House Stark

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire

House Stark of Wintefell
Words	"Winter is Coming"
Seat	Exiled (formerly Winterfell)
Region	The North
Title	Warden of the North Lord of Winterfell King in the North
Overlord	None; sovereign (disputed by House Baratheon of King's Landing)
Cadet Branch	House Greystark House Karstark
Ancestral Weapon	Valyrian steel sword Ice
Founder	Likely Bran "the Builder"
Founded	Age of Heroes

House Stark of Winterfell is one of the Great Houses of Westeros and the principal noble house of The North; many lesser houses are sworn to them. In days of old they ruled as Kings of Winter. Their seat, Winterfell, is an ancient castle renowned for its strength. Their sigil is a grey direwolf racing across a field of white, and their words are "Winter Is Coming." ^[1] Members of the family tend to be lean of build and long of face, with black hair and grey eyes. Several of the main point of view characters of the series are members of this house.

Contents 1 History 2 Recent Background 3 A Song of Ice & Fire 3.1 A Game of Thrones 3.2 A Clash of Kings 3.3 A Storm of Swords 3.4 A Feast for Crows 3.5 A Dance with Dragons 4 House genealogy 4.1 Current members 4.2 Historical Starks 4.3 Household 5 References in the books 5.1 A Song of Ice and Fire 6 Sworn Houses 7 References and Notes

History

The Starks are an ancient house, descended from Bran the Builder, a legendary figure from the Age of Heroes, who raised their ancestral home at Winterfell thousands of years in the past, as well as the Wall. They are descendants of the First Men^[1] and still follow some of their ancient traditions and the Old Gods of the forest. The Starks were Kings of Winter in the North for many thousands of years from the Age of Heroes, possibly beginning with Bran the Builder. Ever since Bran constructed the Wall, the Starks have been friends of the Night's Watch, and have manned the Wall for thousands of years. The Night's King, the attainted 13th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, is said to have been a Stark, among his many possible origins. The Starks also helped repel several major wildling invasions, such as when they and their Umber bannermen defeated the Kings-Beyond-the-Wall like the brothers Gendel and Gorne, as well as Bael the Bard, who both sired and fought a Stark.

For several millennia, the Starks were not the uncontested Kings of the North, but their primary antagonists the Boltons of the Dreadfort swore fealty some 1,000 years ago, ending their flesh-flaying ways. Meanwhile King Jon Stark drove pirates from the White Knife, and the Wolf's Den was built at its mouth. This stronghold and the city which grew up around it (White Harbor) was often granted to sons and grandsons of the King in the North or other bannermen before finally being granted to the Manderlys, a house exiled from the Reach and taken in by the Starks. King Jon's son Rickard defeated the Marsh King and married his daughter, bringing the Neck into Winterfell's realm under the lordship of House Reed. The Karstarks were founded when Karlon Stark, brother to the reigning king, helped crush a revolt of the Boltons and was granted a keep for his service. Finally, The Mormonts were granted Bear Island when King Rodrik Stark won it from the ironborn in a wrestling match.

Aside from the Karstarks, the Starks of Winterfell may have distant relatives elsewhere in the North, possibly in White Harbor and Barrowton. ^[2]

The last Stark King of the North was Torrhen, who submitted to Aegon the Conqueror at the end of the War of Conquest. Since that time the Starks have held the North for the kings of the Seven Kingdoms as Wardens of The North.^[3]

Around 213AL, House Stark faced a difficult succession. Several Lords of Winterfell had perished fighting wars in the North against rebellious Skagosi, the wildling king Raymun Redbeard and other threats, leaving Beron Stark as the lord of the house. As he too lay slowly succumbing to wounds he received fighting Dagon Greyjoy and his ironborn, his wife and four other recent Stark widows struggled over who would succeed him. There were a number of potential heirs, with some ten Stark children about. ^{[4] [5]}

