Game of Thrones is often pitched as a gateway fantasy story. Those who thought Lord of the Rings was too whimsical or The Wheel of Time was too complex might find Westeros more appealing. Part of what sets Game of Thrones apart is its atmosphere. Instead of taking place in the days of adventure, it takes place in the bitter, brutal, grounded world that grew generations after those days passed. The Age of Heroes was Westeros’s high fantasy period, and the Grey King was one of its legendary heroes.
Every culture in Westeros has distinct myths and origin stories. Most of the ruling families in the region tie their lineage back to a mythic figure. House Stark claims Bran the Builder, the man who built the Wall. House Lannister is attached to Lann the Clever, a notorious trickster. The harsh, storm-battered Iron Islands have a legacy tied to an ancient hero called the Grey King, who slayed a dragon and waged war against a god.
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Who was The Grey King?
The Grey King is a legendary figure from the Age of Heroes. As with every character mentioned in that period, his story is shrouded in myth. The people of the Iron Islands hold his legend as absolute law, while historians argue it’s likely a collection of songs and tall tales. Outside the canon, the Grey King embodies the Iron Islands’ connection to Viking culture. His story takes elements from many Norse and broader European heroes to create a figure that would inspire one of the least populated regions of Westeros for generations. Though much of the Grey King’s myth might not be strictly true, it remains alive in the hearts of the ironborn. Their Grey King set the path for their nation to prosper.
The Grey King is seen as a champion of the Drowned God, the unique patron sea deity of the ironborn. As his chosen hero, he holds a strong connection with the ocean. His tale starts with Nagga, the first sea dragon. Nagga ate krakens and giant whales for food and drowned islands when she grew angry. The Grey King rose and slayed Nagga in a legendary battle on the island of Old Wyk. He killed the sea dragon singlehandedly with the Drowned God’s blessing. The Drowned God turned the beast’s bones into stone and allowed the Grey King to build his hall from her remnants. The structure gained heat and light from Nagga’s living fire. With his homestead established, he constructed the first longship out of a man-eating tree he killed. He taught humanity how to make fishing nets and sails. He gave the Iron Islands fire by tricking the evil Storm God into striking a tree with lightning. The Grey King took a mermaid as his wife, siring children who could live in the sea as they could on the land.
The Grey King ruled the Iron Islands for 1,007 years from his hall on Old Wyk. He fathered more than a hundred sons. He wore a crown of driftwood, but some claimed he donned Nagga’s fangs as headgear. He turned the beast’s jaw into his throne. Over the millennia, the Grey King earned his name as his hair, beard, and skin became pale. After all those years, the Grey King seemed to choose to end his reign. He discarded his driftwood crown, stood from his dragon-jaw throne, and walked into the sea, never to be seen again. Many maintain he left humanity behind to sit at the Drowned God’s right hand forever.
What was The Grey King’s Influence on Westeros?
Almost every ruling Noble House on the Iron Islands ties its lineage back to the Grey King. His 100 sons were virtually untraceable, but every family in charge knows the bloodline. More than 80 of the Grey King’s boys disappeared into history. Thirteen fathered lesser Noble Houses. Three sired Houses Greyiron, Hoare, and Greyjoy. After the Grey King died, the Iron Islands had a unique system with two rulers. The first High King of the Iron Islands was elected generations after the Grey King’s death. Urras Greyiron won his position for his success as a reaver, prompting longship captains to vote for him. House Greyiron’s dynasty lasted a thousand years. House Hoare took over after a united rebellion and the Andal Invasion. Legend states Harras Hoare won the title in a game of skill involving tossing axes at each other. House Greyjoy took command after an election spurred by Aegon I Targaryen’s conquest. Yara Greyjoy explains her connection to the Grey King like this:
We traced our descent from the Age of Heroes and the legendary Grey King, who took a mermaid to wife and made war upon the Storm God for a thousand years.
The Grey King is a fascinating figure of ironborn mythology. He’s inspired by Norse myths, just as the seafaring raider culture of the Iron Islands is inspired by Viking warriors. As the first King of the Iron Island, the man who slayed Nagga set the tone for the next several thousand years of their culture. The Grey King lived the life of a legendary hero and represents that legacy still.
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