House Lannister

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House Lannister
None.svg
"Hear Me Roar!"
Coat of arms A golden lion on a field of crimson
Seat Casterly Rock
Head Tywin Lannister
Region The Westerlands, Lannisport
Titles
  • Lord of Casterly Rock,
  • Shield of Lannisport
  • and Warden of the West
Heir Cersei Lannister
Overlord Robert Baratheon
Founder Lann the Clever
Founded Age of Heroes

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."

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; but it has been lost.

House genealogy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tytos
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tytos
siblings
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tywin
 
Joanna*
 
Kevan
 
Dorna
Swift
 
Tygett
 
Darlessa
Marbrand
 
Gerion
 
Genna
 
Emmon
Frey
 
Stafford
 
Joanna*
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Robert
Baratheon
 
Cersei
 
Jaime
 
Tyrion
 
 
Lancel
 
Tyrek
 
Ermesande
Hayford
 
Joy
Hill
 
Cleos
 
Tion
 
 
Cerenna
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joffrey
 
Myrcella
 
Tommen
 
 
 
 
 
 
Willem
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Myriella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
{{{ }}}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Martyn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daven
 
 
 
 
 
 

Current members

Tywin

Tywin was Lord of Casterly Rock during the reigns of Aerys II and Robert Baratheon. A calculating, ruthless, and controlling man, Tywin rebuilt House Lannister into the powerhouse it had become by the beginning of A Game of Thrones. He was intensely concerned with maintaining his family's prestige, but this brought him into conflict with his children, who did not follow the paths he set out for them. He was ultimately murdered by Tyrion.

Cersei

Cersei is the beautiful twin sister of Jaime Lannister and became Queen of the Seven Kingdoms after Robert's Rebellion. Prickly and spiteful, Cersei feuded endlessly with her husband Robert and maintained secret, incestuous relationship with Jaime. After she bore several of her brother's children, she focused her energies on protecting them, but also worked to realize her goal of proving to the world that she was as capable a ruler as her father.

Jaime

Jaime is Tywin's eldest son and was his heir until he joined the Kingsguard to maintain his incestuous relationship with Cersei. During the Sack of King's Landing, Jaime killed his charge Aerys II, earning him the name "Kingslayer". Handsome, flippant, and an extraordinary swordsman, Jaime is in truth a conflicted soul.

Tyrion

Tyrion 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.

Kevan

Kevan Lannister was Tywin Lannister's younger brother. He served for years as Tywin's most trusted captain. He is known for his reliability and loyalty. Kevan recognized the superiority of his brother at an early age and was comfortable doing his duty to realize his brother's wishes, though this meant perpetually living in his shadow. It is said that Kevan never had a thought that Tywin hadn't had first.

Lancel

Lancel is the oldest son of Kevan. He served as a squire for Robert Baratheon and helped Cersei manufacture the hunting accident that killed him. During Jaime's absence, he had a short affair with Cersei, who thought he looked something like Jaime. He received a wound at the Battle of the Blackwater that nearly killed him. During his recovery, he became a zealot of the Faith and plans to abandon his new lordship to join the reformed Faith Militant.

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.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

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.

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.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

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.

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.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

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.

Other Lannisters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
  • 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.

Past and historic members

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.

Lann

Legendary founder of the Kings of the Rock, from the Age of Heroes, known as Lann the Clever and Lann the Trickster. Through trickery, he was able to take Casterly Rock from House Casterly. Legend also has it that he stole the gold from the sun and hid it in his hair.

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.

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.

Sworn Houses

References and Sources

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Lannister.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history of House Lannister.
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