Brandon the Builder

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House Stark.svgBrandon the BuilderHouse Stark.svg
Brandon stark the builder by feliche.jpg
Brandon the Builder, by Feliche ©
Monarch
Reign During the Age of Heroes
Title King of Winter (possibly)[1][2]
Personal Information
Alias Bran the Builder
Culture First Men
Family
Dynasty House Stark
Issue Brandon Stark
Father Brandon of the Bloody Blade (in some tales)
References
Books

Brandon the Builder,[3][4][5] also known as Bran the Builder,[6][7] was a legendary figure from the Age of Heroes[8] who is said to have founded House Stark[9] and been the ancestor of the Kings of Winter.[10] Works attributed to Brandon in various tales include the Wall,[4] Winterfell,[11] the Hightower,[12] and Storm's End.[7] Scholars, however, believe an ancient king's actions have been exaggerated into legend, or the reigns of multiple kings have been remembered as one through the passage of time.[13]

History

Brandon the Builder is said to have lived during the Age of Heroes.[8] Legends from the Reach claim that he was a descendant of Brandon of the Bloody Blade, a son of the mythical Garth Greenhand.[14] Tales from the stormlands claim that when Brandon was a boy, he helped Durran Godsgrief build Storm's End.[7]

Legends claim that Brandon built the Wall[4][15] after the Long Night.[10] According to a ballad in Maester Childer's Winter's Kings, or the Legends and Lineages of the Starks of Winterfell, Brandon sought assistance from the children of the forest in building the Wall, and he learned to understand the True Tongue in order to do so.[3] The children are said to have have used magic during the construction of the Wall, which was composed of huge blocks of ice moved with the aid of giants.[16]

Bran the Builder is also said to have raised Winterfell,[11][4] the seat of House Stark in the north, again with the help of giants,[17] and legends claim that Brandon prayed in the castle's godswood.[10] The Kings of Winter and Lords of Winterfell descend from Brandon the Builder.[18] It is said that he gave Brandon's Gift, a stretch of land twenty-five leagues wide south of the Wall, to the Night's Watch, though some maesters argue this was done by another Brandon of House Stark.[19]

Some stories claim King Uthor of the High Tower commissioned Brandon to design the stone Hightower at Oldtown, while others state it was Bran the Builder's son, who was also named Brandon.[12]

Brandon the Builder is not as beloved among singers and storytellers as Lann the Clever, the legendary founder of House Lannister.[6]

Quotes

Names such as Brandon the Builder, Garth Greenhand, Lann the Clever, and Durran Godsgrief are names to conjure with, but it is likely that their legends hold less truth than fancy.[13]

—writings of Yandel

Thousands and thousands of years ago, Brandon the Builder had raised Winterfell, and some said the Wall.[4]

—thoughts of Bran Stark

No one can even say for certain if Brandon the Builder ever lived. He is as remote from the time of the novels as Noah and Gilgamesh are from our own time.[20]

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Garth
Greenhand
 
Various
women
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Garth
the Gardener
 
John
the Oak
 
Gilbert
of the Vines
 
Foss
the Archer
 
Brandon of
the Bloody Blade
 
Maris
the Maid
 
Uthor of the
High Tower
 
Owen
Oakenshield
 
Bors
the Breaker
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Gardener.svg
House Gardener
 
House Oakheart.svg
House Oakheart
 
House Redwyne.svg
House Redwyne
 
House Fossoway of Cider Hall.svg
House Fossoway
 
Brandon
the Builder

[Note 1]
 
Urrigon
Hightower
 
Peremore
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
House Bulwer.svg
House Bulwer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Stark.svg
House
Stark
 
House Hightower.svg
House Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rose
of Red Lake
 
Ellyn
Ever Sweet
 
Rowan
Gold-Tree
 
Unknown
man
 
Florys
the Fox
 
Three
husbands
 
Harlon
the Hunter
 
Woods witch
 
Herndon
of the Horn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Crane.svg
House
Crane
 
House Beesbury.svg
House Beesbury
 
House Rowan.svg
House Rowan
 
Lann
the Clever

[Note 2]
 
House Florent.svg
House Florent
 
House Ball.svg
House
Ball
 
House Peake.svg
House Peake
 
House Tarly.svg
House
Tarly
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Lannister.svg
House Lannister
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes:
  1. In some tales of the Reach, Bran the Builder was the son of Brandon of the Bloody Blade.
  2. In some tales of the Reach, Lann the Clever was a bastard born to Rowan Gold-Tree or her sister Florys the Fox.


See also

References

  1. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 5, Samwell I.
  2. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 7, Jon II.
  3. 3.0 3.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Dawn Age.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 24, Bran IV.
  5. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 48, Jon VI.
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 27, Eddard VI.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 31, Catelyn III.
  8. 8.0 8.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 51, Jon VI.
  9. A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The North: Winterfell.
  11. 11.0 11.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 2, Catelyn I.
  12. 12.0 12.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Oldtown.
  13. 13.0 13.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Age of Heroes.
  14. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach.
  15. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 78, Samwell V.
  16. The World of Ice & Fire, The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch.
  17. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 41, Jon V.
  18. A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
  19. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 40, Bran III.
  20. So Spake Martin: The Wall, September 09, 2000
New title 1st King of Winter
c. 8,000 BC/6,000 BC
Unknown
Next known title holder:
Brandon the Breaker