand Snakes. By A Feast for Crows, she is dissatisfied with her father, believing him to be weak. She plans to name Myrcella Baratheon the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, as by Dornish law Myrcella inherits the title over her brother. Arianne seduces Arys Oakheart to win his support of Myrcella's claim. The plot is foiled and Myrcella is wounded in the kidnapping attempt. As Arianne confronts Doran after he foils her plans, her father reveals that he has been plotting revenge on Tywin Lannister for many years and was waiting for the perfect time to strike. After the Golden Company invades Westeros, Doran sends Arianne to find out the truth about Aegon Targaryen. Her fate is unknown.
Quentyn Martell[edit]
Ser Quentyn Martell is the second child and oldest son of Doran Martell.[1] He serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters in A Dance with Dragons. He is described as intelligent, serious, and dutiful,[51] though not particularly handsome. In A Dance with Dragons it is revealed that Doran Martell sent Quentyn to marry Daenerys Targaryen and bring her to Dorne. On the way most of Quentyn's companions die. He and his remaining two friends, Archibald Yronwood and Gerris Drinkwater, are forced to become sellswords to reach Slaver's Bay. Daenerys politely refuses the offer.[52] Not wanting to leave empty-handed, Quentyn tries to take one of Daenerys's dragons as a mount to impress her, but is killed by her dragons in front of his guards.[53][54]
Trystane Martell[edit]
Trystane Martell is the youngest child of Doran Martell. To ensure House Martell loyalty to the throne it is arranged that he will marry Myrcella Baratheon when they come of age.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Toby Sebastian.[S 26]
Elia Martell[edit]
Elia Martell was the younger sister of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne and was very close to her younger brother Oberyn. She married Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and bore him two children: a daughter Rhaenys and a son Aegon. Fifteen years before the events of the series, Rhaegar was killed in battle during Robert's rebellion. When the capital city was sacked by House Lannister, she was raped and murdered by Gregor Clegane. Elia's brother Oberyn, however, believed Tywin had Elia murdered to avenge the slight to his honor when Aerys had his son and heir married to Elia instead of Tywin's daughter, Cersei.
Oberyn Martell[edit]
Oberyn Martell is the younger brother of Doran Martell. He is a hot-headed, forceful, and lustful man with a quick wit and a barbed tongue. He is a formidable fighter and is called the Red Viper because it is rumored he poisons his weapons. In A Storm of Swords, he leads a Dornish envoy to King's Landing to claim the seat on the small council on his brother, Prince Doran Martell's, behalf and obtain justice for his sister Elia Martell's murder.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Pedro Pascal.[S 27]
Ellaria Sand[edit]
Ellaria Sand is the paramour of Prince Oberyn Martell, and the mother of the four youngest 'Sand Snakes'. She accompanies Oberyn to King's Landing when Oberyn takes the seat on the small council. After returning to Dorne, she is distraught when she hears Obara's statement on how the Mountain's death 'is a start', as she sees the futility of it, and is worried about her own daughters' safety.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Indira Varma.[S 27]
The Sand Snakes[edit]
The Sand Snakes are Prince Oberyn Martell's eight illegitimate daughters: Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, Sarella, Elia, Obella, Dorea and Loreza, the latter youngest four were born to Oberyn's paramourEllaria Sand. The older four however were born to different women: Obara from an Oldtown prostitute; Nymeria (also known as Lady Nym) from a noblewoman in Volantis; Tyene from a septa serving the Faith of the Seven; and Sarella from the female captain of the Summer Isles trading ship Feathered Kiss. They are collectively called 'Sand Snakes' in reference to their father's nickname 'Red Viper' and the regional norm of giving Dornish highborn illegitimate children the bastard surname 'Sand'.
In A Feast for Crows, Obara, Nymeria and Tyene Sand wish revenge for their father's death and pressure their uncle Prince Doran Martell to declare war. When they are implicated in various plots to agitate the Dornish populace, Prince Doran catches hold of their plans and orders Areo Hotah to imprison the Sand Snakes to prevent them from drawing Dorne into war.
In A Dance with Dragons, Doran releases the Sand Snakes and sends them on individual missions in his covert plot to bring down House Lannister in revenge for the murder of Elia Martell and her children during the Sack of King's Landing. Obara is sent to accompany the visiting Kingsguard knight Ser Balon Swann to High Hermitage so he can hunt down and kill the rogue knight Gerold Dayne for the mutilating attack on Princess Myrcella. Nymeria is sent to King's Landing to take the vacant Dornish seat on the small council in her late father's place (and serve as an agent from the inside). Tyene is sent to accompany her sister Nymeria to King's Landing disguised as a septa and gain the confidence of the High Sparrow.
The status of the fourth Sand Snake, Sarella Sand, is unknown, though according to Prince Doran she is said to be playing some sort of 'game' in Oldtown. Sarella is famous for her insatiable academic curiosities, and there are fan speculations that she is actually disguised as a male Citadel acolyte named Alleras ('Sarella' spelt backwards) with the nickname 'the Sphinx', who debuts in the prologue of A Feast for Crows and helps Samwell Tarly when he arrives at the Citadel. In the ending chapter of A Feast for Crows, Alleras is tasked by the departing Archmaester Marvyn to take good care of Samwell as the latter starts his maester training.
In two of pre-released chapters from the yet unfinished The Winds of Winter, the fifth Sand Snake, Elia Sand, nicknamed 'Lady Lance', accompanies her cousin, Princess Arianne Martell, on the diplomatic journey to meet with Jon Connington and the allegedly survived Aegon VI Targaryen.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, only the oldest three Sand Snakes exist. Obara Sand is portrayed by New Zealand actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, Nymeria Sand by English actress Jessica Henwick, and Tyene Sand by Italian-American actress Rosabell Laurenti Sellers;[S 28] the other Sand Snakes do not appear in the series.[55]
Areo Hotah[edit]
Areo Hotah is the captain of Prince Doran Martell's guards. He serves as the third-person narrator for two chapters throughout A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. He was born as the youngest of a large family in Norvos. Areo is steadfastly loyal to Doran. He helps foil Arianne Martell's plot to name Myrcella Baratheon the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, killing Arys Oakheart in the process.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by DeObia Oparei.[S 28]
House Tully [edit]
Coat of arms of House Tully
House Tully is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal house in the Riverlands. Its seat is at Riverrun. Its coat of arms displays a leaping silver trout on a field of rippling blue and red stripes, and its words are Family, Duty, Honor. Bastards born in the Riverlands are generally given the surname 'Rivers'. When House Targaryen invaded Westeros, Lord Tully was among the first to welcome the invaders. In return, the Targaryens made House Tully the principal House of the Riverlands.
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Hoster Tully[edit]
Hoster Tully is the Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident. He is the father of Catelyn Stark, Lysa Arryn, and Edmure Tully. He often quarrels with his brother Brynden because Brynden refuses to be married. Years before the events of the series, he agreed to foster Petyr Baelish at Riverrun as a ward. When he discovered that Lysa was pregnant with Petyr's child, he sent Petyr away and tricked Lysa into drinking an abortifacient potion. Hoster supported Robert Baratheon, House Stark, and House Arryn in rebellion against House Targaryen on the condition that Catelyn and Lysa be wed into the Stark and Arryn families, respectively. His health deteriorates rapidly over the novels; he eventually dies and is laid to rest in the river following the Tully tradition.
In the HBOtelevision adaption, he is portrayed by Chris Newman.
Edmure Tully[edit]
Edmure Tully is the third child, only son, and heir of Lord Hoster Tully. He is dutiful and wishes to earn his father's respect and protect the common people of the Riverlands. However, he is also said to have a large heart and his decisions are often rash and emotional. He takes command of the Riverlands in A Game of Thrones because of his father's illness and is taken captive by Jaime Lannister. He is rescued by his nephew Robb Stark, and upon hearing of Eddard Stark's death he leads the Riverland lords in proclaiming Robb the King in the North. He defeats Tywin in battle and unwittingly ruins Robb's plan to destroy Tywin's army. As amends for thwarting Robb's plan, he agrees to marry Roslin Frey and repair the alliance with House Frey. However, the wedding is a trap and the Stark-Tully army is massacred, breaching ancient guest right customs. Edmure is taken to Casterly Rock, where he and the remaining members of House Tully are to spend the rest of their lives as prisoners to House Lannister. Roslin is to remain at the Twins, and the pair is promised to be reunited after the birth of their child.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Tobias Menzies.[S 5][S 6]
Brynden Tully[edit]
Personal coat of arms of Brynden Tully
Ser Brynden Tully, called the Blackfish, is the younger brother of Hoster Tully and the uncle of Catelyn Stark, Lysa Arryn, and Edmure Tully. He constantly quarreled with his brother, usually over Brynden's refusal to marry. During one encounter Hoster called him the black goat of House Tully. Brynden mused that since their sigil was fish, he was the 'Blackfish' of the family. He accompanied Lysa to the Vale. In A Game of Thrones, he is upset over the Vale's neutrality in the ongoing war. He resigns from his position and joins Robb Stark and his bannermen. He is appointed head of Robb's outriders and is a crucial member of the war council. His efforts win Robb several battles throughout A Clash of Kings. He is named Warden of the Southern Marches in A Storm of Swords and remains at Riverrun while Robb goes to the Twins to attend Edmure's wedding. After Robb's death, Brynden holds Riverrun in Robb's name, but he is besieged by House Lannister and House Frey. In A Feast for Crows, Brynden surrenders the Tully seat of Riverrun to spare further bloodshed, but he himself escapes capture. His whereabouts are unknown.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Clive Russell.[S 29]
Walder Frey[edit]
Coat of arms of House Frey
Walder Frey is Lord of the Twins, and a vassal to House Tully. He is called the Lord of the Crossing as the placement of his castle allows him to control who crosses the river, giving Walder Frey considerable strategic importance. He is known for having over a hundred descendants and taking eight total wives. He emphasizes family loyalty and believes in taking care of relations, including those who disappoint him. Although he is a bannerman of House Tully, he does not immediately go to Riverrun when Edmure Tully summons his vassals to support Robb Stark in A Game of Thrones.
Since crossing the Twins is a necessity for Robb, Walder is able to negotiate marriage contracts between his house and House Stark. But when Robb marries Jeyne Westerling in A Clash of Kings, Frey is outraged and withdraws his support from Robb to conspire with Tywin Lannister and Roose Bolton to enact his revenge. In A Storm of Swords, Walder pretends to make amends with Robb and agrees to marry his daughter Roslin to Edmure. The wedding is a trap, with Robb, his key supporters, and most of his army massacred during the feast, a direct violation of ancient guest right customs. He then openly swears loyalty to House Lannister and his second son Emmon Frey receives Riverrun, the seat of House Tully, as a reward, with advantageous marriages for other descendants of his. However, the people of the Riverlands refuse to support his rule, and a shadowy guerrilla war erupts that Walder Frey struggles to control. House Frey is so large and factional that many of the Freys hate each other, aspiring to become Lord of the Crossing themselves.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by David Bradley.[S 30]
House Tyrell [edit]
Coat of arms of House Tyrell
House Tyrell is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal noble house in the Reach. Its seat is at Highgarden where they reside as the Wardens of the South. Its coat of arms displays a golden rose on a green field, and its words are Growing Strong. Bastards born in the Reach are generally given the surname 'Flowers'. When the former rulers of the Reach, House Gardener, were killed in battle against House Targaryen, the Targaryens raised the Tyrells from stewards of Highgarden to Lords of Highgarden. Because House Florent had a better claim to Highgarden, the Tyrells are often seen as 'upjumped stewards' by the lords of the Reach and other Great Houses; however, the women of the Tyrell household are noted for being shrewd and clever leaders.
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Mace Tyrell[edit]
Lord Mace Tyrell is the Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, and Warden of the South. He has three sons—Willas, Garlan, and Loras—and one daughter, Margaery. He is described as a prematurely old and tedious man who lacks in political savvy and is thought to serve as the figurehead to his mother, Olenna Redwyne. In A Clash of Kings, he supports the marriage between Margaery and Renly Baratheon, who plans to usurp the throne of the Seven Kingdoms. When Renly dies, Mace accepts an offer to marry Margaery to Joffrey Baratheon, the current king. After his and Tywin's armies defeat Stannis Baratheon, Mace is given a seat on the King's council. After Cersei's downfall, Kevan Lannister, Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, names Mace his Hand, mostly to repair the relationship between their houses. Mace then tries to fill the Small Council with his vassals, greedy for more power.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Roger Ashton-Griffiths.
Loras Tyrell[edit]
Ser Loras Tyrell, nicknamed the Knight of Flowers, is the third son of Mace Tyrell. He is a young, but highly skilled tourney knight and jouster. He is beloved by the crowds, and many young girls are infatuated with him. When Renly Baratheon, Loras' lover, claims himself king of the Seven Kingdoms in A Clash of Kings, Loras supports him and is made head of Renly's personal guard. After Renly's assassination, Loras is enraged with grief, blaming Brienne of Tarth and Catelyn Stark for Renly's death. In A Storm of Swords, he questions Brienne and finally decides that she is not the killer. When his sister Margaery is married to Joffrey Baratheon, he joins the Kingsguard. He volunteers to lead the assault on Dragonstone in A Feast for Crows so Cersei Lannister will send military assistance to defend his native Highgarden from the Greyjoys. He successfully captures Dragonstone but is badly wounded and near death. By the end of A Dance with Dragons, he barely clings to life. His fate is unknown.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Finn Jones. The character is a composite of the three Tyrell sons. The adaptation openly depicts Loras and Renly Baratheon as lovers, an interaction only obliquely addressed within the novels.[S 15][S 16]
Margaery Tyrell[edit]
Margaery Tyrell /ˈmɑːrdʒəritɪˈrɛl/ is the youngest child and only daughter of Mace Tyrell. She is an intelligent, beautiful, and shrewd young woman, and despite being only sixteen, she is manipulative and adept at political intrigue.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Natalie Dormer.[S 31]
Olenna Tyrell [edit]
Olenna Tyrell, also known as the Queen of Thorns, was born into House Redwyne and is the mother of Mace Tyrell and widow of the late Luthor Tyrell. She is described as a wizened and cunning old woman with a wicked wit and a sharp tongue, and is known for openly stating her opinion.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Diana Rigg.
