The Future of House Baratheon

[jarl the climber]

IMO the dwaf woman had a vision of a shadow with a fiery heart carving up a stag, this might be a reference to the fact that Stannis might have been left impotent by his shadow spawning, if Shireen is destined to die then house Barratheon is finished except for bastards ande Robert had a ton of those so have no fear, the house will probaly continue possibly under a different sigil and name. Gendry as the oldest malr heir and possibly emerging as the most prominent would probaly be the most likely to do this. Edric is highborn on both sides of his family and Gendry as far as we know is not, all we know is that his Mum had blond hair. For all we know she was Balckfyre that Varys had sent to Robert so the Blackfyres could make a claim through him if something happened to Aegon but who knows.

[Stanmore]

I always found it odd how there aren't more minor branches of houses Baratheon Arryn and Tully etc. Do second sons not get to marry all that often in Westeros or do their ofspring usually take a new house name after a few generations separated from the main lineage like the Karstarks did?

Maybe nobles who aren't destined to inherit have a hard time finding spouses and have to marry below their station. So there are legitimate decendents of the Baratheons out there but they're craftsmen and such and not considered of noble enough blood to warrant the use of the house name.

Alternately perhaps the high rates of civil war in the 7 kingdoms and the long harsh winters mean that most families are lucky to have one legitimate heir to survive to breed in each generation. Only the really rich families like the Lannisters can afford to have distant cousins hanging around using the family name.

Would have been interesting to see what happened to the Freys after Walder dies, but at the rate they're being killed off I'm not sure there'll be all that many of them left either.

[Mark Antony]

I wonder if Gendry will play a part in the future of house Baratheon. If he ever finds out who he is.

[Renlys Shade]

RIP Renly, could've been so great.

[Winterfell is Burning]

I always found it odd how there aren't more minor branches of houses Baratheon Arryn and Tully etc. Do second sons not get to marry all that often in Westeros or do their ofspring usually take a new house name after a few generations separated from the main lineage like the Karstarks did? Maybe nobles who aren't destined to inherit have a hard time finding spouses and have to marry below their station. So there are legitimate decendents of the Baratheons out there but they're craftsmen and such and not considered of noble enough blood to warrant the use of the house name. Alternately perhaps the high rates of civil war in the 7 kingdoms and the long harsh winters mean that most families are lucky to have one legitimate heir to survive to breed in each generation. Only the really rich families like the Lannisters can afford to have distant cousins hanging around using the family name. Would have been interesting to see what happened to the Freys after Walder dies, but at the rate they're being killed off I'm not sure there'll be all that many of them left either.

No, people from cadet branches of their houses can use their name just fine.

The reason for having so few Tullys, Starks, Baratheons, etc, is to not have too many characters from that house. In the Stark case, to make it look like the family can actually be wiped out.

[Artos Stark]

There actually might be two families that are Baratheon Cadets. They have Stags on their Sigil but it isn't sure whether they are Baratheon decendents or decendents from the Storm King.

It is said that most of the families in the North have Stark blood in them but the Karstarks are a cadet branch technically. They are decendents from a younger Stark son who was awarded lands. I'm not sure about the Tully's though.

[Opkio]

I always tought gendry is going to sit the iron throne. Regardless, if he doesnt I am a strong believer that he will not die. Perhaps, crackpot theory, Arya Stark will end up marrying Gendry Baratheon.

[Opkio]

I wonder if Gendry will play a part in the future of house Baratheon. If he ever finds out who he is.

I believe that he might have an idea that he may be robert's bastard. After all that happen, (he been searched all over by the lannisters in AGOT, and both Hand of the king coming to just look at him). Besides his former master is still alive.

[Wyman's Man]

I'm pretty sure Delena was Selyse's cousin, not sister. Either way Edric would be Shireen's first cousin so the genetics is a bit suspect but it seems in Westeros anything but brother and sister is ok. I believe one of Robert's bastards will be the head of House Baratheon at the end, don't get me wrong I love Stannis but I don't see him surviving until the end. I hope Shireen survives and it would be fitting for Edric and Shireen to rule together. Of course there is the Gendry/Arya combination to reckon with as well.

[Burning down the House]

There are the Arryns of Gulltown.

[rmanoj]

I don't see why people are complaining about marrying first cousins. It's been pretty common (even expected) in much of the world throughout history. I think it's only become something of a taboo in the Western World quite recently. And genetic problems aren't hugely likely unless they keep doing the same for several generations as the Habsburgs did.

And yes, Delena is only a cousin. Selyse's only siblings are Ser Imry and Ser Erren Florent.