Recent Background

Lord Rickard Stark and his maester, Walys Flowers, sought to further southron alliances by betrothing Rickard's heir Brandon to Catelyn Tully of Riverrun. Petyr Baelish, a ward of Catelyn's father, loved Catelyn and challenged Brandon to a duel for her hand. Brandon won their duel, but did not kill him in concession to Catelyn's pleas. Meanwhile Lyanna was betrothed to Lord Robert Baratheon, who was infatuated with her from a distance. Lyanna, however, was not as ardent in her love for Robert, and was fully aware of his philandering ways. Prince Rhaegar Targaryen after winning the Tourney at Harrenhal, crowned her Queen of Love and Beauty, passing over his wife, the Dornish princess Elia, in her favor. The exact nature of her relationship with Rhaegar is not presently clear, but shortly thereafter she disappeared in Rhaegar's company and Robert and her brother Brandon Stark believed that Lyanna had been taken against her will. Brandon was on his way to Riverrun to wed Catelyn Tully when he heard this news. He and four companions rode to King's Landing to seek her return, but both he and Lord Rickard were executed on the order of the Mad King. Lord Jon Arryn refused to surrender his wards Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon, and the war was on.

During its course, Eddard honored his late brother's betrothal to Catelyn Tully as part of an alliance to bring her house into the rebel fold. He was one of the principal commanders in the war, but had a falling out with Robert after he accepted the treacherous aid of House Lannister. After the Sack of King's Landing, Eddard and six companions went to retrieve Lyanna at the fortress Rhaegar had named the Tower of Joy. They fought three Kingsguard knights stationed there, who killed all but Eddard and Howland Reed. Eddard found Lyanna dying in a "bed of blood" and clutching a withered wreath of blue roses. She forced him to make a promise to her, the contents of which are unknown, but which haunted Eddard for the rest of his life. She was sixteen years old at the time of her death and was buried in the Stark family crypt in Winterfell beside her father and brother. Ned and Robert were reconciled in their shared grief, but Ned still disdained the court since Robert married Cersei Lannister and allowed her brother Jaime to remain a Kingsguard even after slaying his liege. Ned returned from the war to be presented with his trueborn son Robb, but he carried the infant Jon Snow, whom he presented as his bastard son. Six years later, Ned helped his foster brother crush Balon Greyjoy's rebellion, taking Theon Greyjoy as a ward of Winterfell. Lord Rickard's youngest child, Benjen, joined the Night's Watch, eventually becoming First Ranger. Eddard ruled the North in Robert's name, keeping distant from the intrigue-ridden, Lannister-infested politics of King's Landing.

A Song of Ice & Fire

The Starks joined forces with House Tully to drive the Lannisters away from the Riverlands during the War of the Five Kings; however in the process they lost dominance over the North to the Boltons, while the family members were either killed or driven into hiding.

A Game of Thrones

King Robert visits Winterfell to offer Eddard Stark the position of Hand of the King, recently empty due to the death of their foster father Jon Arryn. A letter arrives from Lysa Arryn, Jon's widow and Ned's wife Catelyn's sister, who claims the Lannisters were behind Lord Arryn's sudden death. At Catelyn's urging, Ned grudgingly accepts the Handship and a betrothal of their daughter Sansa to Prince Joffrey. During the royal party's stay, Ned's second son Bran spies Queen Cersei having sex with her twin brother Ser Jaime; he is thrown from a tower in hopes the fall would kill him, but is "merely" crippled and comatose. Ned rides off to King's Landing along with his daughters, while Catelyn remains at Winterfell with their sons. Meanwhile Jon Snow rides north with his uncle Benjen to join the Night's Watch. Catelyn is inconsolable in her worry for Bran, ignoring her duties as steward, but is jolted back to reality by an attempt on his life thwarted only by his direwolf. As Bran lies comatose, he begins to have visions of a Three-eyed crow.

On the Kingsroad, Arya Stark defends her friend Mycah from the aggressions of Prince Joffrey, upsetting Sansa. This is exacerbated when Sansa's direwolf Lady is ordered dead in place of Arya's, which has escaped. In King's Landing, Eddard is outraged to find that the crown is heavily in debt (largely to Tywin Lannister) and that Robert intends to throw a lavish tourney in his honor. He investigates the death of Jon Arryn, determining that he was looking into the king's bastard brood. When Robert holds a small council meeting to arrange the death of the exile Daenerys Targaryen (who had wed a mighty Dothraki khal), Ned refuses to condone the assassination and resigns the Handship. In the streets of the capitol, he is attacked by Lannister men sent by Ser Jaime, in retaliation for Catelyn's abduction of Tyrion (whom her foster-brother Petyr Baelish had told her was responsible for the attempt on Bran's life.) His leg is broken and his best men slain, but Ned survives and Robert re-confirms his appointment as Hand before going out on a hunt and leaving Ned to sit the Iron Throne. In this capacity he sends 100 men to stop Gregor Clegane from raiding the Riverlands. Gregor's attacks were ordered by Lord Lannister; since Lord Stark was wounded he was not lured into the field and thus could not be traded for Tyrion.