Randyll Tarly[edit]
Randyll Tarly is the head of House Tarly, bannerman of House Tyrell, and considered to be one of the finest military commanders in Westeros. He is also the father of Samwell Tarly. When word of the imprisonment of Margaery Tyrell reaches Randyll, he marches his army to King's Landing where Kevan Lannister makes him the new master of laws.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by James Faulkner.[S 32]
Night's Watch and Free Folk [edit]
Coat of arms of the Night's Watch
The Night's Watch is a sworn brotherhood of men who patrol the Wall. The individual members or 'Brothers of the Watch' (called 'Crows' by the Wildlings)[56][57] reject land and titles, practice celibacy, cut ties to their families, assume neutrality in politics, and never desert their assignments,[58][59] on pain of death.[60] Joining the Watch is still considered an honor because any man can rise through the ranks regardless of illegitimacy or criminal past, but in the first book,[61][62] the Watch is severely undermanned.[63] The Watch is based at Castle Black, where the Lord Commander of the Watch resides and new recruits are trained.[64]
Wildlings, also called Free Folk, are people who live beyond the Wall.[64][65] They live in independent villages and have no central government.[66] Bands of wildlings often cross the Wall for plunder.[67] In A Storm of Swords, the wildlings unite under Mance Rayder, the self-styled 'King-beyond-the-Wall', and invade the Seven Kingdoms to escape the return of The Others.[66] With the help of Jon and Stannis Baratheon, they settle in the North. Many move into the abandoned castles to defend the Wall.[68]
Jeor Mormont[edit]
Jeor Mormont, called the Old Bear, is the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He was the Lord of Bear Island in the North but joined the Watch to pass the title to his son Jorah Mormont. Mormont is considered a strong, resolute leader and commands respect. He keeps a raven capable of speaking simple phrases as a pet. In A Game of Thrones, he chooses Jon Snow as his personal steward and potential successor.[58] Soon afterward, a wight (a dead body reanimated by the Others) attempts to kill him, but Jon kills the wight.[69] In gratitude, Mormont gives Jon his ancestral sword, Longclaw, and changes its pommel to a wolf's head, in accordance with the House Stark sigil.[59] To investigate the return of wights, the disappearance of several Rangers, and rumors of a wildling army, Jeor leads an expedition beyond the Wall in A Clash of Kings, but his force is annihilated by Others and an army of wights in A Storm of Swords. He leads the survivors to Craster's Keep, where he is killed in a mutiny.[70]
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by James Cosmo.[S 1]
Maester Aemon[edit]
Aemon Targaryen is the older brother of Aegon V Targaryen, the third son of Maekar I Targaryen, and a member of the Night's Watch. Decades before the start of the series, he was sent to the Citadel in Oldtown on the orders of his grandfather Daeron II, who felt there were too many Targaryens, and became a Maester (one of an order of scholars and healers). He was later offered the throne of the Seven Kingdoms after the death of his father Maekar, but ceded the rule to Aegon and joined the Night's Watch. By A Game of Thrones, he is elderly and blind, but provides guidance to the men of the Watch. In A Feast for Crows, Jon Snow sends him to the Citadel by sea, but Maester Aemon dies on the voyage between Braavos and Oldtown.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Peter Vaughan.[S 1][S 2]
Yoren[edit]
Yoren is a recruiter of the Night's Watch. In A Game of Thrones Yoren travels with Tyrion Lannister from the Wall to King's Landing, and is present when Tyrion is arrested by Catelyn Stark. He then races to King's Landing to inform Eddard Stark. During Lord Eddard's execution, he finds Arya Stark and shields her from seeing her father's death. In A Clash of Kings he disguises Arya as a boy recruit to smuggle her to Winterfell, but is killed by Lannister soldiers.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Francis Magee.[S 2][S 33]
Samwell Tarly[edit]
Samwell Tarly, called 'Sam', is the elder son of Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill. Ten chapters throughout A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows are told from his point of view. In spite of his self-professed cowardice, Sam is highly intelligent, resourceful, and loyal. Sam's complete lack of martial abilities and his interest in scholarly pursuits convinces his father that he is not a worthy heir and he is forced to join the Night's Watch.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by John Bradley.[S 1][S 2]
Janos Slynt[edit]
Janos Slynt was a former Commander of the City Watch in King's Landing and a brother in the Night's Watch. He first appears in A Game of Thrones as commander of the City Watch. Slynt is known for his corruption, but Robert was persuaded not to remove him on the grounds the next commander might be worse. After Robert's death, when Ned intends to depose Joffrey, Slynt orders his men to arrest Ned. For this, Janos Slynt was made a lord and given Harrenhal.
In A Clash of Kings, Tyrion Lannister exiles Slynt to the Night's Watch as he cannot be trusted. In A Storm of Swords, Slynt attempts to be elected as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, but loses to Jon Snow. After Slynt repeatedly refuses Jon's orders, Jon publicly executes him.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Dominic Carter.[S 1][S 2]
Alliser Thorne[edit]
Alliser Thorne is the Master of Arms at Castle Black, a warrior charged with training the Watch's recruits. Thorne was originally a Targaryen loyalist who, after the fall of House Targaryen at the hands of Ned and Robert, was forced to join the Night's Watch. He harbors deep resentment at House Stark for this fate. When Jon arrives at Castle Black, Thorne personally torments, humiliates, and provokes Jon whenever possible.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Owen Teale.[S 1][S 2]
Mance Rayder[edit]
Mance Rayder is a former member of the Night's Watch who later deserted. Since then, he has become known as 'King-beyond-the-Wall'.[60][71] In A Storm of Swords, he unites all the wildlings under his command and leads them to attack the Wall from the south trying to guide his people to safety from the advancing White Walkers. His vanguard is defeated by Jon Snow at the Wall.[72] During a parlay with Jon, Stannis Baratheon and his army rout the wildlings, and Mance is taken prisoner.[73] Stannis orders Mance to be burned alive in A Dance with Dragons, but Jon later discovers that the priestess Melisandre used magic to disguise Rayder as the wildling who was burned in his place, escaping execution. Jon orders Mance to rescue Arya Stark, not knowing the girl is actually Jeyne Poole.[14][13] In Winterfell, the party secretly kills off several of Roose Bolton's men, creating tension in Winterfell, and enlists the help of Theon Greyjoy to smuggle Jeyne out of the castle, but Mance is forced to stay behind. Ramsay Bolton later sends a letter to Jon claiming that he has captured Mance and is holding him prisoner.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Ciarán Hinds. In the show, Mance Rayder is not saved by Melisandre and his execution is genuine.
Ygritte[edit]
Ygritte is a wildling woman known for her red hair. She is fierce and headstrong. In wildling culture she is known as a spearwife: a woman who is also a warrior.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Rose Leslie.[S 34]
Craster[edit]
Craster is a wildling who lives north of the Wall in a fortified homestead called Craster's Keep. A regrettable ally of the Night's Watch, he has nineteen wives, and when his daughters are old enough, he marries them, incestuously fathering new children. He is slain by a young ranger, Karl Tanner, in 'And Now His Watch Is Ended', which sparks the Mutiny at Craster's Keep.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Robert Pugh.
Gilly[edit]
Gilly is a wildling girl, daughter and wife of Craster. After the Night's Watch regroups at Craster's Keep, Gilly gives birth to a son. Craster is killed before he can sacrifice the child, and in the confusion Gilly flees south with Samwell.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Hannah Murray.[S 35]
Val[edit]
Val is the sister of Mance Rayder's wife, Dalla. After the failed Wildling incursion, she is kept prisoner at the wall. She is described as an attractive woman. In A Dance with Dragons, Jon Snow sends her alone to bring a Wildling warlord, Tormund, and his people to the Wall. The mission is successful.
Lord of Bones[edit]
The Lord of Bones (also mocked as 'Rattleshirt') is a wildling leader under Mance Rayder, known for his vileness and cowardice. In A Dance with Dragons, he is executed, believed to be Mance since Melisandre glamoured him to take the appearance of the condemned.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Edward Dogliani in seasons two and three, and Ross O'Hennessy in season five.[S 36]
Bowen Marsh[edit]
Bowen Marsh is the First Steward of the Night's Watch, based at Castle Black. He is in charge of the day-to-day running of the Night's Watch, dealing with issues of supplies, funding, logistics and communications. During A Dance with Dragons, Bowen becomes disillusioned by the decisions made by Jon Snow as Lord Commander. Fearing for the future safety of the Night's Watch, Bowen and several of his followers stab Jon.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Michael Condron.
Eddison Tollett[edit]
Eddison Tollett, also known as 'Dolorous Edd' for his melancholy temperament, sarcastic wit and pessimistic dry humor, is a squire from House Tollett and a steward of the Night's Watch. He is one of Jon Snow's closest friends at Castle Black. Edd survives the battle with the wights at the Fist of the First Men, and is among the survivors to make it back to Craster's Keep. In A Dance with Dragons Edd carries on his duties as the Lord Commander's steward. He is one of the men brought along as muscle to assist Lord Commander Jon Snow in escorting Janos Slynt for his execution.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Ben Crompton.[S 37]
Tormund Giantsbane[edit]
Tormund, better known as 'Tormund Giantsbane' or 'Tormund Thunderfist', is a famous wildling raider.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Kristofer Hivju.
Varamyr Sixskins[edit]
Varamyr is an infamous Wildling skinchanger, nicknamed due to his controlling of five other animals (three wolves, a shadowcat and a snow bear). He is the POV character of the prologue chapter of A Dance With Dragons. Due to his skinchanging power, he maintains control over multiple Wildling villages via terror, and even aspired to be King-Beyond-the-Wall before joining Mance Rayder. After another skinchanger, Orell, is killed, he also control the eagle Orell leaves behind. When Stannis attacks the Wildlings army, Melisandre uses her magic to burn Varamyr's eagle, causing him to lose control of his remaining animals. When the Wildling army is routed, Varamyr flees north together with a small group, hiding his real identity from them. The group eventually deserts until only the spearwife named Thistle stays. Varamyr is stabbed by a boy when he attempts to take a squirrel-skin cloak off the dead body of the boy's mother. While Thistle treats his wound, knowing himself is dying, he attempts to take over her body. However, her mind fights back hard against him, and subsequent hysteria inflicted on Thistle's body attracts wights to their position to kill them both. Before Varamyr dies, his mind wargs into his wolf One Eye.
Royal court and officials[edit]
The Royal Court at King's Landing is mostly composed of the King's small Council and his Kingsguard, the seven knights sworn to protect the king and his family. All members of the small council, except for the Grand Maester, are appointed and dismissed by the king or The Hand.
Petyr Baelish [edit]
Lord Petyr Baelish, called Littlefinger, held power as the Master of Coin, the Treasurer of the Seven Kingdoms. Petyr names himself Lord Protector of the Vale following the death of his wife, Lysa Arryn.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Aidan Gillen.[S 1][S 2]
Varys[edit]
Varys, called the Spider, is a eunuch who serves as Master of Whisperers, the spymaster for the king of the Seven Kingdoms.[74] He is feared by nobles and common people alike. He is described as bald and fat, and he usually affects a fawning, effeminate manner. He knows all of the secret passages in the royal castle and his spies are found everywhere.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Conleth Hill.[S 1][S 2]
Pycelle[edit]
Pycelle is an elderly Maester, who for decades has served many kings as Grand Maester, the personal healer and scholar of the king. Although he is intelligent and highly educated, his effectiveness as an officer of the court has been dulled by his age. He is secretly an agent of influence for House Lannister: he convinced King Aerys II Targaryen to open the gates for Tywin Lannister during Robert's rebellion, he allowed Jon Arryn to die to keep the true parentage of Cersei Lannister's children secret, and would have killed King Robert Baratheon upon Cersei's command. Upon learning this, Tyrion Lannister has Pycelle removed from office and imprisoned. In A Storm of Swords, he is restored to his position. He objects to Queen Regent Cersei's decisions throughout A Feast for Crows, and she considers replacing him. When Cersei is arrested, Pycelle seizes control of the king's council and offers Kevan Lannister the regency. Together, they begin restoring order to the Seven Kingdoms. Pycelle is killed by Varys, who believes that he and Kevan's competent leadership threaten the restoration of Cersei to the Iron Throne.[75]
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Julian Glover.[S 1]
Barristan Selmy[edit]
Ser Barristan Selmy, called Barristan the Bold, is hailed as a hero throughout Westeros and is the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. He serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters in A Dance with Dragons. Although he is over sixty at the start of the series, he remains a remarkable fighter and is the most celebrated and respected living knight. He has been a member of the Kingsguard for most of his life and served three kings. He remained loyal to House Targaryen during Robert Baratheon's rebellion, but he later accepted Robert's pardon and held his position as commander. He is dismissed by Cersei upon Joffrey's succession to the throne. In A Clash of Kings, he begins serving the exiled princess Daenerys Targaryen. He exposes Ser Jorah Mormont, Daenerys's most trusted adviser, as a former spy for Robert. When Daenerys disappears in A Dance with Dragons, he becomes a POV narrator and launches a coup against her husband. He then reluctantly rules Meereen in her stead under the title the Queen's Hand until she returns.[54]
In the HBO television adaptation, in which he is portrayed by Ian McElhinney,[S 1][S 2] he is mortally wounded in a battle with the Sons of the Harpy in the fifth-season episode 'Sons of the Harpy'. When asked about the manner in which he was notified of his character's death, McElhinney commented, 'It proves you should probably not read the books.'[76]
Arys Oakheart[edit]
Coat of arms of House Oakheart
Ser Arys Oakheart is a knight of King Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard, and for Robert's subsequent heirs.[74] He serves as the third-person narrator for one chapter in A Feast for Crows. Arys accompanies Myrcella Baratheon to Dorne, where he is seduced by Arianne Martell.[77] Together, they plot to place Myrcella on the throne. After the plot is foiled, Arys is killed.[78]
Ilyn Payne[edit]
Ser Ilyn Payne is the King's Justice, the royal executioner. Before the events of the series, King Aerys II Targaryen ordered his tongue cut out. He is a skilled headsman, seldom requiring a second stroke to finish his charges. Ilyn executes Lord Stark after his downfall. He serves as Jaime's sparring partner in A Feast for Crows.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Wilko Johnson.[S 38]
Qyburn[edit]
Qyburn is a former Maester who lost his chain for unethical experiments. He is also rumored to dabble in necromancy. In A Clash of Kings, he is a member of the Brave Companions mercenary company. He later leaves the company in A Feast for Crows and joins the court at King's Landing. Queen Cersei Lannister allows him to experiment on the mortally wounded Gregor Clegane, presumably transforming Clegane into the monstrous Kingsguard knight, Ser Robert Strong.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Anton Lesser.[S 5][S 6] He improves Cersei's military capabilities via highly explosive 'wildfire' (deployed to destroy the Great Sept of Bealor), and anti-dragon scorpio ballistas, which are deployed around the walls of King's Landing, and on the bows of Euron Greyjoy's Iron Fleet. He is killed by Gregor Clegane as they attempt to flee the Red Keep.
