Garth Greenhand

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Garth Greenhand
Garth Greenhand by Douglas Wheatley©.png
Image by Douglas Wheatley©
Monarch
Reign In the Dawn Age
Full name Garth Greenhand
Title High King of the First Men
Personal Information
Aliases
  • Garth Greenhair
  • Garth the Green
Culture First Men
Family
Issue Garth the Gardener
John the Oak
Gilbert of the Vines
Florys the Fox
Maris the Maid
Foss the Archer
Brandon of the Bloody Blade
Owen Oakenshield
Harlon the Hunter
Herndon of the Horn
Bors the Breaker
Rose of Red Lake
Ellyn Ever Sweet
Rowan Gold-Tree
References
Books

Garth Greenhand, also called Garth Greenhair and Garth the Green, was a mythical High King of the First Men said to have been the common ancestor of numerous houses from the Reach. His firstborn son, Garth the Gardener, founded House Gardener, the Kings of the Reach.[1]

Garth supposedly wore a crown of vines and flowers and made the land bloom.[2] It is unclear if he is related to the First King.

Legend

According to some legends, Garth Greenhand was the High King who led the First Men across the Arm of Dorne. Other tales claim he predated the arrival of the First Men, making him not only the first human in Westeros but also the only human, and that he interacted with the children of the forest and giants. In some tales Garth is a god, and in a few of these, the oldest ones, he demands blood sacrifice from his worshippers to ensure a bountiful harvest. In some stories the green god dies every autumn, only to be reborn with the coming of spring. Some tales claim he had green hands, green hair or green skin overall, or antlers like a stag.

It is said Garth first taught men to farm, giving them the gift of seed and showing them how to plant and sow, how to raise crops and reap the harvest. Some tales indicate he tried to do the same with giants and children of the forest, but the giants pelted him with boulders and the children laughed, stating the woods provided them with all their needs. Where Garth walked, farms and villages and orchards sprouted. He carried a canvas bag, heavy with seed, which he scattered as he went along. Befitting a god, the bag was filled with seeds for all of the world's trees, grains, fruits and flowers, and its content was endless.

Garth Greenhand not only brought fertility to the land but also to women, making barren ones fruitful with a touch, even crones who no longer got their moon blood. Maidens ripened in his presence, mothers brought forth twins or even triplets when he blessed them and young girls flowered at his smile. Lords and common men alike offered up their virgin daughters to him wherever he went so their crops may ripen and trees grow heavy with fruit. Any maiden he deflowered delivered strong sons or fair daughters.

In some myths Garth is a contemporary of Bran the Builder or Durran Godsgrief, while in others he is the ancestor of them all. To the maesters, however, he was no more than a warchief or petty king who led the first wave of First Men across the Arm of Dorne.[1] Legends in the north state that the First King led the First Men to Westeros, not Garth.[3][4]

Garth also planted an oak from which sprung the Oakenseat, the throne of the Gardener kings.[5]

Descendents

Garth had many descendants; supposedly half the noble houses in the Reach, including the Tyrells and the Florents, can trace their lineage back to him.[6]

His numerous children are said to have included:[1]

Quotes

Garth liked to plant his seed in fertile ground, they say. I shouldn't wonder that more than his hands were green.[6]

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Garth
Greenhand
 
Various
women
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Garth
the Gardener
 
John
the Oak
 
Gilbert
of the Vines
 
Foss
the Archer
 
Brandon of
the Bloody Blade
 
Maris
the Maid
 
Uthor of the
High Tower
 
Owen
Oakenshield
 
Bors
the Breaker
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Gardener.svg
House Gardener
 
House Oakheart.svg
House Oakheart
 
House Redwyne.svg
House Redwyne
 
House Fossoway of Cider Hall.svg
House Fossoway
 
Brandon
the Builder

[Note 1]
 
Urrigon
Hightower
 
Peremore
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
House Bulwer.svg
House Bulwer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Stark.svg
House
Stark
 
House Hightower.svg
House Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rose
of Red Lake
 
Ellyn
Ever Sweet
 
Rowan
Gold-Tree
 
Unknown
man
 
Florys
the Fox
 
Three
husbands
 
Harlon
the Hunter
 
Woods witch
 
Herndon
of the Horn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Crane.svg
House
Crane
 
House Beesbury.svg
House Beesbury
 
House Rowan.svg
House Rowan
 
Lann
the Clever

[Note 2]
 
House Florent.svg
House Florent
 
House Ball.svg
House
Ball
 
House Peake.svg
House Peake
 
House Tarly.svg
House
Tarly
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Lannister.svg
House Lannister
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes:
  1. In some tales of the Reach, Bran the Builder was the son of Brandon of the Bloody Blade.
  2. In some tales of the Reach, Lann the Clever was a bastard born to Rowan Gold-Tree or her sister Florys the Fox.


References