House Yronwood

**House Yronwood of Yronwood** is the most powerful house in Dorne after the Martells. Yronwood Castle is the last fortress defending the Boneway; this is reflected in their title Warden of the Stone Way. The Yronwoods were kings in Dorne before the arrival of the Rhoynar; the head of the house continues to hold the title *The Bloodroyal*.

Their motto is *We Guard the Way*, and their blazon is a black portcullis grill over sand. The Yronwoods often have blond hair and blue eyes.

## History

House Yronwood is an ancient family who once ruled half of Dorne as the Kings of Yronwood, with domains significantly greater than House Martell of Sunspear, a fact the Yronwoods let no one forget.[5] House Yronwood established Yronwood in the high valleys and green foothills below the peaks and seized control of the Stone Way, the second of the two great passes into Dorne. Well protected and comparably fertile, their lands were also well timbered and possessed of valuable deposits of iron, tin, and silver, making them the richest and most powerful of the Dornish kings. The Yronwood domain reached from Wyl to the headwaters of the Greenblood, and, at times, even the Sandship of House Martell.

The ancient Yronwood kings oft fought with the Storm Kings, as seen when Yoren Yronwood was turned back by KingDurran the Young at the Battle by the Bloody Pool. King Olyvar Yronwood also invaded King Erich VII Durrandon's domain.

When the Rhoynar came to Dorne with Nymeria aboard her ten thousand ships, they joined House Martell, increasing the size of Lord Mors Martell's host tenfold. Nymeria married Mors and named herself and her husband the Prince and Princess of Dorne, asserting their dominion over all of Dorne in the ensuingNymeria's War. King Yorick V Yronwood was supported by his bannermen, Houses Jordayne, Wyl,Blackmont, Qorgyle, amongst many others. In the ninth year of warfare Mors died at Yorick's sword in theThird Battle of the Boneway. Nymeria took control of the Martell armies, however, and it took another two years of fighting before Yorick bent the knee and was sent to the Wall. The Yronwoods became the most powerful bannermen of House Nymeros Martell, though their relationship is uneasy at best. The Yronwoods also have a rivalry with House Fowler, who supported the Martells in the war.

The Yronwoods joined Bittersteel against the Targaryens and Martells in three of the five Blackfyre Rebellions, even though one of the original goals of the rebels was to remove the Dornish influence at court.

When Oberyn Martell was no older than sixteen, he was found abed with old Lord Edgar Yronwood's paramour and they fought a duel. Although it was only to first blood, Edgar's wounds festered and he died shortly afterwards, originating rumors that the Red Viper's blade had been poisoned. Oberyn fled to the Free Cities in exile. To "repay a blood debt", Prince Doran Martell later sent his second child, Quentyn Martell, to foster with Edgar's grandson, Lord Anders Yronwood. Quentyn was sent more than 10 years after the incident. Quentyn served at Yronwood as page and squire. He chose to be knighted by Anders himself instead of his uncle, Oberyn.

### Family Members

The known Yronwoods of the fourth century following the War of the Five Kings are:

* ~~Edgar Yronwood~~, past Lord of Yronwood, died in a jousting accident (317-369 AC)
	+ Taliya Yronwood, Lady of Yronwood, eldest child and only daughter of Edgar (349 AC)
	+ Gaston Yronwood, only son of Edgar and Taliya's heir, ward at Sunspear (355 AC)
* Ser Clarence Yronwood, younger brother of Edgar, Captain of the Guard at Sunspear (318 AC)
* Melony Manwoody nee Yronwood, younger sister of Edgar, wife to Lord Paul Manwoody (328 AC)
* Cletus Yronwood, youngest brother of Edgar, Castellan of Yronwood, married to Sellene Dayne (332 AC)
	+ Sylvie Yronwood, only daughter of Cletus Yronwood (353 AC)

### Past Members

* Yoren Yronwood, who was defeated in the Battle by the Bloody Pool by King Durran the Young.
* King Olyvar Yronwood, the Bloodroyal, Lord of Yronwood, Lord of the Stone Way, Master of the Green Hills, and High King of Dorne.
* King Yorick Yronwood, the Bloodroyal, Fifth of His Name, Lord of Yronwood, Warden of the Stone Way, Knight of the Wells, King of Redmarch, King of the Greenbelt, King of the Dornish. The last of the Yronwood kings.
* Lord Edgar Yronwood, who died from poison after a duel with the Red Viper.
	+ Lord Ormond Yronwood, a former Lord of Yronwood. The son of Lord Edgar.