The High Sparrow[edit]
The High Sparrow is a prominent member of the 'sparrows', a religious movement formed during the War of the Five Kings and is a member of the Faith of the Seven.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Jonathan Pryce.
Meryn Trant[edit]
Ser Meryn Trant is a member of the kingsguard under King Robert Baratheon, King Joffrey Baratheon and King Tommen Baratheon.
When Joffrey tells Sansa of his plan to behead Robb Stark, she defies him by wishing to see his own head mounted there, for which Joffrey has Trant slap her. Along with the City Watch he also murders King Robert's illegitimate children. When the Lannisters send their guards to capture Arya Stark, Trant kills Syrio Forel, her fencing Instructor, who protects Arya despite only being armed with a wooden training sword,[79][S 39] as a result Trant is one of the names on Arya Stark's 'list'.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Ian Beattie.
Balon Swann[edit]
Ser Balon Swann is the second son of Lord Gulian Swann. He is said to be skilled with the lance, morningstar, and bow and arrow. He is made a Kingsguard after the death of Ser Preston Greenfield, which Tyrion Lannister approves of. During the Battle of the Blackwater, he fights valiantly against the forces of Stannis Baratheon. In A Feast For Crows, Cersei Lannister sends him to Dorne with the skull of Gregor Clegane, which he gives to Doran Martell. Doran later informs the Sand Snakes and Arianne Martell of Balon's involvement in a plan by Cersei to kill Trystane Martell and frame Tyrion. After learning of the attempted murder of Princess Myrcella Baratheon, Balon leaves to chase Darkstar, the man who made the attempt on Myrcella's life.
Ser Balon does not appear in the HBO television adaptation.
Waymar Royce[edit]
Waymar Royce is a young Night's Watch ranger who leads two other rangers, the equally young Will and Gared, a man in his 50s, after a group of wildings in the prologue scene of the first novel, A Game of Thrones. Although Will, the scout, reports that he discovered the wildings lying dead near a stream past a ridge, Royce refuses to return to Castle Black, despite Gared's concerns about the worsening weather and Will's intuition that sinister is occurring around them, because he wants to confirm that the wildings were not merely sleeping. He is killed by a White Walker, and turned into a wight, after which he kills Will, making him the first character whose death is explicitly depicted in the series.
He is played in the television adaptation by Rob Ostlere, giving Ostlere the distinction of being the first actor to be killed off on the show. On this, Ostlere comments, 'To be honest, when you do those smaller parts, you're just happy to see yourself up there because sometimes those things can get cut'.[80]
Other characters[edit]
Khal Drogo[edit]
Drogo is a powerful khal, or warlord, of the Dothraki people, a tribal nation of horse riders in the steppes beyond the Free Cities. He is an accomplished warrior and has never been defeated in battle. He is Daenerys Targaryen's first husband.
In the HBOtelevision adaptation, he is portrayed by Jason Momoa.[S 2]
Syrio Forel[edit]
Syrio Forel is the bald, former First Sword of Braavos and a master of the Braavosi fighting style known as Water Dancing.[81] He instructs Arya in the ways of fencing. When the Lannisters send their guards to capture Arya, Syrio is killed by Meryn Trant, but not before Syrio dispatches all of the Lannister soldiers with no more than a wooden teaching sword, shattering knee caps and stabbing out eyes, so that Arya can escape.[79][S 39]
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Miltos Yerolemou.
Jaqen H'ghar[edit]
Jaqen H'ghar is an alias used by a member of the Faceless Men, a society of assassins who follow a personification of death known as the Many-Faced God. In A Clash of Kings, this Faceless Man is posing as a Lorathi criminal from the black cells of the Red Keep given to Yoren's convoy to join the Night's Watch. During the journey, he was locked in a wagon cage along with two other criminals, called Rorge and Biter. He later meets Arya Stark, who frees him and the two others when the group is attacked by Lannister forces commanded by Amory Lorch. In gratitude, he promises to kill for Arya any three people she names. After Arya extorts him by naming him as the third name, Jaqen reluctantly agrees to help her stage a prison riot in Harrenhal that overwhelms the Lannister garrison and frees the northern prisoners. After that, Jaqen magically changes his face in front of Arya and offers to take her with him to Braavos. When she demurs, he gives her a Braavosi iron coin and instructs her to say 'valar morghulis' to any Braavosi people should she need help finding him.
Later in A Feast for Crows, an alchemist with features identical to Jaqen's after the face change appears in Oldtown and bribes a Citadel novice named Pate to steal Archmaester Walgrave's keys (which can gain access to any door in Citadel). After Pate completes the trade, he dies of poison. Pate (with a completely different personality) later appears to greet Samwell Tarly when he meets Archmaester Marvyn.
In the HBO television adaptation, Jaqen is portrayed by German actor Tom Wlaschiha.[S 40]
Illyrio Mopatis[edit]
Illyrio Mopatis is a wealthy and powerful Magister in Pentos. He is overweight, although in his youth he was a strong mercenary.[82] He is a close friend of Varys', and the pair engineer a plot to place House Targaryen back on the throne of the Seven Kingdoms.[83] Before the events of the series, he welcomed the exiled Viserys Targaryen and his sister Daenerys into his home as guests.[82] In A Game of Thrones, Illyrio brokers a marriage between Daenerys and Khal Drogo to buy Drogo's army of warriors.[84] His plan to create an army to invade Westeros is ruined upon the deaths of Drogo and Viserys. He aids Daenerys in A Clash of Kings by sending her three ships and a disguised Barristan Selmy. He also smuggles Tyrion Lannister out of Westeros in A Dance with Dragons and sends him to accompany Aegon on his journey to aid Daenerys.[85][83]
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Roger Allam.[S 1]
Thoros of Myr[edit]
Thoros is a red priest of R'hllor from the city of Myr. Before the events of the series, he was sent to King's Landing to convert King Aerys II Targaryen into a follower of R'hllor. He was unsuccessful and began to question his faith. When Robert Baratheon became king, Thoros became a frequent drinking companion of Robert's. He is a formidable fighter known for using a flaming sword. In A Game of Thrones, he is sent with Beric Dondarrion to arrest Gregor Clegane. When Dondarrion is killed, Thoros inadvertently resurrects him during the funeral service. By A Storm of Swords, the two founded a band of outlaws called the Brotherhood Without Banners to stop the raiders ravaging the Riverlands. Thoros is continually able to resurrect Dondarrion whenever he is killed. When Lady Stoneheart takes leadership of the Brotherhood in A Feast for Crows, he does not dispute her, although he disapproves of her motives and methods.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Paul Kaye.[S 5][S 6]
Ser Duncan the Tall[edit]
Ser Duncan the Tall is a legendary knight and the subject of several popular songs and stories. He is one of the main characters of the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. Originally the squire of an itinerant 'hedge knight', he later befriended Prince Maekar Targaryen's son Aegon (nicknamed 'Egg'), with whom he traveled before Aegon ascended to the Iron Throne as King Aegon V Targaryen. Ser Duncan was appointed to his Kingsguard, and eventually became its Lord Commander. He perished alongside his king in 'The Tragedy of Summerhall', a huge fire at the Targaryen summer home, in which it is suggested he selflessly fought to save as many of the King's family as possible.
Hizdahr zo Loraq[edit]
Hizdahr zo Loraq is a Ghiscari noble of the city of Meereen. With the Sons of the Harpy continuing to cause trouble in the streets, the Green Grace advises Daenerys to take a husband of Ghiscari blood to placate the Meereenese and recommends Hizdahr. After keeping the peace, Hizdahr marries Daenerys as her second husband. Hizdahr tries to gain control of Meereen after the disappearance of Daenerys, but Grey Worm and his Unsullied refuse to obey him.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Joel Fry.[S 41]
Yezzan zo Qaggaz[edit]
Yezzan zo Qaggaz is a slave-trader from the city of Yunkai, on the coast of Slaver's Bay, and one of the Wise Masters, the ruling elite of the city. He bought Tyrion Lannister, Penny, and Jorah Mormont from the slavers, and gives them to the charge of his henchman, Nurse. Yezzan was one of the few Yunkai lords who wished to honor the peace between Yunkai and Meereen. He later died of the pale mare that was spreading throughout the Yunkish siege lines, and several of his slaves used the opportunity to escape.
In the HBO television adaptation, a character named Yezzan, who takes on aspects of Yezzan zo Qaggaz, is portrayed by Enzo Cilenti.
Tycho Nestoris[edit]
Tycho Nestoris is a representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos. Tycho is sent to the Wall to negotiate payment of the debt of the Iron Throne with King Stannis Baratheon. Jon Snow negotiates with him for the use of his ships for a voyage and a loan to purchase food for the winter while the Night's Watch provides him guides to reach Stannis, who has left Castle Black.
In the HBO television adaptation, he is portrayed by Mark Gatiss.[S 42]
The Waif[edit]
The Waif is a priestess of the Many-Faced God in the House of Black and White in Braavos. The waif is assigned to teach Arya the tongue of Braavos and then how to detect lies.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Faye Marsay.
Meribald[edit]
Meribald is a septon of the Riverlands. He guides Brienne of Tarth to the Quiet Isle to meet the Elder Brother.
In the HBO television adaptation, the character is renamed Brother Ray and is portrayed by Ian McShane.
Septa Unella[edit]
Septa Unella is a member of the Most Devout, the ruling council of the Faith of the Seven. Unella is the septa who forces Cersei Lannister to admit her crimes to her in A Feast for Crows.
In the HBO television adaptation, she is portrayed by Hannah Waddingham.
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- ^Andrei Harmsworth (24 February 2014). 'Mark Gatiss: Games Of Thrones is filled with the fittest men on TV | Metro News'. Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
Primary sources[edit]
- ^ abcdefghijklA Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ^ abcA Clash of Kings, Chapter 69: Bran VII.
- ^ abA Dance with Dragons, Chapter 29: Davos IV.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Arya II, p. 221.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Eddard I, pp. 42–44.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 24: Bran IV.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 37: Bran V.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 53: Bran VI.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Chapter 16: Bran II.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 7: Arya I.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 37: The Prince of Winterfell.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72: Jaime IX.
- ^ abA Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20: Reek II.
- ^ abA Dance with Dragons, Chapter 31: Melisandre I.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 51: Theon I.
- ^ abcA Game of Thrones, Chapter 3: Daenerys I.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Daenerys I, p. 174.
- ^Doran, Sarah (28 August 2017). 'Meet the actor who plays Jon Snow's real dad in Game of Thrones'. Radio Times.
- ^Hibberd, James (July 30, 2017). 'Game of Thrones actor on that surprise 'Queen's Justice' reunion'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 34: Catelyn VI.
- ^ abcA Game of Thrones, Chapter 40: Catelyn VII.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 62: Tyrion VIII.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Chapter 61: Tyrion XIV.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 38: Tyrion V.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66: Tyrion IX.
- ^A Feast for Crows, Chapter 14: Brienne III.
- ^A Feast for Crows, Chapter 20: Brienne IV.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 5: Davos I.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 10: Davos II.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 25: Davos III.
- ^ abA Storm of Swords, Chapter 36: Davos IV.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 63: Davos VI.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 9: Davos I.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19: Davos III.
- ^Stolworthy, Jacob (18 April 2016). 'Game of Thrones season 6: Character last seen in season 3 to make return'. The Independent. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 2: Catelyn I.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 2: Catelyn I.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 4: Eddard I.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 45: Eddard XII.
- ^ abA Storm of Swords, Chapter 80: Sansa VII.
- ^A Feast for Crows, Chapter 10: Sansa I.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Chapter 11: Theon I.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45: Catelyn V.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 26: The Wayward Bride.
- ^'HBO: Game of Thrones: Interview With Gemma Whelan Season 6'.
- ^Martin, George R. R. 'Season 6 Is Coming'. Live Journal. George R. R. Martin. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Appendix.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 1: The Prophet.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 59: The Discarded Knight.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 43: Daenerys VII.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 68: The Dragontamer.
- ^ abA Dance with Dragons, Chapter 70: The Queen's Hand.
- ^'Fans are furious over this 'Game of Thrones' plotline, and it's not hard to see why'. Business Insider. Retrieved 2017-08-17.
- ^Durando, Jessica (June 8, 2014). ''Game of Thrones' episode recap: Crows hold the Wall'. USA Today.
- ^Kornhaber, Spencer & Orr, Christopher & Sullivan, Amy (June 9, 2014). 'Game of Thrones: A Spectacular Battle, With One Big Disappointment (Our roundtable on 'The Watchers on the Wall,' the ninth episode of the fourth season of the HBO show.)'. The Atlantic.CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter (link) e.g., 'In the book, the skirmish between the Wildling raiding party and the Crows at Castle Black—and with it, Ygritte's death—comes long before the arrival of Mance's army north of the Wall.' and 'But the characters up north just aren’t as exciting: Jon Snow is the one Thrones hero without a personality; Sam is sort of compelling, but in a pitiable way; I can't really keep the names of any of the other crows straight.')
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 48: Jon VI, pp.434–436.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 60: Jon VIII, pp.547–553.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 1: Bran I, p.11-13.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 4: Eddard I, p.37.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 6: Catelyn II, p.56.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 13: Tyrion II, p.104.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 19: Jon III, pp.148–157.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53: Bran VI, p.483-484.
- ^ abA Storm of Swords, Chapter 15: Jon II.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 41: Jon V.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17: Jon IV.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 52: Jon VII, pp.473–474.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 33: Samwell III.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Chapter 53: Jon VII.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 69: Jon IX.
