Cadet branch

A cadet branch is a noble house founded by a cadet (legitimate younger son) of another house.
They are usually created when a younger member of a noble house, who is not the current heir of the family seat, is granted lands and titles of his own. Bastards, if legitimized, or trueborn descendants of legitimized bastards, when granted lands and titles of their own, also found cadet branches.
Larger and wealthier noble houses such as the Lannisters or Tyrells may have numerous younger cousins, but these are all part of the main house - albeit far down in the line of succession. When younger children or cousins form their own cadet branch, they become head of this new house, though the cadet branch is not considered as prestigious as the main line.
Strictly speaking, a "cadet branch" consists of only male-line descendants, in an unbroken chain from father to son - in which case the founding member was a younger son of another noble house. The inheritance systems in the Seven Kingdoms do not put as much value on descent through the female line. New houses have been formed from the female-line younger descendants of other houses, but their lineage is considered inferior compared to cadet branches who can claim male-line descent.
==Known cadet branches==
* House Blackfyre, founded by Daemon I Blackfyre, a legitimized bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen. The house became extinct after being defeated in numerous rebellions attempting to claim the Iron Throne.
* House Karstark of Karhold, formerly House Stark of Karl's Hold. Founded by Karlon Stark, a younger son of House Stark of Winterfell. Over time, Karl's Hold came to be called Karhold, and the Starks residing there became the Karstarks.
* House Baratheon of King's Landing. Founded by Robert Baratheon after taking King's Landing at the end of Robert's Rebellion. It is special in that it was founded by the lord of House Baratheon rather than a younger son. It unofficially dies out with Robert, and is taken over by House Lannister as a proxy House, as his three children Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are actually bastards fathered by Jaime Lannister.
* House Baratheon of Dragonstone. Founded by Stannis Baratheon when he is given Dragonstone after Robert's Rebellion.
**Given that Robert secretly had no trueborn heirs, and his youngest brother Renly had no issue, following Robert and Renly's deaths this branch technically became the de facto "House Baratheon" - particularly because Stannis is Robert's younger brother, not a distantly removed relative. Nonetheless the Lannisters continue to insist that Cersei's children are Robert's heirs.
==In the books==
===Additional known cadet branches===
*House Royce of the Gates of the Moon - descendants of House Royce of Runestone. Hereditary Keepers of the Gates of the Moon for House Arryn.
*House Dayne of High Hermitage - descendants and bannermen of House Dayne of Starfall. Landed knights ruling High Hermitage, a castle in Dorne.
*House Frey of Riverrun - a recently-founded cadet branch of House Frey of the Crossing, founded by Ser Emmon Frey.
*House Flint of Breakstone Hill - descendants of House Flint of the Northern mountains.
*House Flint of Widow's Watch - descendants of House Flint of the Northern mountains.
*House Flint of Flint's Finger - descendants of House Flint of the Northern mountains.
*House Fossoway of New Barrel - descendants of House Fossoway of Cider Hall. Landed knights ruling New Barrel in the Reach. Called "Green Apple Fossoways" to differentiate from their "Red Apple Fossoway" cousins. Founded by Ser Raymun Fossoway in 209 AC.
*House Goodbrother of Downdelving - descendants of House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn.
*House Goodbrother of Crow Spike Keep - descendants of House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn.
*House Goodbrother of Corpse Lake - descendants of House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn.
*House Goodbrother of Shatterstone - descendants of House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn.
*House Goodbrother of Orkmont - descendants of House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn.
*House Harlaw of Grey Garden - descendants of House Harlaw of Harlaw. Landed knights ruling Grey Garden within the Ten Towers.
*House Harlaw of Harlaw Hall - descendants of House Harlaw of Harlaw. A masterly house ruling Harlaw Hall within the Ten Towers.
*House Harlaw of Harridan Hill - descendants of House Harlaw of Harlaw. A masterly house ruling Harridan Hill within the Ten Towers.
*House Harlaw of the Tower of Glimmering - descendants of House Harlaw of Harlaw. A masterly house ruling the Tower of Glimmering within the Ten Towers.
*House Osgrey of Leafy Lake - extinct descendants of House Osgrey of Standfast. Died out before 210 AC.
*House Greystark of the Wolf's Den - extinct descendants of House Stark of Winterfell. Destroyed by their Stark cousins after they rose in rebellion with House Bolton.
*House Foote of Nightsong - a recently-founded cadet branch of House Foote. Founded by Ser Philip Foote.
*House Arryn of Gulltown - descendants of House Arryn of the Eyrie. Located within the port city of Gulltown.
*House Tyrell of Brightwater Keep - a recently-founded cadet branch of House Tyrell of Highgarden. Founded by Ser Garlan Tyrell.
*House Lannister of Darry - a recently-founded cadet branch of House Lannister of Casterly Rock. Founded by Ser Lancel Lannister.
*House Bolton of Winterfell - a recently-founded cadet branch of House Bolton of the Dreadfort. Founded by Ramsay Snow.
*House Brune of Brownhollow - presumably descendants of House Brune of the Dyre Den. Landed knights ruling Brownhollow at Crackclaw Point.
*House Dargood - descendants of House Darklyn of Duskendale.
*House Darke - descendants of House Darklyn of Duskendale.
*House Darkwood - descendants of House Darklyn of Duskendale.
*House Farwynd of the Lonely Light - descendants of House Farwynd of Sealskin point.
*House Grafton of Gulltown - descendants of House Shett of Gulltown; King Gerold Grafton founded House Grafton, married a daughter of King Osgood III Shett, and then established his family's rule over the city.
*House Shett of Gull Tower - presumably descendants of House Shett of Gulltown. Landed knights ruling Gull Tower within Gulltown.
*House Kenning of Kayce - westerman descendants of the ironborn House Kenning of Harlaw.
*House Lannett - descendants of House Lannister of Casterly Rock.
*House Lanny - descendants of House Lannister of Casterly Rock.
*House Lantell - descendants of House Lannister of Casterly Rock.
*House Vance of Atranta or House Vance of Wayfarer's Rest; one is presumably a cadet branch of the other.
==References==
==External links==
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Category:Houses by type