House Arryn of the Eyrie is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, and is the principal noble house in the Vale of Arryn. Their main seat is the Eyrie, which is considered impregnable, but they have many other holdings, including their winter castle at the Gates of the Moon, which was once their main seat. Both of these fortifications sit astride the Giant's Lance, the tallest mountain in the Vale, the Gates of the Moon at its foot, the Eyrie at its top.
The Arryn sigil is a sky-blue falcon soaring against a white moon on a sky-blue field, and their words are "As High as Honor". Usually marrying other Andal nobles, House Arryn has the oldest and purest line of Andal nobility. The Arryn kings proudly traced their lineage to Andalos, with some claiming descent from Hugor of the Hill.
King Artys Arryn, King of the Mountain and the Vale
The Falcon Knight, the Winged Knight
- "My throne is made of saddle leather, and my castle is a tent."
A legendary knight and one of the leaders of the Andal invasion. He defeated High King Robar II Royce at the Battle of Seven Stars to become the first Andal King of the Mountain and the Vale. King Artys spent much of his reign travelling the Vale, rarely spending time at his seat at the Gates of the Moon. He's Lord Robert's favorite hero.
- The Ace: Was said to be the finest warrior of his day, a master of swords, lances and morningstars, cunning, resourceful and loved by the Andals.
- A Child Shall Lead Them: Was of age with Robar Royce, who was 16 and was made the leader of the Vale's andals.
- Archenemy: Of King Robar Royce.
- Alliterative Name
- The Beastmaster: The legendary Winged Knight was said to have commanded eagles to fight for him.
- Body Double: During the Battle of Seven Stars, he had one of his knights wear his spare suit of armor to trick King Robar II Royce into thinking he was still at his main camp, while in reality he took five hundred of his best knights on horse through a goat track to fall on the First Men from behind during the battle. His plan worked brilliantly, although his body double was killed by King Robar.
- Composite Character: In-universe, the historical Ser Artys Arryn, who unified the Vale under Andal rule and defeated King Robar II Royce, has been merged in tales and songs with "the Winged Knight", a legendary warrior of the First Men (even though chivalry is an Andal tradition), who took the Eyrie from the Griffin King and said to have lived centuries before the first Andals came to Westeros.
- Cool Helmet: He wore a silver helm with falcon wings, making him an unmistakable sight on the battlefield, a fact he took advantage of using a body double.
- Founder of the Kingdom: He founded the Arryn dynasty.
- Giant Flyer: The legendary Winged Knight was said to have ridden atop a giant falcon
- In-Series Nickname: "The Falcon Knight", "The Winged Knight".
- Kneel Before Frodo: He wasn't a lord or a king, but ended up ruling the Vale after several major Andal lords rallied behind him.
- Universally Beloved Leader: To the Andals of the Vale
- The Usurper: According to song and legend, the Winged Knight took the Eyrie from the Griffin King.
Queen Regent Sharra Arryn
The Flower of the Mountain
The mother of boy King Ronnel and his brother Jonos. She served as Queen Regent of the Kingdom of Vale and Sky during the War of Conquest, and surrendered to Queen Visenya.
- I Was Quite a Looker: By the time of Aegon's Conquest, she had lost some of her youthful beauty due to age - being 37 at the time - and childbirth.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: Upon entering the throne room of the Eyrie to find Ronnel begging for a ride on Visenya's dragon, Sharra simply exchanged smiles with Visenya, sent for the three Arryn crowns, and offered them alongside the swords of her garrison.
- Lady of War
- We Can Rule Together: She sent a portrait of herself and offered to marry Aegon if he made Ronnel his heir. Aegon refused.
- The Woman Behind the Man: To her son.
- World's Most Beautiful Woman: She was reputed to be the most beautiful woman in Westeros during her youth.
King Ronnel Arryn, King of the Mountain and the Vale
The King Who Flew
The last King of House Arryn, a young boy. He surrendered the Vale to Aegons sister Visenya, in exchange for a ride on her dragon.
- Arranged Marriage: He married a woman of House Stark in a deal brokered by Queen Rhaenys in an effort to tie the two regions closer together.
- Cain and Abel: He ended up being killed by his brother Jonos Arryn, dubbed Jonos the Kinslayer.
- Destination Defenestration: He was tossed out the Moon Door by his own brother.
- Distressed Dude: He was imprisoned by his brother for most of Jonos' revolt, only to be killed near the end of it when Jonos realized he was going to lose.
- Famous Ancestor: He became the first Arryn to bow to the Targaryens, but his later life also proved eventful, as his brother deposed and murdered him. The current Arryns aren't actually descended from him though, since he had no children to inherit his rule, so the rule of the Vale passed to another Arryn.
- Last of His Kind: He was the last Arryn to wear the Falcon Crown.
- Ironic Nickname: He was known as the King Who Flew after Visenya took him on three rides on her dragon following the surrender of the Vale to Aegon. Later Ronnel flew out of the Eyire as an adult through the Moondoor, murdered by his own brother.
- Puppet King: Due to his age, the true ruler of the Vale was his mother, Queen Sharra.
Jonos Arryn
Jonos the Kinslayer
Younger brother of Lord Ronnel, Jonos attempted to usurp his brother and reclaim the independence of the Vale, but his revolt was crushed by House Royce and Prince Maegor Targaryen.
- Cain and Abel: While initially only imprisoning his brother at the start of his revolt, Jonos later killed Ronnel by tossing him out the Moon Door.
- Character Death: He and his surviving allies were all hanged by Prince Maegor after he arrived to put down Jonos' revolt.
- In-Series Nickname: Jonos the Kinslayer
- Rebel Leader: He deposed his brother and began a revolt against the Iron Throne. House Royce led the loyal Vale houses against him, crushing Jonos rebellion and forcing him back to the Eyrie.
- The Usurper: Removed his own brother from his throne and revolted against the Targaryens.
Lady Jeyne Arryn
The Maiden of the Vale
Head of House Arryn and Lady of the Eyrie during the Dance of the Dragons. She supported Rhaenyra Targaryen's claim to the Iron Throne. Following the Dance of the Dragons, she served on the initial Council of Seven, who ruled as regents for the young King Aegon III. She died in Gulltown in 134 AC due to an illness.
- Enemy Mine: She, and most other nobles of the Vale, did not like Daemon Targaryen due to his treatment of his first wife, Rhea Royce. Despite this, she allied with Rhaenyra because if she did not, her own claim to the Eyrie might be questioned.
- Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering: She was one of the regents on the Council of Seven who oversaw the early reign of King Aegon III. The council was often hamstrung by its members infighting or trying to quell the ambitions of one of its members.
- Thicker Than Water: In addition to strengthening her own position, another reason she joined Rhaenyra was because Rhaenyra's mother was an Arryn.
