House Lannister

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House Lannister is a fictional family from George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series. House Lannister is the principal house of the Westerlands. Their principle seat is Casterly Rock. Their sigil is a golden lion on a field of crimson, and their words are "Hear Me Roar!" Their unofficial motto, just as well known, states, "A Lannister always pays his debts."

Contents 1 History 2 House genealogy 3 Current members 3.1 Tywin 3.2 Cersei 3.3 Daven 3.4 Genna 3.5 Jaime 3.6 Kevan 3.7 Lancel 3.8 Stafford 3.9 Tyrion 3.10 Other Lannisters 4 Past and historic members 4.1 Damon 4.2 Lann 4.3 Tybolt 4.4 Tytos 5 Sworn Houses 6 References

[edit] History

The Lannisters descend from Andal adventurers who married the daughters of the King of the Rock. The King himself descended from Lann the Clever, a legendary trickster from the Age of Heroes who tricked the Casterlys into giving him Casterly Rock. The Lannisters reigned as Kings of the Rock until the Targaryen conquest. The Lannisters surrendered and were allowed to remain the paramount lords of the westerlands. The House fell on hard times before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire, but by the beginning of A Game of Thrones it had been restored to its former glory. The Lannisters are the richest family in the Seven Kingdoms, due in large part to the many gold mines under their control. House Lannister once possessed an ancestral Valyrian sword called Brightroar; however, it has been lost.

[edit] House genealogy

Tytos

Tytos's siblings

Tywin

Joanna*

Kevan

Dorna Swift

Tygett

Darlessa Malbrand

Gerion

Genna

Emmon Frey

Stafford

Joanna*

Robert Baratheon

Cersei

Jaime

Tyrion

Lancel

Tyrek

Ermesande Hayford

Joy Hill

Cleos

Tion

Cerenna

Willem

Myriella

Joffrey Baratheon

Myrcella

Tommen

Martyn

Daven

[edit] Current members

[edit] Tywin

Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport and Warden of the West, Tywin is a calculating, ruthless, and controlling man in his mid-fifties. He was happily married to Joanna Lannister, a cousin, but she died in childbirth while delivering his son Tyrion.

Tywin has managed to single-handedly restore his family honor and fortunes from near ruin, and dedicates all his efforts to maintaining the Lannisters' prestige. He loves his children Jaime and Cersei, but despises Tyrion for being deformed and causing his beloved Joanna's death, as well as shaming the family name with his frequent whoring.

He was a powerful Hand of the King for a long time under Aerys II until Aerys' increasing paranoia and jealousy drove the two into several bitter disagreements. After Aerys refused to marry Cersei to his heir, Prince Rhaegar, and raised Jaime to the Kingsguard without Tywin's permission, Tywin resigned the position of Hand and returned to his own lands. During Robert's Rebellion Tywin remained at Casterly Rock, taking no side until after Robert's decisive victory at the Battle of the Trident. After the battle, Tywin mustered his forces and rode for the capital of King's Landing. After Aerys was convinced that Tywin had come to aid him, he ordered the gates of the city opened. Tywin's forces brutally sacked the city while knights sworn to him slew Rhaegar's wife and children.

After Robert Baratheon's death, Tywin was made Hand of the King for Joffrey, his grandson. For much of the next year he conducted war against House Stark and had his son Tyrion serve as Hand in his stead. When his surprise withdrawal to attack Stannis led to the victory of House Lannister at the Battle of the Blackwater and an alliance with House Tyrell, he resumed his position as Hand until he was murdered in his privy by Tyrion. His death also proved him to be somewhat hypocritical, as Tyrion's former whore, Shae, was found in his bedchamber.

Though ruthless, Tywin Lannister was also an able and shrewd ruler who brought great prosperity during his tenures as the King's Hand. He was especially talented at the raising of funds, leading to persistent rumors of a "Midas touch" and even the whispered jest that he must "shit gold". His daughter Cersei once reminisced that the common folk cheered twice as loud for him as they did for their actual king, Mad Aerys II. Though his children also greatly respected him, none of them were ever able to conform to the paths he had laid out for them, a fact that caused many difficulties.