- ^A Storm of Swords, Chapter 73: Jon X.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Appendix: House Baratheon, pp.676–677.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
- ^Hibberd, James (May 1, 2015). 'Game of Thrones' actor explains his surprisingly early exit'. Entertainment Weekly.
- ^A Clash of Kings, Chapter 41: IX.
- ^A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21: The Queenmaker.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 50: Arya IV, pp.445–447.
- ^Pfeffer, Ryan (April 12, 2019). 'What/s it like to die on /Game of Thrones/? We asked the actors who played Hodor, Ned Stark and more.'The Washington Post. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 22: Arya II, p.188-189.
- ^ abA Game of Thrones, Chapter 3: Daenerys I, p.23-27.
- ^ abA Dance with Dragons, Chapter 5: Tyrion II.
- ^A Game of Thrones, Chapter 3: Daenerys I, p.31.
- ^A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 1: Tyrion I.
Bibliography[edit]
- Martin, George R. R. (September 1996). A Game of Thrones. A Song of Ice and Fire (US hardcover ed.). Bantam Spectra. ISBN978-0-553-10354-0.
- Martin, George R. R. (March 1999). A Clash of Kings. A Song of Ice and Fire (US hardcover ed.). Bantam Spectra. ISBN978-0-553-10803-3.
- Martin, George R. R. (November 2000). A Storm of Swords. A Song of Ice and Fire (US hardcover ed.). Bantam Spectra. ISBN978-0-553-10663-3.
- Martin, George R. R. (November 2005). A Feast for Crows. A Song of Ice and Fire (US hardcover ed.). Bantam Spectra. ISBN978-0-553-80150-7.
- Martin, George R. R. (July 2011). A Dance with Dragons. A Song of Ice and Fire (US hardcover ed.). Bantam Spectra. ISBN978-0-553-80147-7.
External links[edit]
- A sourced list of GRRM's pronunciations, hosted at Westeros.org
- HBO's official pronunciation guide for Game of Thrones characters
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire_characters&oldid=903780550#House_Lannister'
House Lannister
About
Lannisport is a walled city in the westerlands located less than a mile south of Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister. Lannisport is located along the coast of the Sunset Sea where the river road, the gold road, and the ocean road meet. It is one of the major ports of the Seven Kingdoms and is the largest settlement in the westerlands. Lannisport is smaller than King's Landing or Oldtown, but larger than Gulltown or White Harbor.
There are five unique districts of Lannisport: the Silver Quarter, Lannistown, the Golden Arch, Sunfield, and Seafield, which each feature their own unique culture from the rest of the city. Landmarks such as the Golden Gallery, where nobles come to contend and show off their skills in both art and literature dominate Lannisport.
- The Silver Quarter is the largest district of the city, just larger than Lannistown. This district is home to most of the nobility of Lannisport, situated on the great hill called the Heights.
- Lannistown, though not overtly poor, houses most of the city's goldsmiths and silversmiths, those of professions necessary to keep the city alive.
- The Golden Arch is a home to all things full of splendor, and is where the Lion's Hold, and subsuquently, Lorelei Lannister and her kin live.
- Sunfield and Seafield are the poorest parts of the city, to the north, where most of the harbor is. Petty merchants squabble here, and the poor of the city run amok.
There are a large amount of warrens and hidden tunnels underneath Lannisport.
Map and Legends
Can be seen here.
Important Landmarks
The Lion's Hold
At the heart of the city is the Lion's Hold, a testament to Lannister pride and ambition. Built in the year 84 AC by Lymon the Landowner, the Lion's Hold is the seat of House Lannister of Casterly Rock, and the first of it's kind. It is a manse that has been built upon by the following generations of House Lannister of Lannisport until it reached completion in the year 176 AC under the rule of Lord Leon the Just.
The Lion's Hold is a beauty unlike any other. Matching Casterly Rock in both passion and ambition, it's halls are decorated with gilded lions, silver arches and long walkways adorned with tapestries and great braziers. Half a dozen gardens litter the interior of the Lion's Hold, which is surrounded by two layers of ten-feet spiked gates implanted in heavy stone.
The Great Hall is perhaps the most beautiful part of the Lion's Hold, where the Lannisters of Lannisport hold court. Heavy arched windows, marble pillars, and a dome ceiling shine upon a seat bedecked with jewels and gold, where the Lords and Ladies of Lannisport pass judgement.
The Academy of Art and Literature
The Academy of Art and Literature, more commonly known simply as, The Academy, is an academic institute in Lannisport centered on the education of individuals on matters of art, literature, and craftsmanship. Originally founded in 174 AC, the Academy has had two Headmasters: Celia and Cynthea Lannett.
The Academy is the host of several plays and hosts teachers of various backgrounds. There have been seven productions in total, with an eighth unreleased. Anyone is allowed in the Academy, even commoners, but the admissions is stricter the lower in society one ranks. Above all, the attendants of the Academy are expected to devote themselves to their craft, and may ‘graduate’ after a certain period of time, or when seems fit.
Many join the Academy for hope of a new life, others in advancing their craft. There are nine total classes in the Academy taught daily, those being:
The Words Of House Lannister
- Art, of which has several subsections,
- Poetry
- Sculpting, Inscription, and Craftsmanship
- Relief
- Dance and Choreography
- Singing
- Writing
- Language
- Production and Management
Though each class has its own teacher, some have several, with certain classes being taught less frequently than others. Art, for example, has twelve teachers, each of whom specializes in a different sort of art, whilst Production and Management is primarily taught by Celia Lannett and her attendants.
Admittance into the Academy can cost up to several gold dragons, or as low as several-hundred silvers, depending on which course you intend to take, and how long you intend to remain in the Academy. Seeking a career within the Academy itself is not unknown, and several stage actors have remained within the Academy for some time.
The Golden Gallery
Named for the hall in Casterly Rock dedicated to Lannister heroes, the Golden Gallery of Lannisport serves as a grand testament to craftsmanship, poetry, literature and art, where legendary men and women from the city are able to compete to have their art put on display, immortalised for the coming generations. Completed in 99 AC, the Golden Gallery is less than a tenth full.
The Old Sept
Regarded as one of the oldest Septs in Lannisport, it is a small haven inside Seafield where Smallfolk are said to worship.
Sept of The Faithful
A more grand Sept established before Aegon's Conquest. Reportedly rivalling the Starry Sept for size and grandeur, House Lannister has poured funds into it over the years, and the Lady Lorelei has even made pieces dedicated to the Faith among the walls inside.
Silver Arches
The Silver Arches accompany the Heights, a series of bridges overlooking The Arched Way where a cliff face suddenly begins.
Arched Way
The Arched Way is a street overlooked by dozens of bridges, each gilded in silver.
The Labyrinths
A series of warrens and pathways underneath Lannisport. Lorelei has employed them many a time in her manipulation and corruption of Lannisport. There are only a few people who know of their existence, and even fewer who dare wander their terrifying, dark halls..
LORELEI LANNISTER is the first daughter of Lord Leon Lannister and his wife, Lelia Lannister. She is the Lady of Lannisport, and the first female to hold that position in almost twelve generations. She styles herself The Lady of the Bells, and the Mistress of the Golden Gallery. Married to Lyonel Yronwood, the couple have two children, Johanna, born in 194, and Valeran, in 196.
Lorelei is a veteran painter and sculptor, though she has found little time for it recently. Significant pieces of art include, The Marriage, The Table, and Dancing Flames.
Like the rest of her sisters, Lorelei is proud, fiersome, and incredibly loyal to her family legacy. Having grown into her years, Lorelei is stout, and thick of waist, caring little and less for her outward appearance as more and more days grow to be consumed by an increasing desire to create art, leaving the handling of the city largely to her two children and her husband, Lyonel.
JOHANNA LANNISTER is the daughter of Lorelei Lannister, born in 194 AC. A powerful youth, and a wanting teen, Johanna has inherited all of Lorelei’s pride and more. Fiercely loyal to the idea of a better Lannisport, Johanna does not want to leave the city, save for any major events that might happen.
Johanna has rich chestnut hair, that she cultivates in long curls that fall all the way to her waist. She has wide, cat-like eyes, the color of sea blue, and full pink lips. Her sharp features define her every movement, and a melodic voice rings like the bells of the Seven. Despite this, Johanna is not tall, standing just taller than her mother -- 5'5'
Johanna is a speaker more than an artist; an orator and an entertainer. She keeps a lively court, where her mothers had grown sour and full of lechers; she studies culture, and keeps to her letters. She has spent three years on and off in the Academy of Art and literature, praying that - maybe one day - she might succeed the current Head of the Academy, though holding no hopes towards it.
She considers Lannisport her own city, despite being threefold away from any chance at succession.
VALERAN LANNISTER is the youngest child and sole heir of Lannisport, born in 196 AC. A strapping young lad, with a slender frame and build, he is the favorite of his father, but not his mother. While Lorelei spends most of her time doting on Johanna, Valeran is most with his father.
Valeran takes after his mother, with smooth blonde hair and a mindful personality, despite his dark tendencies. Valeran, like his mother, is a patron of the arts, and has gone to whoring on occasion. Despite that, Valeran is resolute - and sometimes fanatical - in his beliefs.
Lannister Family Game Of Thrones
AMELIA LANNISTER is the second eldest child of Lord Leon, though she does not show it. She is the eldest sister of Lady Lorelei. Though theirs was a rivalry, Lorelei and Amelia have come to love each other. For a time, Amelia had styled herself the rightful Lady of Lannisport.
No more. Amelia has become a recluse, depressed and hateful. She has taken to the companionship of one Laryssa Lantell, and has started her healing by bonding with their children.
For her, there’s nothing in the world so simple as that, and all she desires is a calm life, far away from the struggles of House Lannister, Lannisport, and Casterly Rock.
It’s just not worth it to her anymore.
MARISSA LANNISTER
Ten years ago, one might not have known that Marissa Lannister would become a woman of welcomed and high renown in Lannisport. A woman whose actions define her personality, Marissa was once an artist, before moving into the industry of fashion.
Taking the reins of Golden Silks after her sister became too busy to manage the business, Marissa has managed to acquire quite the following, and does not lack for suitors of any kind.
She is the lover of Elan Lannett, and manages Golden Silks alongside Marcella Lannett, Celia’s youngest daughter.
The Houses of Lannisport, all agree, are Houses not without a significant amount of prestige. House Lannister of the Lion's Hold, along with Houses such as Lannett, Lantell, Lanny, and others, can all trace their heritage back to the Lannisters of the Rock. Though their influence varies, the riches of Lannisport have allowed the cadet branches of House Lannister to thrive in otherwise hostile conditions. House Lannett is second only after House Lannister, merchants and playwrights and administrators, strong craftsmen and women. House Lantell comes after, serving in most part as the military branch of Lannisport, with sons oft serving in the City Watch, their daughters good seamsters and poets. House Lanny is known only for their merchant prowess, distinguishing themselves high among the echelons of the Guild Hall. Each House has their own manse they live in, each with varying names.
It is not uncommon for these houses to marry into one another. Despite that, the rich hair of House Lannister has been muddled, and many scions of these Houses no longer bear any resemblance to their kin in the Rock.
House Lannett
- Head of House: Celia Lannett (b. 153 AC) Headmistress of the Academy of Art and Literature
- Current Heir: Hyle Lannett (b. 173 AC)
- Holding(s): The Academy of Art and Literature, The Three Gardens
- Scions of Import:
- Madeline Lannett (b. 195 AC) An artist and seamstress at Golden Silks
- Marcella Lannett (b. 174 AC) Marissa Lannister's named successor to Golden Silks
- Rosamund Lannett (b. 175 AC) Known for her boisterous attitude
- Lancel Lannett, (b. 177 AC) Lieutenant of the Ocean Gate
House Lantell
- Head of House: Harrold Lantell (b. 184 AC) Captain of the Golden Arch
- Current Heir: Rhaegar Lantell (b. 186) A Cousin of Ser Harrold
- Holding(s): Ironfold
- Scions of Import:
- Cerenna Lantell (b. 174 AC) Mistress of Osmund Serry
- Laryssa Lantell (b. 175 AC) Wife of Ser Garth Pearsacre
House Lanny
- Head of House: Robert Lanny (b. 187 AC)
- Current Heir: Celene Lanny (b. 206 AC)
- Holding(s): Lannshold
- Scions of Import:
- Celene Lanny Heir to the Lannshold
Anya Lannister, d. 205 AC, of the Great Spring Sickness
Edit History:
11/24/18 - Changed descriptions of Lorelei, Johanna, and Valeran
12/13/18 - Added descriptions for the Academy of Art and Literature
12/15/18 - Changed Johanna's picture, added one for Lorelei
12/26/18 - Added The Houses of Lannisport, revised formatting, removed dead links
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/ASongOfIceAndFireHouseLannister
Go To
This is a listing of members of House Lannister that appear in A Song of Ice and Fire.
For the main character index, see here
For the main Westerlands entry, see here
'Hear me Roar'
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The richest house in Westeros. They control the Westerlands, with its hills and rich gold mines, and claim to descend from Lann the Clever, who is said to have stolen sunlight for his hair and winkled Casterly Rock from House Casterly using only his wits. They are of First Men origin through the female line, though they follow neither the Old Gods nor the customs of the heritage anymore since Andal adventurers married into the family hundreds of years ago. The Lannisters are powerful and controlling, and completely merciless to those they view as weak. They are effectively the royal house and become the nemesis of the Starks early on. They have notable similarities to the historical Borgia dynasty, as well as drawing some inspiration from various members of the Wars of the Roses. They have a second, unofficial motto — 'A Lannister always pays his debts' — which is an invitation to Good Samaritans and a warning to Bad ones. Their members are beautiful, with Green Eyes and blonde hair, and their sigil is a golden lion on a red field.
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Given that Robert's children are really the bastards of Jaime and Cersei, the Lannisters are the de-facto rulers of the Seven Kingdoms.
Click here for the House Lannister Ancestors page.
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- The Alcoholic: They seem to have a genetic predisposition, with both Tyrion and Cersei being high-functioning alcoholics. Joffrey was starting to get there as well.
