House Baratheon

This page is about the Great House. For the short, see: House Baratheon (short)

House Baratheon
Information
Coat of arms	A crowned stag black on a golden field
Words	"Ours is the Fury"
Titles	Lord of Storm's End Lord Paramount of the Stormlands Warden of the South (from 305 AC)
Seat	Storm's End
Region	Stormlands
Head	Lord Gendry Baratheon
Overlords	King of the Andals and the First Men {House Baratheon of King's Landing} (281-298 AC) House Targaryen (2 BC-281 AC)
Vassals	House Caron House Connington House Dondarrion House Errol House Estermont House Fell House Grandison House Lonmouth House Morrigen House Musgood House Peasebury House Penrose House Seaworth House Selmy House Swann House Tarth {House Toyne} House Trant House Wylde
Religion	Faith of the Seven
Cadet branches	{House Baratheon of King's Landing} {House Baratheon of Dragonstone}
Founded	2 BC by {Orys Baratheon}

"Ours Is The Fury. These are the words of the black stag of Baratheon; a battle cry echoed throughout the land in rebellion when I, Robert Baratheon, the First of His Name seized the Iron Throne from the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen, ending a dynasty nearly three-hundred years old."

―Robert Baratheon

House Baratheon of Storm's End is a Great House of Westeros that traditionally rules the Stormlands on the eastern coast of Westeros, aptly named for its frequent storms.

House Baratheon became the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms (as House Baratheon of King's Landing) after Robert Baratheon led a rebellion against the Targaryen dynasty. At the end of the rebellion, Robert ascended the Iron Throne as Robert I and married Cersei Lannister after the death of Lyanna Stark.

House Baratheon became officially extinct after the deaths of Stannis Baratheon and his family, but was revived when Robert's last known bastard was legitimized by Queen Daenerys Targaryen as Gendry Baratheon.

House Baratheon's sigil is a crowned black stag on a gold field and their house words are "Ours is the Fury."

History

Background

Orys Baratheon leading his troops in Storm's End.

A history book with information on the early members of House Baratheon.

House Baratheon was founded by Orys Baratheon, a general in the army of King Aegon I Targaryen, the founder of the Targaryen dynasty who conquered the Seven Kingdoms. Orys Baratheon was also rumored to be Aegon's bastard half-brother. He defeated Argilac the Arrogant, the last of the Storm Kings, and captured his castle of Storm's End. For his accomplishments, Orys was made Lord of Storm's End and founded House Baratheon. Orys took the sigil and words of the defeated House Durrandon as his own, cementing his rule over the Stormlands by marrying Argella Durrandon, the daughter of the fallen Argilac.

Robert Baratheon on the Iron Throne.

Robert Baratheon led a rebellion against King Aerys II Targaryen, resulting in the overthrowing of the Targaryens. Robert became the new king; Renly became Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, ruling the Stormlands from Storm's End; Stannis formed the cadet branch House Baratheon of Dragonstone.

Game of Thrones: Season 1

The Stark household kneels before King Robert.

Robert Baratheon travels to Winterfell to ask his old friend Eddard Stark to serve as the new Hand of the King. Robert also seeks to unite Houses Baratheon and Stark once and for all by marrying Sansa to his eldest "son" and heir Joffrey.

Ned deduces that Robert's children with Cersei are actually bastards born of incest between Cersei and Jaime; he sends a message to Stannis, informing him of this, as he has been revealed to be the rightful heir to the throne.

Robert is mortally wounded during a hunt. Following his death and Ned's execution, the War of the Five Kings begins.

Game of Thrones: Season 2

Both Stannis and Renly Baratheon declares themselves the rightful kings.

The Baratheon brothers parley in the Stormlands.

Following the unsuccessful parley between them, Renly is killed by a shadow. The Tyrells form an alliance with the Lannisters. Stannis is defeated by the combined Lannister-Tyrell army at the Battle of the Blackwater.

Melisandre shows Stannis the future in the flames.

Game of Thrones: Season 3

The Lannisters and Tyrells have taken over the Stormlands.

Gendry, a bastard son of Robert, is brought to Dragonstone and forcibly used for the leech ritual. Davos sets Gendry free, and persuades Stannis to assist the Night's Watch.