[edit] Cersei

Tywin's eldest child by mere moments, Cersei (a POV character) is the twin sister of Jaime Lannister and matches his beauty, with golden hair, bright green eyes and a lush, curvaceous body. After Robert's Rebellion she married the new King, Robert Baratheon, and became Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. A willful and ambitious woman, Cersei resents the restrictions put on her for her sex. She is always concerned for the safety of her royal children, Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen, and stops at nothing to protect them.

Cersei has shared an incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime since they were youths. That her three children were all a product of this incest, rather than her husband King Robert, was a well-guarded secret until Jon Arryn and Stannis Baratheon uncovered it shortly before the War of the Five Kings.

Throughout the series, Cersei has come to positions of increasing power. After arranging the death of her husband, Cersei put her 13-year-old son Joffrey on the throne, despite accusations of bastardy, and ruled as his Queen Regent. However, Tywin promptly put Tyrion in the position of Hand of the King, and he nullified most of her decisions. Tywin later took over the office himself and bent Cersei to his will. When Joffrey and Tywin were murdered in quick succession, the checks on her claim to power were cleared. She resumed her position as Regent over her son, the eight-year-old King Tommen, who was entirely obedient to her will. As the eldest child of Tywin, she was also acknowledged as the Lady of Casterly Rock by her uncle Kevan. Thus empowered and unrestricted, Cersei felt she had the opportunity to prove herself an even better ruler than her father. She began her new regime by filling all of the positions on Tommen's Small Council with her own supporters and agents, disregarding the previous arrangements made by Tywin.

Cersei grew to suspect that her powerful Tyrell allies, now relatives through Tommen's marriage, were trying to seize control of the kingdom. She commenced a campaign of intrigue to remove all the Tyrells in King's Landing from positions of influence and authority, including her son's wife Margaery, and Loras, a member of the Kingsguard. She thus alienated Jaime, who abandoned her to her political machinations. She refused to honor the debts owed by the Crown, angering powerful institutions such as the Iron Bank of Braavos and the Faith. With the monies owed, she constructed a new royal fleet of warships and gave command to Aurane Waters, a sellsail of questionable expertise and loyalty. In an attempt to alleviate the crown's debts and gain more protection from her purported enemies, she allowed the High Septon to revive the Faith Militant, ignorant of its history of causing trouble for monarchs. She also took the disgraced former maester Qyburn into her service, using him as a torturer and allowing him to conduct immoral experiments on human subjects. She also began drinking heavily.

All her plans to remove the Tyrell influence at court backfired when the High Septon arrested her for several crimes, including the murder of the previous High Septon. Her own ministers seized control of the government while she awaited trial in the Great Sept of Baelor. They recalled her uncle Kevan to fill her position as regent, while her new lord admiral absconded with the costly new fleet. Accused of capital crimes, her only hope lay in a Kingsguard champion to stand for her in a trial by combat. She sent an emotional summons to Jaime, which he burned and to which he has not replied.

Cersei has been haunted since childhood by a prophesy given to her by a maegi. This prophesy correctly predicted the death of a childhood friend, her unrequited love for Rhaegar Targaryen, and the marriage (and mutual infidelity) with the King. It also predicts that all three of her children will be crowned, but that all three will die before her. Everything that she has will be taken away by a younger and more beautiful queen, and then the valonqar (Valyrian for "little brother") will strangle her to death. Cersei assumes that the younger, more beautiful queen is Margaery Tyrell and the valonqar is Tyrion Lannister.

[edit] Daven

The son of Ser Stafford, Daven is a capable soldier and a significant improvement over his father. He is leonine in appearance, with bushy blonde hair and a stocky build. He has a coarse but affable demeanor, laughing frequently and making obscene jokes.

Daven swore a holy oath not to cut his hair until he avenged his father's death on Rickard Karstark. After Robb executed Rickard for treason, Daven still refused to cut his hair. He was given orders to lay siege to Riverrun and appointed Warden of the West. Daven was not respected by the lords of the Trident under his command and proved unable to make progress.