- Ambition Is Evil: Under Tywin's leadership, the Lannisters are determined to win the game of thrones and rise to the top of their own empire, by any means necessary. They have gained control of Westeros as a result of their pragmatism and ruthlessness, in addition to an infamously villainous reputation.
- Ancestral Weapon: A Valyrian greatsword named Brightroar, which has since been lost when an ancient king went on a voyage and never returned. It's noted that the Lannisters have tried to buy replacements for decades. Gerion Lannister went missing on a search for it.
- They now have two Valryian swords: Widow's Wail and Oathkeeper, made from Ned Stark's melted down greatsword Ice
- Animal Motifs: Lions.
- Badass Family: Despite their glaring flaws, everyone from Tywin's line is this to a degree. The same can be said of his siblings. His dad? Not so much.
- Battle of Wits: Almost the whole family is all over this trope like a rash, both when it comes to playing the game of thrones.. and just being a bunch of snarky, trolling wise-crackers. It is even said to go as far back as their purported founder, the legendary trickster-figure, Lannthe Clever. They do manage to provide a lot of the snark for the whole series, each in their own, unique ways and to varying degrees. It's practically a family curse, as it meansthey aren't as effective as they could be when using those wits against others as a team. However, many funny, manipulative and analytic crowning moments are the trade-off to constantly sharpening your claws on each other.
- Also comes with the flip-side to knowing you have wits to battle with: Too Clever by Half, You Talk Too Much, the Villain Ball, and attacks of Smug Snake Syndrome are enduring traits that crop up whenever a Lannister relies rather too much on being the most cunning person in the room. In both the best and worst of them.
- The Beautiful Elite: Most Lannisters, though not all, are described as attractive.
- Beauty Is Bad: As a general rule, the prettier a Lannister is, the nastier they are. Kevan is described as unattractive, but he's much less cruel and more reasonable than his older brother. The increasing compassion of Jaime is juxtaposed with his increasing scruffiness. Cersei, who is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful noblewomen in Westeros, is cruel, treacherous, and occasionally murderous, while her tall, handsome son Joffrey is a horrific psychopath. His brother Tommen is plump but a Cheerful Child. Tyrion, who is actually deformed and considered horrifying due to his dwarfism, is the noblest member of his family and has remained as such. Myrcella subverts this at first, as she takes after Cersei but is kind and gentle, but later gets her face disfigured by a scar.
- Big Fancy CastleandElaborate Underground Base: Their ancestral castle, Casterly Rock, is less a castle and more a medieval Mt. Cheyenne.
- Big, Screwed-Up Family: Neither Tywin nor his descendants would be called well-adjusted, apart from Myrcella and Tommen.
- Lannisters who are not in Tywin's line are more down-to-earth and affable.
- Blue Blood: Former Kings of the Westerlands.
- Boring, but Practical: The Lannisters don't have warging powers like the Stark children, or dragons like the Targaryens, or even the power of a god like the Lord of Light. What the Lannisters do have, however, is gold. Gold that they parlay into tremendous military and political power to support their family legacy. Indeed, the Lannisters tend be serious skeptics about all things magical and are not easily intimidated by news of dragons rising in the east.
- Brutal Honesty: When any given Lannister wants to hit you with a hard and/or uncomfortable truth, they tend to swing for the bleachers.
- The Clan: While Tywin's line is the one that gets the most attention, there are, in fact, several branches of the Lannister family. Not to mention many very closely-related, lesser houses. If somebody's from the Westerlands, are blond-, strawberry- or golden-headed with green, blue or hazel eyes and have 'Lan' in their surname somewhere, you're very likely looking at a twig from somewhere on the wider Lannister mangrove thicket.
- Les Collaborateurs: Twice, against the Andals then the Targaryens. When they couldn't beat them, they joined them.
- Color-Coded Characters: Most Lannisters have blonde hair and green eyes; also, most of them favor dressing in Lannisters' red and gold.
- Color Motif: The colors on their house sigil are red and gold, representing their intense ambition, military power, and wealth.
- Corrupt Bureaucrat: They'll use anything to get what they want. However low and dirty it can get. And, bribery? Is this Family's go-to, first resort across the board. If that won't work, they bring out the appeals to nepotism and/or authority, blackmail, and threats. Or worse.
- Divided We Fall: Despite coming out on top in the War of the Five Kings, the frictions within Tywin Lannister's family are gradually destroying everything he achieved.
- Egopolis: The Westerlands' biggest city, Lannisport, is named after the Lannisters.
- Fiction 500: They're the wealthiest of the great houses of Westeros. This is owed to gold mining and money lending, especially to the Crown itself, and trade with Essos.
- When Tywin Lannister drowned the Reynes in the silver mines of Castamere, he never reopened either their keep or their mines to exploit. The Reynes were one of the most powerful vassal houses of Westeros, which shows just how much wealth the Lannisters have being willing to forego the silver of the Reynes.
- Foreshadowing: Maester Yandel argues that the Valyrians considered trading with the Rock for gold and resources, but that prophecy drove them away; the prophecy stated that the gold from the Rock would bring them to ruin, turning them away from Westeros altogether. Centuries, or even millennia later, the last Valyrian king of Westeros Aerys Targaryen 'The Mad' saw the destruction of his house and his own death for relying on the Lannisters of the Rock when he shouldn't have.
- In addition, some fan theories speculate that this prophecy is also related to the Doom of Valyria, since the Lannisters used gold from Casterly Rock to purchase their sword Brightroar from the Valyrians. For extra irony, a spinoff theory has the Targaryens be the ones who accepted the payment and made the sword.
- Fun with Homophones: The Lannisters' song and go-to implied threat, The Rains of Castamere, is about the destruction of House Reyne of Castamere.
- Gang of Hats: At first it's played straight, with all the Lannisters bar Tyrion portrayed as greedy, vain, and corrupt snobs — Tywin, Jaime, Joffrey, Cersei and to a lesser extent Lancel all fitting under this category. However, as the story goes on, we get to know Lannisters with vastly different personalities, ranging from the naïve and well-meaning (Tytos and Tommen), innocent (Willem, Tyrek, and Myrcella), and incompetent (Stafford) to the reasonable (Kevan, Genna, and Tygett), kind (Gerion), heroic (Daven, and post-character development Jaime), and devout (Lancel).
- Generation Xerox: Looked at with Tywin's children. Cersei considers herself a female version of Tywin, but Jaime finds her too mercurial to match their father and so considers himself to be the most like Tywin. When he tells his aunt Genna this, however, she claims he shares a lot of traits with his uncles, but Tyrion is closest to Tywin in terms of personality and political savvy (not like Tywin would ever admit it, just ask Genna when she said that exact thing. Tywin didn't speak to her for six months).
- Greed: Wealth, power, respect, fear, love. They want it all.
- Heroic Lineage: From Lann the Clever.
- Incest Is Relative: Jaime and Cersei. For some, Tywin and his cousin Joanna.
- It's All About Me: The Lannisters prioritize their own interests above those of other people, including each other. This often leads to conflict from inside the family and outside.
- Keystone Army: After Tywin's death and Tyrion's escape, the Lannisters start going down like a house of cards. With both their patriarch and their best mastermind gone, Cersei puts herself in charge and starts royally screwing things up, making a series of terrible decisions that ends with her being stripped and disgraced in front of the entire city of King's Landing. When Kevan seizes control afterwards, planning to raise his grand-nephew Tommen to be a proper king, it looks like things might be salvaged after all..only for Varys to put a crossbow bolt through his chest.
- Kingmaker Scenario: They sided against the Mad King in a blatant power play. Jaime had nothing to do with it, but nobody believes him.
- Meaningful Name:
- The main branch is House Lannister of Casterly Rock, after the House of Lancaster of the War of the Roses.
- Also on the vein of real world monarchies, they are also reminiscent of the Kings of Castile in Spain, which are historically among the most powerful and influential monarchies in the world.
- 'Lannister' is also quite close to the Latin word for executioner, lanista. Given the reputation and temperament of many of their vassals and the means they often employ..
- Metallic Motifs: Gold — they're very proud and ambitious. Justified, since their ancestral seat is built over a gold mine, so they grew very rich as a result.
- Not So Different: Let’s see, basically the ruling family in Westeros, extremely high opinions of themselves, living off past glories of the more competent members of the house who are already deceased, an absolutely remarkable ability to make very powerful enemies and distancing allies, an inability to see past their own egos, and a penchant for incest? House Targaryen says hi.
- Old Money: All the Great Houses count, but the Lannisters take it Up to Eleven, controlling the richest gold mines in Westeros and known for their wealth since Lann the Clever swindled their ancestral castle from House Casterly.
- People of Hair Color: Blond.
- Pride: Lannisters think they are better than everyone. The most incompetent Lannister is put in higher regard than a stranger.
- Pyrrhic Victory: House Lannister may still be winning the war as of the end of A Dance With Dragons, but it's clear that the foundation of their victory is crumbling. Tyrion is exiled, Jaime is maimed and disillusioned and seemingly being led into a trap, Cersei is discredited, and Kevan and Tywin are dead; Lancel has sworn himself to the Faith Militant, Tyrek has disappeared, Daven has been named Warden of the West, removing him from crown-related matters, and Genna is tied to the Freys; for all intents and purposes, the only Lannister still standing in somewhat stable ground is Martyn (son of Kevan) and he's just a kid. Also, the war against Robb Stark cost them much of their military strength, and the Lannisters' allies are either unreliable, alienated, or incompetent. Lady Barbrey Dustin refers to the Lannisters as a spent force.Jaime: I've lost a hand, a father, a son, a sister, and a lover, and soon enough I will lose a brother. And yet they keep telling me House Lannister has won this war.
- Realpolitik: Many of them play hard ball when it comes to political maneuvering. Pragmatism usually trumps over such things as ethical concerns or immediate personal feelings — unless they can rationalize it to themselves as something pragmatic, of course. Heck, Tywin can even contemplate burying the hatchet with the Martells and cozying up to the Tyrells in a bid to have fewer headaches to deal with. However, they tend to weight towards the MachiavelliWasRight school of thought — minus the 'and be loved' bit. Fear, terror, and respect are where it's all at for practically all of them. Even the nicer ones.
- The Remnant: The original line of Lannisters descended from the First Men died out thousands of years ago and now only exists in the female line.
- Retcon: The first book explains that the Lannisters are of Andal descent but the expanded back story reveals an Andal married into the family and took the name when his father-in-law died.
- Rich Bastard: Though their territory isn't the largest, they control the gold mines that easily make them the richest family.Tyrion — 'Rich as a Lannister'. That is what they say.
- Rising Empire: After the fall of House Targaryen and the unstable reign of House Baratheon, the Lannisters seize control of the Seven Kingdoms. Tywin, Cersei, and Joffrey are dead-set on making this happen, dragging the rest of the family along with them.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: After Tywin's mass slaughter of the Reynes and Tarbecks, House Lannister's ruthless, almost indiscriminate sense of vengeance is well-known and feared throughout the realm. It's half the reason why they are so famous for paying their debts.
- The Scapegoat: The Lannisters had nothing to do with Jon Arynn's death but few believe that, especially since they're the ones who have seemingly benefited the most from his death.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Jaime and Tyrion get by on Tywin's and Cersei's reputation.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Aside from having married into the royal family, the Lannisters have also loaned huge amounts of money to the crown. That naturally gives them more power than most houses.
- Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: Tyrion, Jaime, Cersei, and even Kevan know Cersei's children have no real claim to the throne but still work actively to keep them in power.
- Single Line of Descent: The Lannisport Lannisters were set apart precisely to achieve a single line of descent to inherit Casterly Rock, so they have little to no claim on it unless they marry with the main line.
- True to form, there's a lot more sense to this side-lining than meets the eye. Sure, it limits competing claims; but, they're also insurance. Things like the Great Spring Sickness and overextention in plots happen, so having distant, possible, 'in case of emergency, only', clearly-related, secondary 'heirs' to fall back onto is good.
- The Starscream: They've been biding their time to once again become the most powerful family in Westeros ever since they lost in the Targaryen conquest.
- The Reynes and Tarbecks were this to them.
- Stealth Pun: Since they're a family of lions, the Lannisters could be called a pride.
- Tangled Family Tree: The Lannisport Lannisters were created to simplify the convoluted inheritance chain of House Lannister. However, they have dozens of offshoots of their own, various petty nobles with last names starting with 'Lan': Lannys, Lantells, Lansters, etc. are found in abundance in Lannisport.
- Theme Naming: Lots of male names beginning with 'Ty-' or 'Ti-'; the male names usually consist of two syllables ending on either 'l' or 'n'. Most of them are nicknamed either 'The Lion' or 'The Golden'
- Names starting in 'J' or 'L' are incredibly common as well. To name a few: Jaime, Janei, Joanna, Joy, Jason; Lancel, Loreon, Lucion, Lyman, Lelia.
- Token Evil Teammate: For Robert Baratheon's reign. They joined his rebellion late in the game and sacked King's Landing on his behalf. Later, they become important fixtures in Robert's court, but Robert's other allies, namely the Starks and Arryns, were wary of them.
- The Unfettered: They tend to be remarkably ruthless in playing the Game of Thrones.
- Villain Protagonist: Jaime starts as pretty villainous and we occasionally get to journey along with him. Tyrion might be the White Sheep of the family, but he's still working for the good of House Lannister most of the time, which is hardly good for most of the realm — but, his point of view is usually quite sympathetic. And, Cersei.. yeah, well. We get a lot of her story, some of it from her point of view, even. And, she'd be downright insulted to be considered a compassionate white hat.
- Villains Never Lie: While they are well-known for their deceitful ways, the main Lannister family often actually uses the truth about their enemies as weapons against them, especially Tyrion. Others may occasionally tend towards various levels of Half Truth. Yet, most of them go for Honesty Is the Best Policy: after all, (brutal) honesty and truth can be verified, as well as come across as a show of Refuge in Audacity at the same time.
- Virtue Is Weakness: Lannister values state that 'honor' is an arbitrary set of laws that produces weakness to be exploited in others.
Tywin's family
Lady Joanna Lannister
Lady Joanna Lannister
Daughter of Jason Lannister and his second wife Marla Prester. Was Tywin's cousin and wife and mother of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion. Died giving birth to her son Tyrion.
