Ser Jorah Mormont is an anointed knight of House Mormont and a former Lord of Bear Island. He was stripped of his title and sentenced to death, however, he fled this judgement. He is the only son of Lord Commander Jeor Mormont.
Appearance and Character[]
Jorah Mormont is a large and muscular man with black hair and a beard; he is described as shorter but stronger than Ser Barristan Selmy, and frequently described as big or powerful. Jorah is not especially handsome.
Jorah is an exceptionally skilled swordsman, able to contend with Dothraki screamers as well as Westerosi knights and ironborn raiders. He is well respected by the Dothraki for his swordsmanship, with his strength commented as his best attribute. Everyone who witnesses him in combat regards him as brave and determined in a duel. Jorah served with distinction in the Greyjoy's Rebellion, enough to earn a knighthood from the king himself. However, Jorah is also an intelligent and well-read man, able to adapt to his surroundings and predicaments well enough that he, a Westerosi knight, can earn considerable respect from Dothraki warlords.
Jorah is a man who has suffered greatly throughout his entire life, and his sense of honour is a complex subject to say the least. He has been constantly driven to desperation by circumstance after circumstance. Despite having sold men to slavers for poaching on his land in order to pay for his expensive wife, Jorah is capable of supreme loyalty and love, shown by his relationship with Daenerys Targaryen. He is a man tormented by his own mistakes, and longs to go home to Bear Island. He is a blunt man when it comes to others, including Tyrion Lannister. Jorah is well aware of the customs of other cultures, and highly respectful of them, particularly the Dothraki custom of not carrying bladed weapons in Vaes Dothrak. He knows not to correct the Dothraki of his nickname Jorah the Andal.
History[]
Ser Jorah's first wife was a lady of House Glover, with who he was married for ten years, though she was unable to bring a child to term. She died after her third miscarriage. Jorah fought during Robert's Rebellion, and was present for both the Battle of the Trident and the aftermath of the Sack of King's Landing
He became Lord of Bear Island in his own right when his father joined the Night's Watch. He earned his knighthood during the Greyjoy Rebellion for being one of the first of the royalist forces through the walls of Pyke. He was subsequently knighted by King Robert I Baratheon in acknowledgment of his bravery.
During a tourney at Lannisport, Ser Jorah met Lynesse Hightower, the daughter of Leyton Hightower, the Lord of Oldtown. He asked for her favour to wear during the upcoming lists. Surprisingly, he beat everyone who came against him. In the last joust, he faced Ser Jaime Lannister, against whom he broke nine lances, before King Robert awarded the victory to Jorah. He then crowned Lynesse as his Queen of Love and Beauty, before asking her father for her hand in marriage. Surprisingly, he agreed, and the two were wed in Lannisport, prior to returning to Bear Island.
The marriage did not remain a happy one for long, with Lynesse, raised by the wealthy and opulent Hightowers, unable to adjust to the lifestyle on the hard, barren Bear Island. Jorah attempted to reproduce the lifestyle to which she was accustomed, but instead only served to further his financial ruin. He hired a cook from Oldtown, and a harper from Lannisport. A fine was ship was built, and he and his wife would attend festivals in the two cities. Jorah borrowed money from banks in Braavos, and participated in several other tourneys, but had no further successes.
Desperate for coin to pay off his debts, Jorah sold some convicted poachers to a Tyroshi slaver. Upon discovering this, in 293 AC, his liege, Lord Eddard Stark, the Warden of the North, came to Bear Island to execute him. However Jorah instead fled with his wife. He left behind his family's Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw, and was succeeded as Lord of Bear Island by his aunt, Maege Mormont, who sent the sword to his father at Castle Black.
Jorah initially wanted to flee to Braavos, but Lynesse wanted a warmer climate, so they settled in Lys, where Jorah then sold their boat. Within half a year they were out of funds, and so Jorah sold his services as a sellsword. Whilst Jorah was away fighting on the Rhoyne, Lynesse took the merchant-prince Tregar Ormollen as a lover. Upon his return, Tregar told Jorah that he would be taken into servitude for unpaid debts unless he gave up Lynesse as his wife and left Lys.
Heartbroken, Jorah travelled to Volantis. He then travelled across Essos, spending some time with the Dothraki, and travelling as far east as Vaes Dothrak. He also became aware of Ben Plumm and the Second Sons. He also became a spy and informant for Varys, the Master of Whisperers in King's Landing.
Books[]
A Game of Thrones[]
Jorah is invited to a celebration held by Khal Drogo within his manse. He is pointed out to Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen by Illyrio Mopatis. Daenerys expresses surprise at a Westerosi knight being so far from home. Viserys says that he will talk to Jorah before the evening is done. He comes into the service of Viserys during that evening.
Jorah becomes a constant companion of Viserys. He gifts Daenerys with books on the history of the Seven Kingdoms as a celebration of her marriage to Khal Drogo. He sides with Daenerys over Viserys, however, after the latter confronts the former during an altercation on the Dothraki Sea. He then reveals to Daenerys that the thing he most wishes for is home, and that he believes Viserys would be a poor king.