Greyjoy's Rebellion (The Lion and the Dragon)

### Outcome:

Decisive Targaryen victory* Iron Islands are brought back into the Seven Kingdoms
* Balon Greyjoy's two eldest sons die
* Balon's remaining son Theon is taken hostage at Casterly Rock.
* House Lannister captures Red Rain from House Drumm.

**Greyjoy's Rebellion**, also known as the **Greyjoy Rebellion**, was an attempt at secession by Lord Balon Greyjoy against the Iron Throne in 290 AC. Balon attempted to breakaway from the Seven Kingdoms to secure independence for the Iron Islands and restore the Old Way, lost almost three-hundred years prior, during Aegon's Conquest. The rebellion was crushed and Balon forced to surrender and swear fealty to King Rhaegar I Targaryen.

## Prelude

Quellon Greyoy, Lord Reaper of Pyke, had long desired to strengthen the ties of the Iron Islands with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms; he forbade reaving, freed the thralls, discouraged salt wives, encouraged taking wives from the green lands, and brought maesters to the Iron Islands. Quellon took Lord Rodrik Harlaw's advice on remaining neutral in the War of the Usurpers, his health was faltering at the time and he died not long after the war came to a close in 283 AC.

His successor and eldest son, Lord Balon Greyjoy, rejected Quellon's reforms wholeheartedly and wished for the independence of the Iron Islands. As House Greyjoy had remained neutral in the War of the Usurper's their military strength was still strong. Over the next four years Balon constructed a grand fleet of some one-hundred galleys, the Iron Fleet.

In 288 AC, five years after Rhaegar I Targaryen took the throne from his father and saw off a Baratheon-led rebellion, Balon proclaimed himself King of the Iron Islands and led a rebellion against the Iron Throne. He was crowned beneath Nagga's ribs, by the priest Tarle the Thrice-Drowned with a driftwood crown. Balon believed that King Rhaegar's rule was insecure as the four rebel leaders during the Usurper's War were still ruling in their respective territories.

## The Rebellion

* **Burning of the Lannister fleet:** Hoping to control the Sunset Sea, Balon began his rebellion with the burning of the Lannister fleet at anchor, a surprise attack on Lannisport in the westerlands planned by his brother Euron and led by another brother, Victarion, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. Victarion tossed the first torch onto the flagship of Lord Tywin Lannister.
* **Storming of Seagard:** The victory at Lannisport gave King Balon freedom to launch an attack against Seagard in the riverlands by Rodrik, his eldest son. Rodrik was slain by Lord Jason Mallister during the storming of Seagard, however, and his reavers were thrown back into Ironman's Bay in defeat.
* **Battle at the Mander:** The Greyjoys raided the coast of the Reach under Victarion Greyjoy, sinking or capturing some ships and raiding some villages and towns. They were unexpectedly met at the mouth of the Mander by the longships of the Shield Islands, however. Fifteen longships were sunk or captured in the battle, with Victarion emerging the victor.
* **Battle of Fair Isle:** Despite the victory against the Shield Islands long ships, Rhaegar was able to bring the Royal Fleet, led by Lord Monford Velaryon, to the Arbor and join with the Redwyne fleet. This caused Victarion to withdraw, and eventually the two navies met off of Fair Isle. The ensuing combat saw the Greyjoy fleet smashed and scattered by Rhaegar's forces.
* **Siege of Great Wyk:** Ser Barristan Selmy led the assault against Great Wyk.
* **Siege of Old Wyk:** The assault on Old Wyk was led by Lord Tywin Lannister, his son Ser Jaime Lannister, and Ser Gregor Clegane. The fight was a brutal one which saw Gregor slay Lord Dunstan Drumm, taking House Drumm's ancestral Valyrian sword in the process, Red Rain.
* **Siege of Pyke:** Rhaegar's forces assaulted the southern wall with siege engines, shattering the main watchtower and bringing parts of the surrounding wall down. Maron Greyjoy, the second of Balon's three sons, was killed in the breach. Ser Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard was first through the breach wielding his Houses ancestral sword, Dawn. The fighting in the castle was fierce, but eventually it was taken. Ser Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard was slain during the fight. Tyrion Lannister, who was shortly behind Arthur with his liege, Brynden Tully, and Jacelyn Bywater, who lost a hand during the fighting, earned knighthoods from Rhaegar for their bravery.

## Aftermath

Balon Greyjoy surrendered, his two eldest sons Rodrik and Maron were killed, and his last surviving son Theon was made a ward of House Lannister as hostage. Rhaegar I Targaryen's victory cemented the Targaryen hold on the throne, after having fought a civil war merely five years prior. He threw a great tourney at Lannisport to celebrate his victory. During the war the Lannister's captured Red Rain, the Valyrian steel sword from House Drumm, claiming it as their own as it had once belonged to House Reyne and the Lannister's now controlled the former Reyne lands.

The rebellion resulted in the castle of Pyke being severely damaged and partially rebuilt. The Faith of the Seven suffered abuse in the Iron Islands at the hands of fanatics who worship the Drowned God. Baelor Blacktyde, Lord of Blacktyde, was a child when his father died in the war. As a result he was taken away to Oldtown as a hostage following the end of the rebellion. He returned eight years later as a follower of the Seven.

The death of Ser Lewyn Martell led to a space opening up on the Kingsguard, a position the King filled with Ser Myles Mooton from the Riverlands.