If you are a fan of swords, then you’ll love these famous weapons in the Lord of the Rings / Tolkien Middle-Earth world:
First a bit of history: Valyrian steel was invented in Valyria, and was used to make weapons and various other items of unparalleled quality. Magic and spells play a role in its forging, which makes the steel special and gives it magical characteristics. Possibly forged with dragons,Valyrian swords was manufactured in the Valyrian Freehold of old. Valyrian steel blades are lighter, stronger, and sharper than even the best castle-forged steel.
We don’t know exactly how much of it exists in Westeros, though. In A Storm of Swords, Tyrion thinks to himself,
“Valyrian steel blades were scarce and costly, yet thousands remained in the world, perhaps two hundred in the Seven Kingdoms alone,”
But the number we specifically know about is far, far lower than that. Here’s the list of all the Valyrian Swords we know about and their History. All The Game of Thrones Valyrian Steel Swords and Owners:
Heartsbane
Fate: Known
“See that sword? It’s called Heartsbane. It’s been in our family for 500 years. It’s Valyrian steel. Only a handful of them left in the world. It’s supposed to go to my firstborn son after I die. To him. He will never wield that sword.” – Randyll Tarly to Gilly about Heartsbane. Heartsbane is the ancestral Valyrian steel blade of House Tarly. The Tarlys have held the blade for some 500 years, and it is usually displayed proudly on a mantle at their seat at Horn Hill. Like Ice, it is a two-handed greatsword.
Lady Forlorn
Fate: Known
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels Lady Forlorn is currently in the possession of Ser Lyn Corbray, the eldest brother of Lord Lyonel Corbray, having inherited it for taking it in the Battle of the Trident after their father, then the Lord Corbray, had been wounded and using it to slay Prince Lewyn Martell. Lyonel still resents not having inherited the blade even though he inherited all family titles and lands. Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard bore Lady Forlorn during the Battle of Redgrass Field and fought Daemon Blackfyre, who in turn bore Blackfyre, with it.
The name “Lady Forlorn” is actually a legacy from the Andal invasion and predates the Valyrian steel blade. King Robar II Royce claimed the original Lady Forlorn after slaying Qyle Corbray, King of the Fingers. Robar wielded this Lady Forlorn during the Battle of the Seven Stars, using it to kill Torgold Tollett and a decoy dressed as Ser Artys Arryn. The Corbrays claim that Ser Jaime Corbray slew Robar in the battle, allowing them to reclaim the original Lady Forlorn.
Blackfyre
Fate: Unknown
Blackfyre was the hand-and-a-half longsword of Aegon I Targaryen. Carried by all Targaryen kings until Aegon IV, who gave it to his bastard Daemon, taking the sword’s name for his house. Its whereabouts are currently unknown. On his deathbed, Aegon IV foolishly legitimized all of his bastard children, among them Daemon Blackfyre. His lawful son succeeded him as King Daeron II Targaryen, but eventually, Daemon Blackfyre rose up in a civil war to try to replace him on the throne, known as the Blackfyre Rebellion. The sword was lost at the end of the war.
Interestingly Aegon Targaryen was the brother of Aemon Targaryen who we met as Maester Aemon below:
Dark Sister
Fate: Unknown
Aegon’s sister-wife Visenya Targaryen wielded the longsword Dark Sister, but its last owner was Bryden Rivers, a.k.a. Bloodraven, a.k.a. the Three-Eyed Raven (in the books at least), and no one knows where it is. There might be a very well-armed tree out there somewhere. We hped he would give his sword to Brandon Stark, but alas he did not.
Bryden Rivers was one awesomely cool character, read up more on him here.
Longclaw
Fate: Known
The ancestral Valyrian steel bastard sword of House Mormont. When Lord Jeor Mormont retired from his lordship to take the black and command the Night’s Watch, he passed it to his son and heir, Ser Jorah Mormont. When Jorah went into exile after trying to sell some poachers into slavery, he had the sword sent back to his father on the Wall. Years later, Jeor gave Longclaw to Jon Snow as a reward for saving his life from a wight. Before giving it to Jon he had the pommel remade, replacing the bear with a direwolf, the sigil of House Stark.
