Harwyn Hoare

"Harwyn Hoare, born to a king who had a fleet he didn't sail and swords he didn't blood."

- Euron Greyjoy King Harwyn Hoare is an unseen character in Game of Thrones. He is long dead by the time of the series and only appears in Histories & Lore.

Biography
Harwyn was the youngest son of Qhorwyn Hoare, King of the Iron Islands and the brother of Harlan Hoare. His father was powerful, but never used his swords and ships to his own advantage. He grew up unruly and his father saw him as worthless, so he was sent away to Essos, so that he would be out of the way of his father and brother. There, he went on many adventours with pirates and sellswords. However, Harwyn returned upon the death of his father, and made himself a candidate for the Kingsmoot. However, his brother objected, but he died later after falling off his horse. No man objected to Harwyn as the new king. He then took the Iron Fleet to the Westerosi mainland. However, he was skilled both on land and sea, due to his time in Essos. This is a surprise to both his fellow Ironborn and the Westerosi, who he later defeated.

In the books
In his youth Harwyn raided the Stepstones and visited Free Cities such as Volantis, Tyrosh, Braavos, and Lys. He was a captive in the Basilisk Isles for two years, served as a sellsword in the Disputed Lands, and joined the Second Sons, with whom he fought in several battles.

Harwyn succeeded his ailing father, King Qhorwyn the Cunning, although Harwyn had only been third in line to the Seastone Chair. His eldest brother had already died of greyscale two years prior, but the middle brother, Prince Harlan, died after falling from a horse. Though it was said to be an accident, the death was considered suspicious especially when King Qhorwyn passed six days later, allowing Harwyn to claim the throne as King of the Iron Islands.

Harwyn planned the invasion of the Riverlands, which were weakly held by the Storm King Arrec Durrandon. The ironborn landed one hundred longships south of Seagard and then carried the ships to the Blue Fork. Samwell Rivers' small host was shattered by Harwyn's charge at the Tumblestone. Harwyn then defeated the army of Lady Agnes Blackwood, who was betrayed by Lord Lothar Bracken. Harwyn was impressed with Agnes and offered her to become his salt wife, but the king killed her when she refused.

The Storm King Arrec then met Harwyn in a battle at Fairmarket. Aided by many river lords, including Lothar Bracken, Theo Charlton, and Lords Goodbrook, Paege, and Vypren, the Hoares crushed the stormlanders and Arrec's rule over the Riverlands collapsed. The rivermen had hoped to regain their independence and celebrated at first, but Harwyn retained control for himself. Lord Bracken had desired to be river king; he rose in rebellion six months later, which resulted in him starving to death in a crow cage.

Harwyn spent most of his reign ruling and suppressing rebellions in the riverlands rather than the Iron Islands. Harwyn died in bed with a salt wife at the age of 64, and he was succeeded as King of the Isles and the Rivers by his son, Halleck Hoare.[2] Harwyn was the grandfather of Harren the Black.