- "Argilac may have been arrogant, but he wasn't stupid or a coward."
- ―Varys
King Argilac Durrandon, also known as Argilac the Arrogant, was the last of the Storm Kings, the rulers of the Stormlands since Durran Godsgrief, a legendary figure of the Age of Heroes and founder of Storm's End. Argilac was responsible for setting the events of Aegon's Conquest into motion, which would lead to his own death.
Biography[]
When Aegon the Conqueror invaded Westeros, Argilac feared that Harren Hoare would turn his eye southward, seeking to gain more land after the completion of Harrenhal. Then sent an envoy to Dragonstone, asking Aegon for his armies and his dragons, which in return he would give lands owned by Harren and a wife in his daughter, Argella. However, Aegon had already married his two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys.[1]
Upon receiving the envoy, Aegon sent his own with a counteroffer; Argilac would wed Argella to his commander and rumored bastard half-brother, Orys Baratheon. Outraged, Argilac answered with a box containing the hands of Aegon's envoy and a letter announcing: "These are the only hands your bastard shall have of me!" As Aegon had been waiting for an excuse to use his armies and force on Westeros, he sent his army by ship to Storm's End, then sending ravens to all Seven Kingdoms. Aegon then strategically placed himself at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, land disputed between the Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers and the Kingdom of the Stormlands, so that Argilac and Harren could not decide on who should take action against him.[1]
During his conquest, Aegon sent Orys Baratheon to take the ancestral stronghold of the Storm Kings. To avoid the same fate as Harren, who was burned alive inside his castle by dragonfire, Argilac met Orys's forces in open battle and was soundly defeated. Afterward, Orys took not only Storm's End and the Stormlands, but also Argilac's sigil, a black stag on a yellow field, his words - "Ours is the Fury" - and his daughter for his own, becoming the first Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and the founder of House Baratheon.[2]
Family[]
Argilac Durrandon Deceased |
Durrandon queen Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||
Orys Baratheon Deceased |
Argella Durrandon Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||
Axel Baratheon Deceased |
Raymont Baratheon Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||
In the books[]
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Argilac was the leader of House Durrandon, the rulers of the Stormlands for centuries. After his death, Orys Baratheon took the sigil and words of House Durrandon as those of House Baratheon.
Argilac got his nickname for arrogantly refusing Aegon's offer of marrying Orys (a bastard) to his daughter, cutting off the hands of Aegon's envoy and sending them back to him. He was also arrogant in engaging the Targaryens in open battle rather than withstanding a siege in the infamously impregnable castle of Storm's End. However, Argilac was motivated in this by having heard of the death of Harren Hoare in similar circumstances at Harrenhal, who prepared for a siege in his immense castle only for the Targaryen dragons to fly right over the walls. If Argilac resisted a siege by Orys it would only be a matter of time until the Targaryens directed their dragons to the castle, so wishing to avoid this fate Argilac met Orys in pitched battle.
Appearances[]
- – "A Golden Crown" (mentioned in text)
- – "The Field of Fire - House Targaryen" (mentioned)
- – "House Baratheon" (mentioned)
- – "The Stormlands" (illustrated)
- – "Invasion" (illustrated)
- – "House Durrandon, the Storm Kings" (illustrated)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Game of Thrones: Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms, Chapter 2: "Invasion" (2017).
- ↑ Game of Thrones: Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms, Chapter 4: "House Durrandon, the Storm Kings" (2017).
Notes[]
- ↑ In "Valyria & the Dragons," Viserys Targaryen states that Aegon began his conquest 100 years after the Doom of Valyria in 102 BC, placing it in 2 BC.
External links[]
Kings of Westeros | |
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Kings in the North |
Brandon the Builder · Brandon the Breaker · Jon · Rickard, the Laughing Wolf · Dorren · Rodrik · Theon, the Hungry Wolf · Torrhen, the King Who Knelt · Robb, the Young Wolf · Jon, the White Wolf · Sansa |
Kings of the Rock |
Gerold the Great · Tywell II · Tommen II · Loren I, the Last |
Kings of the Iron Islands |
Grey King · Qhored I, the Cruel · Qhorwyn the Cunning · Harwyn Hardhand · Harren the Black · Balon, Invader of the North · Euron · Yara |
Kings of the Reach | |
Kings of the Mountain and the Vale | |
Storm Kings |
Durran Godsgrief · Argilac the Arrogant · Argella |
Princes of Dorne |
Mors & Nymeria · Nymeria's daughter · Meria, the Yellow Toad · Nymor · Qoren · Maron |
River Kings | |
Petty kings |
Benedict Blackmont · Royce IV Bolton · Rogar Bolton · Vorian Dayne · Lucifer Dryland · Urrigon Hightower · Lymond Hightower · Albin Manwoody · Robar II Royce · Yorick V Yronwood |
Unknown |
Head
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Gendry Baratheon | Heir
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Vacant | ||
Seat
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Storm's End | Region
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Stormlands | ||
Titles |
Lords Paramount of the Stormlands · Lords of Storm's End · Warden of the South | ||||
Ancestors |
Durran Godsgrief · Argilac the Arrogant · Orys Baratheon · Argella Baratheon · Axel Baratheon · Raymont Baratheon · Jocelyn Baratheon · Boremund Baratheon · Borros Baratheon · Cassandra Baratheon · Maris Baratheon · Ellyn Baratheon · Floris Baratheon · Lyonel Baratheon · Rhaelle Baratheon · Ormund Baratheon | ||||
Deceased |
Steffon Baratheon · Cassana Baratheon · Robert Baratheon · Stannis Baratheon · Renly Baratheon · Selyse Baratheon · Shireen Baratheon | ||||
Household |
Brienne of Tarth · Colen of Greenpools · Gerald · {Loras Tyrell} | ||||
Overlords |
King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men |