King of the Iron Islands is a title in Game of Thrones. The holder is the ruler of the Iron Islands as a sovereign nation. Balon Greyjoy has declared himself King twice, once during the Greyjoy Rebellion, and a second time during the War of the Five Kings, effectively seceding his domain from the rule of the Iron Throne.
In the books
The Iron Islands are something of an odd case, in that for many centuries their kingship was not hereditary. When a king died, the powerful noble Houses of the Iron Islands would meet in an assembly known as a Kingsmoot to select a new king to rule over all of them. Five thousand years ago, House Greyiron killed all of the representatives at the last Kingsmoot, and ruled the Iron Islands as hereditary kings for a thousand years. The Greyirons were destroyed four thousand years ago during the Andal Invasion, when they were deposed by House Hoare. Whether the Greyirons should be considered a Great House that early in history is unclear.
See also
- The King of the Iron Islands at A Wiki of Ice and Fire (spoilers from the books).
References
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