- All There in the Manual: Certain details about her are only found in The World of Ice And Fire.
- The Consigliere: She was Tywin's chief and most trusted advisor.
- Cynicism Catalyst: She was one of only two people Tywin ever smiled at (the other being his daughter Cersei) and it's noted that he was never the same after her death.
- Death by Childbirth: She died giving birth to Tyrion, something Tywin absolutely loathes him for.
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: Averted. While she sounds better than Tywin in every way, Jaime and Cersei are both quite messed up despite being old enough to remember her. In fact, Jaime and Cersei were both bitter at their mother for putting them in separate rooms after she caught them at their 'experiment.' Tyrion never really met her since she died delivering him, and thus doesn't reminisce about her at all.
- Disposable Woman: Is basically just a plot device with a uterus, existing solely to give birth and so that Tywin and Cersei have a reason to hate Tyrion.
- Dream Sequence: Jaime has a nightmare wherein he encounters his mother (implied to be her actual ghost) who laments the terrible state of her family after Tywin's death.
- Everyone Went to School Together: Spent some portion of her life at court in the company of Rhaella and Aerys Targaryen, the Princess of Dorne (mother of Doran, Elia, and Oberyn), and most likely others.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With the Princess of Dorne when they were the ladies-in-waiting of Princess Rhaella.
- The High Queen: Although not a queen (a powerful lady instead), she otherwise seemed to have fit the trope.
- Lady-in-Waiting: She served as one of Queen Rhaella's ladies for several years, although she was dismissed shortly after her wedding to Tywin, possibly because of the 'liberties' Aerys took with her during the bedding ceremony. That, or there is some truth in the rumours about her under the The Mistress entry below.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again: She had discovered Cersei and Jaime's 'experiments' as children, and separated them in rooms on different ends of Casterly Rock. She told both of them never to do that again. She also never told Tywin about this.
- The Lost Lenore: To Tywin, as per his brother Kevan and sister Genna.
- Kick the Dog: She was the 'dog' once. When she went to King's Landing to attend the anniversary tourney held to celebrate Aerys' tenth year on the throne, Aerys insulted Joanna by asking her if giving suck had ruined her breasts. Tywin, who was also present, was angered and tried to resign as Hand of the King the next day, but Aerys refused.
- Kissing Cousins: She was Tywin's first cousin.
- Missing Mom: Became this upon her death. In-universe (and out), some would wonder What Could Have Been if she had lived to have a say in her children's upbringing.
- The Mistress: There are rumours about Joanna having given her maidenhead to Prince Aerys the night of Jaehaerys's coronation, and having reigned shortly as Aerys's paramour after he ascended the throne himself. Grand Maester Pycelle insists these are only rumors, not truths. Then again, since this is Pycelle we're talking about..
- It should also be noted that Joanna and Tywin were wedded a year after Aerys was crowned (and Tywin appointed Hand of the King).
- Morality Chain: To Tywin. As noted by many characters, he became more ruthless after her death. The best part of Tywin died with her.
- Plot-Triggering Death: The Lannisters are the way they are in great part because Joanna died.
- Posthumous Character: Long dead by the time the series begins.
- Silk Hiding Steel: Was implied to be this. It's mentioned that Tywin ruled the Seven Kingdoms as Aerys's Hand, but was ruled at home by his lady wife.
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Queen Cersei Lannister*
Ser Jaime Lannister*
Tyrion Lannister*
Kevan's Family
Ser Kevan Lannister*
Ser Kevan Lannister, Regent and Protector of the Realm
'When a dog goes bad, the fault lies with its master.'
Second child of Tytos Lannister and Jeyne Marbrand. Married to Dorna Swyft, with whom he had four children (Lancel, twins Willem and Martyn, and Janei). Tywin's younger brother and right-hand man for many years, Kevan has, by choice, mostly lived his life in Tywin's shadow. He is known to be stolid and reliable, as opposed to coming across as particularly villainous, and in later books is revealed to be a pretty decent man. At the start of the series, he and Tywin are the only two remaining sons of Tytos Lannister, their younger brothers Tygett and Gerion both having predeceased them. They also have a sister, Genna, who married Emmon Frey, second son of Lord Walder.
- Adult Fear: His son Willem is taken hostage and eventually murdered, which shakes him to the core.
- Alas, Poor Villain: His POV chapter make him more sympathetic and show him trying to hold the realm together. Then Varys cruelly kills him and throws the fact that he's dying and dragging the realm down with him in his face.
- Almighty Janitor: As a mere household knight, Kevan is lesser than a landed knight or a minor lord. As Tywin's dragon, however, he's one of the most powerful and influential men on the continent. And even on his own, years of service to a generous and rich brother has made him both very wealthy and given him the sort of connections that would let him be a serious thorn in anyone's side, if he felt like it.
- Big Brother Worship: No one in the entire series saw as much good in Tywin as Kevan.Tyrion:(dumbfounded) ..You love him.
Kevan: He is my brother. - Brutal Honesty: When it suits him. He outright tells Cersei she's a terrible ruler and an even worse mother, and he doesn't sugarcoat his conversations with Jaime, either. His POV shows him struggling to hide this trait while sitting in council with Mace Tyrell and Randyll Tarly, lest he piss either of them off.
- Cool Uncle: Seems to have a very good relationship with Tyrion. For example, kissing him on the cheeks and complimenting how bravely he fought at the Battle of the Blackwater.
- The Con Within A Con: Varys kills him with a crossbow partly to make it seem like Tyrion killed him like he did with Tywin, and making it seem like the fugitive dwarf is still at Westeros when he's actually half a world away.
- The Creon: Tyrion observes that he's too humble to ever take power of his own volition and is quite happy to do his brother's bidding. He realized early on he was a follower and could never match Tywin's leadership ability, but when he does get power thrust onto him and can't refuse it, he turns out to be quite competent in his own right.
- The Dragon: To Tywin, for most of his life. He's very comfortable in the role.
- Dragon Ascendant: After Tywin's death and Cersei's later disgrace he's made Lord Regent by Pycelle and Ser Harys Swyft.
- Dragon-in-Chief: As Regent to Tommen.
- The Easy Way or the Hard Way: When Cersei defies his wish for her to return to Casterly Rock (mainly to keep her from being a bad influence on Tommen), Kevan notes quite openly that despite not being a proper Lord, should she refuse him he's wealthy enough and has enough men loyal to him that he could make things very difficult for her if he so chose.
- Foil: He represents everything that Cersei doesn't respect and doesn't have. Common sense, loyalty, reliability, prudence, the actual ability to rule, kindness, humility and understanding how power actually works.
- The Good Chancellor: When he takes over the Regency from Cersei, he immediately starts making progress towards fixing the mess she created. This does not end well for him.
- Happily Married: He adores his wife. The only reason why the reader never encounters Dorna is not because Kevan has shut her away, but because he believes that she would hate the Royal Court due to her quiet and sensitive nature, and so they've arranged for her to stay at home with their younger children. He has an incredibly valid point, since he died at court, and it's all to easy to picture a Stark-like situation happening had he brought his wife and kids.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Tywin.
- Heroic BSoD: He's utterly devastated to learn that his son Willem has died, to the point that he's actually unable to function for several weeks and Tywin has to turn to Tyrion for counsel until Kevan finishes grieving.
- Irony: Upon Tywin's assassination, Kevan is summoned by Grand Maester Pycelle to become Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm for the child king Tommen I. This is a higher position than Tywin had ever accomplished for all his years of trouble and ambition. However, this power lasts Kevan about five minutes before Varys fills him with crossbow bolts.
- Karmic Death: Kevan accepts Tywin's atrocities because he believes they are done for the good of the family/realm. Varys kills Kevan 'for the children'.
- Knighting: He was knighted by his mentor, Ser Roger Reyne, after showing his worth on the battlefield during the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
- A Match Made in Stockholm: The World of Ice & Fire reveals that this is how he met Dorna. Ser Harys Swyft could not pay back what he owed to House Lannister when Tywin sent Kevan to collect the debts of the Westerlands lords, so he had to give him Dorna as a hostage. Kevan and Dorna ended up falling in love and getting married.
- Mentor Archetype: To make amends with House Reyne due to the ire at Genna's betrothed to the Freys, Tytos sent Kevan to Castamere to become Roger Reyne's squire; Reyne eventually knighted Kevan during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, though they found themselves in opposite sides when the Reynes and the Tarbecks rebelled against House Lannister.
- My Master, Right or Wrong: For all his decency shown in later books, Kevan doesn't object to his brother's command to Rape, Pillage, and Burn the Riverlands. 'They will burn, my lord.'
- Nice Guy: One of the few in House Lannister. So obviously, he doesn't last long.
- Nice to the Waiter: Nice to everybody, actually. Including Tyrion and other 'undesirables'. He actually shows surprise and concern when Tyrion suddenly shows up when everyone thought he was still Catelyn Stark's prisoner, while Tywin reacted as if he had just seen Tyrion an hour before. His last such act is to tell a boy who brought him a message to take shelter from the cold.
- Noble Top Enforcer: Comes across as this when compared to the Mountain, Amory Lorch or Vargo Hoat, but he still goes along with Tywin's orders to Rape, Pillage, and Burn the Riverlands without question.
- Not So Above It All: To Cersei's surprise.
- What he sought on King's Landing was his deserved reward and he is right in challenge Cersei's capacity to rule. He had largely remained quiet due to Tywin's presence, but argued that his brother's intention had been always to send Cersei back to Casterly Rock. Cersei in response names Daven as Warden of the West just to spite him.
- He is certainly not happy when he finds out that Cersei slept with Lancel.
- Number Two: To Tywin, which is how he likes it.
- Only Sane Man: He's picked up most of Tywin's wisdom but is not as ruthless as his brother. He's also one of the first people to call Cersei on her idiocy, demanding she give up her regency for the good of the realm. In A Dance with DragonsVarys invokes this trope, killing him because he is the only man left who can keep the Lannister regime from collapsing.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Several members of the Lannister family note his cold demeanor in AFFC when he realises just how much Tywin's offspring (and his own son) have screwed everything up.
- Outliving One's Offspring: He is devastated after he learns of his son Willem's death at the hands of Rickard Karstark and his men.
- Punch-Clock Villain: He’s not a bad guy at heart, but he has a job to do, and if Tywin says jump, he jumps.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Kevan is a decent ruler and leader, who takes into account the problems of the realm and is more of a people person than his brother.
- The Reliable One: Tywin's best source of counsel.
- The Snark Knight: Cersei found this out the hard way. He pulled her up quite sharply and effectively on a number of her screw-ups, thanks. And, disabused her of the notion that he was blind to the whole incest thing quite backhandedly, if fairly politely.
- The Squire: In his youth, he squired for Lord Roger Reyne, the Red Lion of Castamere.
- That Wasn't a Request: Cersei tells him that it's his responsibility to the realm to take up Tywin's post as Hand, and Kevan, though tired of war and politicking says he will..but he'll also be Regent and send Cersei back to Casterly Rock.
- Token Good Teammate: Even more than Tyrion.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Kevan just wants peace for the realm and for House Lannister to remain stable. After Tywin dies, Kevan is shown to take less extreme action.
- Yes-Man: Subverted. Cersei thought he qualified because he followed his older brother, and believed she could easily push him around. To her surprise, it turned out that he followed Tywin because he thought Tywin was right most of the time, and was much more vocally critical towards Cersei. Averted in regards to Tyrion, like his sister Genna he fully understands that Tywin is wrong in his opinions of Tyrion and outright complimented him for his actions in the Battle of the Blackwater.
Dorna Lannister (neé Swyft)
'My lady wife mislikes travel. Lannisport is her place.'
The daughter of Ser Harys Swyft, wife of Kevan and mother of Lancel, Martyn, Willem, and Janei. By Kevan's description of her she's the incarnation of Acceptable Feminine Goals and Traits.
- A Match Made in Stockholm: The World of Ice & Fire reveals that is how Dorna met Kevan. Ser Harys Swyft could not pay back what he owed to House Lannister when Tywin sent Kevan to collect the debts of the Westerlands lords, so he had to give him Dorna as a hostage. Kevan and Dorna ended up falling in love and getting married.
- The Ghost: She never appears in the series because she stays at home and would be out of place in King's Landing.
- Innocent Flower Girl: Kevan mentions she loves flowers and that she would be miserable in the Deadly Decadent Court of King's Landing.
- Proper Lady: She's the ideal Westerosi wife.
- Widow Woman: She's not aware of it yet, but her husband Kevan has been murdered by Varys.
Lancel Lannister
Ser/Lord Lancel Lannister
Willem Lannister
Willem Lannister
Second son of Kevan Lannister and Dorna Swyft, and twin to Martyn. A squire in host commanded by Jaime Lannister.
- Arranged Marriage: Averted. Gawen Westerling tried to arrange a marriage between Willem — or Martyn — to Jeyne Westerling. Kevan refused because of Jeyne's mother lineage being nothing more than upjumped merchants.
- Child Soldier: As you'd expect from a Squire. And, most noble children. But.. especially a Lannister one (it's not like they get a lot of choice). Unfortunately, a high risk of death is part of the package.
- Revenge by Proxy: Rickard Karstark kills him in his cell after Catelyn releases the Kingslayer for being the only Lannister nearby.
- I Have Your Wife: Captured in the Whispering Wood and taken hostage to Riverrun along with his cousin Tion Frey.
- The Squire: The first step in becoming a proper knight. It gets him killed.
Martyn Lannister
Third son of Kevan Lannister and Dorna Swyft, and twin to Willem. A squire in host commanded by Stafford Lannister.
- Arranged Marriage: Averted. Gawen Westerling tried to arrange a marriage between Martyn — or Willem — to Jeyne Westerling. Kevan refused because of Jeyne's mother lineage being nothing more than upjumped merchants.
- The trope might end up being played straight with him, as after his brother Lancel left his wife to join the Warrior's Sons, there was talk of having Martyn marry her and become the new Lord of Darry.
- I Have Your Wife: Captured at the Battle of Oxcross.
- Prisoner Exchange: Released by Rolph Spicer at Golden Tooth in exchange for the liberation of Robett Glover at Duskendale.
- Unexpected Successor: After ADWD, he is one of the few Lannisters that remains who has both feet on the ground and a legitimate claim aside from his cousin-once-removed Daven. Problem is, he's just a kid.
