House Bolton
House Bolton of the Dreadfort | |
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"Our Blades are Sharp"
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Coat of arms | Carnation, a flayed man affronté sanguine |
Seat | the Dreadfort |
Head | Roose Bolton |
Region | the North |
Titles |
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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 lords 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 rumour, 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 tactic of flaying their enemies. However, three hundred years later the Boltons rose in rebellion against the Starks of Winterfell. 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 rumours persised that they continued to flay their prisoners in secret, and maintain a hidden chamber in the Dreadfort to display the skins of their enemies.
After learning that the Greyjoys had taken much of the North and the Lannister and Tyrell victory at Battle of the Blackwater, Roose Bolton concludes that King Robb Stark's cause is lost, sides with the Lannisters in secret and betrays his King at the Red Wedding, in addition to secretly undermining the efforts of the Northmen loyal to the Starks. House Bolton usurps House Stark to become overlords of the North and Roose Bolton the Warden of The North.
The Bolton House 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:
- Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort.
- {Bethany Ryswell}, his first wife, deceased.
- {Domeric Bolton}, his son, deceased.
- Ramsay Bolton, born Snow, his baseborn son.
- Walda Frey, his new wife, called Fat Walda.
- {Bethany Ryswell}, his first wife, deceased.
Unknown first wife | "Fat" Walda Frey | Roose | Bethany Ryswell | Miller's wife | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unborn child | Sons | Domeric | Donella Hornwood | Ramsay Snow | "Arya Stark" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
- Nymeria, called "Nan". Lord Roose's cupbearer at Harrenhal. Actually a disguised Arya Stark.
- 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.
- 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'. Severly injured during a fight between Manderly and Frey men, finished of by Ramsay.
- {Yellow Dick}, another of Ramsay's 'Bastard Boys'. Slain by Rowan, a wildling spearwife.
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.
- A Bolton man knifed a Cerywn man at the Smoking Log in the winter town outside Winterfell.
- There is a room in the Dreadfort where the Boltons hang the skins of their enemies.
- Lord Roose commanded the Northern forces at the Battle of the Green Fork, losing to Lord Tywin Lannister.
- After the Battle of the Green Fork, Lord Roose retreated and harassed House Lannister supply lines until the Brave Companions turned traitor and overthrew the Harrenhal garrison.
- Lord Roose sent Ser Jaime Lannister, who had been captured by the Brave Companions, back to his father in King's Landing, the same day he set off for Edmure Tully's wedding at the Twins.
- Lord Roose marched north to the Twins three days after Aenys Frey. He watched as his rearguard under Ser Wylis Manderly was chewed up by Ser Gregor Clegane. He left six hundred men under the command of Ser Kyle Condon and Ronnel Stout to guard the Trident. He came to the Twins with three thousand foot and five hundred mounted horse, most of which were Bolton or Karstark men.
- For playing his part in the betrayal of House Stark, Lord Roose was raised to the title of Warden of the North and received an Arya Stark impersonator to be wed to his son.
- Ramsay Snow was made the legitimate heir of Bolton and had his bastardy removed.
- It is suggested that the Night's King was a Bolton, among the many possibilities.
Sworn Houses
After they were raised to Warden of the North several houses swore fealty to their new overlords, 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.
References and Notes
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: the North
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