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| “ | Jorah: Very beautiful. The first time I beheld her, I thought she was a goddess come to earth, the Maid herself made flesh. Her birth was far above my own. She was the youngest daughter of Lord Leyton Hightower of Oldtown. The White Bull who commanded your father's Kingsguard was her great uncle. The Hightowers are an ancient family, very rich and very proud. Daenerys: And loyal. I remember, Viserys said the Hightowers were among those who stayed true to my father. |
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| ~ Jorah Mormont and Daenerys Targaryen, about Leyton, his youngest daughter, and their family. |
| “ | Sam: What is Lord Hightower doing? My father always said he was as wealthy as the Lannisters, and could command thrice as many swords as any of Highgarden's other bannermen. Captain: More, if he sweeps the cobblestones, but swords are no good against the ironmen, unless the men who wield them know how to walk on water. Sam: The Hightower must be doing something. Captain: To be sure. Lord Leyton's locked atop his tower with the Mad Maid, consulting books of spells. Might be he'll raise an army from the deeps. Or not. |
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| ~ Samwell Tarly and the captain of the Huntress. |
Lord Leyton Hightower, known as the Old Man of Oldtown, is a minor character in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. He is the Lord of the Hightower, head of House Hightower, and ruler of Oldtown, the richest and largest city in Westeros.
Leyton's other titles include the Voice of Oldtown, Lord of the Port, Defender of the Citadel, Beacon of the South, Lord of Oldtown, and Defender of Oldtown. As the Hightowers own a large fleet, Leyton has his own flagship, named Honor of Oldtown, a four-decked war galley. Leyton has been married four times, and his current wife is Rhea Florent. He is known to have at least ten children; Malora, Baelor, Alerie, Garth, Denyse, Leyla, Alysanne, Lynesse, Gunthor, and Humfrey. It is unknown if any of Leyton's children are from his fourth wife Rhea. One of his daughters, Alerie Hightower, is married to Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden, and Leyton is the maternal grandfather of Willas, Garlan, Loras, and Margaery Tyrell.
Lord Leyton rules one of the most powerful noble houses of the Reach, as well as one of the oldest, wealthiest, and proudest houses in Westeros. Aside for certain historical periods, Leyton's family have mostly preferred trade instead of war. Due to their support for the Faith of the Seven, the Hightowers managed to avoid many wars and prosper, even more thanks to their Bank of Oldtown. Some of Leyton's family ancestors were High Septons. Some of Leyton's family members are said to have dabbled in alchemy and necromancy. Leyton and his daughter Malora are known to read books about sorcery.
Leyton's own vassal houses sworn to Hightower include House Beesbury, House Bulwer, House Costayne, House Cuy, and House Mullendore. However, during the War of the Five Kings (from Renly's death to the Blackwater), House Mullendore's forces follow Stannis Baratheon.
By 300 AC, Leyton has not descended from the Hightower in more than a decade.
A Song of Ice and Fire[]
Background[]
Lord Leyton's seat, the Hightower.
Lord Leyton Hightower was unhorsed at a tourney at Storm's End by Ser Barristan Selmy. Some time not long before Lady Joanna Lannister's death, the Princess of Dorne visited Oldtown with her teenage children, Prince Oberyn Martell and Princess Elia Martell, while on their way to Casterly Rock in the Westerlands, where their mother was to broker their marriage to the twins Cersei and Jaime. During their stay in the Hightower as guests, they met Leyton's son, Baelor Hightower, whom Elia fancied and considered for marriage, but Oberyn mocked after he farted in their presence.
In an attempt to unite the wealthy Houses Lannister and Hightower, Lord Tywin Lannister offered his dwarf son, Tyrion, to Leyton for marriage to one of his daughters, causing Leyton to take the offer as an insult and reject it.
