I've been playing with the dynamic duchies mod for a couple days now, and I am just now seeing how cool some of the county coat of arms are.

House Lothston of Harrenhal is an extinct house from Harrenhal in the riverlands. Their arms were a black bat on a field divided bendwise, silver and gold.^[1][2] They held Harrenhal until three or four generations before A Song of Ice and Fire and were a powerful house which once loomed large in the histories of the Seven Kingdoms.^[3]

• 1History
• 2Recent Events

History

Knights

Ser Guy Lothston was slain defending Maegor I Targaryen during the king's Trial of Seven in 42 AC.^[4]

Ser Lucas Lothston was the grandson of a hedge knight. After the secret siege and the failed plot against King Aegon III Targaryen in 135 AC, the patient Lucas was named master-at-arms of the Red Keep by Lord Torrhen Manderly to replace Ser Gareth Long.^[5]

Lords of Harrenhal

After Falena Stokeworth was found in bed with Prince Aegon Targaryen in 149 AC, his father, Prince Viserys, desired to remove Falena from court at King's Landing. Viserys married her to Ser Lucas Lothston and convinced King Aegon III to gift his master-at-arms with Harrenhal in 151 AC, as the previous holders of the castle, House Strong, had died out as a result of the Dance of the Dragons.^[6][7] House Lothston became the sixth noble house to rule as Lords of Harrenhal.

Lord Lucas was briefly Hand of the King for Aegon IV Targaryen in 178 AC. Jeyne Lothston, the daughter of Lucas and Falena, became the eighth of Aegon's mistresses, but she was sent away from court when she caught the pox from the king. Lucas was sent away as well, having been removed as Hand.^[6]

The Bastard of Harrenhal was defeated by Ser Arlan of Pennytree in the melee at a tourney held at King's Landing in 193 AC.^[8]

The Lothstons of Harrenhal had a bad reputation; Lord Lucas Lothston and his son Manfryd, for example, were renowned for their black deeds.^[2] According to Ser Eustace Osgrey, Manfred Lothston betrayed Daemon Blackfyre in the First Blackfyre Rebellion.^[9] Lady Danelle Lothston, called Mad Danelle, was said to send giant bats out to capture children for her cookpots, to have bathed in blood and feasted on flesh.^[10] When Lord Bloodraven marched on the wedding tourney at Whitewalls to quash the Second Blackfyre Rebellion in 212 AC, among the river lords who came in support was Lady Danelle.^[11]

The downfall of House Lothston came when Danelle turned to the black arts, causing chaos.^[7] The last Lothston was killed with the help of an ancestor of Ser Illifer the Penniless in unknown circumstances.^[2] After the line ended during the reign of King Maekar I Targaryen, the lordship of Harrenhal was given to House Whent, knights who had first served the Lothstons but then helped to defeat the mad family.^[7]Ben Blackthumb worked as a boy for Lord Lothston and later for the grandfather and father of Lady Shella Whent.^[12]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

Ser Jaime Lannister uses a shield found in the armory of Harrenhal with the arms of House Lothston on his ride back to King's Landing. He remembers the stories of Lady Danelle Lothston, who bathed in tubs of blood and presided over feasts of human flesh.^[1]

A Feast for Crows

Jaime gives the heavy oaken shield to Brienne of Tarth when she departs King's Landing to find Sansa Stark.^[2] When she gets to Duskendale a captain at the gate tells her that the black bat arms are of ill repute. Brienne has it re-painted by the captain's sister, who is not pleased to see the black bat either, as she is reminded of her mother's frightening tale about Mad Danelle.^[13]

Buddy Guy - Sweet Tea (2001) My knowledge and enjoyment of the blues has always been largely limited to the rawest, most minimal form of the genre - one man, one guitar, and 99 problems. But a while back I worked briefly with a blues aficionado, who put on Sweet Tea and said it was some of the greatest electric blues ever recorded.

Lord Petyr Baelish uses the extinction of House Lothston as an example of the fate of those who claim to own Harrenhal.^[14]

A Dance with Dragons

Jon Lothston serves with the Golden Company in Essos. He may or not be genuinely of House Lothston, as in the free companies a man can call himself whatever he chooses.^[3]

House Lothston at the end of the third century

The known Lothstons during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

• Jon Lothston, an exile serving with the Golden Company.^[3]

Historical Members

• Ser Guy Lothston, called Guy the Glutton, one of King Maegor I Targaryen's champions in his trial of seven.^[4]
• Lord Lucas Lothston, first Lothston to be Lord of Harrenhal, and Hand of the King to Aegon IV Targaryen.^[6]
  • Lady Falena Stokeworth, his wife, one of Aegon IV's mistresses.^[6][15]
    • Lady Jeyne Lothston, his daughter, one of Aegon IV's mistresses.^[6]
• Lord Lucas Lothston, called the Pander.^[2]
  • Manfryd Lothston, called Manfryd o' the Black Hood, Lucas's son.^[2]
• Manfred Lothston, a participant in the First Blackfyre Rebellion.^[9]
• The Bastard of Harrenhal, a tourney participant.^[8]
• Lady Danelle Lothston, called the Mad.^{[7][13][10][11]}

Quotes

You bear a liar's shield, to which you have no right. My grandfather's grandfather helped kill the last o' Lothston. None since has dared to show that bat, black as the deeds of them that bore it.^[2]

The black bat of Lothston. Those are arms of ill repute.^[13]

Notes

1. ↑Danelle Lothston turned to the black arts during the reign of Maekar I Targaryen, causing chaos and the downfall of the Lothston line (The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands: House Tully). Maekar reigned from 221 to 233 AC (A Game of Thrones, Appendix).