Game of Thrones: Season 4

Stannis, with the Iron Bank now funding him, moves north.

After receiving a loan from the Iron Bank of Braavos and hiring sellswords, Stannis marches north and defeats the wildling army at the battle for the Wall.

Game of Thrones: Season 5

Stannis's death brings an end to the true legal bloodline of House Baratheon.

Stannis is defeated by the Boltons at the battle in the ice. Brienne kills Stannis, ending the legitimate bloodline of House Baratheon.

Game of Thrones: Season 6

Though House Baratheon is in fact no more, King Tommen of the still surviving cadet branch House Baratheon of King's Landing continues to use the Baratheon name to legitimize his rule, thus leaving House Baratheon still legally intact.

Tommen's suicide marks the legal end of House Baratheon.

Following Tommen's death, House Baratheon becomes legally extinct.

Game of Thrones: Season 7

Gendry, the last person with Baratheon blood, is found by Davos.

Tyrion and Davos travel to King's Landing, and find the unrecognized bastard Gendry, the last living person with Baratheon blood through his father.

Gendry fights against a wight.

Gendry joins the group which goes Beyond the Wall to capture a wight.

Game of Thrones: Season 8

House Baratheon is legally restored when Queen Daenerys Targaryen legitimizes Gendry, who fought at the Battle of Winterfell. Gendry is named Lord of Storm's End.

As the new head of House Baratheon, Gendry consolidates control over the Stormlands. Later, he participates in a Great Council in the Dragonpit along with one of his bannermen, Lord Une, and agrees to the ascension of Bran Stark as the new King of the Andals and the First Men.

Members

• King {Robert Baratheon}, the late head of the family. King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm. Killed by a boar after being dulled with wine by Lancel Lannister.
  • Queen {Cersei}, his wife of House Lannister. Queen Mother after Robert's death, later Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, Lady of Casterly Rock. Crushed by falling debris under the Red Keep during the Battle of King's Landing.
    • {Robert Baratheon's son}, their eldest son. Briefly heir to the Seven Kingdoms, died of a fever. The only legitimate child of Queen Cersei and King Robert.
    • King {Joffrey Baratheon}, their second son and successor. Poisoned at his royal wedding with the strangler by Olenna Tyrell.
      • Queen {Margaery}, his wife of House Tyrell. Widow of Renly. Burned alive by wildfire during the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor.
    • Princess {Myrcella Baratheon}, their only daughter. Betrothed to Trystane Martell. Poisoned with the long farewell by Ellaria Sand in Dorne.
    • King {Tommen Baratheon}, their youngest son. Jumped out of a window in the Red Keep after witnessing the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor.
      • Queen {Margaery}, his wife of House Tyrell. Widow of Joffrey and Renly. Burned alive by wildfire during the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor.
  • Lord Gendry Baratheon, the current Lord of Storm's End, head of the house, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, and Warden of the South. Son and formerly unacknowledged bastard of King Robert. With his legitimization by the decree of Queen Daenerys Targaryen, House Baratheon is restored.
• King {Stannis Baratheon}, Robert's younger brother, the Lord of Dragonstone and Storm's End, claimant to the Iron Throne. Killed by Brienne of Tarth shortly after the battle in the ice.
  • Queen {Selyse}, his wife of House Florent. Hanged herself after the death of their daughter.
    • Princess {Shireen Baratheon}, their daughter and heir. Burned alive by Melisandre as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light.
    • {Petyr Baratheon}, their stillborn son.
    • {Tommard Baratheon}, their stillborn son.
    • {Edric Baratheon}, their stillborn son.
• King {Renly Baratheon}, Robert's youngest brother, the Lord of Storm's End, also a claimant to the Iron Throne. Killed by a shadow.
  • Queen {Margaery}, his wife of House Tyrell. Burned alive by wildfire during the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor.

Note: Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are claimed to be the children of King Robert Baratheon, but actually were born of incest between Queen Cersei and her twin brother, Ser Jaime Lannister. Thus, Stannis was Robert's lawful heir before his death. With the deaths of Stannis and Shireen, the bloodline of House Baratheon became legally extinct (Lord Gendry Baratheon was an unacknowledged bastard of Robert Baratheon and thus was not entitled to claim the Baratheon name). With the death of Tommen, the people of Westeros believed that House Baratheon was completely extinct until Daenerys Targaryen's legitimization of Lord Gendry.

