Shield Islands

Long before they carried that name, the islands at the foot of Highgarden were known as the Misty Isles. The name changed once King Garth VII Gardener won them back, and from then on they served the purpose their new name implied: closing the Mander to anyone raiding in from the sea.

Two thousand years ago ironborn raiders sailed the river freely, reaching as far as Bitterbridge before turning back. The Gardener kings armed the islanders in response, not just to defend themselves but to hold the whole valley behind them. In one such naval war, the Iron Islands' king Joron I Blacktyde managed to capture Gyles II Gardener himself near the Shields.

In the year 55, the widowed queen Rhaena Targaryen traveled much of Westeros searching for her granddaughter Aerea, who had vanished without a trace. Among the places where her dragon Dreamfyre was said to have been sighted were the Shield Islands.

In the year 89, Jaehaerys I Targaryen set foot on the Shield Islands for the first time, traveling there with his granddaughter Rhaenys. He is said to have made a point of visiting all four islands, one by one, before moving on.

When the Dance of the Dragons broke out, the lords of the four islands sided with Rhaenyra Targaryen. It was a costly choice.

Forces led by Lord Ormund Hightower and Prince Daeron Targaryen landed on the Shields and put down their defenders, dragging the archipelago back to the other side before the war was over.

In 134, while Lord Alyn Velaryon sailed for the Iron Islands to put an end to Lord Dalton Greyjoy's raids, the four islands sent ships of their own to back him: three from Southshield, three from Greyshield, four from Greenshield, and six from Oakenshield.

Dalton Greyjoy answered the news with a boast of his own, swearing that once he'd dealt with young Velaryon, it would be his banner flying over the Shields.

During Robert's Rebellion the war reached the archipelago as well: the Battle of the Mander was fought in the waters off the Shield Islands, and Lord Quellon Greyjoy died there.

Years later, Euron Greyjoy's Iron Fleet fell upon the Shield Islands. Their defenses gave way, much of their fleet was taken, and all four islands ended up occupied.

New masters followed the conquest: Nute the Barber took Oakenshield from the old Hewett line, Harras Harlaw took Greyshield from the Grimms, Andrik the Unsmiling took Southshield from the Serrys, and Maron Volmark took Greenshield from House Chester.

The old warning system still stands: at the first sight of longships a beacon is lit atop a watchtower, and the signal jumps from island to island until villages and castles further inland know to make ready.