The Iron Bank

The **Iron Bank** is the main bank of Braavos. It is one of the wealthiest banks of the known world and often lends money to outsiders, such as archons, triarchs, and the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. The bank is famous for its discretion and secrecy. A common saying among the Braavosi is "The Iron Bank will have its due."

## Organization

Powerful Braavosi own shares in the bank, sit on its secret councils, and have a voice in selecting the men who lead it. Keyholders proudly display ceremonial keys on formal occasions. The bank's ships dock at the Purple Harbor of Braavos.

Though all the Free Cities have their own banks, the Iron Bank is richer and more powerful than the others combined and has a fearsome reputation when collecting debts. When princes or kings default on their debts or are foolish enough not to honor their agreements with the Iron Bank, the Iron Bank supports new princes and kings to appear. These new princes and kings then honor the previous debt along with paying back the money the bank loaned them in claiming their new power, lest they suffer the same fate as their predecessors

## History

Maesters have learned of some the Iron Bank's history and dealings thanks to Archmaester Matthar's *The Origins of the Iron Bank and Braavos*. According to Matthar, the Iron Bank was founded by sixteen men and seven women who hid valuables in an abandoned iron mine shortly after the foundation of Braavos. As the mine's chambers filled with treasures, a bank was formed to utilize the wealth. Each of the twenty-three founders had a key to these great subterranean vaults, and their descendants—now numbering at least one thousand—are known as "keyholders".

Prior to the Uncloaking, Uthero Zalyne, Sealord of Braavos, sent envoys from the Iron Bank to negotiate with the Valyrian Freehold. The bank paid settlements to the grandchildren of the shipowners whose vessels had been seized by the fugitive founders of Braavos, but not for the slaves.

In 41 AC, an envoy of the Iron Bank traveled to Oldtown to meet with Lord Martyn Hightower. Rego Draz, master of coin for King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, borrowed from the Iron Bank. After selling three stolen dragon eggs to the Sealord, Elissa Farman invested her gold in the Iron Bank so she could finance the building of *Sun Chaser*. In 56 AC, an envoy of the bank visited the Red Keep to collect the annual payment of the loan and denied knowledge of Elissa's actions to King Jaehaerys. Meeting with Septon Barth, the Sealord urged the bank to forgive the principal of Rego's loan.

During the Dance of the Dragons in Westeros, Ser Tyland Lannister of the greens entrusted one quarter of the crown's gold from the royal treasury to the Iron Bank for safekeeping. During the regency of Aegon III, the lending of gold by Tyland to lords caused a rift between the Iron Throne of Westeros and the Iron Bank of Braavos. In return for a large indemnity, the Sealord agreed with Lord Manfryd Mooton to forgive the attack on the Braavosi fleet by Lord Alyn Velaryon during the Daughters' War. Lord Unwin Peake was forced to borrow from the Iron Bank to help pay the indemnity, however. The Iron Bank was temporarily eclipsed by the Rogare Bank of Lys during the Lysene Spring; some suspected Braavosi bankers of having hired Faceless Men to assassinate the brothers Lysandro and Drazenko Rogare. Moredo Rogare borrowed money from the Iron Bank and sailed for Tyrosh. Lord Cregan Stark borrowed a huge sum from the Iron Bank to feed his northern people in 135 AC.

Ser Michael Manwoody was an envoy of the Iron Throne to the Iron Bank during the reign of King Baelor I Targaryen. Arguing with the Iron Bank in 267 AC over debts from his father, Jaehaerys II, the Mad King Aerys II considered expanding his royal fleet to challenge the Titan of Braavos.

House Baratheon and House Lannister accrued a massive debt. Under the regency of Cersei Lannister, House Baratheon refused to pay their debts, leading to the extending of a loan to King Stannis Baratheon, who himself never received the gold after marching north of the Wall to face the 'true threat.'

## Recent Events

The Iron Bank loaned large sums of money to House Tyrell of King's Landing during the War of the Last Dragon. Mace WIldflowers was sent to Braavos as an envoy to the bank. An envoy of the Iron Bank, Ferro Antaryon is stationed in King's Landing to oversee debt repayments by the crown.