House Umber
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
| House Umber of the Last Hearth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coat of arms | Gules, a roaring giant proper with shattered chains argent |
| Seat | Last Hearth |
| Current Lord | Greatjon Umber |
| Region | the North |
| Title | Lord of the Last Hearth |
| Heir | unknown |
| Overlord | House Bolton |
House Umber of the Last Hearth, is a noble house of the North, sworn to Winterfell and House Stark, to whom they are fiercely loyal. The head of the house is Lord Jon Umber, called "The Greatjon".
The Umber sigil is a roaring giant, brown-haired and wearing a skin, with broken silver chains, on flame-red.[1]
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Background
The Umbers are hardy people, tempered by the rough northern climate. They control the harsh land along the Bay of Seals, bordering the Gift and extending west to the Kingsroad - a place of wild hills and ancient forests of oak and pine. Its proximity to the Wall puts them at risk of wildling raids and they have often been called upon to help defend against wildling raiders.[2] Most notably, the Umbers joined the Starks in defeating Kings Beyond the Wall such as Raymun Redbeard and the brothers Gendel and Gorne. A cousin of Lord Umber's was carried off in a wildling raid.
During Robert's Rebellion, the Umbers followed Ned Stark to war, with both of Mors "Crowfood" Umber's sons dying at the Battle of the Trident.
Recent History
A Game of Thrones
After Ned's arrest in King's Landing, House Umber answers Robb Stark's call to arms, with Umber men led by the Greatjon following him south, leaving his uncles Mors "Crowfood" and Hother "Whoresbane" in command at Last Hearth. Despite an initial row, the Greatjon becomes one of Robb's strongest supporters and fiercest battle commanders. Lord Umber's eldest son, the Smalljon, rides as one of Robb's personal guard. When the Stark host quarters at Moat Cailin on their march south, the Last Hearth men garrison in the Children's Tower. During the Battle of the Whispering Wood, the Greatjon has an independent command, and in the subsequent Battle of the Camps he rides in from the west with the Mallisters and sets fire to the Lannister siege towers. Following the death of Ned Stark, House Umber supports Robb as his heir, with the Greatjon proclaiming him the King in the North.
A Clash of Kings
The Umber men in the south accompany King Robb on his campaign in the Westerlands. The Greatjon captures several gold mines after the Battle of Oxcross, and the Smalljon leads men scaling the walls at the Battle of the Crag. Meanwhile Lord Umber's uncles attend the harvest feast at Winterfell. Hother requests ships to fight wildlings in the Bay of Seals, and is told to work with Lord Wyman Manderly to build a fleet. Mors puts himself forward as a match for Donella Hornwood, but is rejected. When Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell, the Umber uncles begin to raise a force to liberate the Stark seat.
A Storm of Swords
The Greatjon and Smalljon are still with Robb's army, returning with him to the Riverlands. The Greatjon and his men subdue Lord Rickard Karstark after he murders the Lannister squires at Riverrun, with two Umber men being wounded in the process. The Greatjon punches Karstark when the other bannerman calls Robb boy, and hangs the other seven Karhold men who took part. At the Red Wedding, the Greatjon got drunk, competing with Whalen Frey and Merrett Frey. It took eight men to subdue him, of which he killed one, injured two others and bit half an ear off Ser Leslyn Haigh. The Greatjon is captured and imprisoned at the Twins, and his heir the Smalljon is murdered by Bolton men. It is unknown who the current heir is.
A Dance with Dragons
With the Greatjon imprisoned, Queen Cersei claimed the Umbers have grudgingly joined with House Bolton, who the Lannisters have raised as Warden of The North in House Stark's stead. This is only partly true: Hother Whoresbane leads half the remaining Umber men under Lord Bolton's banner (although Roose considers them untrustworthy), but Mors Crowfood has joined the cause of Stannis Baratheon, who is liberating the North from Bolton and Greyjoy alike. Mors makes it clear that Umber will not fight Umber for any cause.[3]
While Umbers are generally considered to be simple, warlike people, according to Roose Bolton they do possess a "certain low cunning".
Tree
The known Umbers during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Jon "Greatjon" Umber, Lord of the Last Hearth, known as the "Greatjon" for his huge size. Held captive at the Twins.
- {Jon "Smalljon" Umber}: his eldest son, known as the Smalljon. Slain during the Red Wedding.
- Mors "Crowfood", the Greatjon's uncle and brother to Hother. Joint castellan of Last Hearth
- Hother "Whoresbane", the Greatjon's uncle and brother to Mors. Joint castellan of Last Hearth
| Hoarfrost Umber | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unknown Umber | Mors "Crowfood" Umber | Hother "Whoresbane" Umber | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jon "Greatjon" Umber | Unknown Umbers | {Two sons} and daughter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| {Jon "Smalljon" Umber} | Unknown Umbers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Greatjon is mentioned as having "sons and brothers" with him when he answers Robb's calling of the banners. [4]
Historical members
Harmond Umber, called the "Drunken Giant." A Lord of the Last Hearth who helped Lord Willam Stark defeat Raymun Redbeard at the Battle of Long Lake.
References in the books
A Song of Ice and Fire
- When Robb sent Catelyn as an envoy to Renly Baratheon, he threatened to send the boisterous Greatjon as ambassador if she did not go.
- Maester Aemon sent a raven to the Last Hearth in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.
- It is suggested that the Night's King was an Umber, among the many possibilities.
- According to Roose Bolton, Umber lords still practice the banned tradition of the Lord's right to First Night despite claiming they do not.[5]
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Terrestrial allusions
The Humber is a river estuary in the North of England, formed from rivers Trent and Ouse, and flowing into the North Sea.
References and Notes
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: the North
- ↑ A Song of Ice and Fire Campaign Guide
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek.
