This is a character listing for the members of House Corbray who appear in A Song of Ice and Fire.
For the main character index, see here
For the main Vale entry, see here
House Corbray of Heart's Home
A noble house of Andal descent seated at Heart's Home, located to the northeast of the Eyrie. It is an old but poor house.
They blazon their arms with three black ravens in flight holding three red hearts, on white. Their words do not appear in the books.
Tropes related to House Corbray:
- Alliterative Family: All the current generation of Corbrays have names beginning with "L": Lyonel, Lyn, and Lucas.
- Ancestral Weapon: Lady Forlorn, a Valyrian steel sword with a heart-shaped ruby in the pommel.
- Badass Family: Corbrays have been notable warriors and fighters throughout history.
- Famous Ancestor:
- Ser Jaime Corbray, who fought at the Battle of Seven Stars. The Corbrays insist he was the one who slew High King Robar II Royce during the battle, pointing out the fact that they recovered Lady Forlorn during the battle as proof of the deed.
- Lord Leowyn Corbray, who supported Rhaenyra Targaryen during the Dance of Dragons and one of the many victims of the Winter Fever.
- The Ghost: Ser Lucas Corbray, the younger brother of Lyonel and Lyn.
- MacGuffin: Lady Forlorn changing hands during the Andal wars is a memorable saga for the Corbrays.
- No Name Given: The Lord Corbray during Robert's Rebellion, who was the father of Lyonel, Lyn and Lucas.
- Punny Name: Well, their shield includes a couple of puns on their name. For starters, the Latin for "heart" is "cor". Then "corbie
" is Scots, Scottish English and Geordie for "raven" or, any large, threatening corvid, really. Just add an extra R to the variant "corby" and you're more or less done. - Theme Naming: Other than "L", their names usually begin with "C", "G" or "Q"; Corwyn, Gawen, Gwayne, Qyle, Qarl and Quenton.
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Lord Lyonel Corbray
Lord Lyonel Corbray
Head of House Corbray and Lord of Heart's Home.
- The Ghost: Despite being one of the most powerful noblemen of the Vale, he has yet to appear in the series. When most of the Lords of the Vale gather at the Gates of the Moon to attend a tourney to select the Brotherhood of the Winged Knight, Lyonel does not attend due to his new wife being pregnant.
- Nobility Marries Money: In exchange for Lyonel's support, Littlefinger arranges for him to marry the daughter of a wealthy Gulltown merchant with a extremely sizable dowry. This helps relieve some of the financial strain House Corbray had been under.
- The Resenter: Resents his brother having been given Lady Forlorn by their dying father.
Ser Lyn Corbray
Ser Lyn Corbray
- "My lady has a thirst. Whenever she comes out to dance, she likes a drop of red."
The younger brother of Lyonel, Ser Lyn is a member of the Lords Declarant, who are opposed to Lord Petyr Baelish's regency over the Vale.
- Ambiguously Gay:
- It is rumored that he isn't all that interested in women. Confirmed by Littlefinger, who buys his loyalty with gold and boys.
- Interestingly enough, his sexuality seems to be common knowledge, as Myranda Royce brings it up after talking to him.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Probably the most evil noble in the Vale.
- Badass Boast: Makes one when volunteering to be Lysa Arryn's champion in Tyrion's trial-by-combat for supposedly murdering Jon Arryn:Ser Lyn: The gods favor the man with the just cause, yet often that turns out to be the man with the surest sword. We all know who that is.
- Beauty Is Bad: Sansa notes that while he is attractive, there is something unsettling about his smile. His behavior backs up her assessment.
- Blood Knight: He lives for fighting and dueling, and woe be to whoever faces him.
- Depraved Homosexual: Littlefinger buys his loyalty with boys. One shudders to think of why he needs to keep being given more.
- Hero Killer: Lyn personally killed Prince Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard at the Battle of the Trident, though Martell was already fatally injured at that point. Littlefinger however notes that Corbray has a tendency to give anyone who points that out the opportunity to ask Martell the truth of it in Hell.
- Impoverished Patrician: It's mentioned that he's constantly in need of money, which is one of the reasons why he works with Littlefinger.
- Jerkass: He is rude, crass, and corrupt. He even disregards the laws of Sacred Hospitality, drawing his sword and threatening Littlefinger at the parlay between the Lords Declarant and Littlefinger at the Eyrie. Of course, this was arranged between them to weaken the Lords Declarant's cause and give Littlefinger an upper hand in the negotiations.
- Lean and Mean: He is tall and thin, and well known for being one of the most dangerous men in the Vale.
- Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Long haired and noted to be attractive by Sansa.
- The Mole: For Littlefinger among the Lords Declarant. Any other plots against Littlefinger that pop up will also find him to be one of the first to offer his services so he can fulfill this position.
- The Sociopath: He seemingly only cares for himself.
- Smug Snake: Nearly every sentence he utters is him mocking or insulting someone, and he tends to have a smug grin on his face most of the time.
- Token Evil Teammate: For the Lords Declarant, who despise him.
