House Darklyn

House Darklyn of Duskendale is an extinct noble house of the Crownlands that ruled the large port town of Duskendale until the Defiance of Duskendale, in which every member of the family was executed.

Background
House Darklyn is the first known ruling House of Duskendale.

The Defiance of Duskendale
Lord Denys Darklyn petitioned King Aerys II Targaryen for a charter that would allow him to levy his own port fees and taxes. The Hand of the King, Tywin Lannister, refused, but Denys knew about the bad relationship between the king and his Hand and invited the king himself to Duskendale. King Aerys traveled to Duskendale with only Ser Gwayne Gaunt of the Kingsguard and a small retinue. The moment the king's party arrived at the gates, Denys ambushed them, killing Ser Gwayne and seizing Aerys. He had the king thrown in the dungeons and tortured with petty cruelties such as having his beard pulled. Tywin immediately raised the Lannister, the king's own forces, and the Royal Fleet and laid siege to Duskendale. At the advantage of a hostage, Lord Denys threatened to execute the king at the first signs of an assault.

After six months of siege, Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard infiltrated the town disguised as a beggar and rescued the king from the dungeons, taking an arrow to the chest while narrowly escaping. Lord Darklyn surrendered and begged mercy from the king, but Denys, his wife Serala, and every other member of House Darklyn were executed on King Aerys's orders. Their cousins and bannermen, House Hollard, were reduced to a single member, Ser Dontos the Red. Afterwards, House Rykker were raised to Lords of Duskendale.

Historical members

 * Lord {Denys Darklyn}, knight and last head of House Darklyn. Executed on orders of King Aerys.
 * His wife, Lady {Serala of Myr}. Mutilated and burned alive on orders of King Aerys.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, House Darklyn were petty First Men kings in the Age of Heroes. Their most loyal servants of House Hollard gave them three queens during this time. During the age of the Hundred Kingdoms, the Darklyn kingdom of Duskendale ruled the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, what would later become King's Landing. Their kingship ended when the Storm King Monfryd "the Mighty" Durrandon conquered the Blackwater and Duskendale.

During the Andal Invasion, the Darklyns forced King Togarion Bar Emmon to flee from the northern shore of the Blackwater to Massey's Hook. Even when the Andals reigned supreme in Westeros, the Darklyns remained powerful, ruling as far as Crackclaw Point.

During Aegon's Conquest, Aegon the Conqueror and Orys Baratheon defeated the Darklyns and Mootons in Aegon's first test. The Darklyns bent the knee to House Targaryen and served them loyally as direct vassals to the crown.

There are still descendants of House Darklyn living in Duskendale, among them Dargoods, Darkes, and Darkwoods.

Historical members

 * Three Darklyn kings of Duskendale.
 * Their Hollard queens.
 * King Darklyn, who hardpressed Togarion Bar Emmon.
 * King Darklyn, who was defeated by Monfryd the Mighty.
 * Lord Darklyn, who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror.
 * Lord Darklyn, his son and successor.
 * Ser Robin Darklyn, known as Darkrobin, knight of the Kingsguard.
 * Darklyn, killed in the Faith Militant uprising in 44 AC.
 * Ser Davos Darklyn, his son, knight of the Kingsguard.
 * Lord Darklyn, loyalist to King Maegor Targaryen.
 * Lord Darklyn, his son and successor.
 * Jonquil Darke, his bastard daughter.
 * Lord Darklyn, ruling in 72 AC.
 * Lady Manderly, his wife, daughter of Lord Theomore Manderly.
 * Lord Gunthor Darklyn, beheaded during the sack of Duskendale.
 * Lady Meredyth Darklyn, his widow, head of House Darklyn during the Dance of the Dragons.
 * Ser Steffon Darklyn, his uncle, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
 * Ser Robert Darklyn, knight of the Kingsguard.
 * Lord Darklyn, ruling in 212 AC.
 * Ser Rolland Darklyn, knight of the Kingsguard.
 * Lord Denys Darklyn, last Darklyn Lord of Duskendale, executed after the Defiance.
 * Lady Serala of Myr, his wife, executed after the Defiance.
 * Darklyn, his sister, married to Ser Jon Hollard.
 * Her son.
 * His brother(s)
 * His aunts, uncles, and cousins.