Why did the Iron Throne even ever tolerate the existence of the Ironborn?

[Stannis 4 Prez]

They rape and they pillage. They rebel at every chance they get. They never fight for the realm as far as I can tell. Their longships are only ever a threat. A knife pointed at the back of the Seven Kingdoms. Look at Dagon Greyjoy. Look at Balon and look at the Crow's Eye. What have they ever brought but misery to the realm? So why has no one ever thought to just completely wipe them out? Yes they are fearsome warriors but at the end of Balon's first rebellion why not just take that chance to eliminate the threat forever? I'm sure you can install a Lord that would be more friendly to the realm backed up by hostages and occupation troops. Thoughts?

[Khal Cherian]

Don't you think it would be considered a bit overboard to exterminate and entire race of people? It's a tad genocidey for good King Robert to do and they bowed to the dragons.

E.T.A Even if they installed their own lords, the rest of the race would still be Iron Born, and I don't think anyone had sufficient strength of Arms to hold the Iron Islands since you would have to have a permanent standing and paid army, which (other than the Gold Cloaks) they just don't have.

[The Mountain That Flies]

You could install a friendly lord as the Warden of the Iron islands (or some such title), but unless you're prepared to commit genocide, the ironborn would have rebelled against him the second they had the chance. Being an incredibly proud people, they would never sit well having an outsider in charge, and you'd have to kill or deport huge sections of the population to keep them in line.

Robert Baratheon was the kind of guy that liked to turn enemies into friends, and had done so reasonably successfully following his rebellion. He probably assumed Balon could be controlled, and that it was easier to leave him in charge than try and change the system. I'm a bit surprised the Targayens never wiped them out, but the only evidence we have of the iroborn being an issue during their 300 year reign was Dagon Greyjoy, and I assume we'll see his fate (and why his line was left in charge) in a later Dunk & Egg story.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

I don't see what they could've done that would've been effective, besides genocide of course.

[Valyrian Spoon]

I suppose that was the idea raising Theon as a hostage in Winterfell. Eventualy having a Greyjoy ruling the Iron born who knows that there is more to life than raiding and generally being a nuisance.

Also genocide doesn't seem to be King Bob's cup of tea. I think 9 times out of 10 if he beats you, and you surrender that's the end of it as far as he's concerned.

[Stannis 4 Prez]

Well obviously genocide is out of the question. But weren't some of the lords at the Kingsmoot described as being more friendly with the mainland? Is it possible for one of them to be promoted without being branded a traitor by the rest of the Ironborn?

[firepoet]

It's not really genocide. They are just First Men who moved to an island, there's still plenty of FMs around, like the entirety of the North.

[Valyrian Spoon]

@ Stannis for prez. The best option for what you suggest would probably have been to make Rodrick the Reader lord of the Iron Isles.

[Stannis 4 Prez]

@ Stannis for prez. The best option for what you suggest would probably have been to make Rodrick the Reader lord of the Iron Isles.

That is a good idea. I agree. Would he be respected though?

[Twenty of House Goodmen]

Well, Balon Greyjoy is mostly to blame for putting the idea of being able to continue the "old way" in the heads on the Ironborn. The same goes for Dagon Greyjoy during Aerys I reign but it seems those were the only two Greyjoy rebellions before the current one.

[Valyrian Spoon]

Probably not, he seems to much of a 'mainland' Lord to hold the Iron born. Though they need someone to break the culture.

[The Mountain That Flies]

It's not really genocide. They are just First Men who moved to an island, there's still plenty of FMs around, like the entirety of the North.

Call it something different if you'd like, but it's still the mass killing of large groups of people. A nicer name wouldn't have made Robert any more likely to do it.

[RhaenysBee]

So fans won't have an excuse to accuse the poor thing of rape, pedophilia, genocide, mass murder, barbarism and the rest of the things fans love to accuse characters of...

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

It's not really genocide. They are just First Men who moved to an island, there's still plenty of FMs around, like the entirety of the North.

The Ironborn have become they're own people. Therefore it is genocide.

[Valyrian Spoon]

It's not really genocide. They are just First Men who moved to an island, there's still plenty of FMs around, like the entirety of the North.

The Ironborn have a distinct and separate culture and religion, it's genocide any way you slice it.

[Stannis 4 Prez]

Well, Balon Greyjoy is mostly to blame for putting the idea of being able to continue the "old way" in the heads on the Ironborn. The same goes for Dagon Greyjoy during Aerys I reign but it seems those were the only two Greyjoy rebellions before the current one.

3 large scale rebellions in less then 100 years is pretty much an insurgency though

[Arakan]

The Ironborn have a distinct and separate culture and religion, it's genocide any way you slice it.

Very true...there are only two feasible options to control the Ironborn:

1) genocide

2) massive resettlement of the Ironborn across the Seven Kingdoms

No matter what you choose it would mean the elimination of the Ironborn as a distinctive people

[Azzazel]

So the Starks can get screw. Again.

[Paralyze7]

I also think it comes down to the fact that they're on an island and whoever would want to attack them to the degree that would wipe them out entirely would need a VERY strong navy. The books seem to make it pretty clear that the Ironborn have by far the strongest navy.

So yes there are ethical reasons but I tend to think that there are practical reasons as well.

[Twenty of House Goodmen]

3 large scale rebellions in less then 100 years is pretty much an insurgency though

I was trying to find some small excuse for them, anything to prevent genocide.