[edit] Genna

The sister of Lord Tywin, Genna Lannister is married to Emmon Frey, and has born four sons. After Lady Joanna's death, she appears to have taken a maternal interest in Tywin's children. Lady Genna is a stout woman, although once shapely and buxom, and is shrewd, ruthless and blunt; she commands her husband utterly.

The war has not treated Lady Genna gently; of her four sons, two have been killed. Cleos Frey, her firstborn, who was killed as he was escorting Jaime and Brienne from Riverrun and Tion Frey, her third son, who was killed by the Karstarks at Riverrun while a captive.

Upon the death of Robb Stark, House Tully was dispossessed of Riverrun, which was awarded to Lady Genna, her Frey husband and her surviving children. They acquired the castle after the submission of Lord Edmure Tully, who was taken prisoner at the Red Wedding.

[edit] Jaime

Younger twin to Cersei, and son of Lord Tywin and Lady Joanna, Ser Jaime Lannister (a POV character) is one of the most famous knights in all of Westeros. At fifteen, he became a knight and ascended to the elite Kingsguard, the members of which can neither hold lands nor marry. Two years after his induction he murdered Mad King Aerys during the sack of King's Landing, earning him the epithet "Kingslayer". Though he shares his sister's arrogance, amorality, and striking good looks, he is much more reckless and easily amused. In A Storm of Swords he becomes a point-of-view character.

Jaime took his post as a Kingsguard to stay with his sister, Cersei, with whom he shared a secret, incestuous relationship. He quickly grew disillusioned with his post when he learned that the paranoid Aerys was using him as a hostage against his father. During the sack of King's Landing, Jaime killed the king he was sworn to guard in order to thwart Aerys' plans to immolate the city with wildfire. After Cersei became queen, Jaime fathered all of her children. He attempted to protect their secret at Winterfell by throwing the seven-year old Bran Stark from a window. This act became a major trigger of the War of the Five Kings that followed.

Captured in battle by Robb Stark, Jaime spent much of The War of Five Kings in prison at the Tully castle of Riverrun, but was eventually freed by Catelyn Stark under oath to exchange his life for her daughters and never take arms against the Starks or Tullys again. Catelyn appointed Brienne of Tarth to escort him to King's Landing. At once annoyed and impressed by Brienne's honor and idealism, Jaime still attempted to kill her out of simple malice and arrogance. He failed in his attempt, but even Brienne would later admit that if his hands had not been bound she would not have had any hope of victory.

During Jaime and Brienne's capture by the Brave Companions, Jaime's sword hand was cut off. Deprived of his identity-defining martial prowess, and still troubled by Brienne's example of knightly honor, Jaime began to re-evaluate his life, beginning with risking his own life to rescue Brienne from the Brave Companions. When he returned safely to King's Landing, he assumed the office of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and began to take his post more seriously. His newfound responsibilities caused problems with his family relationships. Already conflicted by the discovery of Cersei's infidelity, Jaime's feelings toward Cersei soured. He also refused to leave the Kingsguard and become Tywin's heir, causing his father to disown him. Going completely against his family, he charged Brienne to find the missing Sansa Stark and keep her safe from the wrath of House Lannister. He then rescued his brother Tyrion from execution and admitted to betraying him during a traumatic moment in Tyrion's youth.

Jaime's oath to Catelyn was put in jeopardy when he went to Riverrun to end Brynden Tully's resistance. He managed to take the castle bloodlessly by releasing the prisoner Lord Edmure Tully and threatening the life of his unborn child should he refuse to yield the castle. Jaime felt he had kept the spirit of his oath to Catelyn, but despite his intentions the incident added to Jaime's already monstrous reputation as a kingslayer, child-killer, and his sister's incestuous lover.

[edit] Kevan

Kevan is Tywin's younger brother and most trusted captain. He is known for his reliability and loyalty. Kevan recognized the superiority of his brother at an early age and is comfortable doing his duty to realize his brother's wishes, though this means perpetually living in his shadow. It is said that Kevan never had a thought that Tywin hadn't had first. He is married to Dorna of House Swyft, with whom he has three sons, Lancel, Willem and Martyn, and a daughter, Janei.

