House Strong

House Strong
Information
Coat of arms	White, three rivers (blue, red, and green) flowing from a black escutcheon in base displaying a white hand
Titles	Lord of Harrenhal
Seat	Harrenhal
Region	Riverlands
Head	Lord Larys Strong
Overlords	House Tully
Religion	Faith of the Seven

"I was merely expressing how proud I am of my family, mother. Mm, though it seems my nephews aren't quite as proud of theirs."

―Aemond Targaryen

House Strong of Harrenhal is a noble house from the Riverlands and a vassal of House Tully. Their sigil is three rivers (blue, red, and green) on white, flowing from a black escutcheon displaying a white hand.

Members

• Lord {Lyonel Strong}, the late head of the family. Lord of Harrenhal, former Master of Laws, and Hand of the King to Viserys I Targaryen. Killed in a fire at Harrenhal orchestrated by Larys.
  • Ser {Harwin Strong}, his eldest son and heir. Also known as "Breakbones." Former commander of the City Watch of King's Landing. Biological father of Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, Prince Lucerys Velaryon, and Prince Joffrey Velaryon. Killed in a fire at Harrenhal alongside his father.
  • Lord Larys Strong, his youngest son and successor. Also known as "the Clubfoot." Lord Confessor in the court of Viserys I Targaryen and Master of Whisperers for Aegon II Targaryen. The current head of the family and Lord of Harrenhal.
• Ser Simon Strong, Lyonel's uncle, the castellan of Harrenhal.
  • Son(s)
    • Germund Strong, Simon's grandson.
    • Paxter Strong, Simon's grandson.

Family tree

Lord Strong Deceased

Lady Strong

Simon Strong

Wife

Lyonel Strong Deceased

Wives

Son(s)

Harwin Strong Deceased

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Larys Strong

Germund Strong

Paxter Strong

Jacaerys Velaryon

Lucerys Velaryon Deceased

Joffrey Velaryon

In the books

The Strong coat of arms in the A Song of Ice and Fire novels: a tripartite pale (blue, red, and green) on a white field.

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, some alleged descendants of House Strong live in exile in the Free Cities.

Ser Osmund Strong was the fourth Hand of the King, being named to the position by Aegon the Conqueror in 17 AC after the death of Alton Celtigar. He died in 34 AC and was succeeded by Alyn Stokeworth.

Ser Lucamore Strong, known as "Lucamore the Lusty," was a knight of the Kingsguard during the reign of Jaehaerys I who broke the Kingsguard vows of chastity by secretly marrying three women and fathering sixteen children. His sworn brothers discovered this and informed the king, who then had the Kingsguard geld Lucamore and sent him to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. All of his children were deemed bastards, and were ordered to bear the surnames Rivers, Waters, and Storm before being relocated to Harrenhal, Driftmark, and Storm's End.

Ser Bywin Strong was named Lord of Harrenhal in 73 AC by King Jaehaerys following the death of the dowager queen Rhaena, who had taken up residence there and unofficially ruled as Lady of Harrenhal. By 105 AC Lyonel Strong was the Lord of Harrenhal, but his exact relation to Bywin is unknown.

Lyonel served as master of laws, and later Hand of the King following the dismissal of Otto Hightower. He and his firstborn son Harwin Breakbones died in a mysterious fire at Harrenhal after Harwin had been sent away from King's Landing due to the growing rumor that he had fathered three bastards on Princess Rhaenyra, passed off as the trueborn sons of Laenor Velaryon. Three main culprits were suspected of having caused the fire: Daemon Targaryen, to eliminate a rival for Rhaenyra's affections; Corlys Velaryon, as revenge for his son being cuckolded; or Harwin's own younger brother Larys, to claim the lordship of Harrenhal. Others simply blamed the event on the legendary curse of Harrenhal.

House Strong had grown wealthy by the time of the Dance of the Dragons, and Larys Strong was a leading figure of the greens, serving on the green council as master of whisperers and Lord Confessor. His great-uncle Simon Strong held Harrenhal as castellan in his stead during this time.

Although House Strong is considered extinct, during the time span of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire novels there are three known characters whose surname is Strong:

• Duncan Strong, an exile serving with the Golden Company.
• Denys Strong, an exile serving with the Golden Company.
• Ser Robert Strong, a knight of the Kingsguard under Tommen I Baratheon. Presumed to be Gregor Clegane, reanimated by the disgraced maester Qyburn.

It is uncertain whether the aforementioned Duncan and Denys actually belong to House Strong, because in the free companies a man can call himself whatever he chooses; in the case of Robert Strong, it is undoubtedly an assumed name.

In Fire & Blood, it is revealed that the Strongs boast descent from the First Men. Their name is a typical example of First Men naming conventions, in which surnames are usually single words that may describe the house founder's appearance, personality, or occupation.

Gallery

The sigil of House Strong, as shown in a behind-the-scenes image.

Lord Lyonel Strong's medallion with his family's sigil upon it.

House Strong soldiers in "The Princess and the Queen".

External links

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

House Strong
Head	Larys Strong	Heir	Unknown
Seat	Harrenhal	Region	Riverlands
Titles	Lord of Harrenhal
Members	Simon Strong · Germund Strong · Paxter Strong
Deceased	Lyonel Strong · Harwin Strong
Household	Alys Rivers
Overlords	House Tully