Eventually Ned arrives at the same conclusion at which Jon Arryn did: that Queen Cersei's children were not Robert's, but bastards born of incest between the Lannister twins, and determines that it was this secret for which Jon was murdered. He approaches Cersei with this truth, warning her to flee the city. Enlisting Lord Baelish to recruit the Gold Cloaks, he confronts Cersei after Robert's death from a hunting accident, insisting that Stannis Baratheon is now king by rights. Baelish betrays Ned - his men are slaughtered and he is thrown into a black cell. Sansa is held hostage in the Red Keep, but Arya manages to escape thanks to Syrio Forel, the fencing master Ned had hired to train her in swordplay. Robb, upon hearing this news, calls the banners of Winterfell and marches south. Catelyn arranges a marriage alliance with House Frey to negotiate a crossing of the Trident, and Robb breaks Lannister hegemony in the Riverlands. Ned initially refuses to name Joffrey as the true king, but in the end agrees in order to ensure the safety of Sansa. When he publicly announces this support, however, the capricious boy king orders his execution rather than allow him to join the Night's Watch. The lords at Robb's war council proclaim him King in the North and of the Trident, seceding from the realm of the Iron Throne.

A Clash of Kings

A Storm of Swords

A Feast for Crows

A Dance with Dragons

House genealogy

Current members

• {Eddard "Ned" Stark}, was lord of the house until his death, several months after taking office as Hand of the King.
• {Catelyn Stark}, Lord Eddard's wife; formerly of House Tully. She is the mother of Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon Stark. Killed during the Red Wedding.
• Benjen Stark, Benjen Stark is Eddard's younger brother and his last surviving sibling. He is First Ranger of the Night's Watch and brought Jon Snow to The Wall when he wanted to join the order. Missing in the lands beyond the Wall.

• {Robb Stark}, Lord Eddard's eldest legitimate son and heir. He took his father's position as Lord Stark and was later crowned King in the North by his bannermen, prior to his death during the War of the Five Kings. His direwolf was named [Grey Wind] and was killed along with him at the Red Wedding.
• Jeyne Westerling, Robb's widow.

• Sansa Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's elder daughter. Raised to be a perfect lady, she is now the lady of the house, or might be if anyone knew her whereabouts. Her direwolf was named Lady and was killed under Queen Cersei's orders, in retribution for Arya's direwolf savaging her son Joffrey.
• Arya Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's younger daughter, a fiercely independent tomboy. Her direwolf is named Nymeria, she is currently loose in the riverlands after being chased off by Arya following the encounter with Joffery.
• Bran Stark Eddard and Catelyn's second son, who becomes crippled and learns to warg. He is believed to be dead. His direwolf is named Summer.
• Rickon Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's youngest child, only three years old when the series begins. Rickon is believed dead. His direwolf companion is named Shaggydog.

• Jon Snow is Eddard's bastard son, who was raised at Winterfell alongside his Stark half-siblings. Having joined the Night's Watch, he has risen to the rank of Lord Commander. His direwolf is Ghost.

Historical Starks

No precise lineage of House Stark is known, but the individuals listed below are supposed to be in rough chronological order.