After Tywin's death, Cersei offered him the position of Hand of the King, but he refused because Cersei would not agree to return to Casterly Rock. He quickly became alienated to his immediate family. He believed Tyrion to be a murderer and came to believe the rumors of incest about Cersei and Jaime. His eldest son, Lancel, became a religious fanatic and abandoned the estate Kevan had won for him. Kevan was also angered that Daven received the title of Warden of the West over him, and refused to add his forces to his cousin's at Riverrun, and returned to the West to see his younger son Martyn. After Cersei's imprisonment, the Small Council named him Regent of the King. It is unknown as of yet whether he will accept it.

[edit] Lancel

Lancel is the oldest son of Ser Kevan. At King's Landing he serves as a royal squire to King Robert. He is described as sandy-haired, with a wisp of a mustache and emerald green eyes, looking much like a younger Jaime. In A Game of Thrones, he is one of King Robert Baratheon's squires.

Lancel idolized his cousin Jaime to the point that he eagerly participated in Cersei's plans to kill King Robert so that he too could become a Kingslayer. He served Robert an unusually potent wine, known as "strongwine" during a hunting expedition, causing the King to be gored by a boar. After Robert's death, Lancel was knighted. Cersei later took him as a lover while Jaime went to war due to his resemblance to her brother. At the Battle of the Blackwater he guarded King Joffrey until Cersei ordered Joffrey to be taken away from sight during the battle. Lancel took a serious wound in the fighting and later chastised Cersei for the damage her action caused to morale.

Lancel lingered near death for a long time and he never fully recovered from his wound. During the trauma of his recovery, Lancel experienced a spiritual reawakening. He began to feel guilt for his services to Cersei, especially of participating in the murder of King Robert. For his services at the Blackwater he was named the Lord of Darry. As part of the Frey alliance he was betrothed to a daughter of their house. Kevan took him to the Darry castle and chose his bride, Amerei Frey, whose mother was of House Darry. Lancel married Amerei but refused to consummate the marriage, spending most of his time in the sept doing penance for his sins. His behavior angered his father greatly. When word reached Lancel of the resurgence of the Warrior Sons, an order of holy knights, he renounced his castle, lands and wife and traveled to King's Landing to join them.

[edit] Stafford

Good-Brother (brother-in-law) and cousin to Lord Tywin, he is regarded as an incompetent commander. His sister was the late Lady Joanna, Tywin's wife and mother to Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion.

After the defeat of Jaime Lannister, Stafford was charged to form a new Lannister army to attack Riverrun. While training this army at Oxcross, he was taken completely unaware by King Robb Stark's army and killed in the ambush by Lord Rickard Karstark.

[edit] Tyrion

Tyrion, (a POV character) is Tywin's third child, a misshapen dwarf nicknamed "The Imp" and "The Halfman". Though he is shrewd, educated, and calculating, he receives little respect from Tywin because of his deformity, his sharp tongue, and the death of his mother during his birth. He is capable of cruelty to his enemies, but also has great sympathy for fellow outcasts and the mistreated.

Early in life, Tyrion found himself ostracized from regular family life, and sought his own entertainment. When Tyrion was 13, he and Jaime rescued a common girl, Tysha, from a compromising situation. Tysha found Tyrion pleasing, and they married in secret, but Lord Tywin found out and explained that she was a prostitute whom Jaime had hired for Tyrion's benefit. Tywin had her repeatedly raped before Tyrion's eyes, and ultimately forced the boy to do the same. This incident scarred Tyrion, but also brought him closer to Jaime, whom he held in gratitude for bringing Tysha to him.

Tyrion joined the royal family on their fateful trip to Winterfell, after which he visited The Wall with Jon Snow, Lord Eddard Stark's bastard son. On his return, he met Lady Catelyn Stark at a roadside inn. She arrested him on suspicion of the attempted murder of Bran Stark and brought him to the Eyrie. There Lady Lysa Arryn put him on trial for that crime, as well as the murder of Jon Arryn (he was innocent of both). He escaped punishment with the victory of his champion, the sellsword Bronn, in a trial by combat. After leaving the Eyrie, he recruited the mountain clans of the Vale into his service with hopes of using them against the Vale. Along with his new troops, he participated in the Battle of the Green Fork against Stark forces commanded by Roose Bolton.

