Orys Baratheon
Orys Baratheon | |
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Orys Baratheon by Douglas Wheatley© | |
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Aliases |
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Allegiances | |
Race | Valyrian |
Culture | stormlands |
Died | In 38 AC |
Spouse | Princess Argella Durrandon |
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Orys Baratheon, known as Orys One-Hand, was the founder of House Baratheon and was the first Lord of Storm's End after House Durrandon.[2] He slew the last Storm King, Argilac the Arrogant, married his daughter Argella, and became the first Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Orys is also considered the first Hand of the King, serving Aegon the Conqueror.[3]
Contents
Appearance and Character
Orys had black hair and black eyes.[4] After the loss of his hand he became crabbed and bitter.[1]
History
Aegon's Conquest
Orys was the rumored bastard half-brother of Aegon I Targaryen by their father Aerion, Lord of Dragonstone. Orys was one of Aegon's fiercest commanders and was regarded as Aegon's only true friend. He rose through the ranks and became the first Hand of the King after Aegon's Landing on mainland Westeros and his coronation at the Aegonfort.[3]
Aegon I's grandson Jaehaerys I Targaryen considered it an open secret that Orys was Aerion's bastard son, from the way his parents spoke of him (as Orys died when he was only three years old). Nonetheless, even Jaehaerys said he knew absolutely nothing about Orys's mother or the circumstances of his birth, not even rumors. As for whether Orys was conceived as a product of First Night or just a youthful dalliance by Aerion, Jaehaerys also said that he had no knowledge one way or the other.[5]
During Aegon's Conquest, Orys had command on the ground during Aegon's first test. Orys and Rhaenys Targaryen, with her dragon Meraxes, were then tasked with taking Storm's End. The Storm King, Argilac Durrandon, hearing of the burning of Harrenhal, knew his formidable walls would not protect him from dragonfire. Argilac rode out to give open battle, but Orys slew Argilac the Arrogant in the Last Storm, ending the reign of the Storm Kings.[3]
After the battle, Argella Durrandon, the daughter of Argilac, declared herself the Storm Queen and continued to hold Storm's End until her household turned against her to avoid the same fate of Harrenhal. They delivered her to Orys, naked and chained. Orys, however, covered her with his cloak and treated her chivalrously. Aegon rewarded Orys with Storm's End and named him Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.[1] Orys took Argella as his wife and adopted the stag banner, honors and words of the Durrandons, Ours is the Fury, forming House Baratheon.[3]
First Dornish War
Orys later joined Aegon I Targaryen in the First Dornish War, leading an assault on the Boneway that proved a disaster. The cunning Dornishmen launched a night raid, raining arrows, rocks, and spears from above. The bodies of the invading army blocked the Boneway from both ends, and Orys, along with many of his bannermen and knights, was captured by the Wyl of Wyl, who was also called the Widow-lover. When Aegon eventually agreed to the Dornish ransom demands, Lord Baratheon and his knights and bannermen were ransomed in 7 AC for each man's weight in gold. However, they were freed only after having their sword hands chopped off so they would not be able to use them again against Dorne. Orys became known as Orys One-Hand thereafter.[6]
Orys was said to have become crabbed and bitter after that, so he resigned his office as Hand and returned to the stormlands. He became obsessed with vengeance against the Dornish, especially House Wyl, whose lord had removed his hand.[4]
Vulture Hunt
Orys received his opportunity during the reign of Aegon's son, King Aenys I Targaryen, when a Dornish outlaw known as the Vulture King sent a huge army to reave the lands north of the Red Mountains. Orys, eager for revenge against the Dornish, led his forces against him in the Vulture Hunt.[7]
During a battle at Stonehelm, Orys's forces crushed a part of the Vulture King's host and Lord Walter Wyl, the Widow-lover's son, fell into his hands. Orys chopped off Walter's sword hand, then his other hand, followed by both feet, which he called his usury. On his trip home to Storm's End, Orys died of the wounds he had taken in the battle. According to his son, Davos Baratheon, Orys died content, smiling at the rotten hands and feet dangling in his tent.[4]
Family
Aerion Targaryen [Note 1] | Unknown woman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Orys | Argella Durrandon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unknown wife | Unknown Baratheon [Note 2] | Davos | Raymont [Note 3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unknown first wife | Rogar | Alyssa Velaryon | Borys | Unknown wife | Garon | Unknown wife | Ronnal | Unknown wife | Orryn | Archon's daughter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unknown wife | Boremund | Jocelyn | Aemon Targaryen | Issue | Issue | Sons | Two daughters | Daughter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Borros | Elenda Caron | Rhaenys Targaryen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cassandra | Walter Brownhill | Maris | Ellyn | Floris | Thaddeus Rowan | Royce | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes: |
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Quotes about Orys
My shield, my stalwart, my strong right hand.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: House Baratheon.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: Andals in the Stormlands.
- ↑ Fire & Blood
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Dorne against the Dragons.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I.
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