Victarion Greyjoy is a member of House Greyjoy and the younger brother of Euron and Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands. He is the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet and personally captains the Iron Victory. After convincing his father to partake in Robert’s Rebellion, Victarion and his brothers raided the Reach. After their father died, Balon became the Lord of the Iron Islands.
Personal Details about Victarion Greyjoy
- Name: Victarion Greyjoy.
- Year of Birth: Between 257 and 269 AC in Pyke.
- Allegiance: House Geyjoy.
- Siblings: Balon, Euron, Urrigon, Harlon, Quenton, Donel, Robin, and Aeron.
- Titles: Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, Master of the Iron Victory.
- Hair Color: Grey.
- Culture: Ironborn.
- Parents: Lord Quellon Greyjoy and Lady Sunderly.
Appearance and Personality
Victarion is a fierce warrior and a capable commander with a great build and a bull’s broad chest. He has grey hair and a young boy’s flat stomach. However, Theon Greyjoy considers him old. He wears heavy chain mail over black leather and pads his hands with gloves underneath iron gauntlets when preparing for combat. His war helm is crested with an iron Kraken with tentacles flowing down below his jaw, and he uses a steel axe with a shield.
Victarion is a religious man with a calm demeanor. Because of his beliefs, he wears heavy plate armor at sea, having no fear of drowning. Though he is fierce and brute, he respects enemies who show bravery and great respect. Though he is a great commander, he lacks wisdom and intellect and gets swayed easily by others with more reasoning than him.
Biography
After convincing his father, Quellon Greyjoy, to join Robert’s Rebellion, Victarion, and his eldest brothers, Balon and Euron, begin raiding the Reach. During the Battle of the Mander, Quellon got killed, and his eldest son, Balon, assumed the throne as the Lord of the Iron Islands.
With the new Lord Balon in command, Victarion became the commander of the Great Fleet of the Iron Islands, called Iron Fleet, and captained the vessel Iron Victory. When Robert assumed the throne, Balon rebelled against him, igniting the Greyjoy Rebellion.
During the conflict, Victarion followed a plan Euron created and sailed to Lannisport, where they burned the Lannister fleet at anchor. He tossed the first torch and destroyed the flagship of Lord Tywin Lannister. However, the Iron Fleet got defeated by the naval commander of Robert Baratheon’s fleet, Stannis Baratheon. During the battle, Aeron Greyjoy’s ship, Golden Storm, got chopped in half by the Warship Fury. At the rebellion’s end, the Greyjoys lost, and Balon bent to Robert.
Marriage
Throughout his life, Victarion got married thrice. His first wife died in childbirth after giving birth to a stillborn daughter. His second wife died from a pox infection. He beat his third wife to death to regain his honor after he learned his brother Euron seduced and impregnated her. After news of Euron’s deed reached Balon, he got sent into exile.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Clash of Kings
When the War of the Five Kings begins, Balon prepares to invade the North. Victarion loans his steersman, Rymolf Stormdrunk, to Theon and gets sent to take Moat Cailin for the Iron Islands. With the might of the Iron Fleet, he succeeds, and Moat Cailin falls.
A Feast for Crows
When Aeron Greyjoy learns about Balon’s death, he organizes the kingsmoot and denounces his brother’s wish to make Asha Greyjoy the next Queen of the Iron Islands. He chooses Victarion, and the kingsmoot assembles. Victarion leaves a token force in Moat Cailin and returns to the Iron Islands. When he lays his claim to the throne, he gets overwhelming support. However, Euron comes in and declares he is the next in line. Victarion sends him away and later reveals to Asha how Euron slept with his wife. He states that he did not kill him because kinslaying was taboo on the Iron Islands.
When the men at the Kingsmoot overwhelmingly support Victarion, Asha tells them that she has the better claim. However, a horn sounds, and everyone turns to see a horn with Valyrian glyphs carved into its sides. Euron reveals that he sailed to the Doom of Valyria and returned with a horn that can control dragons to his will. He states that the dragons live. With Euron’s claim, the men begin chanting his name, and he becomes the new King of the Iron Islands.
Despite hating his brother, Victarion follows his orders as he becomes King. He leads the taking of the Shields but gets injured by Ser Talbert Serry, Lord Osbert Serry’s son. Euron steals many of Victarion’s men from him by giving them titles in the Shield Islands.
Euron summons Victarion to a private meeting in Lord Hewett’s castle. He tells him to find Daenerys Targaryen and give her his marriage proposal. He promises him the seastone chair if he succeeds. Victarion agrees to sail to Essos but fails to reveal his secret intention of marrying Daenerys himself to his brother.
A Dance with Dragons
After Theon gets captured by Ramsay Bolton, he changes his name to Reek. Ramsay makes him persuade the Ironborn at Moat Cailin to surrender as they got abandoned by Victarion.
Victarion begins a voyage for Meereen to meet Daenerys. He takes along a dusky woman gifted to him by Euron. Along the way, he loses many ships but regains some by seizing trading vessels and their cargo. He finally reaches the Isle of Cedars near Slaver’s Bay. His wounded hand gets worse. He learns that a strong Volantene Fleet is on its way to Meereen. While he waits for his scattered ships to return, he meets a red priest of R’hllor, Moqorro, who heals his hand with magic.
After killing his maester, Kerwin, because the red priest dreamt his death would bring good winds, Victarion continues sailing for Meereen and shows him the horn Euron gave him. The red priest reveals that dragonbinder is the horn’s name, and no mortal could blow it and live. The priest states that whoever owns the horn can control dragons at their will as long as they blow it. He then tells Victarion that he has to claim the horn with blood.
Victarion: The Iron Captain
Though he got featured as a minor character in A Song of Ice and Fire, Victarion may become crucial in the war between Meereen and the Free Cities. He is one of the most exquisitely defined minor characters in the series. George R. R. Martin uses him to portray the mind of a brute yet fierce warlord. However, his weakness may lead to his death as he lacks a crucial skill needed for the game of thrones; intellect.
FAQs
Will Victarion be in The Winds of Winter?
From the sample chapters released, Victarion will be present in the sequel of ‘A Dance with Dragons.’ His ship arrives at Meereen’s Bay after the second siege of Meereen resumes.
Was Victarion a powerful man?
Yes, Victarion was a large and strong man. He was fierce and commanded the Iron Fleet exceptionally. However, though he was strong, he lacked wits and got easily defeated by Stannis Baratheon at sea.
Did Balon like his younger brothers?
Yes. Balon was a good older brother to Victarion, Euron, and Aeron. The greatness of Balon made Victarion obey him with no complaints. However, though Balon loved his brothers, he loved his daughter, Asha, more as he tried to make her the heir to the throne upon his passing.
Why did Victarion give Theon a member of his crew?
As Theon wanted to sail against the North for the Iron Islands, his uncle loaned him his steersman, Rymolf Stormdrunk. Theon finally reached the North and captured Winterfell, a move that ruined his life.