House Greyjoy

"We are ironborn. We're not subjects, we're not slaves. We do not plow the field or toil in the mine. We take what is ours."

- Balon Greyjoy

House Greyjoy of Pyke is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. It rules over the Iron Islands, a harsh and bleak collection of islands off the west coast of Westeros, from the castle at Pyke. The head of the house is the Lord Reaper of Pyke.

House Greyjoy's sigil is traditionally a golden kraken on a black field. Their house words are "We Do Not Sow," although the phrase "What Is Dead May Never Die" is also closely associated with House Greyjoy and their bannermen, as they are associated with the faith of the Drowned God.

House Greyjoy had been in open rebellion against the Iron Throne since the War of the Five Kings, during which it sought independence for the Iron Islands once more. However, following the death of King Balon Greyjoy and the election of his brother, Euron, as the new King of the Iron Islands, House Greyjoy was divided between Euron and his followers, and Balon's surviving children, Yara and Theon, and their followers. Yara's faction, which had aligned with House Targaryen, was defeated by Euron, who has aligned himself with House Lannister upon the beginning of Daenerys Targaryen's invasion of Westeros.

Background
House Greyjoy is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. Their lands are the Iron Islands off the west coast of the continent. They rule from their castle Pyke from the island of the same name. The Iron Islands are harsh and bleak and the Greyjoys have traditionally survived by raiding their neighbors. They have always had plans to conquer the mainland. The head of the house is the Lord Reaper of Pyke.

House Greyjoy boasts descent from the Grey King, a legendary King of the Iron Islands said to have ruled for a thousand years and taken a mermaid as his wife. Like the vast majority of ironborn, they worship the Drowned God.

Lord Balon Greyjoy was the founder of the Kingdom of the Iron Islands. He led a rebellion against King Robert Baratheon eight years before the events of the series begin. Balon's sons Rodrik and Maron were killed in the unsuccessful rebellion. Balon's only surviving son Theon was made a ward of Lord Eddard Stark to ensure Balon's submission to King Robert. Only his daughter, Yara Greyjoy, and two of his brothers remained on the Iron Islands after his defeat.

At some point, Balon exiled his younger brother, Euron Greyjoy, who became a feared pirate that terrorized the seas as far as from Oldtown in Westeros to Qarth in Essos.

Season 1
Theon Greyjoy is a ward of Lord Eddard Stark. He lives at the Stark castle of Winterfell, where he has a cordial relationship with his Stark hosts. Despite the respectful treatment accorded by the Starks, Theon is insecure about his status as a ward. He boasts of his status as a lord to Osha, a Wildling servant in the Stark household, but fails to intimidate her. He later accompanies Ned's son Robb Stark, the King in the North, to fight in the War of the Five Kings and wins Robb's trust and favor.

Season 2
Theon appeals to King Robb to send him on a mission to negotiate an alliance with his father, Balon Greyjoy, reasoning that the Starks would need ships to attack King's Landing. Despite Catelyn Stark's distrust of Balon, Robb relents and sends Theon back to the Iron Islands to secure help. However, Balon has other ideas and plans to use the power struggle on the mainland to carve up a kingdom in the North, once more declaring himself King of the Iron Islands. Theon is torn between his birth family and his loyalty to the Starks, but ultimately chooses to submit to his father. Theon decides to renege his allegiance to the Starks and is baptized in the name of the Drowned God while his father and sister watch on.

Balon's daughter, Yara Greyjoy, leads a large force that attacks Deepwood Motte, the seat of House Glover. Meanwhile, Theon is made the commander of the Sea Bitch. Instead of attacking small fishing villages as ordered, Theon and his men raid Torrhen's Square and succeed in drawing the remaining Stark forces away from Winterfell. Without consulting Balon or Yara, Theon and his men seize Winterfell and capture Ned's younger sons Bran and Rickon Stark. Theon also executes Ser Rodrik Cassel for defying him. However, the two Stark boys and their Direwolves escape with the help of Osha and Hodor.

