The Citadel

The Archive of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' Lore

Heraldry

House Yronwood of Yronwood

A black portcullis grill over sand

General Information

Yronwood is located at the southern end of the Boneway, and Lord Yronwood is styled Warden of the Stone Way, which may be a particular stretch of the pass. Their motto is, “We Guard the Way.” The only members of the house to be mentioned are Lord Anders Yronwood, who is the current head, his son Cletus, his cousin Ser Archibald, and the old Lord Yronwood, a huge warrior with a fierce reputation and a fierce temper.

When the young Prince Oberyn Martell was caught with Lord Yronwood’s mistress, the lord challenged him to a duel. Though it was to first blood, given the prince’s youth and high birth, and though both took cuts, it was Prince Oberyn who mended because Lord Yronwood died of the wound he took after it festered. It was whispered after that that the prince had poisoned his sword, and so he earned the byname of the Red Viper.

The Yronwoods are one of the most powerful houses in Dorne. Lord Anders is known as the Bloodroyal, which may reference the fact that the Yronwoods were petty kings before Nymeria and Mors Martell united Dorne under their rule. There is an ancient feud between the Fowlers and the Yronwoods related to this, as the Fowlers chose the Martells over the Yronwoods.

Information about House Yronwood that reveals spoilers from the books.