House Bolton
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
| House Bolton of the Dreadfort | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coat of arms | Carnation, a flayed man affronté sanguine |
| Words | "Our Blades are Sharp" |
| Seat | the Dreadfort |
| Current Lord | Roose Bolton |
| Region | the North |
| Title | Lord of the Dreadfort Warden of the North |
| Heir | Ramsay Bolton |
| Overlord | House Baratheon of King's Landing |
House Bolton of the Dreadfort is an old line descended from the First Men and dating back to the Age of Heroes. Their sigil is a flayed man, red on pink.[1][2] Their seat is the Dreadfort and they are one of the most powerful houses of the North. The Boltons are best known for their practice of flaying their enemies.
According to GRRM, their words are "Our blades are sharp," while a common saying among the Boltons is "A flayed man holds no secrets."
Contents |
History
The Boltons are an ancient and powerful house of the North who for many centuries were bitter rivals of the Kings in the North, the Starks of Winterfell. The Boltons achieved some successes against the Starks, flaying the skins of several Stark lords and hanging them in their stronghold, the Dreadfort. According to rumor, some Bolton lords even wore the flayed skins of their enemies - including the Starks - as cloaks. This practice has given the Boltons a sinister reputation, and it has been suggested that the legendary Night's King was a Bolton.
Approximately a thousand years ago, the Boltons finally swore fealty to the Kings in the North and agreed to abandon their practice of flaying their enemies. However, three hundred years later the Boltons rose in rebellion against the Starks. The Stark armies besieged the Dreadfort for four years before the Boltons finally capitulated and dipped their banners once more. For many centuries the Boltons remained loyal to the Starks, although rumors persisted that they continued to flay their prisoners in secret, and maintain a hidden chamber in the Dreadfort to display the skins of their enemies. [3]
The Lord of the Dreadfort during A Song of Ice & Fire is Roose Bolton. When his liege Eddard Stark called the banners of the North to fight in Robert's Rebellion, Lord Roose took up arms, fighting in the Battle of the Trident. Afterward, he counseled that Robert Baratheon should slash the throat of the legendary Kingsguard knight Ser Barristan Selmy, but Lord Robert sent for his maesters instead.
Recent events
A Game of Thrones
After the arrest of Eddard Stark in King's Landing, Lord Roose responds to Robb Stark's calling of the banners. At Winterfell, both he and Robett Glover demand a command. When the Northern host splits at the Twins, Bolton receives his wish, commanding an army of mostly infantry to engage Lord Tywin Lannister. Forcing a march, Roose hopes to catch Tywin unawares, but is forced to retreat at the Battle of the Green Fork. Reforming his army, he begins to harrass Lannister supply lines.
A Clash of Kings
Following orders from Ser Edmure Tully, Roose and Ser Helman Tallhart march on Harrenhal. Bolton is able to seize the fortress by making a deal with the Brave Companions sellsword company within, and is aided by Arya Stark and Jaqen H'ghar. At Harrenhal, Roose unwittingly takes the incognito Arya as his cupbearer. Meanwhile Roose's bastard son Ramsay Snow has married and killed Donella Hornwood, taking the Hornwood lands for himself before leading the Dreadfort men in betraying the northmen under Ser Rodrik Cassel, burning Winterfell and capturing or slaughtering all within.
A Storm of Swords
After learning that the Greyjoys had taken much of the North and of the Lannister-Tyrell victory at the Battle of the Blackwater, Lord Bolton concludes that King Robb's cause is lost, siding with the Lannisters in secret. He sends a northern army to destruction at the Battle of Duskendale under fabricated orders from Robb, and allows Gregor Clegane to destroy his rearguard at the Battle of the Ruby Ford. When Ser Jaime Lannister is captured by the Brave Companions, Roose allows him to go on his way if he agrees to place all blame for the loss of his hand on the Brave Companions. Roose sends his captain Steelshanks Walton with 200 men to secure Jaime's passage.
The same day that Jaime leaves Harrenhal, Roose rides to attend the wedding of Edmure Tully at the Twins, where his betrayal culminates with his personal killing of his king. House Bolton usurps House Stark, with Roose being named the Warden of The North. Meanwhile Ramsay Snow is granted a royal writ of legitimacy by King Tommen Baratheon, becoming Ramsay Bolton. Ramsay, meanwhile, distracts himself with the torture of the captive Theon Greyjoy.
A Dance with Dragons
The Boltons' authority is contested by Stannis Baratheon and several northern lords, and is begrudged by nearly all others. Lord Roose's strongest supporters are his relatives of House Dustin and House Ryswell.