- Turn Coat: During Robert's Rebellion, he fought for the Targaryen loyalists in the Vale before defecting after Robert Baratheon won the Battle of Gulltown.
- Unwanted Harem: He is part of the group of lords who vie for Lysa's hand after Lord Arryn dies, seeking to gain claim to her control over the Vale.
- Wild Card: His exact loyalties are unclear: while he served ably in defusing the Lords Declarant cause for Littlefinger, Sansa notes that he seems truly angry over Littlefinger arranging for his brother's marriage, since that threatens his position as heir of House Corbray. This causes her to doubt his true loyalties to Littlefinger.
Historical Corbrays
Lord Corwyn Corbray
Lord Corwyn Corbray
An Andal knight who was among the first warlords to cross the Narrow Sea, he claimed the Fingers as his domain, styling himself Lord of the Five Fingers, after defeating the Kings Dywen Shell and Jon Brightstone.
- Alliterative Name: Corwyn Corbray
- And Now You Must Marry Me: Forced the daughter of Jon Brightstone to marry him while Dywen Shell's wife became his mistress.
- Founder of the Kingdom: He founded House Corbray in the Vale.
King Qyle Corbray
King Qyle Corbray
Qyle Corbray was a member of House Corbray who ruled the Fingers as King of the Fingers during the Andal invasion. He was a wielder of the Valyrian steel blade Lady Forlorn.
- My Nayme Is: Qyle instead of Kyle.
- Sacrificial Lion: He was the first Andal king slain by Robar Royce II.
Ser Gawen Corbray
Ser Gawen Corbray
A knight chosen by Visenya Targaryen to be master-at-arms for young Prince Maegor Targaryen
- Badass Teacher: Being chosen to train a royal prince meant he most likely was this.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: How could have Gawen known he was training one of the worst monsters in Westerosi history?
- What Happened to the Mouse?: His fate after Maegor grew up is not mentioned.
Lord Qarl Corbray
Lord Qarl Corbray
Lord of House Corbray during the reigns of King Maegor I and King Jaehaerys I, he served as a commander for Prince Aegon the Uncrowned during his rebellion against Maegor and as Lord Commander of the City Watch during the reign of Jaehaerys, a position he would hold until his death during the Shivers pandemic.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Downplayed; he was a good man and a strong supporter of Jaehaerys, but he still argued against the king naming Septon Barth as Hand of the King on account of the latter's common birth.
- Da Chief: Was appointed Commander of the City Watch by the newly crowned Jaehaerys as a reward for his loyalty to Jaehaerys's older brother Aegon. He held the position until his death.
- Duel to the Death: Killed Ser Davos Darklyn, a knight of Maegor's Kingsguard, in one of these at the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye.
- Ignored Expert: He urged Prince Aegon to crush the smaller armies loyal to Maegor slowing his advance on King's Landing down, but the young prince refused to divide his strength to confront multiple foes. Aegon's refusal allowed his foes to combine their strength and delay him long enough for Maegor to arrive with reinforcements.
- Implied Death Threat: When Rogar Baratheon refused to comply with Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon's command he resign as Hand of the King for his intention to force Jaehaerys to abdicate, Qarl drew Lady Forlorn and implied he'd use it unless Rogar obeyed.Rogar Baratheon: You think you can dismiss me? No. No.Qarl Corbray: [draws Lady Forlorn] Yes.
- The Lancer: He was Prince Aegon's most senior advisor during the latter's campaign to depose Maegor.
- Might Makes Right: After the High Septon's death, he and Lord Daemon Velaryon advocated a show of force to warn the Faith of the Seven of the consequences of electing Septon Mattheus, a long-time critic of Jaehaerys, as High Septon.
- My Nayme Is: Qarl, not Karl.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Declared his support for Prince Aegon the Uncrowned, in defiance of Maegor's rule and the Faith Militant's denunciation of Prince Aegon for his marriage to his sister.
- You Will Be Spared: He was one of several major nobles Visenya convinced Maegor to spare for the sake of peace after the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye, though Qarl lost lands, titles, gold and had to give over a hostage to Maegor.
Ser Corwyn Corbray
Ser Corwyn Corbray
Ser Corwyn Corbray was a knight of House Corbray and younger brother of Lord Leowyn Corbray. He was married to Lady Rhaena Targaryen although they had no issue. He was shot and killed by a crossbowman at Runestone on 134 AC when confronting Lord Royce for supporting Arnold Arryn over Jeyne Arryn's chosen heir Joffrey.
- All There in the Manual: The reason why he was killed at Runestone is only explained in Fire & Blood
- Named After Somebody Famous: Shares the name with the founder of their House.
- Replacement Goldfish: Corwyn was made one of the seven regents to King Aegon III Targaryen, replacing the late Lord Manfryd Mooton, although he also died on the same year.
- Sibling Team: With his brother Leowyn.
- This Means War!: His death at Runestone provoked the Iron Throne into all out war with the rebel factions in the Vale.
Ser Gwayne Corbray
Ser Gwayne Corbray
A knight of the Kingsguard.- See the Historical Kingsguard page.
