House Hightower

House Hightower of the Hightower is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, and the principal house of the Reach.

Their seat is the Hightower in Oldtown. The Hightower sigil is a white tower crowned with flames on smoke grey. Their words are "We Light the Way."

They currently swear to House Baratheon of King's Landing and are led by Lord Paramount Damon Hightower.

Hightower Kings
The family is ancient, existing since the dawn of days when they were petty-kings. While most scholars believe they descend from the First Men, Maester Yandel posits they descend from the seafarers and traders that settled at the top of the Whispering Sound in an earlier time, men who came to Westeros before the First Men and seem to have founded the original incarnation of Oldtown. Whatever the truth, the Hightowers resided in the ancient black stone fortress of Battle Isle at the mouth of the Honeywine before the "Hightower" of stone was built.

The Hightowers built four successive wooden beacon towers atop the fortress. The legendary King Uthor of the High Tower is said to have commissioned Bran the Builder or his son Brandon to design the fifth tower, one built entirely of stone. Uthor's sons, King Urrigon and Prince Peremore the Twisted, were integral in the foundation of the Citadel.

During these early days Oldtown was threatened and sacked many times, including by ironborn raiders, Dornishmen, and the armies of the Kings of the Reach, House Gardener of Highgarden. The Kings of the High Tower raised strong walls and higher towers to keep any further invaders out. Oldtown was not brought into the realm of the Gardeners by conquest, but by marriage, during the reigns of King Lymond Hightower and King Garland II Gardener. Lymond the Sea Lion wed the daughter of Garland, while Garland put aside his own wives to marry Lymond's daughter.

During the Andal invasion, the Hightowers and the Gardeners allied with the newcomers. Thus they were able to keep their wealth, lands and privileges. Protected by the might of Highgarden, the lords of Oldtown turned their eyes to trade and commerce and grew with every generation to become one of the richest and most powerful noble families in Westeros. The Hightowers were also one of the first great lords to accept the Faith of the Seven and thus gave their patronage to the establishment of the office of High Septon and the building of the Starry Sept as the center of the Faith.

Targaryen Era
During Aegon's Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Manfred Hightower heeded the High Septon and did not join his liege lord, King Mern IX Gardener, on the march to the Field of Fire. Soon, Mern was dead and Highgarden surrendered, with the Tyrells replacing the Gardeners. When Aegon the Conqueror arrived at Oldtown on dragonback, Manfred opened his gates. Aegon spared the city, and the High Septon anointed him and acknowledged House Targaryen's right to rule all Seven Kingdoms.

The Hightowers were strong supporters of the greens against the blacks during the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. King Aegon II Targaryen was supported by his mother, the Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, and his grandfather, the Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower. Ser Gwayne Hightower served as second-in-command of the City Watch of King's Landing. Lord Ormund Hightower commanded the greens' army from the Reach, which also included the knights Bryndon and Hobert Hightower. Three of the Hightowers' bannerhouses (the Costaynes, Mullendores and Beesburys) fought for the blacks, however.

Perhaps because of their heavy losses during the Dance of the Dragons, House Hightower gave strong support to neither side during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, keeping a foot in both Targaryen and Blackfyre camps.

Ser Abelar Hightower challenged Prince Valarr Targaryen in the first tilt of the tourney at Ashford Meadow and was defeated. House Hightower was among the houses that Ser Eustace Osgrey mentioned as part of his litany of great houses that Osgrey maids once married into.

Prince Oberyn Martell and Princess Elia Martell visited Oldtown on their way to Casterly Rock where their mother was to broker their marriage to the Lannister twins, Cersei and Jaime. While in Oldtown they met Baelor Hightower, whom Elia fancied but Oberyn mocked after he farted in their presence. Lord Tywin Lannister later offered his youngest son, Tyrion, as a match for a Hightower daughter, but Lord Leyton Hightower declined.

Baratheon Era
During Robert's Rebellion, the Hightowers remained loyal to King Aerys II and the Targaryen dynasty.[12] Ser Gerold Hightower, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, was killed at the Tower of Joy.[13] The Hightowers knelt to the new king, Robert I Baratheon, after the defeat of the Targaryens.

Lord Leyton attended the tourney at Lannisport to watch his sons joust. Lynesse accompanied her father, meeting and marrying Jorah Mormont, Lord of Bear Island. Mormont's hall proved underwhelming, however, and Lynesse eventually became the chief concubine of Tregar Ormollen in Lys.

House Hightower continues to be patrons of both the Citadel and the Faith of the Seven. They are as rich as House Lannister and can field three times as many swords as other Tyrell bannermen, as well as the manpower of Oldtown. The four-decked Honor of Oldtown is the flagship of the Hightower fleet.