Tygett's Family
Ser Tygett Lannister
Tyg
Fourth child of Tytos Lannister and Jeyne Marbrand. Was married to Darlessa Marbrand, with whom he had a son, Tyrek. He strived to escape his older brother's shadow by proving himself as a warrior, but never succeeded at surpassing him. Nevertheless, Tygett had a good relationship with his nephews Jaime and Tyrion. He died of a pox sometime before the events of the series.
- Always Someone Better: He lived his whole life in Tywin's shadow, but was never able to surpass him in any respect. Their sister Genna notes that this 'just made him angrier as the years went on.'
- Blood Knight: Gives off vibes of this, even though we've, obviously, never seen it in action. When people compare Jaime to him, this is usually the trope they are getting at.
- Child Soldier: He was only ten years old when he fought in his first battle during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, slaying four men during the war, including a knight of the Golden Company. A year later he was part of Tywin's campaign against the Reynes and Tarbecks.
- Cool Uncle: Tyrion has fond memories of Tygett, recalling that he was always nice to him.
- Knight In Sour Armor: Due to resenting living in Tywin's shadow.
- Master Swordsman: His sister, Genna, tells Jaime 'you fight like Tyg', Jaime being widely regarded as the greatest swordsman in the world.
- Passed-Over Promotion: Tywin recommended him as the new master-at-arms for the Red Keep, but King Aerys, at this point jealous of Tywin's success as Hand, ignored his suggestion and appointed Ser Willem Darry instead.
- Posthumous Character: Died several years before the series began.
- Sibling Rivalry: Again, with Tywin.
Tyrek Lannister
Wet Nurse
Only child of Tygett Lannister and Darlessa Marbrand, he serves as a squire to King Robert Baratheon alongside his cousin Lancel.
- Arranged Marriage: To Ermesande Hayford, who is only a baby but is the last member of House Hayford, which gives the Lannisters a claim to her houses lands. (No, there's no consummation, thank the gods. Though Tyrek does have to live with being called 'Wet Nurse.')
- In-Series Nickname: Other squires mock him as 'Wet Nurse' for his marriage to Ermesande Hayford.
- Never Found the Body: He was last seen during the riot in King's Landing, but unlike the other victims of the rioters, his body was never found, and the only trace of him was his riderless horse. Instantly Lady Ermesande became the woman who was widowed before she was weaned.
- Regal Ringlets: Has long golden curls in his hair.
- The Squire: The other Lannister cousin who serves as Robert's squire.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: In-Universe and out. The other characters comment several times about how odd it is that his body never turned up, since the other victims of the riot were left where they were killed. The gold cloaks spend two books searching for him, and Ser Addam Marbrand wonders if he might be being held hostage, but dismisses the idea when no demands are made. Jaime at first thinks Tyrek is dead, reasoning that when Tyrek's killers realised who he was, they probably dumped him in the river to keep anyone from finding out, but later ponders if Varys might have something to do with his disappearance, since he didn't accompany the royal party that day, never warned anyone about the possibility of the riot even though he would have surely heard something through his spies, and that it would be easy for him to have arranged a riot to snatch a Lannister for some unknown purpose. The Fandom is similarly stumped because one fate has means but no motive, the other motive but no means. The reveal that Varys is supporting the Golden Company might mean that he is planning to use Tyrek to help 'Aegon' gain control of Casterly Rock. Also Tyrek may be a witness to how Robert's bastards looked like him, but his 'children' don't, which would further discredit the Lannister regime.
Gerion's family
Gerion Lannister
Gerion Lannister by Sedeslav
Youngest child and fourth son of Tytos Lannister and Jeyne Marbrand. Had a bastard daughter, Joy Hill, by a woman named Briony. He rejected the game his brothers Kevan and Tygett played with comparing themselves to Tywin. Gerion was known for his laughter and daring attitude. Like his brothers Kevan and Tygett, he loved and appreciated the worth of his nephew Tyrion. He disappeared on a journey to the ruins of Valyria to recover the Lannister ancient Valyrian-steel sword Brightroar.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Likely served this role for Tywin.
- Black Sheep: Of the offspring of Lord Tytos. He was witty, yet he was neither politically savvy nor warlike.
- Cool Uncle: Tyrion and Jaime's favorite uncle.
- Foil: The kids' more adventurous, youngest uncle that disappeared but might as well be alive for all we know? Hello again, Benjen Stark!
- Generation Xerox: Of all his siblings, he appears to be the one who had most in common with their father, Tytos, being a generally kind and happy man, who was quick to laugh and had a gift for making others laugh.
- Never Found the Body: Well, not that looking on another continent with a blighted crater of doom would be at all easy..
- Nice Guy: He somewhat doted on Tyrion. One of his nephew's favorite memories of him is Gerion placing Tyrion on a table and asking him to recite the Wonders of the World, then honestly praising his intelligence.
- Parental Substitute: Judging from Tyrion's memory of his uncle, Gerion seems to have been more of a father to him than Tywin.
- Posthumous Character: Officially dead for a good decade and no one knows what happened to him after sailing to Valyria, though it's fair to point out that he did sail to a literal Hell on Earth and that is about as close to dead as anyone can measure in the world of ASOIAF.
- Plucky Comic Relief: He was this among his family. Impressive, given his eldest brother's extreme hatred of jokes and laughter. Genna says that he realized early that he didn't have the military acumen or ruthlessness of his brothers, and so chose to take things easier. His constant joking was part of it, as Genna says he thought it 'better to mock the game than play and lose.'
- The Smart Guy: Maybe a touch Too Clever by Half, too. He could have done with a touch more preparation (and, human psychology) when trying to pull a Walk into Mordor.
- Walk into Mordor: Attempted but failed.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: The last news of him while alive was of a desperate man trying to buy slaves in Volantis to replace half of his crew, who abandoned him when he prepared to sail through the Smoking Sea. Gerion was never heard from again.
Joy Hill
Gerion's bastard daughter, her mother being a woman named Briony. She's eleven years old.
- Arranged Marriage: Tywin arranges for her to marry a natural son of Lord Walder as part of their alliance in exchange for the betrayal of Robb Stark. However, Tywin also promised Joy to marry Ser Raynald Westerling as par of his deal with Sybell Spicer.
- That might actually be a misunderstanding. Spicer said that Tywin promised her son would have joy in his marriage and Jaime assumed she was referring to Joy Hill. Tywin is dead by then so is not available to clear things up.
- The Ghost: She is mentioned a few times, but hasn't been seen yet.
- Nice Girl: According to Jaime.
- Shrinking Violet: Due to her father's disappearance.
- The Unfavorite: Apparently she was the apple of her father's eye, but her uncle Tywin has a simmering dislike for her. Well, at least it's a few steps above the complete loathing he has for Tyrion. This is not for any deformity or any personal failing on her part, but because she is an acknowledged bastard in the most powerful and respected family in the Seven Kingdoms that, under Tywin, usually doesn't acknowledge any by-blows (but, her father did it, anyway). She is certainly sheltered, educated and cared for (because to do otherwise would also be shameful), but she is also never allowed to forget that she doesn't 'really' belong as part of her family; in a sense, her situation is very similar to that of Jon Snow's.
Genna's family
Stafford's Family
Ser Stafford Lannister
Ser Stafford Lannister
Uncle Dolt
Oldest son of Jason Lannister and Marla Prester. Brother of Joanna Lannister and uncle to Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion. Married Myranda Lefford, with whom he had a son, Daven, and two daughters, Cerenna and Myrielle. During the War of the Five Kings he was tasked with raising a third Lannister force at the village of Oxcross, near Lannisport.
- And Show It to You: After his death at Oxcross, rumours abound that Robb Stark had his heart cut out and fed it to his direwolf. Catelyn Stark dismisses the tale as Lannister propoganda.
- General Failure: His failure to set up sentries around his camp allowed his army to be taken completely unaware and get routed. This is apparently a running theme with him, as Jaime says that Cersei's nickname for Stafford was 'Uncle Dolt.'
- The Ghost: He is frequently mentioned, but dies before being seen.
- I Have Your Wife: He was the wife, one of three Lannister hostages that Lady Ellyn Tarbeck seized after Tywin imprisoned her husband for refusing to pay his debts to Casterly Rock. Tywin wanted to send Lord Walderan Tarbeck back to his wife in three pieces in retaliation, but his father Tytos, Stafford's uncle chose to negotiate an exchange.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: By Lord Rickard Karstark at the Battle of Oxcross while trying to reach his horse.
Ser Daven Lannister
Ser Daven Lannister, the Warden of the West
'You know the best thing about heroes, Jaime? They all die young and leave more women for the rest of us.'
Oldest child and only son of Stafford Lannister and his wife Myranda Lefford; cousin to Tywin, Kevan and Genna and cousin once removed to Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion. Much more competent than his father. He took command of his father's remaining forces and later laid siege to Riverrun. After Tywin Lannister's death, he is named Warden of the West.
- Arranged Marriage: To one of Walder Frey's daughters. He is rather annoyed, since Tywin set it up without even consulting him. He still plans to go ahead with the wedding, given that he doesn't want to end up like Robb Stark.
- Badass Beard: Has a huge beard that makes him look like a lion, which he swore not to shave until he avenged his father's death, but that was denied to him after Robb Stark executed Rickard Karstark for treason. He decided he liked it and kept it.
- Badass Cape: Wears a fox-fur cloak.
- Bling of War: Wears a suit of gilded ringmail.
- Boisterous Bruiser: Comes across like this when we meet him; he spends part of his time yelling and drinking.Daven: You a Piper, boy? You have a runty look to you.
Lewys: I'm Lewys Piper, if it please my lord.
Daven: I beat your brother bloody in a melee once. The runty little fool took offense when I asked him if that was his sister dancing naked on his shield.
Lewys: She's the sigil of our House. We don't have a sister.
Daven: More's the pity. Your sigil has nice teats. What sort of man hides behind a naked woman, though? Every time I thumped your brother's shield, I felt unchivalrous. - Brutal Honesty: Frequently insults his idiotic allies to their faces and actively wishes for the death of some of the Freys serving with him.
- Childhood Friend: With Jaime. Notable for their interactions being one of the only times the reader gets to see Jaime let his guard down completely and just be Jaime, not 'The Kingslayer' or 'The Lord Commander of The Kingsguard' or even a knight; just a guy.
- Deadpan Snarker: Like most Lannisters.
- Foil: To Robert Baratheon. An affable, boisterous man of a warrior that drinks a lot, swears a lot, doesn't care much for politics and is decidedly different from his family. Had Robert met him in his own glory days, they would have been drinking buddies. Other than that, Daven is actually loved by his family; the Baratheons didn't care much for each other.
- Hot-Blooded: Does have a rather fulsome character, yes.
- Large Ham: Should he start climbing mountains, you could nickname him 'Blond BRIAN BLESSED' quite easily.
- Like Father, Unlike Son: A proven battle commander unlike Dad.
- Misblamed: He finds out that his cousin Kevan is not happy at him for being named Warden of the West. Daven tells him he doesn't even want the job and if he had a say in the matter he would give it away. Kevan leaves, but remains cold towards Daven.
- The Reliable One: Up until Jaime's arrival, Daven was practically the highest authority on the Riverlands, though he acted mainly as the middleman between the Crown, the Freys and the Riverlords alongside Lady Genna. He's practically the whole reason they're all not killing each other, though the Freys are at an odds end when Jaime reveals that the POWs will be transported to King's Landing, leaving them with their asses on the air.
- Spiteful Spit: Does one when Jaime mentions Vargo Hoat and reveals that Hoat was the one who cut off his hand.
- Surrounded by Idiots: When besieging Riverrun, he has to contend with multiple incompetent Freys.
- Troll: He has a blast trolling Jaime's squires.. and, just loves baiting Freys. Nice to see the smart mouth is not just restricted to the main House.
- Unexpected Successor:
- Despite being a cousin far down the line of succession, Daven is appointed Warden of the West by Cersei after Tywin is killed. He thinks it should have gone to Kevan, but accepted the position out of duty. This becomes a moot point later when Kevan himself dies.
- Until Tyrion returns to Westeros (if he ever does so), Daven might have to assume the role of Lord of Casterly Rock too, because there's just no one else.
Household
Captain Vylarr
Vylarr is the captain of the Lannister guards stationed at King's Landing early on in the War of the Five Kings.- Aerith and Bob: Has a Valyrian name despite being from the Westerlands.
- Everyone Has Standards: He isn't executed by Edmure, implying he didn't assist Tyrion's sleeper agents in breaking Sacred Hospitality.
- Just Following Orders: His justification to Tyrion for leaving the heads of the Stark household on display- Joffrey told him to do it.
- Pet the Dog: Despite being Tywin's man through and through, he does show some concern for Tyrion's safety when he dismisses him and his guard.
- Punch-Clock Villain: Never seen doing anything particularly cruel or malicious outside of his orders.
- Spear Carrier: Mostly exists to give exposition to Tyrion about how Cersei's running the city.
- The Stoic: He remains unbeturbed by Tyrion's order to take all of his men to Riverrun. Even Tyrion's Implied Death Threat doesn't provoke much of a reaction from him.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: His subplot about rescuing Jaime ultimatley goes nowhere and ends in his capture; we never hear from him again. The appendix lists him as alive, however, and it mentions he's back in Casterly Rock by the start of A Feast For Crows, although the details of his release are never given.
- Undying Loyalty: To Tywin and Casterly Rock.
Red Lester
Lester is a guard sworn to House Lannister.- Nice Guy: Offers his condolences to Cersei over her father's death, and believes that Tyrion will Face Death with Dignity.
- Noble Male, Roguish Male: The Noble male to Lum's rogue.
- Recurring Extra: Has only two small scenes to his name. (Oddly enough, despite his insignificance, Cersei Lannister knows him by name)
- Villain Respect: Says Tyrion will go out bravely.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Lum.
Lum
Lum is a guard sworn to House Lannister.- The Ghost: Unlike Lester, who makes a fleeting appearance in A Feast For Crows, Lum is only ever heard by Tyrion.
- Jerkass: Constantly slags off Tyrion.
- Noble Male, Roguish Male: The rogue to Lester's noble.