Tywin made Tyrion his temporary replacement as Hand of the King, but forbade him from indulging in his weakness for prostitutes. Tyrion disobeyed him, secretly taking the young prostitute Shae into his service. As Hand, he entered a bitter power struggle with Cersei, but managed to consistently outplot her. He arranged the wildfire-filled ships and massive chain that decimated Stannis Baratheon's fleet during the Battle of the Blackwater and greatly contributed to the victory against Stannis. His contributions were not appreciated, however, and he took a severe facial wound in an assassination attempt during the fighting.

Upon the return of his father, Tyrion found himself demoted to Master of Coin and forced into a political marriage with Sansa Stark. Though they were married for over a month, Tyrion never forced consummation on his unwilling bride, a decision that earned him scorn and jest in court, although Sansa was grateful for his mercy. Sansa fled in the aftermath of King Joffrey's murder, for which Tyrion was unjustly accused. Cersei brought Tyrion's prostitute Shae to testify at his trial and humiliate him before the court. Tyrion again sought trial by combat through a champion. This time Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne stood for him, but lost to Gregor Clegane, the most ferocious knight in the Seven Kingdoms.

Condemned to death, Tyrion was freed from his prison cell by his brother Jaime and a reluctant Varys. During their escape, Jaime revealed that their father had made him lie about Tysha being a prostitute, and that she was just a peasant girl who had genuinely loved Tyrion. Tyrion saw this as an unforgivable betrayal and abandoned Jaime, promising retribution. Before leaving the castle, Tyrion visited his father's room and found Shae there, whom he killed. He then confronted his father, demanding he tell him what became of Tysha. Tywin revealed that he had not killed her, but provoked Tyrion by repeatedly calling her a whore. Tyrion slew his father with a crossbow and escaped. Cersei has put a bounty on his head, and he has since fled across the narrow sea, his own motives unknown even to himself. In an excerpt from A Dance with Dragons on Martin's website it is revealed that Tyrion is currently in Pentos and is staying with Illyrio Mopatis.^[1]

[edit] Other Lannisters

• Cerenna. Older daughter of Ser Stafford.
• Damion. Knight and cousin to the ruling Lannisters, married to Lady Shiera Crakehall. Appointed castellan of Casterly Rock by Queen Cersei, the Lady of Casterly Rock.
• Gerion. Younger brother of Tywin, missing since leaving on an expedition to Valyria.
• Janei. Infant daughter of Ser Kevan.
• Joy Hill. Bastard daughter of Ser Gerion and niece of Lord Tywin. As part of the Frey alliance, she was betrothed to a Rivers of the Twins.
• Lanna. Daughter of Ser Damion, married to Lord Antario Jast.
• Lucion. Knight and son of Ser Damion.
• Margot. Cousin to the ruling Lannisters and sister to Ser Damion. She is married to Lord Titus Peake.
• Martyn. A twin son of Ser Kevan. Served as a squire to Ser Jaime until his capture. Exchanged for Robett Glover and sent to Golden Tooth.
• Myrielle. Younger daughter of Ser Stafford.
• Rosamund. Cousin to the ruling Lannisters. Companion of Princess Myrcella and travels with her to Dorne.
• Tyrek. Son of Ser Tygett and nephew of Lord Tywin. Served as a royal squire to King Robert. Married to the infant Lady Ermesande Hayford to gain Lordship of her lands, and for this was jokingly called the "Wet Nurse." Taken by the mob during the King's Landings riots and has not been seen since; he is presumed dead, but much speculation surrounds his fate.
• Willem. A twin son of Ser Kevan. Served as a squire to Ser Jaime until his capture. Murdered while a captive at Riverrun by Lord Rickard Karstark, who desired revenge for the deaths of his sons at the Whispering Wood.

