Difference between revisions of "Bastardy"

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In ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'', it is not unexpected for noblemen to have bastard children. While it is not typical for a noble to bring his bastards home and raise them with his own children, it is usually expected that he will see to the child's well-being to some degree.{{Ref|aGoT|6}} A noble-born wife has the right to take insult at her husband's bastards being introduced into her household and being commensurate in rank with her legally-born children.  
 
In ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'', it is not unexpected for noblemen to have bastard children. While it is not typical for a noble to bring his bastards home and raise them with his own children, it is usually expected that he will see to the child's well-being to some degree.{{Ref|aGoT|6}} A noble-born wife has the right to take insult at her husband's bastards being introduced into her household and being commensurate in rank with her legally-born children.  
  
Bastards whose parents are both of the nobility may be considered non-baseborn, although even a royal decree has considerable difficulty in removing the stigma of a bastard{{Ref|TSS||''Legends II'', ISBN 978-0345456441, page 97 of 73-152}} and trueborn children of a bastard might change their surnames to show their legitimate nature. For example, a legitimate son of a Waters might change his surname to [[House Longwaters|Longwaters]].{{Ref|aFfC|8}}<ref>So Spake Martin: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/2999/ SF, Targaryens, Valyria, Sansa, Martells, and More], June 26, 2001</ref>
+
Bastards whose parents are both of the nobility may be considered non-baseborn, although even a royal decree has considerable difficulty in removing the stigma of a bastard{{Ref|TSS||''Legends II'', ISBN 978-0345456441, page 97 of 73-152}} and trueborn children of a bastard might change their surnames to show their legitimate nature. For example, a legitimate son of a Waters might change his surname to [[House Longwaters|Longwaters]].{{Ref|aFfC|8}}<ref name=SF>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/2999/ SF, Targaryens, Valyria, Sansa, Martells, and More], June 26, 2001</ref>
  
At any point, the biological father of a bastard may acknowledge him and bring him formally into his house. King [[Robert Baratheon]] acknowledged [[Edric Storm]], although the boy was raised at [[Storm's End]].{{ref|ACOK|10}} After the death of [[Domeric Bolton]], Lord [[Roose Bolton]] brought [[Ramsay Snow]] to [[the Dreadfort]], although Roose did not recognize Ramsay as his heir at that time.{{ref|ACOK|16}}{{ref|AWOIAF| Ramsay Snow entry}}
+
At any point, the biological father of a bastard may acknowledge him and bring him formally into his house. King [[Robert Baratheon]] acknowledged [[Edric Storm]], although the boy was raised at [[Storm's End]].{{ref|ACOK|10}} After the death of [[Domeric Bolton]], Lord [[Roose Bolton]] brought [[Ramsay Snow]] to [[the Dreadfort]], although Roose did not recognize Ramsay as his heir at that time.{{ref|ACOK|16}}{{ref|AWOIAF| Ramsay Snow}}
  
 
A more drastic measure is legitimization, a power traditionally reserved to monarchs alone. Queen [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]] legitimized the brothers [[Addam Velaryon|Addam]] and [[Alyn Velaryon|Alyn of Hull]] as heirs of Lord [[Corlys Velaryon]].{{ref|TPATQ}} [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] legitimized many of his bastards of noble birth on his deathbed (the so-called [[Great Bastards]]), and, almost a century later, Ramsay Snow's official bastard status was removed by a royal decree (as a reward for the [[House Bolton|Boltons]] betraying the [[House Stark|Starks]] and bowing to the [[House Lannister|Lannisters]]) and he became the heir of House Bolton. The social stigma of his bastardy was not lifted, however. [[Robb Stark]], as [[King in the North]], planned to legitimize his bastard half-brother [[Jon Snow]] and proclaim him as his heir; however, this would only be considered valid by those who supported Robb's claim to be King in the North. Following Robb's death, [[Stannis Baratheon]], having proclaimed himself King of the Seven Kingdoms, also proposed to legitimize Snow and make him Lord of [[Winterfell]], but Jon declined Stannis's offer, electing to become [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]] instead.
 