In retaliation, Theon murders two orphans and claims them as Bran and Rickon. His actions have the effect of fuelling northern hostility towards the Ironborn invaders. Balon and Yara are furious with Theon's conduct, which has jeopardized the Ironborn war effort. Yara leads a party to implore her brother to leave Winterfell. Theon refuses and insists on defending his prize against the northerners. Unable to reason with Theon, Yara is forced to leave him behind.

Theon and his paltry garrison are besieged by a large Bolton army led by Ramsay Snow, the bastard son of Roose Bolton, a vassal of the Starks. The Ironborn turn on Theon and hand him over to Ramsay in return for safe conduct. However, Ramsay reneges on his offer and flays them alive. The capture of Theon is a major blow to House Greyjoy since it deprives Balon of his last remaining son and heir to the Seastone Chair.

Season 3
Over a prolonged period, Theon Greyjoy is tortured and emasculated by Ramsay Snow. Due to his experiences, Theon adopts the persona Reek and becomes totally subjugated to Ramsay. Theon later issues an ultimatum to Lord Balon Greyjoy demanding that he withdraw his forces from the North. Ramsay also threatens to send more "bits" of his son Theon and to flay every Ironborn in the North alive if his demands are not met. As a parting gift, Ramsay also presents Theon's severed penis. Unwilling to abandon the strongholds he has taken, Balon rejects Ramsay's demands. He also rejects his son Theon because he disobeyed his orders and cannot produce heirs to further the Greyjoy line. Defying her father's wishes, Yara assembles a team of Ironborn warriors to rescue her brother Theon.

Season 4
Theon Greyjoy has seemingly forgotten his former identity and embraced the persona "Reek". He is totally subservient to his master Ramsay. Upon returning to the Dreadfort, Roose Bolton reprimands his son Ramsay for torturing and emasculating Theon. As Balon's son and heir, he would have been a valuable hostage for him to trade with Balon in return for securing the withdrawal of Ironborn forces from the North.

Later, Yara and her warriors manage to infiltrate the Dreadfort and reach Theon's cell. However, fearing that it is another trap set up by his master, Theon spurns Yara's offer. Yara and her warriors are forced to flee when Ramsay unleashes his dogs on them. After reaching their boats, Yara regards her brother Theon to be "dead".

Having proven his loyalty, "Reek" is sent on a mission by Ramsay, to secure the surrender of the Ironborn garrison at Moat Cailin. For this mission, "Reek" has to pretend to be Theon. Identifying himself as Theon and Balon's last remaining heir, Reek addresses the Ironborn garrison telling them to surrender in return for safe passage. Despite being met by resistance from the garrison commander Ralf Kenning, his men accept Theon's offer and surrender to the Boltons. However, Ramsay reneges on his offer and has them flayed alive anyway.

Season 5
In an attempt to reach out to Theon, Sansa Stark reminds him of his real name and position as Balon's only surviving son and heir. Ultimately, Theon sheds his Reek persona and helps Sansa to escape the new Bolton stronghold of Winterfell.

Season 6
After being rescued from Bolton hunters by Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne, Theon decides to part company with Sansa and her companions because he fears retribution from Jon Snow for his role in the disappearance of Bran and Rickon, and the murder of the two orphans. Theon takes one horse and travels towards the Iron Islands.

Meanwhile, the Greyjoys face another major setback with the loss of Deepwood Motte to the Glovers. With the War of the Five Kings over, the northern lords are returning to the North and pushing back the Ironborn gains. Yara Greyjoy counsels her father Balon to end his campaign to conquer the North but he refuses to back down. Later that night, Balon is murdered by Euron, who has returned to claim the Salt Throne. Following a struggle on a rope bridge, Euron throws Balon to his death in the sea. The following day, Balon's corpse is found by Yara and her uncle Aeron Greyjoy. While Yara intends to succed her father on the Salt Throne, Aeron announces that a kingsmoot will elect the new ruler of the Iron Islands.

Theon finally returns to Pyke and receives a cold reception from his sister Yara, who is still angry at him for spurning her rescue attempt at the Dreadfort, though her mood picks up when Theon pledges to support her claim to the Salt Throne. At the Kingsmoot, Yara is able to win the support of many due to her reputation as a warrior and Theon's support. Yara promises to build a mighty fleet to conquer the mainland. However, Euron then challenges her candidacy by proposing an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen against the mainland. Euron wins the Kingsmoot and is crowned King of the Iron Islands following his baptism by Aeron. Meanwhile, Yara, Theon, and their supporters flee on the best ships in the Iron Fleet. In response, Euron orders his followers to build a new fleet and vow to kill his niece and nephew.