Longclaw is a bastard sword or hand and a half sword, which means it is a good half a foot longer than a standard long sword, tapered to thrust as well as slash. With three fullers incised into the blade to reduce weight
Here’s a full review of the sword (Prop)
Oathkeeper
Fate: Known
Sadly Ice was melted down by Tywin, Lannister. Desperate for a Valyrian steel sword for House Lannister, had Ice made into two longswords of red and black, one for Joffrey that the king then named Widow’s Wail (which passed to Tommen after Joffrey died at the Purple Wedding), and the second for Jaime, a thicker and heavier sword than Widow’s Wail, which he christened Oathkeeper.
Jaime instead gave it to Brienne of Tarth for the task of rescuing Sansa Stark. Its sister blade is Widow’s Wail.
Widow’s Wail
Fate: Known
Sadly Ice was melted down by Tywin, Lannister. Desperate for a Valyrian steel sword for House Lannister, had Ice made into two longswords of red and black, one for Joffrey that the king then named Widow’s Wail (which passed to Tommen after Joffrey died at the Purple Wedding), and the second for Jaime, a thicker and heavier sword than Widow’s Wail, which he christened Oathkeeper. This is the sword Jaime gave to Brienne of Tarth. Widow’s Wail is described as having a cherry red hue in the steel under strong light.
The hilt also featured a red leather grip for the handle, with golden lion paws for the crossguard, whereas the show counterpart is more modelled around silver stags with a ruby set in the middle, symbolizing the Lannister-Baratheon alliance.
Catpaw
Fate: Known
The dagger with a dragonbone hilt wielded by Bran Stark’s failed assassin, and currently in the possession of Petyr Baelish.
“You’re not s’pposed to be here; no one’s s’pposed to be here. It’s a mercy; he’s dead already.” – The Catspaw to Catelyn Stark before attempting to kill Bran.
The catspaw assassin is a minor character in the first season. He is played by guest star Lalor Roddy and only appears in “The Kingsroad.” He is never named, but is referred to as such in casting announcements and the script, a reference to a catspaw being someone unwittingly used to further another person’s agenda.
Ice
Fate: Known
Ice is the ancestral Valyrian steel greatsword of House Stark. Ice is a greatsword, as wide across as a man’s hand and taller than an adolescent Robb Stark. Its Valyrian steel blade has a dark and smokey appearance. The name “Ice” is a legacy from the Age of Heroes, and predates the current sword. About four hundred years before Robert Baratheon’s reign Ice was acquired by the Starks, who named it after that legacy. Eddard Stark used the sword to personally execute condemned prisoners.
Brightroar
Fate: Unknown
Owned by the Lannisters, but was lost by the King of the Rock, Tommen the II, when he travelled to Valyria following the Doom, but before Aegon conquered Westeros, and was never seen again. Also a greatsword, Tywin’s youngest brother, Gerion Lannister also tried to find it but went missing. Tywin attempted to buy other families’ Valyrian steel swords over the years, but he couldn’t name a price they’d accept, which should give you a good idea of the real value and prestige they carry.
Lamentation
Fate: Unknown
Ser Willum Royce wielded the blade during the Dance of the Dragons. The sword was lost with the death of Ser Willum at the Storming of the Dragonpit.
Orphan-Maker
Fate: Unknown
The ancestral sword of House Roxton. Its last known owner was Ser Jon Roxton.[23]
Red Rain
Fate: Known
Red Rain is the sword of House Drumm, which was stolen by them in a raid. Given the name and colouring, possibly the ancestral sword of House Reyne (the family Tywin Lannister wiped out that is forever remembered in the song “The Rains of Castemere).
Nightfall
Fate: Known
Little is known about this sword. We’ve not been introduced to the Harlaw family in Game of Thrones series. Nightfall is a Valyrian steel longsword belonging to House Harlaw. It is currently wielded by Ser Harras Harlaw. The sword has a moonstone pommel.
Truth
Fate: Unknown
Truth is a Valyrian steel sword last carried by Moredo Rogare of Lys.
Vigilance
Fate: Unknown
The ancestral sword of House Hightower. Its last known owner was Lord Ormund Hightower