References

1. ↑ ^1.01.1A Storm of Swords, Chapter 44, Jaime VI.
2. ↑ ^{2.02.12.22.32.42.52.6}A Feast for Crows, Chapter 4, Brienne I.
3. ↑ ^3.03.13.2A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 24, The Lost Lord.
4. ↑ ^4.04.1Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
5. ↑Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.
6. ↑ ^{6.06.16.26.36.4}The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV.
7. ↑ ^7.07.17.27.3The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands: House Tully.
8. ↑ ^8.08.1The Hedge Knight.
9. ↑ ^9.09.1The Sworn Sword.
10. ↑ ^10.010.1A Feast for Crows, Chapter 27, Jaime III.
11. ↑ ^11.011.1The Mystery Knight.
12. ↑A Clash of Kings, Chapter 47, Arya IX.
13. ↑ ^13.013.113.2A Feast for Crows, Chapter 9, Brienne II.
14. ↑A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.
15. ↑Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows.

Angoulême (L'Angoumois) in western France was part of the Carolingian Empire as the kingdom of Aquitaine. Under Charlemagne's successors, the local Count of Angoulême was independent and was not united with the French crown until 1308. By the terms of the Treaty of Brétigny (1360) the Angoumois, then ruled by the Counts of Angoulême, was ceded as English territory to Edward III. In 1371 it became a fief of the Duke of Berry, before passing to Louis I, Duke of Orleans, both of whom were cadets of the French royal family. From then on it was held by cadets of the Valois House of Orleans, until Francis, Count of Angoulême, became King of France in 1515. Angoumois was definitively incorporated into the French crown lands, as a duchy.

Counts of Angoulême[edit]

House of Guilhelmides (Williami)[edit]

• Turpio (839–863)^[1]
• Emenon of Poitiers (863–866),^[2] brother of Turpio
  • Aymer of Poitiers (Aymer I of Angoulême) (916-926),^[3] son of Emenon

House of Taillefer[edit]

• Wulgrin I (866–886),^[4] first hereditary count, appointed by Charles the Bald
• Alduin I (886–916),^[5] son of Wulgrin I
• William II ('Taillefer' I) (926–c.945),^[6] son of Alduin I
• Aymer II (after 945–before 952),^[7] son of William II (Taillefer I)
• Bernard (after 945–before 952),^[8] son of William I (William I is the son of Wulgrin I and brother to Alduin I)
• Arnald I 'Voratio' (after 950–before 952),^[9] son of Alduin I
• William III 'Talleyrand' (952/964–before 973/975),^[10] son of Bernard
• Rannulf 'Bompar' (973/975–975),^[11] son of Bernard
• Richard the Simple (975?),^[12] son of Bernard
• Arnald II 'Manzer' (975–988),^[13] son of William II (Taillefer I)
• William IV (Taillefer II) (988–1028),^[14] son of Arnald II
• Alduin (II) (1028–1031),^[15] son of William IV (Taillefer II)
• Geoffrey (1031–1047),^[16] son of William IV (Taillefer II)
• Fulk (1047–1087),^[17] son of Geoffrey
• William V (Taillefer III) (1087–1120),^[18] son of Fulk
• Wulgrin II (1120–1140),^[19] son of William V (Taillefer III)
• William VI (Taillefer IV) (1140–1179),^[20] son of Wulgrin II
• Wulgrin III (1179–1181),^[21] son of William VI (Taillefer IV)
• William VII (Taillefer V) (1181–1186),^[22] son of William VI (Taillefer IV)
• Aymer III (1186–1202),^[23] son of William VI (Taillefer IV)
• Isabella (1202–1246),^[24] daughter of Aymer III
  • John of England (House of Plantagenet) (1202–1216), first husband of Isabella
  • Hugh X of Lusignan (House of Lusignan, see below) (1220–1249), second husband of Isabella

House of Lusignan[edit]

• Hugh X of Lusignan (Hugh I of Angoulême) (1219–1249).^[25] His father, Hugh IX of Lusignan, was married to Mathilde of Angoulême, daughter of Wulgrin III Taillefer (see above)
• Hugh XI of Lusignan (II of Angoulême) (1246–1250)
• Hugh XII of Lusignan (III of Angoulême) (1250–1270)
• Hugh XIII of Lusignan (IV of Angoulême) (1270–1303)
• Guy (1303–1308)
• Part of Aquitaine (1308–1317)
• Royal Domain (1317–1328)