Yara and Theon travel with the Iron Fleet to Essos where they plan to reach Daenerys before Euron arrives. On their way, they stop over at Volantis for rest and relaxation. The Ironborn frequent a bar where they are entertained by prostitutes. Yara tells a despondent and guilt-ridden Theon that she needs his support to forge an alliance with Daenerys and urges him to regain his confidence. She then leaves with a prostitute.

Following the Second Siege of Meereen, Yara and Theon meet with Daenerys Targaryen and her advisor Tyrion Lannister. Yara offers to provide a hundred ships to Dany if she can help them defeat Euron and recognize the independence of the Iron Islands with Yara as the Queen of the Iron Islands, as her brother Theon notes that he is not fit to rule, something that Tyrion agrees with. Daenerys agrees to their offer after securing a promise that the Ironborn will cease raiding and terrorizing the mainland.

The ships of the Iron Fleet that Theon and Yara took after the kingsmoot are later seen sailing alongside the ships of House Tyrell, Dorne, and those of the former slave masters, which now bear the sails of House Targaryen.

Season 7
At the invitation of the newly-crowned Queen Cersei Lannister, Euron travels to King's Landing with his portion of the Iron Fleet. In response to the threat of Queen Daenerys, Euron and Cersei form a pact to kill their estranged relatives Yara, Theon, and Tyrion Lannister, who have sided with Dany. Jaime Lannister distrusts Euron due to the historical enmity between the Greyjoys and Lannisters during the Greyjoy Rebellion. Cersei turns down Euron's marriage offer since she distrusts the Lord Reaper of Pyke. Euron promises to return with a gift.

Later, Princess Yara attends Queen Dany's war council at Dragonstone castle. She advocates attacking King's Landing immediately but settles for Tyrion's plan to use her faction of the Iron Fleet to transport Dornishmen and House Tyrell forces across the Narrow Sea to lay siege to King's Landing. While traveling through the high seas with Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes, Yara's fleet is ambushed by Euron's fleet. Euron's forces wipe out Yara's Ironborn faction and captures Yara, Ellaria, and her daughter Tyene Sand. Theon manages to escape by jumping into the sea and clinging to driftwood.

Following the assault on the Targaryen fleet]], Theon is rescued from the sea by the Ironborn crew of one of the few Yara-loyalist ships to have survived the battle. Theon claims that he tried to rescue his sister but the crew realize he is lying. Meanwhile, Euron leads his niece Yara along with Ellaria and Tyene through the streets of King's Landing. Euron is greeted as a hero while Yara is pelted with rotten fruit by the smallfolk. At the Red Keep, Yara is taken into custody while Euron is appointed as the commander of Queen Cersei's naval forces. Jaime however opines that Euron's head belongs on a spike and reacts negatively when Euron asks about having sex with Cersei. Euron later leads the Iron Fleet in attacking the Unsullied forces that have attacked Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister

Members

 * Lord {Balon Greyjoy}, Lord of the Iron Islands, Lord Reaper of Pyke, Son of the Sea Wind and King of Salt and Rock. The former head of the family. Styled himself as King of the Iron Islands in defiance of the Iron Throne. Killed when he was pushed off a bridge by his brother Euron Greyjoy.
 * Lady Alannys, his wife, of House Harlaw.
 * {Rodrik Greyjoy}, their eldest son. Killed by Lord Jason Mallister during the Battle of Seagard.
 * {Maron Greyjoy}, their second son. Killed during the Siege of Pyke.
 * Yara Greyjoy, their only daughter and Balon's designated heir. Currently held captive in King's Landing.
 * Theon Greyjoy, their youngest son and legal heir. Former ward of House Stark. Formerly styled himself as Prince of Winterfell. Former captive and servant of Ramsay Bolton dubbed "Reek." Currently sailing to Westeros having formed a pact with Daenerys Targaryen.
 * Euron Greyjoy, Balon's younger brother, a pirate and a reaver. The current head of the family and the new King of the Iron Islands.
 * Aeron "Damphair" Greyjoy, Balon and Euron's youngest brother, a priest of the Drowned God.