A more drastic measure is legitimization, a power traditionally reserved to monarchs alone. Queen [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]] legitimized the brothers [[Addam Velaryon|Addam]] and [[Alyn Velaryon|Alyn of Hull]] as heirs of Lord [[Corlys Velaryon]].{{ref|TPATQ}} [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] legitimized many of his bastards of noble birth on his deathbed (the so-called [[Great Bastards]]), and, almost a century later, Ramsay Snow's official bastard status was removed by a royal decree (as a reward for the [[House Bolton|Boltons]] betraying the [[House Stark|Starks]] and bowing to the [[House Lannister|Lannisters]]) and he became the heir of House Bolton. The social stigma of his bastardy was not lifted, however. [[Robb Stark]], as [[King in the North]], planned to legitimize his bastard half-brother [[Jon Snow]] and proclaim him as his heir; however, this would only be considered valid by those who supported Robb's claim to be King in the North. Following Robb's death, [[Stannis Baratheon]], having proclaimed himself King of the Seven Kingdoms, also proposed to legitimize Snow and make him Lord of [[Winterfell]], but Jon declined Stannis's offer, electing to become [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]] instead.
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==Rights of Inheritance==
 
==Rights of Inheritance==
The baseborn have few rights under [[Law and justice|law]] and [[customs|custom]] when it comes to rights of inheritance. A bastard may inherit if the father has no other trueborn children nor any other likely kin to follow him. Additionally, a bastard can inherit if he is legitimized by a royal decree. It is unclear whether a legitimized bastard would be placed in the succession according to birth order, or would be placed at the end, after the trueborn children.<ref>So Spake Martin: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/The_Hornwood_Inheritance_and_the_Whents The Hornwood Inheritance and the Whents], November 02, 1999</ref>
+
The baseborn have few rights under [[Law and justice|law]] and [[customs|custom]] when it comes to rights of inheritance. A bastard may inherit if the father has no other trueborn children nor any other likely kin to follow him. Additionally, a bastard can inherit if he is legitimized by a royal decree. It is unclear whether a legitimized bastard would be placed in the succession according to birth order, or would be placed at the end, after the trueborn children.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/The_Hornwood_Inheritance_and_the_Whents The Hornwood Inheritance and the Whents], November 02, 1999</ref>
  
 
Heraldic custom regarding bastards is fairly loose; bastards who take arms (noble born, knighted, etc.) often, but not always, take the [[Heraldry|coat of arms]] of their fathers with the colors reversed.{{Ref|TSS||''Legends II'', ISBN 978-0345456441, page 104 of 73-152}} A bend sinister is sometimes added, as exemplified by Ser [[Walder Rivers]]'s sigil.{{Ref|aFfC|38}}  A bastard that wants to emphasize his filiation and minimize his own bastardy may decide to use the same sigil as his father, as did [[Glendon Flowers]],{{Ref|TMK|''Warriors 1'', ISBN 978-0-7653-6026-7, page 279 of 251-394}} perhaps illegally.{{Ref|THK}}{{Ref|AGOT|7}}  
 
Heraldic custom regarding bastards is fairly loose; bastards who take arms (noble born, knighted, etc.) often, but not always, take the [[Heraldry|coat of arms]] of their fathers with the colors reversed.{{Ref|TSS||''Legends II'', ISBN 978-0345456441, page 104 of 73-152}} A bend sinister is sometimes added, as exemplified by Ser [[Walder Rivers]]'s sigil.{{Ref|aFfC|38}}  A bastard that wants to emphasize his filiation and minimize his own bastardy may decide to use the same sigil as his father, as did [[Glendon Flowers]],{{Ref|TMK|''Warriors 1'', ISBN 978-0-7653-6026-7, page 279 of 251-394}} perhaps illegally.{{Ref|THK}}{{Ref|AGOT|7}}  
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==Surnames==
 
