Lord Balon Greyjoy is lord of the Iron Isles, a harsh and unforgiving archipelago off the western coast of Westeros. More than a decade ago, Lord Balon raised a rebellion against King Robert and tried to win independence for the Isles. Robert, Eddard and Jon Arryn put an end to it, destroying his army and killing his eldest sons. Ned Stark then took Balon's youngest surviving son Theon as hostage to keep Balon loyal to the Iron Throne. Balon has been itching for revenge and another shot at independence ever since, and the brewing civil war has given him the opportunity.