House Greyjoy

Lord or Lady of the Iron Islands

**House Greyjoy of Pyke** is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. It rules over the Iron Islands, a harsh and bleak collection of forbidding islands off the west coast of Westeros, from the Seastone Chair in the castle of Pyke on the island of the same name. The head of the family is traditionally known as the Lord Reaper of Pyke. Their sigil is a golden kraken on a black field, and their house motto is "*We Do Not Sow*."

## Traits

Members of the family tend to be attractive and tall. They often have black hair and dark black eyes, although Euron has a bright blue eye. Aeron and Asha have prominent noses which are compared to beaks or shark fins.

## History

### Ancient History

The Greyjoys of Pyke claim descent from the Grey King of the Age of Heroes.

In the era when the ironborn chose their rulers through the kingsmoot, only Houses Greyiron and Goodbrother produced more kings than the Greyjoys. Member of the family who were crowned High King of the Iron Islands in a kingsmoot include Loron, Theon III, and Balon V.

The iron lords, including the Greyjoys, intermarried with the victorious Andals when they invaded the Iron Isles. Greyjoys allied with Andals against King Greyiron, the last Greyiron king.

### Lords of the Iron Islands

At the time of Aegon's Conquest, King Harren the Black of House Hoare ruled all the lands between the mountains, from the Neck to the Blackwater Rush. When Harren and his sons perished in the burning of Harrenhal, Aegon I Targaryen granted the riverlands to Lord Edmyn Tully of Riverrun. The surviving lords of the Iron Islands fell into chaotic squabbling, leading Aegon to invade the islands to subdue them. After they bent the knee Aegon allowed them to revive their ancient custom and choose who should have the primacy among them. They chose Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke. Since Vickon's election in 2 AC, the Greyjoys have ruled the Iron Islands.

As Aegon I followed the Faith of the Seven and has been anointed by the High Septon at Oldtown, Vickon allowed the septons and septas of the Faith to return to the Iron Islands, angering the priests of the Drowned God and many of his pious lords. Vickon's son Goren, who succeeded his father in 33 AC, defeated a rebel claiming to be the priest-king Lodos the Twice-Drowned in 37 AC. As a reward, King Aenys I Targaryen granted Goren any boon within his power to give. Goren requested permission to expel the septons and septas from the Iron Islands, which Aenys was forced to allow.

During the Dance of the Dragons, Lord Dalton Greyjoy was offered the office of master of ships and a place on the small council by King Aegon II Targaryen in exchange for an alliance. Preferring Rhaenyra Targaryen's offer over Aegon II's, Dalton sided with the blacks instead. Dalton raided along the western coast of Westeros during the remainder of the war. Following war's end, the regency of Aegon III commanded him to cease his raiding, but he ignored them. Aegon III's regents eventually sent Lord Alyn Velaryon to the westerlands to deal Dalton. Dalton was eventually murdered at Faircastle by a woman named Tess. Dalton was succeeded by his eldest salt son, Lord Toron Greyjoy, amid a struggle for power among the ironborn.

Lord Alton Greyjoy sought new lands to conquer beyond the Lonely Light. Lord Dagon Greyjoy raided the coastal areas of the Seven Kingdoms, sacking the town of Little Dosk, during the reign of Aerys I Targaryen. Lord Beron Stark gathered swords and House Lannister built ships in an effort to drive Lord Dagon and his ironmen back to the Iron Islands. Dagon was ultimately unable to resist the Targaryens. Dagon's grandson, Lord Quellon Greyjoy, tried to reform the ironborn and integrate them with the mainland, but he was killed late in Robert's Rebellion.

### Greyjoy's Rebellion

Lord Balon Greyjoy, rejected his father Quellon's reforms and desired a return to the Old Way. He created the Iron Fleet and led his own rebellion against the Iron Throne, declaring himself King of the Iron Islands. His brothers Euron and Victarion led the burning of the Lannister fleet at anchor.

Balon's eldest son, Rodrik, was slain during the storming of Seagard. Victarion was defeated by Lord Stannis Baratheon in a sea battle off Fair Isle, and Aeron was captured. With the Iron Fleet out of the way, the forces of King Rhaegar I Targaryen attacked the Iron Islands. During the siege of Pyke, Balon's second son Maron was killed.

Balon bent the knee to Rhaegar and swore fealty to the Iron Throne once more. His last surviving son, the nine-year-old Theon, was given into the care of Lord Tyrell as a hostage to ensure Balon's good behavior.

### Recent History

With Theon at Highgarden, Lord Balon Greyjoy raised his daughter Asha as his heir. At some point during the past decade, Aeron Damphair underwent a spiritual reawakening after a near-death experience, and dedicated himself to the worship of the Drowned God. In 297 AC, Balon exiled his brother Euron after Euron raped and impregnated, Emylie, the salt wife of Victarion Greyjoy, while Victarion killed his wife to retain his honor.

## Known Members at the end of the third century

* Lord Balon Greyjoy, fourth son of Lord Quellon Greyjoy. Lord Reaper of Pyke, Lord of the Iron Islands and captain of the *Great Kraken*.
	+ Lady Alannys Harlaw, his wife, dwelling in Ten Towers and mad with grief.
		- {Rodrik Greyjoy}, his eldest son. Slain at Seagard in Greyjoy's Rebellion.
		- {Maron Greyjoy}, his second son. Slain at Pyke in Greyjoy's Rebellion.
		- Asha Greyjoy, his daughter, captain of the *Black Wind*.
		- Theon Greyjoy, his third son. Hostage and ward at Highgarden.
* Euron Greyjoy, fifth son of Lord Quellon. Called the Crow's Eye.
	+ his mongrel sons, born of salt wives taken from across the world
* Victarion Greyjoy, sixth son of Lord Quellon, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet and master of the *Iron Victory*.
	+ {three wives} (one of them being Emylie, a salt wife).
	+ A {stillborn daughter} by his first wife.
* Aeron Greyjoy, eighth son of Lord Quellon, once captain of the *Golden Storm*. A priest of the Drowned God. Called the Damphair.