==Surnames==
Each of the nine constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms have bastard surnames decreed by custom.  Bastards with a high-born parent are given these surnames to hold them apart from their fathers' houses. The parents may give a bastard a different surname if they wish, e.g.  [[Tyrion Tanner]]. Bastards with no known relation to a noble house have no surname, like other [[smallfolk]].
+
Each of the nine constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms have bastard surnames decreed by custom, not law.<ref name=SF/> Bastards with a high-born parent are given these surnames to hold them apart from their fathers' houses. The parents may give a bastard a different surname if they wish, e.g.  [[Tyrion Tanner]]. Bastards with no known relation to a noble house have no surname, like other [[smallfolk]].
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
! Region !! Surname !! Example Character
+
! Region !! Surname !! Example  
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The Reach|Reach]] || Flowers || [[Robert Flowers | Ser Robert Flowers]]
+
| [[Crownlands]] || Waters || [[Aurane Waters]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The Westerlands|Westerlands]] || Hill || [[Joy Hill]]
+
| [[Dorne]] || Sand || [[Nymeria Sand]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The Iron Islands|Iron Islands]] || Pyke || [[Wex Pyke]]
+
| [[Iron Islands]] || Pyke || [[Wex Pyke]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The Riverlands|Riverlands]] || Rivers || [[Walder Rivers]]
+
| [[North]] || Snow || [[Jon Snow]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[Dorne]] || Sand || [[Nymeria Sand]]
+
| [[Reach]] || Flowers || [[Robert Flowers]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The North|North]] || Snow || [[Jon Snow]]
+
| [[Riverlands]] || Rivers || [[Walder Rivers]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The Vale|Vale]] || Stone || [[Mya Stone]]
+
| [[Stormlands]] || Storm || [[Rolland Storm]]  
 
|-
 
|-
| [[The Stormlands|Stormlands]] || Storm || [[Rolland Storm | Ser Rolland Storm]]  
+
| [[Vale of Arryn]] || Stone || [[Mya Stone]]
 
|-
 
|-
| [[Crownlands]] || Waters || [[Aurane Waters]]
+
| [[Westerlands]] || Hill || [[Joy Hill]]
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
+
As the surname is applied depending on the region where the bastard is raised, bastards who are half-siblings may have different surnames. For example, King [[Robert I Baratheon]]'s eldest bastard, born in the Vale, is called Mya ''Stone'' while his bastard from the stormlands is called Edric ''Storm''.
 
 
As the surname is applied depending on the region where the bastard is raised, bastards who are half-siblings may have different surnames. For example, [[Robert Baratheon]]'s eldest bastard, born in the Vale, is called Mya ''Stone'' while his bastard from the Stormlands is called Edric ''Storm''.
 
  
 
==Notable Bastards==
 
==Notable Bastards==
'''The North'''
+
'''North'''
 
* [[Jon Snow]], the recognized bastard son of Lord [[Eddard Stark]] and 998th [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]].
 
* [[Jon Snow]], the recognized bastard son of Lord [[Eddard Stark]] and 998th [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]].
 
* [[Ramsay Bolton]], formerly known as Ramsay Snow, the recognized and legitimised son of Lord [[Roose Bolton]]. Commonly known as the Bastard of Bolton or the Bastard of the [[Dreadfort]].
 
* [[Ramsay Bolton]], formerly known as Ramsay Snow, the recognized and legitimised son of Lord [[Roose Bolton]]. Commonly known as the Bastard of Bolton or the Bastard of the [[Dreadfort]].
 
* [[Larence Snow]], the son of Lord [[Halys Hornwood]].
 
* [[Larence Snow]], the son of Lord [[Halys Hornwood]].
  
'''The Iron Islands'''
+
'''Iron Islands'''
 
* [[Cotter Pyke]], a member of the Night's Watch and the current Commander of [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]].
 
* [[Cotter Pyke]], a member of the Night's Watch and the current Commander of [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]].
 
* [[Wex Pyke]], the baseborn son of [[Sargon Botley]] and the squire of [[Theon Greyjoy]].
 
* [[Wex Pyke]], the baseborn son of [[Sargon Botley]] and the squire of [[Theon Greyjoy]].
  
'''The Riverlands'''
+
'''Riverlands'''
 
* Ser [[Aegor Rivers]], better known as '''Bittersteel''', is the recognized and legitimised son of King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] and [[Barba Bracken]]. Founder of the [[Golden Company]].
 
* Ser [[Aegor Rivers]], better known as '''Bittersteel''', is the recognized and legitimised son of King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] and [[Barba Bracken]]. Founder of the [[Golden Company]].
 
* [[Alys Rivers]], was a bedmate of Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]].
 
* [[Alys Rivers]], was a bedmate of Prince [[Aemond Targaryen]].
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* Ser [[Walder Rivers]], recognized eldest bastard son of Lord [[Walder Frey]].
 
* Ser [[Walder Rivers]], recognized eldest bastard son of Lord [[Walder Frey]].
  