Roose's force marches north along with 2,000 men from the Twins. His passage is secured thanks to the forced efforts of Theon Greyjoy, whose will has been broken by Ramsay: Theon is able to convince the ironborn garrison there to surrender, and Ramsay has them flayed alive. In the North, Roose instructs Ramsay to behave more discreetly, and arranges the marriage of Ramsay to "Arya Stark", who is actually Jeyne Poole, in order to secure dynastic legitimacy.
The Bolton-Frey army quarters in Winterfell as the autumn snows fall, awaiting the assault of King Stannis. While there, Roose must deal with high tensions between the different factions, particularly between the Freys and Lord Wyman Manderly. Theon manages to escape with Jeyne Poole, much to Ramsay's chagrin. According to a letter sent from Ramsay to Jon Snow, the Boltons have smashed Stannis's army.
House Bolton at the end of the third century
The known Boltons during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Lord Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort and Warden of the North, called "The Leech Lord".
- Lady {Bethany Ryswell}, his second wife, deceased.
- {Domeric Bolton}, his sole trueborn son, deceased.
- Ramsay Bolton, born Ramsay Snow and called "the Bastard of the Dreadfort", his natural son and heir. Self-styled Lord of Hornwood and Lord of Winterfell.
- {Donella Hornwood}, Ramsay's first wife. Perishes after being imprisoned without food.
- "Arya Stark", actually Jeyne Poole, Ramsay's second wife. Currently in custody of Stannis Baratheon
- Lady Walda Frey, Lord Roose's new wife, called "Fat Walda".
- Lady {Bethany Ryswell}, his second wife, deceased.
Household
- Walton, called 'Steelshanks', Lord Roose's captain.
- Maester Tybald, counselor, healer and tutor at the Dreadfort. Placed by Lord Roose at Arnolf Karstark's army. Currently imprisoned under orders of King Stannis Baratheon.
- Walder Frey, called 'Big Walder', Ramsay's squire.
- {Walder Frey}, called 'Little Walder', Ramsay's squire. Killed by the 'Ghost of Winterfell', presumably Theon Greyjoy, or Mance Rayder and his spearwives or a man of House Manderly.
- Elmar Frey, a page to Lord Roose.
- {Reek}, a man-at-arms infamous for his stench. Slain by Rodrik Cassel's men while posing as Ramsay.
- Ben Bones, kennelmaster at the Dreadfort and one of Ramsay's 'Bastard Boys'.
- Damon Dance-for-Me, Sour Alyn, Skinner, Grunt, men-at-arms sworn to House Bolton and members of Ramsay's 'Bastard Boys'
- {Luton}, another of the 'Bastard Boys'. Severely injured during a fight between Manderly and Frey men, finished off by Ramsay.
- {Yellow Dick}, another of Ramsay's 'Bastard Boys'. Slain by Rowan, a wildling spearwife.
- Nymeria, called "Nan". Lord Roose's former cupbearer at Harrenhal. Actually a disguised Arya Stark.
- Nage, a man-at-arms.
References in the books
A Song of Ice and Fire
- Bran Stark sees the flayed man of House Bolton among the banners gathered at Winterfell. [4]
- A Bolton man knifes a Cerywn man at the Smoking Log in the winter town outside Winterfell.
- Lord Roose marches north to the Twins three days after Aenys Frey. He watches as his rearguard under Ser Wylis Manderly is chewed up by Ser Gregor Clegane. He leaves six hundred men under the command of Ser Kyle Condon and Ronnel Stout to guard the Trident. He comes to the Twins with three thousand foot and five hundred horse, most of which are Bolton or Karstark men.
- It is suggested that the Night's King was a Bolton, among the many possibilities.
Sworn Houses
After Roose Bolton is raised to Warden of the North several houses swear fealty to their new overlord, not all willingly.
- House Cerwyn of Cerwyn.
- House Dustin of Barrowton.
- House Hornwood of Hornwood. Ramsay Snow became the Lord of Hornwood after forcibly marrying the now deceased Lady Hornwood
- House Karstark of Karhold. Castellan Arnolf Karstark is secretly alligned with the Boltons even though he has joined King Stannis.
- House Locke of Oldcastle. Ondrew Locke is likely working with Wyman Manderly.
- House Manderly of White Harbour. Wyman Manderly has his own agenda.
- House Ryswell of the Rills.
- House Stout of Goldgrass.
- House Umber of Last Hearth. Hother Whoresbane has joined the Boltons because Greatjon Umber is a hostage at the Twins but Mors Crowfood has joined King Stannis on his march south.
Quotes
| “ | It is not happenstance that put a flayed man on their banners. [5] | ” |
References and Notes
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: the North
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran, p 575.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran, p 569.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 3, Jon.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
