Mathis Rowan

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Jump to: navigation, search
House Rowan.svg Lord
Mathis Rowan
House Rowan.svg
Mathis Rowan TheMico.jpg

Title Lord of Goldengrove
Allegiance House Rowan
Culture Reach
Born Goldengrove[1]
Spouse Lady Bethany Redwyne
Issue
  • One daughter
  • Two other children
Books

Mathis Rowan is the Lord of Goldengrove and the head of House Rowan. He is married to Lady Bethany Redwyne and has three children by her,[2] including at least one daughter.[3]

Appearance and Character

Mathis is stout, florid, and clean-shaven.[4][5] He wears a snowy doublet with a great tree worked upon the breast in gold thread.[6]

According to Ser Kevan Lannister, Mathis is sensible, prudent, well liked, able, and loyal.[7] Tyrion Lannister thinks Mathis is gruff, blunt, and to the point.[5]

History

During Robert's Rebellion, Mathis stayed loyal to King Aerys II Targaryen. He assisted his liege lord, Mace Tyrell, during the siege of Storm's End, which was defended by Stannis Baratheon. Lord Eddard Stark lifted the siege following the Sack of King's Landing, and Rowan bent the knee to the new king, Robert I Baratheon.[8]

Lord Mathis found Dareon in bed with his daughter, who was two years older than the singer. Under the eyes of her father, she claimed rape and Dareon was sent to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. Dareon insists the relationship was consensual.[3]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

At the outset of the War of the Five Kings, Mathis joins his liege lord, Mace Tyrell, in declaring for King Renly Baratheon. After the melee at Bitterbridge where Brienne of Tarth wins a spot in the Rainbow Guard, Mathis and several other nobles are with Renly when he meets with Catelyn Stark, who has come as an envoy for her son, Robb Stark, the King in the North. Mathis is dismayed to learn Ser Jaime Lannister was not executed after being captured by Robb's army in the Whispering Wood. He later sits next to Catelyn during a feast at Bitterbridge.[4]

After the parley with King Stannis Baratheon beneath the walls of Storm's End, Mathis advises Renly to leave Stannis to besiege the formidable Storm's End and instead go on to take King's Landing. His opinion is overruled, however, as Renly decides to deal with Stannis before the Lannisters. Mathis is placed in command of the center in the coming battle with Stannis's forces.[9] Shortly before dawn, Mathis and Lord Randyll Tarly make final battle preparations with Renly. Mathis suggests attacking at once, but Renly refuses since he had agreed with Stannis to begin the battle at dawn. After receiving their final orders from Renly, Mathis and Randyll depart to ready their soldiers. Before the battle can take place, however, Renly is assassinated.[8]

Mathis is among the lords who, like Lord Tyrell, do not side with Stannis.[10] He is one of the leaders of the Reach that joins Lord Tywin Lannister at the headwaters of the Blackwater Rush, marching alongside him until Tumbler's Falls, where Mace waits with an even larger force. They embark on barges and sail to just outside King's Landing, where they take Stannis's army in the rear during the Battle of the Blackwater.[11] As a hero of the Blackwater, Lord Rowan is rewarded by King Joffrey I Baratheon in the throne room.[6]

A Storm of Swords

Mathis attends a small council meeting after the Battle of the Blackwater. Queen Cersei Lannister, Joffrey's mother, attempts to influence Rowan by jests and smiles. Tywin Lannister, Joffrey's grandfather and the Hand of the King, grants lesser tracts of land to the Rowans. Mathis appears upset when Tywin mentions the unresolved deaths of Elia Martell and her children in the Sack of King's Landing.[5]

During the wedding feast of Sansa Stark and Tyrion Lannister, Mathis dances with Cersei and Sansa.[12]

As a guest at Joffrey's royal wedding, Mathis gives the king a red silk tourney pavilion as a wedding gift.[13]

A Feast for Crows

After the death of the Hand of the King, Lord Tywin, Ser Kevan Lannister mentions Lord Mathis as a possibility to fill the vacant position.[7] Cersei considers Mathis to be one of Mace's cronies,[14] however, and she chooses the tractable Ser Harys Swyft as Hand and removes Mathis from the council.

Mathis rides with Lord Tyrell to Storm's End, still held by Stannis's man, Ser Gilbert Farring.[15] When Mace hears that his daughter Margaery has been arrested by the High Sparrow, he returns to the capital and leaves Lord Rowan in command of the siege. Ser Jaime Lannister thinks Mathis would make an able Hand of the King.[16]

A Dance with Dragons

The Golden Company lands in the stormlands and quickly seizes several castles, gaining a beachhead for Aegon VI Targaryen. Their next target is Storm's End,[17] where Mathis still holds the command of a token force laying siege to the castle.[1]

Quotes

Mathis: They are all so young.

Catelyn: War will make them old, as it did us. I pity them.
Mathis: Why? Look at them. They're young and strong, full of life and laughter. And lust, aye, more lust than they know what to do with. There will be many a bastard bred this night, I promise you. Why pity?

Catelyn: Because it will not last. Because they are the knights of summer, and winter is coming.[4]

—Mathis and Catelyn Stark

Family

 
 
Mathis
 
Bethany
Redwyne
 
 
Rhonda
 
Baelor
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daughter
 
Child
 
Child
 


References

Unknown
Last known title holder:
Thaddeus Rowan
Lord of Goldengrove Incumbent