The Golden Company

The **Golden Company** is a company of sellswords founded by Ser Aegor Rivers, a Great Bastard known as "Bittersteel". The current captain-general is Uthor Lothson, who serves also as Regent-General of Pentos

The Golden Company is considered the finest and most powerful company of the Free Cities, with some considering them the most honorable. Despite the notorious unreliability of sellswords, the Golden Company is reputed to have never broken a contract. Their motto is "Our word is good as gold", while their war cry, "Beneath the gold, the bitter steel", pays homage to their founder.

## Culture

The men of the Golden Company prefer to call themselves a free brotherhood of exiles, rather than sellswords. Unlike most hosts of household knights and feudal levies, the Golden Company are highly disciplined soldiers able to quickly establish orderly camps.

The high officers display a rude splendor. Like many in their trade they keep their worldly wealth upon their person, including jewelled swords, inlaid armor, heavy torcs, and fine silks. Many wear a lord's ransom in golden arm rings, with each ring signifying one year's service with the Golden Company.

The captain-general's tent, made of cloth-of-gold, is surrounded by a ring of pikes topped with the gilded skulls of previous captains-general.

## History

The Golden Company was founded by Ser Aegor Rivers, called "Bittersteel", a legitimized bastard of King Aegon IV Targaryen. Aegor had fled Westeros with the younger sons of Daemon I Blackfyre at the end of the First Blackfyre Rebellion. When Bittersteel saw the support of House Blackfyre ebb away as exiled lords and knights signed on with sellsword companies, such as the Ragged Standard or the Maiden's Men, he decided to create his own sellsword company in 212 AC in order to bind the exiles together.

The Golden Company's reputation was quickly established when Qohor refused to honor the contract it had made. The sellswords sacked Qohor as an answer to the Free City's refusal. The Golden Company has mainly fought in the Disputed Lands for Lys, Myr, or Tyrosh.

### Blackfyre Rebellions

Ser Aegor Rivers did not provide Daemon II Blackfyre with the support of the Golden Company for the Second Blackfyre Rebellion in 11 AC. He aided Haegon I Blackfyre in the Third Blackfyre Rebellion in 219 AC, but Bittersteel was captured and Haegon was slain during the campaign. Although Aegor was allowed to join the Night's Watch, his ship was taken while sailing to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea and Bittersteel rejoined the Golden Company. The Golden Company invaded Massey's Hook in 236 AC during the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion, but they were defeated by King Aegon V Targaryen. Bittersteel died while leading the Golden Company in a skirmish between Myr and Tyrosh in the Disputed Lands in 241 AC.

Maelys Blackfyre won command of the Golden Company by twisting the head of his cousin, Daemon Blackfyre, until it was torn from his shoulders. One of the Band of Nine in 258 AC, Maelys I led the Golden Company during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. Ser Barristan Selmy cut a bloody path though the Golden Company's ranks to slay Maelys the Monstrous in single combat on the Stepstones.Tygett Lannister slew a knight of the Golden Company during the war.

### Young Griff

Under the command of Harry Strickland, the Golden Company swore themselves to Aegon Targaryen and invaded Westeros alongside him. They had claimed much of the Stormlands when the Great Council of 301 AC was called and Aegon presented his claim. After losing the council to Queen Myrcella I Baratheon, Aegon and the Golden Company fled to Essos, where they plotted their return.

### War of the Two Dragons

The Golden Company invaded Westeros once more in 309 AC with Aegon Targaryen and Daenary's Targaryen. They struck all across the eastern coast, taking Storm's End and launching sieges, the most important being that of King's Landing. Despite their brutal siege of Gulltown, they were driven out of the Vale through fierce patriotic resistance by the Valemen and Harry Sricklands death. After the death of Daenarys Targaryen, the Golden Company retreated under Aegon once more to Essos, where he died.

### War of the Last Dragon

The Golden Company fought for Daena Targaryen during the War of the Last Dragon.