In 283, during Robert's Rebellion, Leyton's homeland was attacked by the Ironborn forces of the Iron Islands, led by their overlords House Greyjoy, who raided the coast of the Reach for a brief period, sinking or capturing some ships and raiding some villages and towns. They were met by surprise at the mouth of the river Mander by the longships of the Shield Islands. Despite winning, the ironborn invaders decided to return to the Iron Islands over secession matters, after their ruler Lord Quellon Greyjoy died in the battle. It is unknown if Leyton's domains suffered any attack from the ironmen, but the lords of the Reach and the Shields did not retaliate afterwards.
At the end of the same year, Leyton's uncle and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Gerold Hightower, was slain by Lord Eddard Stark's northern party in a skirmish at the Tower of Joy, on the Red Mountains of Dorne. After Robert's Rebellion, House Hightower submitted to King Robert I Baratheon and continued to serve as House Tyrell's vassals without issues.
During Greyjoy's Rebellion in 289 AC, Lord Leyton sent Oldtown's fleet to join King Robert I's royal fleet, along with the Redwyne fleet of the Arbor. Led by Lord Stannis Baratheon, the fleets lured the Seastone Chair's Iron Fleet in the Straits of Fair Isle, with the island of Fair Isle to their west and the mainland of the Westerlands to their east. Led by Victarion Greyjoy, the Iron Fleet found itself trapped by Stannis's naval forces from the north and the south, and were smashed in the sea battle off Fair Isle, also capturing Aeron Greyjoy in the process. This diminished the naval strength of the Ironborn and allowed King Robert to land on the Iron Islands with his armies and personally put down the rebellion of King Balon IX Greyjoy, who in the end relinquished his crown, was pardoned, and allowed to remain Lord of the Iron Islands. It is unknown if the Reach or Hightower lands suffered any invasion, raids, or minor harassment from the ironmen during the brief war.
The same year, Leyton rode to the city of Lannisport, where he attended the tourney at Lannisport held to celebrate the victory of House Baratheon over the Greyjoys, with the King also being among the attendants. During the event, Lord Jorah Mormont of Bear Island, a hero of the war, became smitten with the beauty of the silver-haired Lynesse Hightower, the youngest daughter of Lord Leyton. After unhorsing many knights in the jousts, including Lord Jason Mallister, Lord Yohn Royce, Ser Ryman Frey, Ser Hosteen Frey, Lord Whent, Ser Lyle Crakehall, Ser Boros Blount, and the finalist Ser Jaime Lannister, Jorah won as the champion. At the end of the tourney, he named Lynesse the queen of love and beauty, and the same night he asked Leyton permission to marry her. Leyton gave his consent. Shortly afterward, Leyton attended the wedding between his daughter and Jorah at Lannisport.
While Lynesse and Jorah married out of love, their marriage would soon grow unhappy. As she grew up in luxury, expensive gifts and grand events, in the prosperous, colorful, and lively region of House Hightower and the beautiful and artistic Oldtown, Lynesse was unprepared for life at the impoverished, modest and dreary Bear Island in the North. In 293 AC, Jorah fled with Lynesse to Essos to escape execution, after Lord Eddard Stark discovered his crime of having sold convicted poachers to a Tyroshi slaver, in the attempt to raise money to pay his debts. While Jorah worked as a sellsword, Lynesse moved to Lys into the manse of the merchant prince Tregar Ormollen, who forced Jorah to give her up Lynesse, who became Tregar's chief concubine. Now living in luxury in Lys, she continues to support her father in Westeros.
Leyton's eldest son Baelor is married Rhonda Rowan. His daughter Alerie is married to his liege lord Mace Tyrell. His daughter Leyla is married to Ser Jon Cupps, his daughter Denyse to Ser Desmond Redwyne, his daughter Alysanne to Lord Arthur Ambrose, and his third son Ser Gunthor to Jeyne Fossoway. Through his daughter Lady Alerie Tyrell, Leyton has four grandchildren, Willas, Garlan, Loras, and Margaery Tyrell. Through Denyse at least a grandson, Denys Redwyne, and through Alysanne at least another grandson, Alyn Ambrose. So far it is unknown if Leyton's other children gave him grandchildren, even bastard ones.
