Harrold Arryn was the Lord Paramount of the Vale following the death of his kinsman Robert Arryn, and oversaw the Vale's return to the fold beneath the rule of King Aegon VI.
History[]
Harrold Hardyng became the heir to Jon Arryn in 283 AC, but was replaced in that position when Jon Arryn became the father of a son of his own, Robert, in 292 AC.
Harrold was a great nephew to Jon Arryn. Jon Arryn's father, Jasper Arryn, had two sons and a daughter. Jon was the eldest of the three. He became the Lord of the Eyrie after his father's death. Jon's younger brother, Ronnel, died as his son, Elbert, was being born. As Jon Arryn himself had no children, Elbert became his heir. In 282 AC, Elbert was killed by King Aerys II Targaryen.
Jon's sister Alys had eight daughters and one son. The boy, the youngest of the nine, died at the age of three, and two of his sisters died not long after, from the pox. The third of the girls became a septa, having been scarred by the pox. Another daughter became a silent sister. One girl was married but proved barren, and another was carried off by mountain clans. The eldest of the daughters was married to Ser Denys Arryn, a distant Arryn cousin. The idea was that their children, in addition to becoming heirs of the Vale, should Elbert die, they would be named "Arryn". Elbert had died in 282 AC, but Denys rode to war and died in the Battle of the Bells during Robert's Rebellion in 283 AC. Both his wife and son died soon after.The youngest of the eight daughters of Alys Arryn had been married to a landed knight who had been sworn to House Waynwood. She gave birth to Harrold, and perished. Years later, Robert Arryn was born to Lord Jon Arryn, leaving Robert as Jon Arryn's heir, and Harrold as the next in line, until young Robert's death in 300AC.
The Second War of Conquest[]
Harry the Heir’s reign as Lord Defender already began on a very difficult step with the arrest of the former Lord-Regent Baelish for the supposed murder of Robert Arryn. Despite awaiting trial, news of Aegon’s conquering King’s Landing reached the Vale, and the harsh winters struck the Vale hard. Having unbloodied itself in war thus far, many Valemen were hesitant to desire for war now. Lord Royce, leading the Lord’s Declarant, desired to take the fight to the Riverlands and assist their brethren out - unfortunately, this motion didn’t stick. Many debated on taking a defensive stance and watching and waiting. Harrold, green and untested, desired to raise men but the Lords Declarant refused him for the time being.
A curious letter arrived within two months from Lord Varys the Eunuch from King’s Landing, declaring Baelish an enemy to the crown and demanding his immediate execution. In the same letter was offered gold to assist with relief from the Winter weather if the Valemen bent the knee to the rightful ruler King Aegon, adding that the Riverlands, Reach, Stormlands, Dorne, and Westerlands had all sworn fealty. The Valemen, suffering from Winter and doing their best to fight back the Mountain Clansmen, agreed in short order. Baelish was executed within the week and his small tower given to a minor cousin. This was done by the fourth month of 301 AC.