### Other branches

Cousins to the mainline are:

* Quenton Greyjoy, a distant cousin to the main branch.
* Dagon Greyjoy, called Dagon the Drunkard, a more distant cousin to the main branch.

### Household

* Dagmer Cleftjaw, master-at-arms of Pyke and captain of the *Foamdrinker*.
* Bluetooth, a longship captain.
* Maester Wendamyr, healer and counselor.
* Helya, steward of Pyke.

## Historical Members

### Before the Conquest

* King Loron Greyjoy, called the Old Kraken, an ancient King of the Iron Islands chosen by a kingsmoot.
* King Theon III Greyjoy, an ancient King of the Iron Islands, chosen by a kingsmoot, who fought against the growing power of the Gardeners and the Hightowers in the Reach. He was killed in Oldtown by Lymond Hightower.
* King Balon V Greyjoy, called Coldwind, a king chosen by a kingsmoot, who destroyed the fleet of the King in the North.

### After the Conquest

* Lord Vickon Greyjoy, elected Lord of the Iron Islands after the death of Harren the Black.
	+ Lord Goren Greyjoy, Vickon's heir and successor.
* Lord Greyjoy, who died in 127 AC or 128 AC.
	+ Lord Dalton Greyjoy, called the Red Kraken, his eldest son and heir. He became Lord Reaper of Pyke shortly before the Dance of the Dragons.
		- Dalton's twenty-two salt wives: Tess, Lysa Farman and three of her sisters, the widow of the Knight of Kayce, a Lannister of Lannisport, and seventeen others.
			* Lord Toron Greyjoy, Dalton's salt son and successor.
			* Rodrik Greyjoy, Dalton's salt son, a claimant to the Seastone Chair, later gelded and made a fool of Lord Loreon Lannister.
	+ Veron Greyjoy, his son and Dalton's younger brother.
		- Lord Farman's fifth daughter, Veron's salt wife.
	+ His three daughters, two of whom were slain with their husbands by westermen during Lady Johanna Lannister's invasion of the Iron Islands in 134 AC.
	+ At least four brothers. One was slain whilst fighting in the Stepstones before the Dance of the Dragons. Another was slain beneath the walls of Kayce when Lady Johanna Lannister led an attack against the ironborn in 133 AC. Two more were slain by westermen during Lady Johanna Lannister's invasion of the Iron Islands in 134 AC.
	+ His nephews, nine of whom were slain by westermen during Lady Johanna Lannister's invasion of the Iron Islands in 134 AC.
* Lord Alton Greyjoy, called the Holy Fool.
* Lord Torwyn Greyjoy, who betrayed Bittersteel.
* Lord Loron Greyjoy, a friend of Ser Desmond Mallister.
* Lord Dagon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands during the reign of Aerys I Targaryen.
	+ Lord Quellon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, Dagon's grandson.
		- Lady Stonetree, Quellon's first wife.
			* Harlon Greyjoy, firstborn son of Lord Quellon. Killed by his half-brother Euron whilst severily afflicted with greyscale.
			* Quenton Greyjoy, second son of Lord Quellon. He died as an infant.
			* Donel Greyjoy, third son of Lord Quellon. He died as an infant.
		- Melody Sunderly, Quellon's second wife and mother of Balon, Euron, Victarion, Urrigon and Aeron.
			* Urrigon Greyjoy, seventh son of Lord Quellon. He died from an infection at the age of fourteen.
		- Anya Piper, Quellon's third wife.
			* Robin Greyjoy, ninth and last born son of Lord Quellon. He died as a child, killed by his half-brother Euron.
			* Stillborn daughter.

## Sworn Houses

* House Blacktyde of Blacktyde
* House Botley of Lordsport
* House Codd
* House Drumm of Old Wyk
* House Farwynd of Sealskin Point
* House Farwynd of the Lonely Light
* File:House Goodbrother.png House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn on Great Wyk
* House Goodbrother of Corpse Lake on Great Wyk
* House Goodbrother of Crow Spike Keep on Great Wyk
* House Goodbrother of Downdelving on Great Wyk
* House Goodbrother of Shatterstone on Old Wyk
* House Goodbrother of Orkmont
* File:House Harlaw.png House Harlaw of Ten Towers
* House Harlaw of Grey Garden
* House Harlaw of the Tower of Glimmering
* House Harlaw of Harridan Hill
* House Humble
* House Ironmaker
* House Kenning of Harlaw
* House Merlyn of Pebbleton
* House Myre of Harlaw
* House Netley
* House Orkwood of Orkmont
* House Saltcliffe of Saltcliffe
* House Sharp
* House Shepherd
* House Sparr of Great Wyk
* House Stonehouse of Old Wyk
* House Stonetree of Harlaw
* House Sunderly of Saltcliffe
* House Tawney of Orkmont
* House Volmark of Harlaw
* House Weaver
* House Wynch of Iron Holt

## Quotes

> This dream of crowns has seemed to haunt House Greyjoy throughout its long history. Oft as not, it ends in defeat, despair, and death, as it did for Balon Greyjoy.
>
> writings of Yandel

> A lion may be fierce enough on land, but at sea the kraken rules supreme.
>
> Victarion Greyjoy