Historical members

• Lord {Orys Baratheon}, founder of House Baratheon and first Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Originally a bastard from Dragonstone.
  • Lady {Argella}, his wife of House Durrandon.
    • Ser {Raymont Baratheon}, their son. A knight of Aenys Targaryen's Kingsguard who saved the king's life during the Faith Militant uprising.

• Lord {Boremund Baratheon}, head of House Baratheon during the early reign of Viserys I Targaryen.
  • Lord {Borros Baratheon}, his son.
    • {Cassandra Baratheon}, his daughter.
    • {Maris Baratheon}, his daughter.
    • {Ellyn Baratheon}, his daughter.
    • {Floris Baratheon}, his daughter.
  • Lady {Jocelyn Baratheon}, his sister. Wife of {Aemon Targaryen}, Prince of Dragonstone.
    • (See House Targaryen)

• Lord {Lyonel Baratheon}. Fought for Ser Duncan the Tall in his trial by seven.
• Lord {Ormund Baratheon}. At some point became Hand of the King to Aegon V Targaryen. Died in the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
  • Lord {Steffon Baratheon}, his son and heir. Participated in the War of the Ninepenny Kings and allegedly held his father as he died. Father of Robert, Stannis, and Renly Baratheon.
    • Lady {Cassana}, his wife of House Estermont. Mother to all three of Steffon's sons.

Military strength

House Baratheon troops at the Blackwater.

House Baratheon men-at-arms are equipped with long padded beige gambesons and nasal helmets with stag crests, and they carry triangular shields. Other men-at-arms have kettle steel helmets instead of nasal helmets, and some are often seen wearing pauldrons and gorgets as well.

Wealthier Baratheon soldiers, or knights from the Stormlands in general, equip themselves with plate armor parts and helmets with brims and cheek guards. Renly himself, while campaigning, wears a much more expensive version of this armor, with the addition of a brigandine cuirass. Baratheon soldiers from Dragonstone, in contrast, protect themselves with grey mail and plate armor alongside tear drop shields; their grey helmets, however, are similar to those of the Stormlanders.

Stormlanders are known for being brave and hardy warriors, as exemplified by the Baratheons. In Robert's Rebellion and Greyjoy Rebellion, House Baratheon plays an incredibly significant part, since in both wars Robert Baratheon is leading his side to victory.

In the beginning of the War of the Five Kings, Renly assembles troops of both the Stormlands and the Reach, a total of about 100,000 men. After his assassination, many of the Stormlords and at least two houses of the Reach (House Florent and House Fossoway) join Stannis. Stannis's forces number at least 10,000 before the Battle of the Blackwater, and there are presumably more troops, left to guard Stannis's castles while most of his troops attack the capital, resulting in the Battle of the Blackwater.

Vassal houses

• House Connington of Griffin's Roost
• House Errol of Haystack Hall
• House Estermont of Greenstone
• House Grandison
• House Morrigen of Crow's Nest
• House Musgood
• House Peasebury
• House Tarth of Evenfall Hall
• {House Toyne} - extinct
• House Trant
• House Seaworth
• House Wylde of the Rain House

Houses from the Dornish Marches

• House Caron of Nightsong
• House Dondarrion of Blackhaven
• House Selmy
• House Swann of Stonehelm

Houses from Blackwater Bay

• House Velaryon of Driftmark

Family tree

Ormund Baratheon Deceased

Lady Baratheon Deceased

Steffon Baratheon Deceased

Cassana Baratheon née Estermont Deceased

Lovers

Robert Baratheon Deceased

Cersei Lannister Deceased

Jaime Lannister Deceased

Stannis Baratheon Deceased

Selyse Baratheon née Florent Deceased

Renly Baratheon Deceased

Margaery Tyrell Deceased

Gendry Baratheon

Bastards Deceased

Barra Deceased

Son Died in infancy

Joffrey Baratheon Deceased

Margaery Tyrell Deceased

Myrcella Baratheon Deceased

Tommen Baratheon Deceased

Margaery Tyrell Deceased

Petyr, Tommard, and Edric Baratheon Stillborn

Shireen Baratheon Deceased

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Orys Baratheon was the rumored 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 loyal 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 southeastern 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 gave his brother Stannis (one year younger than him) Dragonstone, the ancestral island stronghold of the Targaryens, and his youngest brother Renly (fifteen years younger) the familial seat at Storm's End.