Royal Grantees[edit]

• Joan (1328–1349) House of Capet, with her husband, Philip III of Navarre. House of Évreux
  • Philip (1328–1343) House of Évreux
• Charles de La Cerda (1350–1354) House of La Cerda
• John I (1356–1374) House of Valois
• Louis I (1404–1407), Duke of Orléans. House of Valois-Orléans
• John II (1407–1467) House of Valois-Orléans-Angoulême
• Charles (1459–1496) House of Valois-Orléans-Angoulême
• Francis (1496–1515) House of Valois-Orléans-Angoulême

Dukes of Angoulême[edit]

• Louise (1515–1531)
• Charles (1540–1545)
• Royal domain
• Charles (1550)
• Henry (1551–1574)
• Henry (1574–1582)
• Diane (1582–1619)
• Charles (1619–1650)
• Louis Emmanuel (1650–1653)
• Frances Marie (1653–1696)
  • Louis II (1653–1654)
• Royal domain
• Élisabeth Marguerite d'Orléans (1675–1696)
• Royal domain
• Charles de France (1710–1714)
• Royal domain
• Charles Philippe de France (1773–1836)
• Louis Antoine d'Artois (1836–1844)
• Royal domain

Duchesses of Angoulême[edit]

• Louise of Savoy (1476–1531) - wife of Charles, Count of Angoulême from 1488.
• Marie Thérèse of France (1778–1851) - wife of Louis Antoine from 1799.

Sources[edit]

1. ^Luc Bourgeois, Une résidence des comtes d’Angoulême autour de l'an mil: le castrum d’Andone (Villejoubert, Charente); publication des fouilles d'André Debord (1971-1995) (Caen: Publications du CRAHM, 2009), 384.
2. ^Bourgeois, 384–85.
3. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 389–91.
4. ^André Debord, La société laïque dans les pays de la Charente, Xe-XIIe s. (Paris: Picard, 1984) 99–103; and Bourgeois, 385–89.
5. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 389–91.
6. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 391.
7. ^Adémar II was one of two known sons of William II, but his status as count is only supported by one possible reading of his father's will. Debord (99–103) notes that he might have become count, while Bourgeois rejects the possibility (387 and 392).For William II's will, see: Paul Lefrancq, ed., Cartulaire de l’abbaye de Saint-Cybard (Angoulême: Imprimerie Ouvrière, 1930), #222.
8. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 392–93
9. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 392–93.
10. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 392–93.
11. ^Debord, 99–103; and Bourgeois, 387 and 392–93.
12. ^Debord, 99–103 omits Richard; Bourgeois, 387 and 392–93, accepts him. Only mentioned in Adémar de Chabannes' chronicle, if he ruled at all it would have been in 975. Ademari Cabannensis opera omnia pars 1: Chronicon, ed. Pascale Bourgain, Richard Landes, and Georges Pon, Corpus Christianorum Continuatio Mediaevalis 129 (Turnhout: Brepols, 1999), III.28, 148.
13. ^Bourgeois, 387.
14. ^Bourgeois, 387.
15. ^Debord, 171; and Bourgeois, 387.
16. ^Debord, 171 and 212; and Bourgeois, 387.
17. ^Debord, 171 and 212; and Bourgeois, 387.
18. ^Debord, 171 and 212.
19. ^Debord, 171 and 212.
20. ^Debord gives William VI death as 1180, and the beginning of Vulgrin III’s rule that same year (212). However, Rowan Charles Watson disagrees. 'The Counts of Angoulême from the 9th to the Mid 13th Century' (PhD diss., University of East Anglia, 1979), 453. This is due to charter evidence (Watson, 353–62) and Geoffrey of Vigeois' chronicle, which declares William VI to have died in 1179 and Vulgrin III to have ruled for only two years. 'Chronica Gaufredi coenobitae monasterii D. Martialis Lemovicensis, ac prioris Vosiensis coenobii,' in Novae bibliothecae manuscriptorum librorum tomus secundus: rerum aquitanicarum. . . . ed. Philippe Labbe (Paris: Sebastian Cramoisy, 1657), 325–26.
21. ^Watson, 453.
22. ^Watson, 453.
23. ^Debord, 573; and Watson, 453.
24. ^Watson, 453.
25. ^For Hugh X and the rest of the Lusignan, see: Léopold Delisle, 'Chronologie historique des Comtes de la Marche issus de la maison de Lusignan,' Bulletin Société Archéologique et Historique de la Charente 4, no. 4 (1867): 3–16; originally published as an appendix to: 'Mémoire sur une lettre inédite adressée à la reine Blanche par un habitant de La Rochelle,' Bibliothèque de l’École des chartes 4th series, 2 (1856): 537–45.

Further Reading and Printed Sources[edit]

• Hazlitt, W. Carew. The Coinage of the European Continent. London: Swan Sonnenschein, 1893.
• Migne, Jacques-Paul. Dictionnaire de l'art de vérifier les dates des faits historiques, des chartes, des chroniques et autres anciens monuments. Paris: J.-P. Migne, 1854.