[AvengerofWinterfell]

What I'm really hoping for is Stannis legitimising Edric Storm, marrying him to Shireen and declaring them joint heirs. There might be some distant cousins we haven't heard about, but it's unlikely that any of them are descendants of Rhaelle Targaryen and therefore they may not be considered possible claimants to the throne.

Edric is already legitimized I thought, as his mother was a noble.

[danm_999]

Edric is already legitimized I thought, as his mother was a noble.

He was acknowledged as being Robert's, not as being a Baratheon.

[rmanoj]

Yes, a bastard who is acknowledged by his father gets a bastard surname and a certain status in society. So Edric is "Edric Storm", but Gendry is just "Gendry" and not "Gendry Waters" (although some people on this forum seem to think that is actually his name!). An acknowledged bastard who has noble parents on both sides apparently gets even higher status - Edric was treated as a lordling and Davos even addressed him as "my lord" at one point. However, they still don't have formal inheritance rights, except possibly in ambiguous situations such as the rest of the family being wiped out or attainted.

A legitimised bastard, on the other hand, actually gets his father's surname and formal inheritance rights. Only a king can do this - for example, Tommen's decree that turned Ramsay Snow (an acknowledged bastard) into Ramsay Bolton (a legitimised bastard).

[Shoemaker]

Yes, a bastard who is acknowledged by his father gets a bastard surname and a certain status in society. So Edric is "Edric Storm", but Gendry is just "Gendry" and not "Gendry Waters" (although some people on this forum seem to think that is actually his name!). An acknowledged bastard who has noble parents on both sides apparently gets even higher status - Edric was treated as a lordling and Davos even addressed him as "my lord" at one point. However, they still don't have formal inheritance rights, except possibly in ambiguous situations such as the rest of the family being wiped out or attainted.

A legitimised bastard, on the other hand, actually gets his father's surname and formal inheritance rights. Only a king can do this - for example, Tommen's decree that turned Ramsay Snow (an acknowledged bastard) into Ramsay Bolton (a legitimised bastard).

Or you just found a new one. Wasn't Orys Baratheon rumored to be Aegon the Conqueror's half-brother? It would be perfect irony if the House Baratheon rose anew out of bastardy once more (Edric or Gendry)

[Wolf_Blood]

I don't understand why Edric should take Storm's End. If Gendry is (finally) acknowledged as Robert's bastard and get legitimised shouldn't he take the seat since he's older? (I'm a hardcore Arya/Gendry shipper so i might be a tad biased)

[Lothar Imbel]

If there's only one female left in a house, can't they just arrange a marriage where the children bear the name of the mother to keep the name going, as was the plan with Tyrion's marriage to Sansa?

I don't understand why Edric should take Storm's End. If Gendry is (finally) acknowledged as Robert's bastard and get legitimised shouldn't he take the seat since he's older? (I'm a hardcore Arya/Gendry shipper so i might be a tad biased)

Edric has a better education, and is of noble blood on both sides. He'd get Storm's End.

[GreenHand]

Greyscales is a serious disease. Shireen Baratheon is lucky to be alive.

Even I think it probable that it has left damage to her body beyond the cosmetic scars. Whoever Shireen marries I propose there is a good chance that she won't fall pregnant or will not carry them to term. Grey scales spreads and affects all tissues.

Against this is the fact that her skin scars do not reach all the way to her lower body. So perhaps her womb is safe and healthy.

[i agree that it is a likely scenario Edric marrying Shireen whether Edric is legitimized or not. (Children still Baratheon heirs through the mother).

Shireen & Edric like and know each other. Few men would marry a greyscales survivor without the lure of Storm's End. But it seems Edric would. So Shireen, with all her affection for her childhood friend, may choose Edric as is her right as Lady of Storm's End.

And yes, Edric is noble and recognized (the other bastards would have to still prove their ancestry).]

Even if Shireen and Edric get Storm's End their heir may well still be one of Robert's bastards.

Gendry being the oldest.

[Fat Mac]

Edric could be legitimized, and marry Shireen. It's a little unusual by modern standards, but marriage between first cousins is not considered incest in their world (Tywin and Joanna).

But if any bastard is to be legitimized, it would be Edric. He's noble on both sides and the entirety of Westeros knows of him.

[Shoemaker]

Edric thrumps Gendry because a. he was recognized as Robert Baratheon's son (by Robert himself). b. he has the grooming and education for it (and was so by the last lord of the storm lands) . c. he was brought up in Storms End, and it is likely that the lords sworn to House Baratheon will be partial to him. (Ser Cortnay Penrose was willing to challenge Stannis for among other reason Edric's safety) d. his mother Delena Florent, so he is of noble birth.

Of course, in the end it all boils down to whom has the most resourceful supporters. If Gendry could make enough friends in high places and amass a large enough host he had probably end up as Lord of Storm's End, but it is just more likely that it had bee Edric.