[edit] Past and historic members

[edit] Damon

Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West in the time of King Daeron II. When young, took part in a Lannisport tourney as a mystery knight called the Gray Lion. After earning a reputation for his prowess, he was unhorsed and unmasked by Ser Arlan of Pennytree. Thereafter he remained known as the Gray Lion. At the Ashford tourney, he ignored Ser Duncan's pleas for aid in the trial of seven.

[edit] Lann

Legendary founder of the Kings of the Rock, from the Age of Heroes, known as Lann the Clever and Lann the Trickster. His original seat was in Lannisport, however he was able to trick the House Casterly out of its holdings of Casterly Rock and make it his main seat. Legend also has it that he stole the gold from the sun and hid it in his hair. He is the most heralded figure in Westerosi history.

[edit] Tybolt

Son of Lord Damon, Tybolt was Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West in the time of King Aerys I. In his youth, he was a renowned tournament knight. At the Ashford Tourney he defeated Ser Androw Ashford to become one of the contest's five champions. He successfully defended his position from all challengers, including Ser Jon Penrose, whom he battered with his shield after losing his horse and sword.

[edit] Tytos

Tywin's father, Tytos was Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West. He was a tolerant and kindly man, but a terrible lord. Under his lordship, House Lannister lost much of its prestige and power. He allowed himself to be easily bullied by lesser lords, who laughed at him behind his back. Two of his own bannermen, the lords of Tarbeck and Reynes, openly rebelled against his authority. After the death of his wife, Tytos began sleeping with whores and took one as a mistress. He gave his mistress free reign over Casterly Rock and allowed her to wear his late wife's jewelery. This enraged the young Tywin, who rebuilt the house's reputation after Tytos's death.

[edit] Sworn Houses

• House Banefort of Banefort.
• House Brax of Hornvale. House Brax is one of the more powerful houses sworn to Casterly Rock. Lord Andros Brax had once made a visit to Hoster Tully in hopes of marrying his son to one of Hoster's daughters.
• House Broom.
• House Clegane
• House Crakehall of Crakehall. Members are regarded as being uncommonly strong and robust, including the historical knight Ser Lyle Crakehall, called "Strongboar."
• House Estren of Wyndhall.
• House Farman of Fair Isle.
• House Kenning of Kayce.
• House Lefford of the Golden Tooth.
• House Lorch
• House Lydden of the Deep Den.
• House Marbrand of Ashemark. The current Lord of Ashemark is Damon Marbrand. His son and heir, Addam, is a capable commander and was made commander of the city guard in King's Landing.
• House Payne. Ser Ilyn the headsman and Podrick, squire to Tyrion Lannister are from this house, though Podrick is from a lesser branch.
• House Reyne. Extinct house that rebelled against Tytos. Destroyed by Tywin Lannister and an inspiration for a famous song in Westeros, "The Rains of Castamere".
• House Prester of Feastfires.
• House Serrett
• House Spicer. House Spicer is seen as an upstart house. They descend from a spice merchant and a witch-woman famous in Lannisport for her potions.
• House Swyft of Cornfield.
• House Tarbeck. Extinct house that rebelled against Tytos. Destroyed by Tywin Lannister and an inspiration for a famous song in Westeros, "The Rains of Castamere".
• House Westerling of the Crag.

[edit] References

v • d • e A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Novels	A Game of Thrones (1996) · A Clash of Kings (1998) · A Storm of Swords (2000) · A Feast for Crows (2005) · A Dance with Dragons · The Winds of Winter · A Dream of Spring
Novellas	The Hedge Knight · The Sworn Sword
Major Houses	Arryn · Baratheon · Bolton · Frey · Greyjoy · Lannister · Martell · Stark · Targaryen · Tully · Tyrell
Other characters	Minor Houses · Independent characters · Complete character list · Daenerys Targaryen
Organizations	Night’s Watch · Kingsguard · Maesters · Brotherhood Without Banners · Other organizations
Places	Westeros · Cities · Strongholds · Across the narrow sea · Free Cities · Ghis
Wars and tourneys	Historic wars · War of the Usurper · War of the Five Kings · Tourneys
Games	A Game of Thrones: collectible card game · board game · role-playing game