House Tarly

"House Tarly, who still gives the Reach its best soldiers it has. If Aegon had named them as his lords, the Reach would've become the greatest military camp in the world... until it starved to death. The price for conscripting all the farmers."

- Margaery Tyrell

House Tarly of Horn Hill is one of the most powerful vassal houses who swear fealty to House Tyrell of Highgarden. Their lands are in the southwest of the Reach. Their stronghold is a castle known as Horn Hill and the head of the house is the Lord of Horn Hill.

Their sigil is a striding huntsman, red on green. Their motto is "First in Battle".

Members

 * Lord Randyll Tarly, the Lord of Horn Hill and head of the family.
 * Lady Melessa, formerly of House Florent, Randyll's wife.
 * Samwell Tarly, his eldest son and former heir, disinherited when he was sent to join the Night's Watch.

Season 1
King Robert Baratheon relates the story of the first time he killed someone, a highborn member of House Tarly in a battle near Summerhall. This knight's relationship to Randyll Tarly is unknown. Samwell Tarly arrives at the Wall and tells Jon Snow about how disappointing he is to his hard-hearted and ruthless father.

Season 2
At a meeting of Stannis Baratheon's war council on Dragonstone, Davos Seaworth points out that many powerful lords from the Stormlands and the Reach have declared their support for Renly Baratheon instead of Stannis, including Mace Tyrell and Randyll Tarly.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, House Tarly is a loyal vassal of the Tyrells. Lord Randyll Tarly has a formidable reputation as a general, and has been named the finest battlefield commander in all of the Seven Kingdoms. During Robert's Rebellion, Randyll Tarly was the only royalist general to win a decisive victory over Robert Baratheon, defeating his army at the Battle of Ashford despite being outnumbered. Randyll's skills were later squandered during the fruitless Siege of Storm's End, while Robert and Eddard Stark won great victories further north.

Lord Randyll is a hard, ruthless man. When his son Samwell showed a preference for songs, poetry, fine clothes and good food over martial valor and a love of warfare, Randyll disinherited him and sent him to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. His fiercer, younger son Dickon was made heir in Samwell's stead.

House Tarly possess a rare Valyrian steel blade, a greatsword called "Heartsbane".

Members

 * Lord Randyll Tarly, Lord of Horn Hill.
 * Melessa Florent, his wife.
 * Samwell Tarly, his eldest son. Steward of the Night's Watch.
 * Talla Tarly, his eldest daughter
 * Two other daughters.
 * Dickon Tarly, his younger son and youngest child. Made heir to Horn Hill after Randyll forced Samwell to join the Night's Watch.