Leyton has been a widower to three previous wives. His fourth wife is Rhea Florent, who is the current Lady Hightower, youngest daughter of Lord Alester Florent of Brightwater Keep, and sister-in-law to Lord Randyll Tarly. Rhea Hightower is a first cousin to Selyse Florent, the wife of Lord Stannis Baratheon, the younger brother of King Robert, Lord of Dragonstone, and Master of Ships. It is unknown if Leyton has any children from her.
For many years, Leyton remained in the Hightower, never leaving his home, not even to go to the streets of Oldtown.
A Game of Thrones[]
After the death of King Robert I Baratheon and during the War of the Five Kings, Lord Leyton's granddaughter Margaery Tyrell marries Renly Baratheon at Highgarden, becoming his queen consort when he crowns himself as the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.
A Clash of Kings[]
Lord Leyton follows his liege and son-in-law, Lord Mace Tyrell in supporting King Renly I, providing men for his host slowly marching from Highgarden to King's Landing.
Leyton's grandson Alyn Ambrose is betrothed to Elinor Tyrell, a cousin to Leyton's granddaughter Margaery.
After Renly's assassination, Leyton and his family do not join King Stannis I Baratheon's side, and remain loyal to the Tyrells, who become neutral along with the majority of the Reach. Some houses and military forces of the Reach join Stannis instead, including House Florent, the family of Leyton's wife, Lady Rhea, and her brother-in-law, Lord Randyll Tarly puts many Florent vassals to the sword. Ser Erren Florent, a cousin of Rhea and brother-in-law of Stannis, is sent as Stannis's envoy to recruit Renly's infantry army at Bitterbridge, but he is captured by Tarly's forces and subsequently taken captive to Highgarden. Ser Imry Florent, Rhea's cousin and Stannis's other brother-in-law, commands Stannis's royal fleet as Lord High Captain. Ser Jon Fossoway, husband of Leyton's niece-in-law Janna Tyrell, supports Stannis and is part of his army.
After the Iron Throne successfully negotiated peace with the Tyrells, the Hightowers and the majority of the Reach's nobility join King Joffrey I Baratheon's side. While Leyton remains in the Hightower at Oldtown, his military forces are part of the army of the Reach marching under the leadership of Mace Tyrell, Ser Garlan Tyrell, and Randyll Tarly, who join Lord Tywin Lannister's army of the Westerlands to defeat King Stannis outside King's Landing's walls in the Battle of the Blackwater. Ser Imry Florent loses his life in the battle. Leyton's grandson, Garlan, leads the vanguard while wearing the green armor of the late Renly Baratheon. Alyn Ambrose, a young squire and one of Leyton's grandsons, also fights in the battle against Stannis's army. Leyton's daughter-in-law, Jeyne Fossoway, loses two relatives, Ser Bryan and Ser Edwyd Fossoway, who are killed by Ser Lothor Brune in battle, as both branches of House Fossoway fight for Stannis.
A Storm of Swords[]
Following the Battle of the Blackwater, Joffrey's small council rewards the absent Lord Leyton with lesser tracts of land taken from defeated foes who supported Stannis. Leyton's father-in-law, Lord Alester Florent, did not yield to the Iron Throne and escaped with Stannis's remaining forces to Dragonstone. As a result, Lord Florent is attainted and the Crown strips him of his lordship, lands and holdings, giving them to Leyton's grandson, Garlan Tyrell, who is named Lord of Brightwater Keep and head of the newly-founded cadet branch House Tyrell of Brightwater Keep. It is unknown how Leyton's wife feels about this.
Unlike his daughter Lady Alerie Tyrell, Leyton does not attend the wedding of his granddaughter Margaery Tyrell to King Joffrey I in King's Landing, during which the king dies by a poison called the strangler.