In a very minor difference to the books, after crowning himself King, Renly doesn't alter the colors of the Baratheon sigil. However, he wears a golden stag on green, though not as an official personal sigil.

Following the death of Robert and Renly, the only surviving members of House Baratheon are Stannis, his wife, and his daughter Shireen. No mention has been made in the five current novels of any surviving cousins, who might make claim to rule of House Baratheon. Robert is rumored to have fathered over a dozen bastards, but they are not considered legitimate heirs. Robert does have one acknowledged bastard, Edric Storm, whom he acknowledged because his mother was a member of the nobility. Robert had no part in raising him, instead sending him to foster at Storm's End.

In the TV series, their banner depicts a stag with a crown around its neck, while in the novels, the crown is above its head. A widespread fan assumption for some time was that because the Baratheons were not kings like the Durrandons had been, they stopped using a crown on their stag sigil, and just used a plain stag for the next three centuries - and only recently re-added a crown to the stag, after Robert's Rebellion when Robert overthrew the Targaryen kings. However, when the Baratheons make appearances during the Dunk & Egg novellas (particularly Lyonel Baratheon), they are consistently described as used a crowned stag, even though the Targaryens are still the royal family and they are not. Asked about this in 2015, Elio Garcia (owner of Westeros.org) stated that according to materials that George R.R. Martin sent him when co-writing the The World of Ice & Fire sourcebook, the Baratheons indeed always used a crowned stag sigil, starting from when Orys founded House Baratheon and exactly copied the Durrandon heraldry, through Robert's Rebellion.

The TV series, however, contradicted this in Season 1's "The Wolf and the Lion": when Bran is asked by Maester Luwin about the heraldry of the Great Houses, he explicitly says that the Baratheon stag only has a crown now, after Robert became the king. It isn't clear if this was a deliberate change for the TV continuity, or more probably, if the TV scriptwriters also made the common mistake of assuming the Baratheons didn't use a crowned stag before Robert seized the Iron Throne.

Houses sworn to House Baratheon in the books, yet to appear in the series:

• House Buckler of Bronzegate
• House Cafferen of Fawnton
• House Fell of Felwood
• House Mertyns of Mistwood
• House Penrose of Parchments

According to the TV series official pronunciation guide developed for the cast and crew, "Baratheon" is pronounced "Buh-RATH-ee-un".

Gallery

The sigil of House Baratheon from the Maester's Path promotional campaign.

A shield emblazoned with the sigil for House Baratheon from the HBO viewer's guide.

House Baratheon icon from the HBO viewer's guide.

House Baratheon sigil in black and white from the HBO viewer's guide.

Promotional image for the first season featuring the banner of House Baratheon.

Variant of the sigil of House Baratheon with just the head of the stag; as featured on some of Robert Baratheon's banners

Variant of the sigil with the stag statant rather than salient, as featured on some of Robert Baratheon's short banners.

Short banner of House Baratheon and Baratheon men-at-arms at the Tourney of the Hand in "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things".

The version of the Baratheon sigil displayed on the short banners with the stag statant. This one faces to the right instead of facing left.

Long banner of House Baratheon at the Tourney of the Hand in "The Wolf and the Lion".

The version of the Baratheon sigil displayed on the longer banners in "The Wolf and the Lion", with the stag facing right rather than left and with a different design for the crown

Some members of House Baratheon favored wearing helms decorated with antlers in the manner of their sigil

House Baratheon soldiers and knights in "What Is Dead May Never Die"

House Baratheon knights holding Renly's banner in "Garden of Bones"

A variation of the Baratheon sigil used by Renly Baratheon

A variation of the Baratheon heraldry displayed on Renly's long banners and his soldiers' shields.

A Baratheon tourney knight in "The North Remembers"

External links

• House Baratheon on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for House of the Dragon)