Household

• Theon Greyjoy, known as Theon Turncloak, Lord Eddard's ward and hostage. Fought for Robb Stark in the War of the Five Kings, betrayed him to House Greyjoy, seized Winterfell until betrayed by Ramsay Bolton. Imprisoned and tortured. Fled with Jeyne Poole. Now a prisoner of Stannis Baratheon.
• Walder Frey, called Big Walder, a ward of Lady Catelyn, eight years of age. Now a squire of Ramsay Bolton.
• {Walder Frey}, called Little Walder, a ward of Lady Catelyn, eight years of age. Made a squire of Ramsay Bolton. Killed by the 'Ghost of Winterfell', presumably Theon Greyjoy, or Mance Rayder and his spearwives.
• Maester {Luwin}, counselor, healer and tutor. Perished to wounds sustained during the Sack of Winterfell.
• {Vayon Poole}, steward of Winterfell. Killed during the purge of the Stark household.
  • Jeyne Poole, his daughter. Forced to impersonate Arya Stark and marry Ramsay Bolton. Escaped Winterfell with Theon Greyjoy.
• Ser {Rodrik Cassel}, master-at-arms and castellan of Winterfell. Killed by Ramsay Snow prior to the Sack of Winterfell.
  • Beth Cassel, his daughter. Imprisoned at the Dreadfort.
• {Jory Cassel}, Captain of Lord Eddard's guards. Killed by Ser Jaime Lannister.
  • {Wyl}, guardsman. Killed by Jaime Lannister's men.
  • {Desmond}, guardsman. Killed during the arrest of Ned Stark.
  • {Cayn}, guardsman. Killed during the arrest of Ned Stark.
    • Calon, his son. Fate unknown.
  • Tomard, guardsman. Killed by goldcloaks during the arrest of Ned Stark.
    • TomToo, his son. Fate unknown.
  • {Porther}, guardsman. Killed at some point.
  • {Alyn}, guardsman, founding member of the Brotherhood Without Banners. Now dead.
• Hallis Mollen, Jory's successor as captain of the guards at Winterfell. Fate unknown since being sent escorting Lord Eddard's bones to Winterfell.
  • Quent, Jacks and Shadd, guardsmen. Fate unknown since being sent escorting Lord Eddard's bones to Winterfell.
• Hayhead, Skittrick, guardsmen. Fate unknown.
• Alebelly, a guardsman. Killed during the Battle of Winterfell.
• {Poxy Tym}, a guardsman. Killed during the Sack of Winterfell
• Septa {Mordane}, tutor to Lord Eddard's daughters. Killed during the purge of the Stark household.
• Septon {Chayle}, keeper of Winterfell's sept and library. Drowned as a sacrifice to the Drowned God after the Fall of Winterfell]]
• {Hullen}, master of horse. Killed during the purge of the Stark household.
  • Harwin, his son, a guardsman. Founding member of the Brotherhood Without Banners. Currently with Lady Stoneheart's band.
  • Joseth, Harwin's successor as master of horse. Fate unknown.
    • Bandy and Shyra, his twin daughters, now imprisoned at the Dreadfort.
• Mikken, blacksmith and armorer. Killed by Stygg after the Fall of Winterfell]].
• {Farlen}, kennelmaster of Winterfell. Killed by Theon Greyjoy.
  • Palla, his daughter, a kennelgirl. Imprisoned at the Dreadfort.
• Nan, known as Old Nan, storyteller and once a wet-nurse. Imprisoned at the Dreadfort, possibly dead.
  • Walder, known as Hodor, a simpleminded stableboy. Now with Bran Stark beyond the Wall.
• Gage, the cook. Fate unknown.
  • Turnip, his child. Imprisoned at the Dreadfort.
  • Osha, of the Free Folk, imprisoned and serving as kitchen drudge. Now with Rickon Stark at Skagos.

References in the books

A Song of Ice and Fire

• Soldiers bearing the colors of House Stark have washed up on the shores of the Quiet Isle. According to the Elder Brother, they are buried alongside their enemies.

Sworn Houses

v • d • e Houses from the North Great House Bolton Noble Houses Cerwyn · Dustin · Flint of Widow's Watch · Hornwood · Karstark · Locke · Manderly · Mormont · Reed · Ryswell · Umber Masterly Houses Glover · Tallhart Other Houses Bole · Branch · Cassel · Condon · Flint of Flint's Finger · Forrester · Ironsmith · Lake · Lightfoot · Mollen · Moss · Overton · Poole · Slate · Stout · Thenn · Waterman · Wells · Whitehill · Woods · Woolfield Mountain Clans Burley · Flint of the Mountains · Harclay · Knott · Liddle · Norrey · Wull The Neck Houses Blackmyre · Boggs · Cray · Fenn · Greengood · Marsh · Peat · Quagg Skagos Clans Crowl · Magnar · Stane Exiled Houses Stark Extinct Houses Greystark · Woodfoot

References and Notes

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Stark. The list of authors can be seen in the page history of House Stark. As with the A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.