The Citadel

House Yronwood of Yronwood

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.

Spoilers

Lord Anders is like a father to Prince Quentyn Martell, having fostered him since he was a child. It is said that he does not like the idea of Princess Arianne succeeding Prince Doran to the rule of Dorne, because she is a woman. Regardless, Lord Anders followed Prince Doran’s command and took a host into the Boneway following the pact made with the Lannisters. His son, Cletus, was later spied with Quentyn Martell taking ship for the Free Cities on a dangerous, secretive mission.

Cletus is killed by a corsair attack off the shore of the Disputed Lands. Ser Archibald Yronwood proceeds with Quentyn to Meereen, where he follows Quentyn in his plan to attempt to steal a dragon after failing to wed Daenerys or at least convince her to come to Dorne. Archibald tries to put out the flames that engulf Quentyn with his bare hands, badly burning him. He and Ser Gerris surrender and are imprisoned until Barristan Selmy approaches them and asks on their honor as knights to carry out the task of sneaking into the Yunkish siege camp and freeing Daario Naharis from captivity.