- Kick the Son of a Bitch: Subverted. Tyrion thinks to himself that if he's discovered, he'll take at least one of the guards to hell with him- if he has the choice, Lum. Luckily for Lum, he never needs to.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Claims Tyrion will 'weep like a woman' when dragged to the executioner's block.
- Punch-Clock Villain: His most heinous act is shittalking Tyrion, who is- as far as he knows- a kinslayer and a murderer.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Lester.
Cadet Houses
House Lannister of Lannisport
Rosamund Lannister
A Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Myrcella Baratheon when the princess went to Dorne. A distant cousin to the main Lannister line, Rosamund is about two years older than the Princess.
- Bit Character: Aside from her name and presence, she's just there to function as a decoy. She has no spoken lines in the books.
- Distinguishing Mark: She has straight hair, unlike Myrcella.
- Doppelgänger: Chosen by Tyrion to accompany Myrcella to Dorne because they look very much alike in order to protect the princess.
- Identity Impersonator: Arianne Martell does try to pass off Rosamund as Myrcella in order to storm the princess away.
- Playing Sick: Arianne dresses her up like Myrcella and convinces everyone that she has redspots so that they keep away from her.
- Prince and Pauper: She has overtones of this, although she is not quite a pauper because belongs to the nobility; still, she is several berths below Myrcella.
- Princess Classic: Invoked and subverted. Myrcella argues that she and Rosamund have switched places numerous times in the past as a game; this implies that she knows how to dress and act like Myrcella in princess regalia, in spite of not being a princess herself.
- Princess for a Day: She has passed off as Myrcella numerous times.
- Regal Ringlets: Subverted. Her hair is straight, unlike Myrcella.
- Swapped Roles: This is the entire purpose of her presence at Dorne in order to protect the princess.
- Uncanny Family Resemblance: She can easily pass herself off as Myrcella. Given they are cousins on both sides of Myrcella's turned-on-itself family tree and that they are just about the same age, this is hardly surprising.
Index
Tywin Lannister | |
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A Song of Ice and Firecharacter Game of Thrones character | |
First appearance |
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Last appearance |
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Created by | George R. R. Martin |
Portrayed by | Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) |
Information | |
Alias |
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Gender | Male |
Title |
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Family | House Lannister |
Spouse | Joanna Lannister (also his cousin) |
Children | |
Relatives |
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Tywin Lannister is a fictional character in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American novelist George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones.[1]
Introduced in A Game of Thrones (1996) and subsequently appeared in A Clash of Kings (1998) and A Storm of Swords (2000), Tywin Lannister is the ruthless patriarch of House Lannister of Casterly Rock, and father to Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion Lannister. He is the Warden of the West and the Lord Paramount of Westerlands, the wealthiest region of the Seven Kingdoms, and was twice the Hand of the King, making him one of the most powerful political figures in Westerosi history. Tywin's cruelty towards his youngest son Tyrion, whom he has despised since the latter's childhood for being a dwarf, is a primary influence on Tyrion's character arc in both the novels and television show.
Tywin is portrayed by veteran English actor Charles Dance in the HBO television adaptation and has received acclaim from critics for his performance and characterization.[2][3][4][5]
- 2Storylines
- 3TV adaptation
Character description[edit]
Tywin Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West.
When Lannister bannermen the Reynes and Tarbecks eventually revolted against the Lannisters' rule, Tywin personally led the Lannister army in exterminating the rebellious vassals, placing the bodies of their entire families on display at Casterly Rock.[citation needed]Aerys II Targaryen appointed Tywin Hand of the King. The relationship between Aerys and Tywin grew bitter[citation needed] and he resigned as Hand after Aerys appointed Tywin's first son Jaime to the Kingsguard, directly denying him as Tywin's heir. Aerys increasingly engaged in behavior for which he was known as the Mad King.
Tywin eventually married his first cousin Joanna. When she died giving birth to their dwarf son Tyrion, it is said that 'the best part of Tywin died with her'. He never remarried. Tywin remarks to Tyrion that he is responsible for Joanna's death. When Tywin discovered that the young Tyrion had secretly eloped and married Tysha, a peasant's daughter, he had Tyrion's marriage forcefully annulled, telling him that the entire love affair was a plot by Jaime to get Tyrion to lose his virginity, his love being nothing more than a hired prostitute. Tywin then had his personal guards gang-rape Tysha in front of Tyrion and later forced Tyrion to rape her last.
During Robert Baratheon's rebellion, Tywin remained neutral until Robert had all but won the war. He then captured King's Landing through treachery and ordered the murder of the royal family before Ned could capture the city. The Mad King then ordered Jaime to kill his father. Instead, Jaime stuck his sword in his back betraying his vow to protect the king. Tywin's army sacked King's Landing. Following the war, Tywin returns to Casterly Rock to rule the Westerlands, and remains there until the beginning of the series.
Storylines[edit]
Coat of arms of House Lannister
Tywin Lannister is not a point of view character in the novels, so his actions are witnessed and interpreted mainly through the eyes of his estranged dwarf son Tyrion Lannister.[6]
A Game of Thrones[edit]
Tyrion is arrested by Catelyn Stark, who suspects him of attempting to assassinate her son Bran. Despite his contempt for Tyrion, Tywin views his kidnapping as a slight against his family and sends Gregor Clegane to raid Catelyn's homeland, the Riverlands. He raises a host of almost 40,000 men, half of whom are given to Jaime to besiege the Riverlands' capital Riverrun. Tywin's half of the force battle a Northern host led by Roose Bolton at the Battle of the Green Fork, but in the meantime Robb Stark's men rout Jaime's army and take him prisoner. Tywin is named Hand of the King by the new king, his grandson Joffrey Baratheon, but Tywin decides to remain in the Riverlands to continue the campaign against the Starks, sending Tyrion to King's Landing as acting Hand in his stead.
A Clash of Kings[edit]
Tywin retreats to Harrenhal, using it as a base for the war in the Riverlands. When Joffrey's uncle and rival claimant Renly Baratheon is killed and Joffrey's other uncle Stannis Baratheon besieges Storm's End, Tywin decides to use the distraction to march west in pursuit of Robb's army. Robb intends for Tywin's army to be gradually dismantled by the long march, but Robb's uncle Ser Edmure Tully, unaware of the plan, confronts Tywin's forces at the Battle of the Fords. Although Tywin suffers heavy losses, the delay in his march allows him to receive word that Stannis is now marching on King's Landing. Tywin quickly leads the army on King's Landing, joining forces with Renly's former bannermen House Tyrell along the way, and arrives at King's Landing in time to force Stannis to retreat. Joffrey subsequently declares Tywin the 'Savior of the City'.
A Storm of Swords[edit]
Tywin assumes his role as Hand of the King, demoting Tyrion to Master of Coin. He forces Tyrion to marry Sansa Stark, though his efforts to have Cersei wed to Willas Tyrell are rebuffed. Having learned that Robb has invalidated a marriage proposal to House Frey by marrying Jeyne Westerling, Tywin enters into communications with Lord Walder Frey and Roose Bolton (who has lost faith in Robb after Theon Greyjoy's capture of Robb's castle Winterfell). The three conspire to have Robb and his army slaughtered while camped at The Twins for Edmure Tully's wedding, and the War of Five Kings results in victory for House Lannister. However, Joffrey is poisoned soon after during his own wedding. Tyrion is accused of the murder, ultimately being found guilty and sentenced to death. Jaime and Varys release Tyrion from his cell, Jaime confessing that he felt compelled to do so for lying about Tysha, Tyrion's first wife, who had been wrongly stated by Tywin to be a prostitute and gang-raped by Tywin's guards. Enraged, Tyrion enters Tywin's quarters through a secret tunnel, only to find his former mistress Shae in Tywin's bed. He strangles her with the Hand's necklace, then confronts Tywin with a crossbow while he is on the privy, demanding to known what happened to Tysha. When Tywin repeatedly and scornfully dismisses Tysha as a 'whore,' Tyrion fatally shoots him with the crossbow.
A Feast for Crows[edit]
Tywin's corpse lies in state for seven days at the Great Sept of Baelor, before being returned to the Westerlands.
Family tree of House Lannister[edit]
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References and notes:
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TV adaptation[edit]
Charles Dance plays the role of Tywin Lannister in the television series.
Tywin Lannister is played by Charles Dance in the television adaption of the series of books.[7] Dance has received positive reviews for his role as Tywin in the TV series.[4]Clive James described his portrayal as 'not only the best role of its kind that Dance has ever had; it is the best role of its kind that anyone has ever had'.[5]
Season 1[edit]
After Tyrion Lannister's arrest by Catelyn Stark, Tywin sends Gregor Clegane to raid Catelyn's homeland, the Riverlands.
Later on, Jamie is seen in Tywin's camp reading a royal command issued by Eddard Stark on behalf of the crown summoning Tywin to appear before the court to answer for attack on Riverland by his bannerman Gregor Clegane.Tywin chastises Jamie for openly attacking Eddard Stark, when Jamie states he did so on hearing of Tyrion's arrest, Tywin further chastises him for leaving Eddard alive, this is because Tywin understand that Eddard enjoys King Roberts's favor and would now be openly hostile toward Lannister and will be a threat to the Lannister.He gives half of his men (30,000) to Jaime Lannister to besiege House Tully's ancestral home of Riverrun. Jamie is surprised that Tywin places such a high value for Tyrion, Tywin however state that he is doing so to protect his family's honor, as allowing other house to keep a member of Lannister family as prisoner would weaken their family's position.
Tywin is tricked by Robb Stark into taking him men at Trident where he believes Robb Stark intends to fight his army. Instead Robb Stark leads his force on Riverrun and defeats Jamie and his army of 30,000 men and captures Jaime alive.
When Joffrey Baratheon ascends as king, he executes the former Hand, Eddard Stark and names Tywin as his Hand. Tywin who currently has only half of his army is now engaged in multiple conflict from Rob in the North to Stannis & Renly Baratheon in the South.
Tywin cannot make peace with the Baratheon brother as they are staking for claim of Kingship of the seven kingdoms.Eddard's execution by Joffery on the other hand has prevented Tywin from what would have been the best option of suing for peace with Northern Lord and Riverrun. Realizing this Tywin sends Tyrion to King's Landing as acting Hand, while he decides it would be best to regroup at Harrenhal with all his forces and continues the campaign in the Riverlands and Robb Stark who now hold his son as a prisoner.
Season 2[edit]
Tywin and the Westermen regroup at Harrenhal, with Tywin taking Arya Stark as his cupbearer, whom he treats with respect although he is unaware of her true identity. When Stannis Baratheon sails on King's Landing, Tywin leads his forces and their new allies of House Tyrell on the city and arrives in time to defeat Stannis' remaining forces. After the battle, Tywin is named 'Savior of the City'.
Season 3[edit]
Tywin harshly denies Tyrion his request to be named as heir to Casterly Rock, but does acquiesce to naming him Master of Coin. When he learns of Olenna Tyrell's plot to have Loras Tyrell wed Sansa Stark, he arranges to have Tyrion and Cersei marry Sansa and Loras respectively — though only succeeds with establishing Tyrion's marriage to Sansa. Later on, Tywin lectures Joffrey about how to rule as king when his grandson demands a report on his council meetings. Soon after Tyrion and Sansa's wedding, Tywin forms an alliance with Robb Starks' dissatisfied bannermen — Walder Frey and Roose Bolton — to successfully carry out the slaughtering of the Stark forces at 'The Red Wedding'; in the ensuing massacre, Roose kills Robb while his mother Catelyn and wife Talisa are both killed as well. When news of Robb's death reaches the Lannisters, Tyrion quickly deduces that his father masterminded the event; Tywin confirms this and shrewdly observes that this means the Freys will get all the credit, but also all the blame — since the Northerners will never forget nor forgive such a terrible crime. Tywin senses that his son finds the action dishonorable, but insists it was done to protect the family and end the war. He then reminds Tyrion of his duty to impregnate Sansa, explaining that a man who puts family first will always triumph. When Tyrion asks his father whether he has ever put the family's interests ahead of his own, Tywin retorts to have done so from the day Tyrion was born: he wanted to throw his newborn son into the sea, out of rage and grief at the death of his wife, but instead let Tyrion live and ended up raising him as his son — because he is a Lannister.
Season 4[edit]
Tywin has the Stark ancestral sword Ice melted down into two swords, one of which he gives to Jaime, though he disowns him after Jaime refuses to resign from the Kingsguard to become Tywin's heir. When Tyrion is accused of poisoning Joffrey, Tywin asks Prince Oberyn Martell to serve as one of the judges in Tyrion's trial. Though Oberyn despises Tywin for ordering the death of his sister, niece and nephew during the sack of King's Landing, he agrees when Tywin offers him justice against their murderer, Ser Gregor Clegane. Tywin also presses Cersei to wed Loras in order to use House Tyrell's wealth to pay off the Crown's debts to the Iron Bank of Braavos, but is forced to back down when Cersei threatens to reveal her incestuous affair with Jaime. Tywin has an affair with the prostitute Shae, formerly Tyrion's mistress. Tyrion discovers this during his escape from King's Landing and strangles Shae before confronting Tywin on the privy. When Tyrion admits that he loved Shae, Tywin repeatedly dismisses her as a whore, prompting Tyrion to shoot him with a crossbow, killing him.
Season 5[edit]
Tywin's body lies in state in the Great Sept of Baelor before his burial, with Jaime and Cersei the first to pay their respects. Tywin's death upsets the balance of power in King's Landing, namely by allowing the rise to power of the High Sparrow and the Faith Militant.
References[edit]
- ^'Game of Thrones Viewer's Guide'.
- ^'Game of Thrones Cast and Crew: Tywin Lannister played by Charles Dance'. HBO. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
- ^'The Official Website for the HBO Series Game of Thrones - Season 4'. HBO.
- ^ ab'Game of Thrones, Charles Dance interview: 'I treat Peter Dinklage appallingly''. Telegraph.co.uk. 31 March 2013.
- ^ abJames, Clive (2016-04-18). 'Thrones of Blood'. The New Yorker. ISSN0028-792X. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ^'Game of Thrones Viewer's Guide'.
- ^Daniel D’Addario. 'Charles Dance on Tywin Lannister and Benedict Cumberbatch'. TIME.com.
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