After learning about the Crown's edicts against his house, Alekyne Florent flees from his castle Brightwater to seek refuge to his sister Rhea at Oldtown, where Leyton allows him to stay in the Hightower, while Rhea's rebel uncle, Ser Colin Florent, rules Brightwater and its region as the castellan. Despite his loyalty to the Tyrells, Leyton willingly hides Alekyne in his castle and does not report him to give him to his grandson Lord Garlan, who plans to lay siege against the Florents to claim Brightwater Keep.
Leyton's father-in-law, Alester Florent, is arrested by Ser Axell Florent, Leyton's uncle-in-law and Alester's brother, and sentenced to death for his attempt to offer Princess Shireen Baratheon as a hostage for the Lannisters, in the attempt to recover House Florent's possessions. Lord Florent is executed by being burned alive by Melisandre on Stannis Baratheon's orders, with Axell eagerly supporting it and Queen Selyse Florent not objecting. While he is still the Lord of Brightwater under Stannis's authority, Alekyne is forced to remain in hiding with the Hightowers, as almost the whole the Reach is now loyal to the Iron Throne.
A Feast for Crows[]
Leyton remains at Oldtown, while Margaery becomes the wife and queen consort of King Tommen I Baratheon.
House Hightower's cautious approach and overall neutrality is forced to change when the forces and fleets of the Iron Islands, led by King Euron III Greyjoy, launch an invasion of the Reach, starting by conquering the Shield Islands after defeating its lords' forces. While taking residence at Lord Hewett's Town in one of the islands, Euron's plan to sail to Essos is opposed by most of his followers, who loudly voice their wish to sack Oldtown and the Hightower. Only a few ironborn lords, such as Lord Rodrik Harlaw, oppose the ongoing invasion, fearing the future consequences for the Iron Islands if they gain the wrath of the Hightowers, the Tyrells, and the Redwynes.
House Greyjoy pushes through its invasion of the Reach, sailing up the river Mander full force to bring their raids inland, attacking numerous towns and castles in the Reach. The Ironborn threat leads to panic in the western subregions of the Reach, as the inhabitants who are not killed are made into thralls or salt wives. After being raped, the women and children of the Shields are instead sold into slavery to Essos by King Euron's order. With such threat, Mace Tyrell's army being busy laying siege to Storm's End, and Paxter Redwyne's fleet doing the same to Dragonstone, the defense of the Reach against the ironmen falls to the hands of Lord Leyton and Willas Tyrell, the latter ruling Highgarden. Leyton and his family prepare assembling the Hightower fleet and begin to strengthen the defense of Oldtown and their lands. Willas sends word from Highgarden so his grandfather Leyton can prepare Oldtown's defenses, while Lord Garlan Tyrell repurposes his army, originally meant to besiege Brightwater, to prepare to fight the ironmen. Despite Queen Margaery petitioning to send reinforcements for them, the spiteful and paranoid Queen Regent Cersei Lannister denies her, under the excuse that dealing with Stannis takes priority over dealing with Euron, going as far as accusing Euron's forces of being Stannis's vassals and believing that Stannis is the mastermind behind the Reach invasion and the one threatening to take Oldtown.
Leyton and his daughter Malora the Mad Maid, consulting books of sorcery.
While the Ironborn keep sacking settlements and raiding ships, while occupying the Mander and surrounding rivers, Leyton stays in the Hightower with his daughter, Malora the Mad Maid. The two are said to be doing research through magic books of spells, while Leyton gives his sons varying tasks to protect Oldtown and they take care of House Hightower's duties. Ser Baelor "Brightsmile" Hightower is building additional ships, as part of the preparations to retake the ironborn-occupied lands. Ser Gunthor Hightower is in charge of Oldtown's harbor, building up its defenses. Ser Garth "Greysteel" Hightower is training new troops, and Ser Humfrey Hightower is is sailing to his sister Lynesse in the Free City of Lys to hire sellsails. It is hoped that Lynesse will provide her family with a decent-sized additional fleet out of Lys, to replace the Redwyne fleet, that has been forced by Cersei to keep surrounding Dragonstone.
