King in the North
King in the North and King of Winter are ancient titles held for thousands of years by House Stark of Winterfell.[1][2][3] They were the last kingdom of the First Men and continued to rule the North after the Andals invaded and took over the southern kingdoms.
Contents
History
House Stark traces their descent from Bran the Builder who is said to have lived in the Age of Heroes. The last King in the North was Torrhen Stark, who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror during the War of Conquest, thus making the North part of the Seven Kingdoms controlled by the Iron Throne.
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
The title is revived during the War of the Five Kings by Robb Stark, who breaks away from the Iron Throne after the murder of his father, Lord Eddard Stark. Rejecting House Baratheon of King's Landing, the northern and river lords assembled at Riverrun declare Robb to be the King in the North.[2]
A Storm of Swords
Because he is childless and his younger brothers, Bran and Rickon, are believed dead, King Robb worries that Tyrion Lannister will claim Winterfell through his marriage to Sansa Stark. Robb decides to legitimize his bastard half-brother, Jon Snow, and names him as heir in his will.[4][5] Before Jon can be informed of Robb's decision, however, the king is murdered at the Twins during the Red Wedding.[6] One of Robb's betrayers, Lord Roose Bolton, is named Warden of the North by the Iron Throne.
Crown
The crown of the King in the North was shaped as an open circlet of hammered bronze incised with runes of the First Men, surmounted by nine black iron spikes in the shape of longswords.[7]
Bronze and iron are stronger than gold and silver. The old Kings of Winter wore such a sword-crown.[8]
- King Robb Stark
Known Kings in the North
No precise lineage of Kings in the North is known, but the individuals listed below are supposed to be in rough chronological order.
- Bran the Builder, founder of house Stark and the first King in the North, builder of Winterfell, Storm's End castles and the Wall.
- King Theon the Hungry Wolf
- King Brandon the Shipwright, loved sailing and built up a mighty Northern fleet.
- King Brandon the Burner, son of Brandon the Shipwright, burned the entire Northern fleet after the disappearance of his father on the Sunset Sea.
- King Jonnel Stark
- King Dorren Stark
- King Jon Stark, built the castle of White Harbor after driving away sea raiders.
- King Rickard Stark, son of Jon, defeated the Marsh King extending their kingdom to include the Neck.
- King Rodrik Stark, son of Rickard, won Bear Island from the ironborn in a wrestling match and awarded it to House Mormont.
- King Edrick Stark
- King Brandon the Ice Eyes, great-grandson of Edrick
- King Benjen the Bitter
- King Benjen the Sweet
- King Eyron Stark
- King Edderion the Bridegroom
- King Walton the Moonking
- King Brandon the Bad
- King Jorah Stark
- King Jonos Stark
- King Edwyn the Spring King
- King Harlon Stark[9]
- Torrhen the King Who Knelt, who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror, making the North part of the Seven Kingdoms.
- Robb the Young Wolf, the last King in the North and the first after Aegon's Conquest, who never lost a battle and died at the events of the Red Wedding. He was also King of the Trident.
Line of succession
- Prince Jon Snow, secretly legitimised as a Stark and declared heir by King Robb, who believed his full blooded brothers deceased[5]. Jon may be dead after being attacked by his own men.
- Prince Bran Stark, second in line. Currently beyond the Wall and believed dead.
- Prince Rickon Stark, third in line. Currently in Skagos, also believed dead.
- Princess Sansa Stark, fourth in line. Currently in hiding as "Alayne Stone" in the Vale, accused of regicide.
- Princess Arya Stark, fifth in line. Currently in Braavos as an apprentice of the Faceless Men.
References and Notes
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 2, Catelyn I.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 69, Bran VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Robb Stark" entry in A World of Ice and Fire
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 7, Catelyn I.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon IV.