'''The Vale'''
+
'''Vale of Arryn'''
 
* ''[[Alayne Stone]]'', the bastard daughter of [[Petyr Baelish]], actually a false identity assumed by [[Sansa Stark]].
 
* ''[[Alayne Stone]]'', the bastard daughter of [[Petyr Baelish]], actually a false identity assumed by [[Sansa Stark]].
 
* [[Mya Stone]], the eldest bastard of King [[Robert Baratheon]]. (While she is not officially recognized, she is somewhat openly known to be the king's baseborn daughter.)
 
* [[Mya Stone]], the eldest bastard of King [[Robert Baratheon]]. (While she is not officially recognized, she is somewhat openly known to be the king's baseborn daughter.)
 
* Ser [[Samwell Stone]], better known as '''Strong Sam Stone''', is the master-at-arms at [[Runestone]].
 
* Ser [[Samwell Stone]], better known as '''Strong Sam Stone''', is the master-at-arms at [[Runestone]].
  
'''The Westerlands'''
+
'''Westerlands'''
 
* Ser [[Addison Hill]], also known as the Bastard of [[Cornfield]], a former [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]].
 
* Ser [[Addison Hill]], also known as the Bastard of [[Cornfield]], a former [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]].
 
* [[Joy Hill]], the recognized daughter of [[Gerion Lannister]].
 
* [[Joy Hill]], the recognized daughter of [[Gerion Lannister]].
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* Ser [[Tyler Hill]], also known as the Bastard of [[Lannisport]], fought for the [[Greens]] in the [[Dance of the Dragons]].
 
* Ser [[Tyler Hill]], also known as the Bastard of [[Lannisport]], fought for the [[Greens]] in the [[Dance of the Dragons]].
  
'''The Crownlands'''
+
'''Crownlands'''
 
* Addam of Hull, legitimised as [[Addam Velaryon]], a dragonrider and heir to [[Driftmark]].
 
* Addam of Hull, legitimised as [[Addam Velaryon]], a dragonrider and heir to [[Driftmark]].
 
* Alyn of Hull, legitimised as [[Alyn Velaryon]], an admiral and heir to Driftmark.
 
* Alyn of Hull, legitimised as [[Alyn Velaryon]], an admiral and heir to Driftmark.
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* [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]], [[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]] and [[Tommen Baratheon]] are bastards conceived by Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] with her own twin brother, Ser [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]], although they are commonly believed to be her legitimate children by King [[Robert Baratheon]].
 
* [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]], [[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]] and [[Tommen Baratheon]] are bastards conceived by Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] with her own twin brother, Ser [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]], although they are commonly believed to be her legitimate children by King [[Robert Baratheon]].
  
'''The Reach'''
+
'''Reach'''
 
*[[Falia Flowers]], the bastard daughter of Lord [[Humfrey Hewett]].
 
*[[Falia Flowers]], the bastard daughter of Lord [[Humfrey Hewett]].
 
*Ser [[Franklyn Flowers]], also known as the Bastard of [[Cider Hall]], a knight in service to the [[Golden Company]].
 
*Ser [[Franklyn Flowers]], also known as the Bastard of [[Cider Hall]], a knight in service to the [[Golden Company]].
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*Maester [[Walys Flowers]], was the bastard son of a [[House Hightower|Hightower]] girl and an [[Archmaester]] of the [[Citadel]]. He served at [[Winterfell]] when Lord [[Rickard Stark]] was head of [[House Stark]].
 
*Maester [[Walys Flowers]], was the bastard son of a [[House Hightower|Hightower]] girl and an [[Archmaester]] of the [[Citadel]]. He served at [[Winterfell]] when Lord [[Rickard Stark]] was head of [[House Stark]].
  
'''The Stormlands'''
+
'''Stormlands'''
 
*[[Cedrik Storm]], also known as the Bastard of [[Bronzegate]].
 
*[[Cedrik Storm]], also known as the Bastard of [[Bronzegate]].
 
*[[Edric Storm]], the acknowledged bastard son of King [[Robert Baratheon]] and [[Delena Florent]].
 