The current head of the house, Lord Leyton, had not descended from the High Tower in over a decade. His fourth and current wife is Rhea Florent. Besides her family, the Hightowers are connected to several prominent Reach houses; Leyton's second daughter, Alerie, is wed to their liege, Mace Tyrell.

The War of the False Stag
Tywin Lannister raises an army after his son Tyrion is kidnapped by Catelyn Stark, and orders Gregor Clegane to raid the Riverlands. Lord Hand Eddard Stark sends men under the command of Beric Dondarrion to deal with the Lion’s dog.

When King’s Landing is besieged, Tywin and Jaime Lannister march east to the capital. The new Lord Edmure Tully and his Riverlander army cut him off on the Gold Road, and defeat their army. Both Tywin and Jaime are killed in the battle, and with Tyrion Lannister missing, Kevan Lannister becomes the Lord of Casterly Rock.

As Edric Baratheon becomes King, House Lannister finds its influence in the capital quickly fading under the regency of Lord Regent Stannis Baratheon, though he keeps things relatively balanced between each of the regions.

Cersei Lannister and her son Joffrey Waters are executed, Myrcella Waters is sent to Dragonstone as Lady Shireen Baratheon’s lady-in-waiting and to act as a hostage. Tommen Waters is given to Lord Renly Baratheon as his squire and hostage.

To ensure the West’s loyalty, Kevan Lannister’s daughter Janei is betrothed to Lord Edmure’s firstborn son, Hoster Tully. The boy is born in 301 AC and the two are wed when the Tully heir comes of age.''' '''

The Targaryen Invasion of 353 AC
When the Targaryens invade, Lord Lannister hopes to improve his standing in the eyes of the crown by hurrying to defend Westeros from the Dragons.

Young Lord Lannister sets up the siege of Duskendale after Baelor Targaryen captures the city. With the assistance of the Royal Fleet blocking the Duskendale harbour, the Lannister army blockades the city. As reinforcements from Dragonstone and the capital arrive, King Raymont leads a charge into the city, soldiers attacking both from land and sea.

The end of the war begins the slow, steady return of House Lannister once more into prominence, though things between their house and the crown are still slightly strained.

Reach-Westerlands Border War 360-361 AC
The Reach begins to make moves against the West, who are still held poorly in opinion. Several lords from the Reach march armies north and seize Western lands along the border of the Reach and West.

Lannister petitions the Crown to ask them to step in and order the Tyrells disband their armies. The plea falls upon deaf ears and Lord Lannister raises an army.

The Reach seizes control of Crakehall, and begins to march to Cornfield. House Lannister’s army marches to meet them and their army reaches Cornfield before the Reach army.

A bloody battle ensues, many lives are lost on the battlefield, the West wins the battle and pushes the Reach army back towards Crakehall.

361 AC: Crakehall is besieged by the Western army, and when the time comes, the exiled Lord Crakehall leads the charge into his former castle. He is wounded in the battle, but his son carries him to safety. The Reach army surrenders the castle.

Reinforcements from the Reach arrive to find that Crakehall is once more under command of the West. The Reach attempts to besiege the castle, but the now experienced soldiers who wish nothing more than to hold onto their lands strike forth from the castle in a sortie led by Lord Lannister. The Reach army does not expect the Westermen to attack and is caught unawares. In the battle, the West inflicts heavy losses upon their enemy, but takes few of their own.

Lord Tyrell orders a retreat, though he vows to himself to one day return.

Members

 * Barris Hightower – Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown, Defender of the Citadel, Beacon of the South d. 362 AC
 * Arwyn Redwyne – Lady of the Hightower d. 349 AC
 * Abelar Hightower d. 349 AC
 * Margaery Hightower d. 349 AC
 * Ashara Hightower – Heir to the Hightower, former Lady of Highgarden b. 342
 * Mina Flowers b. 365 AC
 * Martyn Hightower – Maester of the Citadel b. 344 AC
 * Beony Beesbury – Lady of the Hightower b. 333 AC
 * Damon Hightower – Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown, Defender of the Citadel, Beacon of the South b. 350 AC
 * Malora Hightower – Lady of Horn Hill b. 351 AC
 * Darlessa Hightower b. 353 AC
 * Cersei Hightower b. 355 AC
 * Lymond Hightower b. 321
 * Lia Mullendore, his wife b. 330
 * Garlan Hightower – Prince Consort of Dorne, b. 346
 * Amira Martell – Princess of Dorne
 * Garin Martell b. 365
 * Morgan Martell b. 365
 * Morgan Hightower b. 347
 * Edwyn Hightower – The High Septon, b. 326
 * Lynesse Hightower b. 327
 * Leo Costayne, her husband, b. 334
 * Arthur Hightower b. 353
 * Alicent Hightower b. 354
 * Ellyn Hightower b. 356