Harwyn Hoare
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 King Harwyn Hoare, by Rene Aigner © | ||||
| Monarch | ||||
| Full name | Harwyn Hoare | |||
| Titles | ||||
| Predecessor | Qhorwyn Hoare | |||
| Heir | Halleck Hoare | |||
| Successor | Halleck Hoare | |||
| Personal Information | ||||
| Aliases |
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| Born | or before 109 BC[1] | |||
| Died | or before 45 BC[1] (aged 64)[2] | |||
| Family | ||||
| Dynasty | House Hoare | |||
| Issue | Halleck Hoare | |||
| Father | Qhorwyn Hoare | |||
| References | ||||
| Books |
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Harwyn Hoare, known as Harwyn Hardhand, was a King of the Iron Islands from House Hoare who conquered the riverlands and became the first King of the Isles and the Rivers. The ironborn longship Hardhand is presumably named in his honor.
Contents
Character
Harwyn was belligerent in his youth and bold and demanding as king. While most ironborn were only considered fearsome at sea, Harwyn was also a skilled leader on land from his time in the Disputed Lands.[3]
According to the Iron Chronicle, Harwyn pit his bannermen against each other to keep them weak.[4]
History
Youth
In his youth Harwyn raided the Stepstones and visited Free Cities such as Volantis, Tyrosh, Braavos, and Lys. He was a captive in the Basilisk Isles for two years, served as a sellsword in the Disputed Lands, and joined the Second Sons, with whom he fought in several battles.[3]
Harwyn succeeded his ailing father, King Qhorwyn the Cunning, although Harwyn had only been third in line to the Seastone Chair. His eldest brother had already died of greyscale two years prior, but the middle brother, Prince Harlan, died after falling from a horse. Though it was said to be an accident, the death was considered suspicious by some, especially when King Qhorwyn passed six days later, allowing Harwyn to claim the throne as King of the Iron Islands.[3]
Reign
Qhorwyn, a peaceful king who focused on trade, tripled the fleets of House Hoare and expanded the armament of his forces to deter adversaries from attacking the Iron Islands. Harwyn, however, saw their strengthened forces as a weapon to be used.[3]
Harwyn planned the invasion of the riverlands, which were weakly held by the Storm King Arrec Durrandon. Led by Harwyn, one hundred ironborn longships landed south of Seagard and then carried the ships overland to the Blue Fork. Ser Samwell Rivers' small host was shattered by Harwyn's charge at the Tumblestone. Harwyn then defeated the army of Lady Agnes Blackwood, who was betrayed in the battle by Lord Lothar Bracken. Harwyn was impressed with Agnes's defiance and offered her to become his salt wife, but the king killed her when she refused.[2]
The Storm King Arrec then met Harwyn in a battle at Fairmarket. Aided by many river lords, including Lothar Bracken, Theo Charlton, and Lords Goodbrook, Paege, and Vypren, the Hoares crushed the stormlanders and Arrec's rule over the riverlands collapsed. The rivermen had hoped to regain their independence and celebrated at first, but Harwyn retained control for himself. Lord Bracken had desired to be river king; he rose in rebellion six months later, which resulted in him starving to death in a crow cage.[2]
Harwyn spent most of his reign ruling and suppressing rebellions in the riverlands rather than the Iron Islands. Harwyn died in bed with a salt wife at the age of sixty-four, and he was succeeded as King of the Isles and the Rivers by his son, Halleck Hoare.[2] Harwyn was the grandfather of Harren the Black[5] and Lord Commander Hoare.[6] Harwyn's younger sister was the grandmother of Qhorin Volmark.[7]
Quotes by Harwyn
Longships are meant to be sailed [and] swords are meant to be blooded.[3]
—Harwyn to the ironborn
Quotes about Harwyn
Raventree shall endure long after you and yours are cast down and destroyed. Your line shall end in blood and fire.[2]
—Agnes Blackwood to Harwyn
His palace was a tent, his throne a saddle.[3]
—Harwyn's men regarding Harwyn
Family
| Qhorwyn | Unknown wife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Son | Harlan | Unknown wife | Harwyn | Salt wife [Note 1] | Daughter | Unknown Volmark | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Halleck | Unknown wife | Son | Unknown wife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unknown wife | Harren | Son | Qhorin Volmark | Unknown wife | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sons [Note 2] | Son | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes: |
Behind the Scenes
Qhorwyn Hoare and his son Harwyn may have been inspired by King Frederick William I of Prussia and his son Frederick II. Frederick William reformed and expanded the Prussian military, and Frederick the Great conquered Silesia soon after succeeding his father.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 See the Harwyn Hoare calculation.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Black Blood.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands: House Tully.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 60, Jon VIII.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Greyjoys of Pyke.