*[[Edric Storm]], the acknowledged bastard son of King [[Robert Baratheon]] and [[Delena Florent]].
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{{Quote|Well, [[Aerion Brightflame]] did not stay in [[Lys]] all his life, only a few years. He may have fathered a few [[bastard]]s there, which would mean [[Dany]] has "relatives" of a sort in Lys... but they would be very distant relatives, from the wrong side of the blanket.<ref>So Spake Martin: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Many_Questions/ Many Questions], October 14, 1998</ref>}} - [[George R. R. Martin]]
+
{{Quote|Well, [[Aerion Brightflame]] did not stay in [[Lys]] all his life, only a few years. He may have fathered a few [[bastard]]s there, which would mean [[Dany]] has "relatives" of a sort in Lys... but they would be very distant relatives, from the wrong side of the blanket.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Many_Questions/ Many Questions], October 14, 1998</ref>}} - [[George R. R. Martin]]
  
 
==References and Notes==
 
==References and Notes==

Revision as of 17:27, 21 September 2015

Aegor Rivers, a Great Bastard, fathered by Aegon IV Targaryen - by Marc Simonetti ©
A bastard daughter of Prince Oberyn Martell - by Magali Villeneuve. © Fantasy Flight Games
Jon Snow, the acknowledged bastard son of Eddard Stark - by Natascha Roeoesli. © Fantasy Flight Games

A bastard is a person whose parents, at the time of their birth, were not married to each other. There is a certain stigma that comes from being born as a bastard, as their nature is often seen as lustful and deceitful. As a polite way of referring to someone who is bastard-born, someone may be referred to as a "natural son" or "natural daughter". A less polite term, indicative of the social stigma against bastards, is "baseborn", although this term does not apply if both parents are noble. A euphemism for being bastard-born is "being born on the wrong side of the sheets".

Family Life and Status

In A Song of Ice and Fire, it is not unexpected for noblemen to have bastard children. While it is not typical for a noble to bring his bastards home and raise them with his own children, it is usually expected that he will see to the child's well-being to some degree.[1] A noble-born wife has the right to take insult at her husband's bastards being introduced into her household and being commensurate in rank with her legally-born children.

Bastards whose parents are both of the nobility may be considered non-baseborn, although even a royal decree has considerable difficulty in removing the stigma of a bastard[2] and trueborn children of a bastard might change their surnames to show their legitimate nature. For example, a legitimate son of a Waters might change his surname to Longwaters.[3][4]

At any point, the biological father of a bastard may acknowledge him and bring him formally into his house. King Robert Baratheon acknowledged Edric Storm, although the boy was raised at Storm's End.[5] After the death of Domeric Bolton, Lord Roose Bolton brought Ramsay Snow to the Dreadfort, although Roose did not recognize Ramsay as his heir at that time.[6][7]

A more drastic measure is legitimization, a power traditionally reserved to monarchs alone. Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen legitimized the brothers Addam and Alyn of Hull as heirs of Lord Corlys Velaryon.[8] Aegon IV Targaryen legitimized many of his bastards of noble birth on his deathbed (the so-called Great Bastards), and, almost a century later, Ramsay Snow's official bastard status was removed by a royal decree (as a reward for the Boltons betraying the Starks and bowing to the Lannisters) and he became the heir of House Bolton. The social stigma of his bastardy was not lifted, however. Robb Stark, as King in the North, planned to legitimize his bastard half-brother Jon Snow and proclaim him as his heir; however, this would only be considered valid by those who supported Robb's claim to be King in the North. Following Robb's death, Stannis Baratheon, having proclaimed himself King of the Seven Kingdoms, also proposed to legitimize Snow and make him Lord of Winterfell, but Jon declined Stannis's offer, electing to become Lord Commander of the Night's Watch instead.

Joffrey Baratheon was believed by Robert Baratheon to be his trueborn son, and therefore heir to House Baratheon and the Iron Throne. The revelation of Joffrey's bastardy, as the product of adultery on the part of Queen Cersei, caused his claim to the Iron Throne to be disputed after Robert's death by Robert's brother, Stannis.

Far more often a bastard is acknowledged but not legitimized. For example, Eddard Stark acknowledged Jon Snow as his son and a member of House Stark, but did not legitimize him. Snow retained the bastard name of the North and the social status it conferred, and did not enter the line of succession of House Stark. Many bastards are never acknowledged and do not know who their fathers are. One example is Gendry.

