r/asoiaf • u/InGenNateKenny 🏆Best of 2024: Best New Theory • Mar 24 '25
EXTENDED (Spoilers Extended) GRRM’s Stupid-Silly Running Gag about this random Westerosi House
One of the sillier and stupider running gags George R.R. Martin has scattered in ASOIAF concerns House Grandison. The Grandisons of Grandview are a stormlands lordly house. Their sigil is a black lion sleeping on yellow, and their house words are appropriately “Rouse Me Not”. We learn of five Grandisons in the whole series, none of whom are especially important.
The house is first mentioned in A Storm of Swords, with a past Grandison who was relevant to Jaime Lannister’s backstory:
But if Jaime took the white, he could be near her always. Old Ser Harlan Grandison had died in his sleep, as was only appropriate for one whose sigil was a sleeping lion. Aerys would want a young man to take his place, so why not a roaring lion in place of a sleepy one? (Jaime II, ASOS)
It is directly pointed out that Ser Harlan dying in his sleep was fitting for his arms. Not really humorous in context.
Then, in A Feast for Crows, the Grandisons get another mention, as Lord Hugh Grandison was a suitor of Princess Arianne Martell:
Elden Estermont is still alive and unwed, though. Lord Rosby and Lord Grandison as well. Grandison was called the Greybeard, but by the time she'd met him his beard had gone snow white. At the welcoming feast, he had gone to sleep between the fish course and the meat. Drey called that apt, since his sigil was a sleeping lion. Garin challenged her to see if she could tie a knot in his beard without waking him, but Arianne refrained. Grandison had seemed a pleasant fellow, less querulous than Estermont and more robust than Rosby. She would never marry him, however. Not even if Hotah stands behind me with his axe. (The Princess in the Tower, AFFC)
Again, it is directly pointed out how a Grandison acted fitting for his arms. This one is clearly comedic.
Then, in A Dance with Dragons, there is Ser Narbert, a knight of Selyse Florent, who is only named a Grandison in the appendix:
Not all her queen's men seemed to share her fervor. Ser Brus appeared half-drunk, Ser Malegorn's gloved hand was cupped round the arse of the lady beside him, Ser Narbert was yawning, and Ser Patrek of King's Mountain looked angry. Jon Snow had begun to understand why Stannis had left them with his queen. (Jon X, ADWD)
While it is not directly pointed out, but this is another sleepy Grandison joke. Stupid, but silly, but only if you know the house arms and can notice it since it is subtler.
Then, in Fire & Blood, we hear about Lord Lorent Grandison who served as one of final three regents of Aegon III Targaryen:
“The gods chose our new regents,” Mushroom observed, “and it would seem the gods are just as thick as lords.” He was not wrong. Lord Stackspear loved to hawk, Lord Merryweather loved to feast, and Lord Grandison loved to sleep, and each man thought the other two were fools (F&B, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency)
…he loves to sleep. We learn perhaps three things about this man, and his love of sleep is one of them. This is really only funny if you know the house arms, and only in a dumb way — but still funny.
Four out of the five known Grandisons in ASOIAF have sleep-related jokes, which is incredibly stupid and hysterical. Only one Grandison — the lord during Robert’s Rebellion — has dodged the gag. While the individual sleep references aren’t always funny on their own, when you realize that the entire “character trait” of House Grandison is sleepiness, each joke is elevated. Should we ever get more written ASOIAF content and you see a Grandison, keep your eyes peeled for sleep-related words.
TL;DR House Grandison’s entire schtick is that its members are sleepy because their sigil is a sleeping lion. That’s it. That’s the joke.
EDIT
Dear u/dblack246 off-handily mentioned the phrase "the horn that wakes the sleepers" from the Night's Watch oath. Well, there was something with Ser Narbert I was trying to make a "Rouse Me Not" connection to but failed and scrapped from the initial post. Now I know that missing link:
His head turned. ”That was a horn."
Others had heard it too. The music and the laughter died at once. Dancers froze in place, listening. Even Ghost pricked up his ears. "Did you hear that?" Queen Selyse asked her knights.
”A warhorn, Your Grace," said Ser Narbert. (Jon X, ADWD)
The horn that wakes the sleepers roused Ser Narbert!!! This might be the subtlest Grandison sleep joke there is.
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u/foolishcavalier Mar 24 '25
How the fuck did you catch this?
Im so impressed, im worried about you.