Genna Lannister

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Genna Lannister
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Genna2 Lady Rae.jpg
Genna Lannister by Rae Lavergne

Title Lady
Lady of Riverrun
Allegiance House Lannister
House Frey of Riverrun
Culture Westermen
Born In 245 AC[1], at Casterly Rock[2]
Spouse Ser Emmon Frey
Issue Cleos Frey
Lyonel Frey
Tion Frey
Walder Frey
A Game of Thrones (appendix)
A Clash of Kings (mentioned)
A Storm of Swords (mentioned)
A Feast for Crows (appears)
A Dance with Dragons (mentioned)

Lady Genna Lannister is the only daughter of Lord Tytos Lannister and Lady Jeyne Marbrand.[3] She is married to Ser Emmon Frey, with whom she has four children: Cleos, Lyonel, Tion, and Walder Frey.[4][5] As the aunt of Jaime, Cersei and Tyrion Lannister, Genna took on a maternal role for them after Lady Joanna Lannister's death,[6] and is one of the few Lannisters who recognizes Tyrion's talent for political maneuvering.[7]

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of Genna Lannister

In her youth Genna was shapely, always threatening to overflow her bodice. However, as she aged, she became fat. She now has a square figure, and an enormous bosom with a broad and smooth face.[7]

Genna is intelligent and shrewd. She bosses around her husband, Ser Emmon Frey, whom she considers inept.[7] Her personality is such that she is able to claim a place in Ser Jaime Lannister's war council without opposition,[8] which is uncommon for a woman.


Genna was born in 245 AC[1] to Lord Tytos Lannister and his wife, Lady Jeyne Marbrand. She had two older brothers, Tywin and Kevan, and would later have two younger brothers, Tygett and Gerion, as well.[9][4][5]

Genna's father, Lord Tytos, wanted to be liked and loved.[10] Sensing that weakness, Lord Walder Frey from the riverlands managed to convince Tytos to agree to a betrothal between his only daughter and one of Lord Walder's sons.[7] As such, in 252 AC,[N 1] at the young age of seven,[7][10][2] Genna was betrothed to Emmon Frey, Lord Walder's second son. Their betrothal was announced at a feast, with half the westerlands in attendance. Genna's eldest brother, Tywin, spoke out against the match. While Lord Tytos went white as mare's milk, the betrothal remained standing.[7][10] Although Genna did not approve of all Tywin did, nor enjoyed the company of the man Tywin later became, Genna loved Tywin for having been the only person to speak out against her betrothal.[7]

Although Genna herself had not been satisfied with her husband either, she has given Emmon four sons: Cleos, Lyonel, Tion, and Walder. Genna claims that all four boys are Emmon's, and none dare to question her - least of all Emmon.[7] Following their marriage, Genna and Emmon remained at Casterly Rock.[11]

Following the death of Tywin's wife Lady Joanna Lannister in 273 AC,[10][12] Genna took on a somewhat maternal role for their three children. She was always pinching Jaime's ear.[7] In 276 AC, during the tourney Tywin organised in the west to celebrate the birth of King Aerys II Targaryen's son Prince Viserys, Genna confided in Cersei that the plan was that her betrothal to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, a match Lord Tywin had desired for his daughter for years, would be announced during the final feast. When no such announcement was made and the king and his knights had left the westerlands, it was Genna Cersei ran to with her questions, at which point Genna confided in the girl that Tywin's proposal had been refused. She promised Cersei that her father would find her a better husband than Rhaegar.[6]

When Genna told her brother Tywin that his youngest son, Tyrion, the one child he most strongly disliked, resembled him the most, Tywin grew so angry he refused to speak to Genna for half a year.[7]

Genna had been her father's "precious little princess", and later her brother Tywin's as well. However, according to her, she fell out of Tywin's favor when she "disappointed him",[7] although it is not known what Genna did.

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

After House Tully has been attainted, the crown grants Genna's husband, Emmon Frey, possession of the Tully seat and lands. As Ser Brynden Tully still holds Riverrun, the castle is besieged. Genna's nephew Ser Jaime eventually arrives to aid in lifting the siege. Genna advises Jaime to execute Edmure Tully, the attainted Lord of Riverrun, as she considers him a danger. She also sees a potential danger in Edmure's unborn child, as well as Edmure's uncle, Brynden, not considering their hold over Riverrun to be safe as long as a male Tully heir remains alive. She agrees that, if Edmure Tully's unborn child is a girl, the child could marry her own heir, thereby uniting the Frey and Tully lines. However, she would have preferred control of Darry instead of Riverrun, despite it being less rich than Riverrun, as House Darry is extinct in the male line, as opposed to House Tully.[7]

Genna tells Jaime that his younger brother Tyrion was most like their father Lord Tywin Lannister, while Jaime himself is not, and that this is what scares her the most, following Tywin's death.[7]

Genna is present during Jaime's war council. Following the departure of the other lords, Genna asks Jaime what he means to do about the danger that Edmure himself represents, but Jaime only states that Edmure Tully be left to him.[13] Jaime wonders to himself whether Genna would agree whether he sounds like Tywin, after he threatens the life of Edmure's unborn child.[13]

Edmure Tully eventually surrenders Riverrun, but first allows his uncle, Brynden Tully, to escape before the Lannister soldiers enter the castle. When her husband, Lord Emmon Frey, complains about the fact that Brynden might return to claim the castle, Genna informs him that he must hold the castle himself, or destroy it and return to Casterly Rock. When her husband insists that some of the garrison of Riverrun might have knowledge about the whereabouts of Ser Brynden, Genna suggests that a few might be put to the question, but Jaime refuses the notion, having previously promised Edmure Tully that the garrison would not be harmed if the castle was yielded peacefully. When Jaime agrees to allow the garrison to leave, forcing them to vow never to take up arms against House Lannister, Genna voices her disagreement. Genna and Emmon hold Riverrun with a garrison of their own, consisting of two hundred men.[11]

When Jaime encounters Tom of Sevenstreams again, the singer tells him that he hopes to spend the winter at Riverrun. Jaime informs the singer that he should focus on pleasing Genna with his songs, instead of Emmon, as it is Genna who matters where such decisions are concerned,[11] referring to Genna's dominant nature.


House Lannister



"Red" Walder


  1. Incorrectly stated to be 254 AC in earlier editions of The World of Ice & Fire.


  1. 1.0 1.1 See the Genna Lannister calculation.
  2. 2.0 2.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Genna Lannister.
  3. The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Lannister Lineage.
  4. 4.0 4.1 A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 24, Cersei V.
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
  8. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 37, Brienne VII.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands: House Lannister Under the Dragons.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
  13. 13.0 13.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 38, Jaime VI.