Sworn to House Greyjoy

 * House Blacktyde of Blacktyde
 * House Botley of Lordsport
 * House Goodbrother of Hammerhorn
 * House Harlaw of Harlaw
 * House Kenning, sworn to House Harlaw.
 * House Merlyn
 * House Sparr

Lesser Houses


 * House Humble

Household and allies

 * {Dagmer}, called "Dagmer Cleftjaw", first mate of the Sea Bitch. Flayed by Ramsay Snow.
 * {Lorren}, called "Black Lorren", an ironborn raider and crewman of the Sea Bitch. Flayed by Ramsay Snow.
 * {Drennan}, an ironborn raider and crewman of the Sea Bitch. Killed by Osha.
 * {Gelmarr}, an ironborn raider and crewman of the Sea Bitch. Flayed by Ramsay Snow.
 * {Wex}, an ironborn raider and crewman of the Sea Bitch. Flayed by Ramsay Snow.
 * {Stygg}, an ironborn raider and crewman of the Sea Bitch. Flayed by Ramsay Snow.
 * {Aggar}, an ironborn raider and crewman of the Sea Bitch. Flayed by Ramsay Snow.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Greyjoys have been a powerful family in the Islands for possibly thousands of years, long ruling the formidable castle of Pyke. When King Harren the Black was slain by King Aegon the Conqueror during the Targaryen invasion, the ironborn elected Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke to succeed him as ruler of the isles, now oath-sworn to the Iron Throne. The Greyjoys have ruled ever since. The Greyjoys keep themselves distant from the other Great Houses, rarely taking part in events on the mainland (which they call the green lands) and, at various times, even returning to their ancient practices of raiding the nearby coastlines.

Members
After holding themselves aloof during Robert's Rebellion, Lord Balon Greyjoy rebelled against the Iron Throne, declaring himself King of the Isles. Balon's belief was that Robert, who had only been on the throne for five years, did not command the total support of the nobles due to his status as a usurper and would not be able to rally the support needed to crush the rebellion. He was proven wrong and was defeated, with his fleet burned and two eldest sons slain during the war.
 * {Harlon Greyjoy}, elder son of Lord Quellon. Contracted the greyscale and died allegedly as a result of the disease, but was actually murdered by Euron.
 * {Quenton Greyjoy}, second son of Lord Quellon. Died as an infant.
 * {Donel Greyjoy}, third son of Lord Quellon. Died as an infant.
 * King {Balon IX Greyjoy}, fourth son of Lord Quellon. Self-proclaimed King of the Iron Islands, Lord Reaper of Pyke, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind. Murdered by Euron.
 * Queen Alannys Harlaw, his wife.
 * {Rodrik Greyjoy}, his eldest son. Slain by Lord Jason Mallister at Seagard during the Greyjoy Rebellion.
 * {Maron Greyjoy}, his second son. Killed at Pyke during the Greyjoy Rebellion.
 * Asha Greyjoy, his only daughter. Currently held captive by Stannis.
 * Theon Greyjoy, his third son. Currently held captive by Stannis.
 * King Euron III Greyjoy, known as "Crow's Eye", fifth son of Lord Quellon and self-proclaimed King of the Iron Islands.
 * Victarion Greyjoy, sixth son of Lord Quellon. Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. Currently is sailing to Meereen.
 * {Urrigon Greyjoy}, also known as "Urri", seventh son of Lord Quellon. Injured at a finger dance, and died as a result of poor medical treatment at the age of fourteen.
 * Aeron Greyjoy, known as "Damphair", eighth son of Lord Quellon. A priest of the Drowned God. Disappeared after the kingsmoot. Currently is held captive by Euron for unknown purpose.
 * {Robin Greyjoy}, ninth son of Lord Quellon. A lackwit. Murdered by Euron.

Additional Houses sworn to House Greyjoy, yet to appear in the series, include:


 * House Drumm of Old Wyk.
 * House Orkwood of Orkmont.
 * House Saltcliffe of Saltcliffe.
 * House Volmark of Volmark