House Westerling

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House Westerling of the Crag
House Westerling.svg
Honor, Not Honors
Coat of arms Six white seashells on sand
(Carnation, six escallops argent)
Seat The Crag
Head Lord Gawen Westerling[1]
Region Westerlands
Title Lord of the Crag[1]
Heir Rollam Westerling[2]
Overlords
Founded Dawn Age/Age of Heroes[3][N 1]

House Westerling of the Crag is a noble house from the Crag in the northwestern westerlands. They are sworn to House Lannister of Casterly Rock, and are considered among their principal bannermen.[4] Their sigil is six seashells, white on sand.[5][6] According to semi-canon sources, their words are "Honor, not Honors".[7]

History

The Westerlings are an ancient and proud house, dating back to the days of the First Men.[5][3] They sometimes wed the Kings of the Rock, House Lannister of Casterly Rock.[5]

After the death of her husband, Lord Alyn Tarbeck, Jeyne Westerling was forced to marry King Maegor I Targaryen, becoming one of his Black Brides.[8]

Ser Harrold Westerling was asked to join the Kingsguard under Viserys I Targaryen, and he rose to the position of Lord Commander.[9][10] After the Dance of the Dragons, Lord Roland Westerling was one of the original members of the council of seven during the regency of Aegon III.[11]

Ser Ormond Westerling participated in the tourney at Ashford Meadow in 209 AC.[12] The Westerling arms were spotted by Ser Duncan the Tall among the gathered heraldry.[13]

According to a semi-canon source, the Westerlings supported Ser Tywin Lannister when he suppressed the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion.[14]

During Robert's Rebellion, Ser Elys Westerling participated in the Sack of King's Landing. Elys witnessed the aftermath of King Aerys II Targaryen's death at the hands of Ser Jaime Lannister.[15]

The Westerlings' fortunes have faltered over the years, with lands and mines being sold until the Westerlings were reduced to little wealth and influence. They now scarcely have the funds to maintain the Crag, which is now more ruin than stronghold, and they are regarded as having more pride than power.[5] Lord Gawen Westerling wed Sybell of House Spicer, a wealthy house, but one of lowborn origins.[16] This marriage is said to have somewhat sordid origins,[17] and Gawen is rumored to have been entrapped into the marriage.[18][16] Gawen offered his daughter Jeyne as a possible match for Willem or Martyn Lannister, but he was turned down by Ser Kevan Lannister because of her "doubtful blood", as her maternal great-grandfather from House Spicer was a mere trader in spices, and her maternal great-grandmother was a maegi from Essos.[16]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Lord Gawen Westerling is captured by Lord Jason Mallister in the battle in the Whispering Wood.[19][5]

A Clash of Kings

Gawen is held at Seagard during his imprisonment.[1]

Around the time of the Battle of the Fords, Robb Stark, King in the North, and his forces in the westerlands march on the Crag.[20]

A Storm of Swords

Ser Rolph Spicer, Gawen's brother-by-law and castellan of the Crag, yields to Robb during the storming of the Crag. Rolph and his sister, Gawen's wife Lady Sybell, discreetly negotiate with their liege, Lord Tywin Lannister, in return for promises of worthy marriages for Sybell's daughters, Jeyne and Eleyna.[21] Rolph and Sybell maneuver Jeyne into comforting Robb, who was wounded by an arrow.[22] After sleeping with Jeyne, Robb chooses to wed her to save her from dishonor. Gawen is freed from Seagard after his daughter marries the King in the North, although they wed without his consent. Rollam Westerling becomes Robb's squire, and Ser Raynald Westerling joins his retinue. When House Westerling joins House Stark in the War of the Five Kings, they bring fifty men, of whom only twelve are knights.[5] Sybell provides a posset to Jeyne, claiming it will make her fertile.[23]

Robb's marriage with Jeyne breaks his alliance with House Frey, as he had promised to marry a daughter of Lord Walder Frey.[5] Sybell, Jeyne, Eleyna, and Rollam remain at Riverrun when Robb departs to the Twins for the wedding of Lord Edmure Tully to Roslin Frey,[24] while Raynald accompanies the king as the royal banner-bearer. Robb is murdered by the Freys and Boltons in the Red Wedding.[25] Raynald releases Grey Wind from the stables, allowing Robb's direwolf a fighting chance during the massacre.[26] Afterwards, Raynald's whereabouts are unknown.

After the Red Wedding, the Westerlings are pardoned by King Tommen I Baratheon, and welcomed back into the king's peace. Rolph Spicer is named Lord of Castamere.[27]

A Feast for Crows

During the siege of Riverrun, Gawen expresses to Ser Daven Lannister his concern for his family within the castle.[28] Ser Brynden Tully refuses the offer of Ser Jaime Lannister to exchange Ser Edmure Tully for the besieged Westerlings.[29] After Jaime negotiates the end of the siege, Sybell is upset to learn that Tywin had planned to wed Raynald to his bastard niece, Joy Hill. Sybell reveals that she took measures to prevent Jeyne from becoming pregnant with Robb's child. She also reveals that Raynald knew nothing of their plans, and if Sybell had known what was to happen at the wedding, she would not have allowed him to attend. She believes him to be a captive at the Twins, and Jaime promises to make inquiries and pay for his ransom if need be.[21]

After the Westerlings depart Riverrun for their home in the westerlands, Edwyn Frey informs Jaime that the wounded Raynald is believed dead. After freeing Robb's direwolf, he was hit by a crossbow bolt and fell into the Green Fork.[21]

House Westerling at the end of the third century

The known Westerlings during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:

With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch there are also:

 
 
 
 
 
 
Gawen
 
Sybell
Spicer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Raynald
 
Jeyne
 
Robb
Stark
 
Eleyna
 
Rollam
 
 


Household

Historical Members

Quotes

The Westerlings were old blood, but they had more pride than power.[16]

—thoughts of Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion: Could the Westerlings and Spicers be such great fools as to believe the wolf can defeat the lion?
Tywin: The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.[16]

Notes

  1. The text states that certain houses trace their roots back to the "golden age of the First Men",[3] a term that could be meant to cover the Dawn Age and the Age of Heroes together. As it is unlikely that no First Men houses of note were founded in the Age of Heroes, we cannot tell if the mentioned houses were founded in the Dawn Age or the Age of Heroes.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.
  4. A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
  6. The Citadel. Heraldry: Houses in the Westerlands
  7. The Citadel. House Mottoes
  8. 8.0 8.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
  9. The Rogue Prince.
  10. 10.0 10.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys I.
  11. 11.0 11.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
  12. 12.0 12.1 The Hedge Knight, Graphic Novel.
  13. The Hedge Knight.
  14. georgerrmartin.com: WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE SAMPLE
  15. 15.0 15.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 11, Jaime II.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
  17. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Gawen Westerling.
  18. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Crag.
  19. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63, Catelyn X.
  20. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 45, Catelyn VI.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
  22. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Rolph Spicer.
  23. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 20, Catelyn III.
  24. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
  25. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
  26. A Storm of Swords, Epilogue.
  27. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.
  28. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
  29. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 38, Jaime VI.
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  31. Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny and Pain.
  32. Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  33. Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.