House Bolton

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House Bolton of the Dreadfort
Bolton.png
"Our Blades are Sharp"
Coat of arms Carnation, a flayed man affronté sanguine
Seat the Dreadfort
Head Roose Bolton
Region the North
Titles
  • Lord of the Dreadfort
  • Warden of the North
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."

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:


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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

Sworn Houses

After they were raised to Warden of the North several houses swore fealty to their new overlords, not all willingly.

References and Notes

  1. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran
  2. The Citadel. Heraldry: the North