White Harbor
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
| White Harbor Port City | |
|---|---|
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| Location | the North, Westeros. |
| Government | House Manderly , Feudal Lord. |
| Religion | Faith of the Seven |
| Named for | Being the harbor at the mouth of the White Knife River |
| Notable places | Wolf's Den, The Sept of Snow, New Castle. |
White Harbor is a large harbor city located south of Winterfell and the seat of House Manderly. It is the largest settlement north of the Neck, but the smallest among the five major cities of Westeros. White Harbor is the North's primary trade port. Its location on the mouth of the White Knife provides opportunities for trade further north.[1]
Due to its location White Harbor has more contact with the south and there are more knights and followers of the Faith of the Seven in White Harbor than anywhere else in the North. The city has access to very good fishing grounds and is also the home of many silversmiths.
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History
The castle and later city of White Harbor were founded by King Jon Stark after he drove out raiders who were using the harbor as a base for raids inland.[2] Many centuries later the city was given to the Manderlys, an exiled house from the Mander River in the Reach, for loyal service to the Kings in the North.
City
The city is located on the eastern shore of the White Knife. It is clean and well-ordered, with wide straight cobbled streets that made it easy to walk around. The houses were built of whitewashed stone, with steeply pitched roofs of dark grey slate.
Outskirts
- Seal Rock, a massive stone dominating the approaches to the Outer Harbor, is crowned with a ringfort of the First Men that stood desolate and abandoned for centuries. It is currently occupied by crossbowmen with scorpions and spitfires. The stone looms fifty feet above the waters, grey-green in color. Seals often rest on it.[3]
- The Harbor is divided into the Inner and Outer Harbors. The Outer Harbor is larger and can hold a score of ships. The Inner Harbor offers better anchorage and shelter by the City Wall on one side and the looming mass of the Wolf's Den on another, and a mile-long, thirty foot wall, with towers every hundred yards, located on the jetty that separated it from the Outer Harbor. [3]
- The Wolf's Den or Old Castle is an ancient fortress that now serves as a prison. It is located by the water, outside of the city walls. There is a godswood within its walls.[3]
- Fish Market, located between the Outer Harbor and the Seal Gate.
Inside the walls
The city is protected by thick walls. The Seal Gate opens into the harbor.
- Fishfoot Yard, a cobbled square with a fountain at its center, is located just outside the Seal Gate. There is an alley leading to a brothel.[3]
- Old Mint, located on the 'Fishfoot Yard', was long in disuse until recently when it was set as a refuge shelter from the war.[3]
- Lazy Eel, a winesink renowned for offering the oldest whores and vilest wine in White Harbor, along with meat pies full of lard and gristle that were inedible on their best days and poisonous on their worst.[3]
- Castle Stair is a street with steps. It is a broad white stone way that leads up from the Wolf’s Den by the water to the New Castle on its hill. Marble mermaids light the way, bowls of burning whale oil cradled in their arms. From the top you can see down to the harbours, both of them.
- The Sept of Snow is a large sept with a domed roof surmounted by tall statues of the Seven.[3]
The castle
The New Castle is the seat of House Manderly. It is located on a hill inside the city wall, a broad white stone way of Castle Stair leads to its gates from the Wolf's Den below. There is a secret passage connecting it to the Wolf's Den.
- Merman's Court is the great hall of the New Castle where Lord Manderly holds court and feasts. Its walls, floor and ceiling were made of wooden planks notched cunningly together and decorated with all the creatures of the sea.[3]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Catelyn Stark hires the Storm Dancer to take her and Ser Rodrik Cassel to King's Landing from White Harbor. Lady Catelyn returned to the North from the Vale with Ser Rodrik and her uncle, Brynden Tully, arriving at White Harbor. She and her uncle left White Harbor with Ser Wylis Manderly and his levies of nearly 1,500 men to meet Robb at Moat Cailin. Lord Wyman Manderly stayed behind to see to White Harbor's defenses and to raise a navy.
A Storm of Swords
Maester Aemon sent a raven to White Harbor in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.
A Feast for Crows
It is reported to Queen Cersei that Davos Seaworth was executed in White Harbor and that his head and hand grace the walls of White Harbor.
A Dance with Dragons
Davos Seaworth notes the large navy when he arrives in White Harbor, with the inner harbor filled with twenty-three war galleys.[3]. Davos is in White Harbor to treat with Manderly on behalf of Stannis Baratheon. He is preceded, however, by envoys of House Frey (Rhaegar Frey, Ser Jared Frey and Symond Frey), who have come with the remains of Wendel Manderly who died at the Red Wedding.[3]
Davos appears before Merman's Court to present the case for the Manderlys to support Stannis. To save his living son, Wylis Manderly, who is a captive at Harrenhal, Lord Manderly has Davos dragged to prison as a traitor, in the presence of the Freys.[4]
Manderly has Davos imprisoned in the Wolf's Den, but has a different prisoner in the cell executed. The prisoner is beheaded, his head dipped in tar. The fingers of one of his hands are also cut off to resemble Davos. The head and hands are then put up on spikes on the walls of White Harbour to give the Lannisters and Freys reason to believe in House Manderly's loyalty to the Iron Throne.
Once Manderly has sent a false report to the Iron Throne and gotten his son and heir, Ser Wylis Manderly, back, he frees Davos. He tells Davos that he will swear his allegiance to Stannis Baratheon if Davos retrieves Rickon Stark. Via Wex Pyke Manderly has discovered the boy is alive, but needs a smuggler to retrieve him from Skagos.[5]
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References and Notes
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 14, Catelyn.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 66, Bran.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 15, Davos.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19, Davos.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 29, Davos.
