House Baratheon



House Baratheon is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, although also one of the youngest. It is the current royal house.

House Baratheon's symbol is a black, crowned stag on a gold background and their house motto is "Ours is the Fury".

The ancestral Baratheon stronghold is Storm's End, but since becoming the royal house they have also taken possession of the old Targaryen island fortress of Dragonstone, whilst the King rules from the city of King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

When the War of the Four Kings began following King Robert Baratheon's death, House Baratheon became divided into three distinct factions: one led by Robert's son, Joffrey; one led by his younger brother, Stannis; and one led by his youngest brother, Renly.

History
House Baratheon was founded by Orys Baratheon, a general in the army of King Aegon I Targaryen, the Conqueror. He defeated Argalic the Arrogant, the last of the Storm Kings, and captured his castle of Storm's End. He also captured Argalic's daughter, Argalia, and took her to wife. For his accomplishments, Orys was made Lord of Storm's End and founder of House Baratheon.

Two hundred and eighty-one years later, Lord Robert Baratheon rebelled against King Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King, when the latter's son, Prince Rhaegar, kidnapped Robert's betrothed, Lyanna Stark, and murdered her father and brother. House Baratheon, allied to the Houses Stark, Arryn and Tully, defeated the Targaryen army at the Battle of the Trident, whilst the forces of House Lannister captured King's Landing, where Jaime Lannister slew the Mad King. It was decided that Robert, as the military leader of the rebellion and also the one with the best blood-claim to the Iron Throne, would become King. With Lyanna dead, he married Cersei Lannister to cement the alliance that brought down the Targaryens.

Seventeen years later, Robert Baratheon died of a wound taken on a boar hunt. His eldest son, Joffrey Baratheon, now rules from the Iron Throne, but his rule is contested by those who claim that he was born of incest between the Queen and her twin brother, Jaime, including both of Robert's brothers. As a result, House Baratheon faces the prospect of an internal conflict over the future of the House.

Members

 * King Robert Baratheon, the head of the family and the King on the Iron Throne before his death.
 * His wife, Queen dowager Cersei, of House Lannister.
 * Their eldest son and Robert's heir, Joffrey Baratheon, now the King on the Iron Throne.
 * Their daughter, Myrcella Baratheon.
 * Their youngest son, Tommen Baratheon.
 * Robert's younger brother, Stannis Baratheon, the Lord of Dragonstone.
 * His wife, Lady Selyse, of House Florent.
 * Their daughter, Shireen Baratheon.
 * Robert's youngest brother, Renly Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End.

Note: Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are claimed to be the children of King Robert Baratheon, but in reality are born of incest between Queen Cersei and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister. This information is not publicly known in Westeros and is a secret known to only a few.

Sworn to House Baratheon of King's Landing

 * House Blount
 * House Chelsted.
 * House Hayford.
 * House Hogg of Hogs Sow.
 * House Kettleblack.
 * House Massey of Stonedance.
 * House Rosby of Rosby.
 * House Rykker of Duskendale.
 * House Slynt of Harrenhal.
 * House Stokeworth of Stokeworth.
 * House Thorne.

Sworn to House Baratheon of Dragonstone

 * House Velaryon of Driftmark.
 * House Seaworth of Cape Wrath.
 * House Bar Emmon of Sharp Point.
 * House Celtigar of Claw Isle
 * House Sunglass of Sweetport Sound.

Sworn to House Baratheon of Storm's End

 * House Cafferen of Fawonton.
 * House Caron of Nightsong.
 * House Connington of Griffins Roost.
 * House Dondarrion of Blackhaven.
 * House Errol of Haystack Hall.
 * House Estermont of Greenstone.
 * House Fell of Fellwood.
 * House Grandison of Grandview.
 * House Penrose of Parchments.
 * House Selmy of Harvest Hall.
 * House Swann of Stonehelm.
 * House Tarth of Evenfall Hall.
 * House Trant of Gallowsgrey.
 * House Wylde of Rain House.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels, Orys Baratheon was the bastard half-brother of King Aegon I Targaryen, the conqueror of the Seven Kingdoms. Orys led an army which slew the last of the Storm Kings, Argilac the Arrogant, and captured his castle of Storm's End. For his leal service, Orys was made a lord and allowed to found his own Great House, marrying the daughter of Argilac and taking his sigil and words for his own. At just under 300 years, this makes House Baratheon the youngest by far of the Great Houses.

House Baratheon has ruled over the tempest-wracked south-eastern shores of Westeros, the area known as the Stormlands, ever since. It has produced a number of great and notable warriors, such as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, the Laughing Storm, and married into the royal House Targaryen several generations ago.

When Robert Baratheon's betrothed, Lyanna Stark, was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen, he was enraged and raised his banners in rebellion against King Aerys II, along with Lyanna's brother (and Robert's best friend) Eddard Stark. They were joined by several other houses in a civil war known as Robert's Rebellion. Robert's army smashed the royal host at the Battle of the Trident and put it to rout. The treachery of House Lannister delivered the capital at King's Landing to Robert. With Lyanna killed during the war, Robert agreed to marry Cersei Lannister in gratitude for her father's pledge of fealty.

Robert became King and he made his brother Stannis (one year younger than him) the Lord of Dragonstone, the ancestral island stronghold of the Targaryens, and his youngest brother Renly (fifteen years younger) lord of the familial seat at Storm's End.

In a very minor difference to the books, the TV series spells 'Argilac' as 'Argalic'. It is not clear if this is an error or a deliberate change.