Rights of Inheritance

The baseborn have few rights under law and custom when it comes to rights of inheritance. A bastard may inherit if the father has no other trueborn children nor any other likely kin to follow him. Additionally, a bastard can inherit if he is legitimized by a royal decree. It is unclear whether a legitimized bastard would be placed in the succession according to birth order, or would be placed at the end, after the trueborn children.[9]

Heraldic custom regarding bastards is fairly loose; bastards who take arms (noble born, knighted, etc.) often, but not always, take the coat of arms of their fathers with the colors reversed.[10] A bend sinister is sometimes added, as exemplified by Ser Walder Rivers's sigil.[11] A bastard that wants to emphasize his filiation and minimize his own bastardy may decide to use the same sigil as his father, as did Glendon Flowers,[12] perhaps illegally.[13][14]

However, any man can be knighted, even a bastard. A bastard may even be appointed to the Kingsguard; two such knights, Robert Flowers and Addison Hill, rose to become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.[15] In the Night's Watch, any man may rise to command, no matter the circumstances of their birth. Such were the cases of Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and Jon Snow and Robin Hill, who became Lord Commanders.

Social Status

It is considered rude to pry into the origins of a man's natural children. Men say that bastards are born from lust and lies, grow up more swiftly than other children, and their nature is wanton and treacherous.[16][17]

A bastard may study at the Citadel and become a maester.

Coat of Arms

Bastards do not have the right to use the arms of their families. The custom is thus a bastard using arms (when knighted for example) adds a distinction, called breaking. This can be in the form of a color inversion on their own coats of arms, with the addition of a possible bend sinister.

House Targaryen House Blackfyre Arms of House Blackfyre, founded by a bastard of the House Targaryen, has the colors reversed.[18]
House Frey  personnel arms of Walder Rivers The personal arms of Walder Rivers, bastard son of Lord Walder Frey, has the Frey colors reversed and a red bend sinister added.[19]
House Blackfyre House Bracken  personnel arms of Aegor Rivers The coat of arms of Aegor Rivers "Bittersteel", a bastard son of Aegon IV Targaryen. He has combined the sigills of House Bracken (his mothers house) and House Blackfyre.

Surnames

Each of the nine constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms have bastard surnames decreed by custom, not law.[4] Bastards with a high-born parent are given these surnames to hold them apart from their fathers' houses. The parents may give a bastard a different surname if they wish, e.g. Tyrion Tanner. Bastards with no known relation to a noble house have no surname, like other smallfolk.

Region Surname Example
Crownlands Waters Aurane Waters
Dorne Sand Nymeria Sand
Iron Islands Pyke Wex Pyke
North Snow Jon Snow
Reach Flowers Robert Flowers
Riverlands Rivers Walder Rivers
Stormlands Storm Rolland Storm
Vale of Arryn Stone Mya Stone
Westerlands Hill Joy Hill

As the surname is applied depending on the region where the bastard is raised, bastards who are half-siblings may have different surnames. For example, King Robert I Baratheon's eldest bastard, born in the Vale, is called Mya Stone while his bastard from the stormlands is called Edric Storm.

Notable Bastards

North

Iron Islands

Riverlands

Vale of Arryn

Westerlands

Crownlands

Reach

Stormlands

Dorne

Quotes

The old High Septon told my father that king's laws are one thing, and the laws of the gods another. Trueborn children are made in a marriage bed and blessed by the Father and the Mother, but bastards are born of lust and weakness, he said. King Aegon decreed that his bastards were not bastards, but he could not change their nature. The High Septon said all bastards are born to betrayal ...[20]

- Egg to Dunk


Your mother was milking goats the first time I gave her my seed.[21]

Walder Frey, to Ryger Rivers


Go away, I wanted only Freys up here, the King in the North has no interest in base stock.[22]

Walder Frey, to little Walda Rivers


Orys Baratheon was a baseborn half brother to Lord Aegon, it was whispered, and the Storm King would not dishonor his daughter by giving her hand to a bastard. The very suggestion enraged him.[23]


Bastard children were born from lust and lies, men said; their nature was wanton and treacherous. Once Jon had meant to prove them wrong, to show his lord father he could as good a true son as Robb Stark.[17]

Jon Snow


Well, Aerion Brightflame did not stay in Lys all his life, only a few years. He may have fathered a few bastards there, which would mean Dany has "relatives" of a sort in Lys... but they would be very distant relatives, from the wrong side of the blanket.[24]

- George R. R. Martin

References and Notes

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Bastard (Law of England and Wales). The list of authors can be seen in the page history of Bastard (Law of England and Wales). As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.