While Leyton supposedly hopes to protect Oldtown with sorcery, King Euron's ironborn invade the Arbor, the most populous and richest island of Westeros, the seat of House Redwyne. While continuously making blood sacrifices with their captives, the ironborn manage to conquer parts of the Arbor and attempt to blockade the Honeywine. The ironborn also chase one Summer Islander merchant ship traveling to Oldtown, which carries Leyton's nephew-in-law and black brother Samwell Tarly, but the ship manages to escape from the invaders. The ironmen attack Oldtown's harbor once, and the defenders manage to repel it, but despite this, the city remains under serious threat, as Euron's eyes are set on Oldtown, which is rumored to be full of ancient and powerful arcane knowledge and scrolls, both in the Citadel and the Hightower.
Leyton's granddaughter Margaery and Elinor Tyrell, the betrothed of his grandson Alyn Ambrose, are both held prisoners by the Faith of the Seven, along with their cousins Alla and Megga Tyrell, under the accusation of fornication by allegedly having carnal knowledge of many men of court in King's Landing. As the accusers are only Cersei Lannister and a bard, the High Septon considers the Tyrell teenage girls' case weak, due to little evidence and the fact that they have many friends that will support them in trial, unlike Cersei who has a little amount of friends and she is awaiting her own impending and more serious trial. The girls have already been released from the Great Sept of Baelor and are currently under custody of Lord Randyll Tarly, the husband of Leyton's wife's sister, who is to hand them over to the Faith again in the day of their trial.
The Winds of Winter[]
While Lord Leyton's sons and sworn vassals have been strengthening their defenses, Hightower lands have been attacked by the Ironborn, who have been carrying continuous raids on settlements of the Mander, the Arbor, and the Whispering Sound, with longships raiding all up the Mander and all along the western coast of the Reach, occupying or burning towns and castles. The Ironborn are constantly attacking or chasing any traveling ships they come across, including those from Essos and the Summer Islands. Ironborn longships are also raiding in the Redwyne Straits, much to the alarm of King's Landing. While the Reach and the lands of Oldtown are currently in a panic, the Ironborn have invaded the island of the Arbor, ruled by House Redwyne, whose fleet has been busy dealing with the sieges against King Stannis Baratheon's rebel forces at Dragonstone and Storm's End. The ironmen captured or sank the dozen warships that remained at the Arbor, then proceeded to invade and reave in the large, wealthy, and greatly populated island. Among the attacked major settlements, the Ironborn sacked the town of Ryamsport and are currently holding Vinetown and Starfish Harbor. They also captured the neighboring islands of Stonecrab Cay, the Isle of Pigs, and the Mermaid's Palace whilst the islands of Horseshoe Rock and Bastard's Cradle are currently partially occupied. A battle on the river Whispering Sound also took place, against the naval forces of the Houses Costayne and Hightower, and the ironmen burnt villages and fields on the river banks. Some Ironborn warbands made attempts to attack the direct lands of House Hightower, even coming close to the city of Oldtown, but have been repelled so far. The ironmen gained countless thralls and salt wives, even full slaves, and caused a massive amount of death, rape, and destruction.
While the Hightowers and the garrison of Oldtown were assembling military and naval strength, he Redwyne fleet has been sailing back to the south since the end of the Siege of Dragonstone, but they spent many days stuck on sea around Dorne due to unfavorable winds. But now the Redwyne fleet is sailing toward King Euron III's naval forces off the Arbor, while Leyton has sent his sons and the Hightower fleet to sail down the Whispering Sound in hopes to take the Ironborn from the rear, although Euron is aware of this strategy. The Ironborn captain and warrior Stonehand mocks Leyton's inaction and choice to stay in the Hightower of Oldtown by calling him "the Old Woman of Oldtown". Currently, Euron and his assembled fleet are sailing to meet the Redwyne and Hightower fleets in a sea battle.
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