House Manderly

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House Manderly of White Harbor
House Manderly.svg
Coat of arms

A white merman with dark green hair, beard and tail, carrying a black trident, on a blue-green field
(Aquamarine, a merman argent crined, bearded and queued vert, carrying a trident sable)

Seats
Head Lord Wyman Manderly
Regions
Titles
Heir Ser Wylis Manderly
Overlords

House Manderly of White Harbor is a noble family in the north whose seat is the New Castle in the city of White Harbor. Their blazon is a white merman with dark green hair, beard and tail, carrying a black trident, over a blue-green field.[1][2] Their words do not appear in the books, nor has George R. R. Martin submitted them in semi-canon material.

The Manderlys originated from Dunstonbury in the Reach, but were forced into exile by House Gardener. The Kings of Winter, House Stark of Winterfell, accepted the Manderlys in the north and granted them the Wolf's Den, where the newcomers developed the prosperous city of White Harbor.[3]

The Lord of White Harbor, Wyman Manderly, claims to influence all lands and houses east of the mouth of the White Knife, including Houses Locke, Woolfield, and Flint of Widow's Watch.[4] The Manderlys' dominion includes the Sheepshead Hills[5] and the Broken Branch,[6] as well as the allegiance of Ramsgate.[7] Their bannermen includes a dozen petty lords and a hundred landed knights.[4]

Traits

Several known Manderlys, including Torrhen, Wyman, Wylis, and Wendel, have been described as corpulent.[8][1] Marlon Manderly is taller and heavier than Davos Seaworth.[3]

While most other northern houses follow the old gods,[9] the Manderlys continue to follow the Faith of the Seven as they did in the south.[10] They also claim membership to the Order of the Green Hand,[3] although that knightly order was destroyed at the Field of Fire during Aegon's Conquest.[11]

Manderly guards wield tridents instead of spears.[3]

History

Kingdom of the Reach

The Manderlys are an ancient line who once lived along the banks of the mighty river Mander in the Kingdom of the Reach, and some claim the river was named after them.[12] A noble house of great lords descended from the First Men, they held the castle of Dunstonbury as their seat and had a fierce rivalry with House Peake.[13]

During the reign of the Gardeners in the Reach, King Gwayne III Gardener persuaded Lords Manderly and Peake to accept his judgment on their quarrel and do fealty for their lands, without any bloodshed.[14] Like other houses of the Reach, the Manderlys presumably converted from the old gods of the First Men to the Faith of the Seven after the Gardeners welcomed Andals into their kingdom.[13]

Near the end of the long reign of King Garth X Gardener, a problem arose with the succession as the elderly and senile Garth had sired no sons and only daughters, one of whom had married Lord Manderly, and another to Lord Peake. Both lords were determined that their own wife should succeed to the throne, and the rivalry between them was marked by betrayal, conspiracy and murder, and finally escalated into open war with other lords joining the cause on both sides. The anarchy that followed lasted almost a decade until Ser Osmund Tyrell, the High Steward of Highgarden, made common cause with the other lords of the Reach and defeated the Peakes and Manderlys. Osmund then placed a distant cousin of the late Garth X on the throne as King Mern VI Gardener.[13]

Exile and White Harbor

House Manderly knight, by Antonio José Manzanedo © Fantasy Flight Games

At some point, House Manderly overreached itself, and was driven from the Reach by the Gardeners.[15][16][17] According to Maester Yandel, the exile of House Manderly is credited to Lord Lorimar Peake upon the behest of King Perceon III Gardener, who feared the Manderlys' growing influence and power in the Reach.[18] This allowed House Peake to acquire the Manderlys' seat of Dunstonbury.[18]

Bringing their wealth with them, the Manderlys fled to the north, where they were welcomed by the Starks of Winterfell as their own bannermen.[3] The Starks awarded the Wolf's Den to the Manderlys and tasked them with defending the White Knife in return for swearing an oath that they would always be loyal subjects of House Stark. This history instilled the Manderlys with great loyalty to their new liege lords.[3]

When exactly House Manderly came north is unknown. In 211 AC, Lady Rohanne Webber dated the flight of the Manderlys as having occurred "a thousand years" ago.[16] Lord Godric Borrell defines the time period to "no more than nine hundred years" before 300 AC.[15] However, both Wylla Manderly, as well as Maester Yandel date the arrival of the Manderlys in the north back a bit further, "a thousand years before the Conquest"[3] and "some thousand years before the Conquest",[18] respectively. A semi-canon source lists "a thousand years before the Conquest" as well.[17] These accounts thus place the arrival of the Manderlys in the north between 1000 BC and 600 BC.

House Manderly built the city of White Harbor with the wealth they had brought from the Reach.[3] They further developed it over the following centuries.[3] It is the smallest of the five cities of Westeros, and is the main northern port for commerce and naval transport.[18] Until the construction of King's Landing during the Conquest (by then still known as the Aegonfort), White Harbor was also the newest city of the Seven Kingdoms.[18] The New Castle, built to replace the aging Wolf's Den, resembles their previous castle Dunstonbury in the Reach.[18] The Manderlys are one of the few great houses of the north to follow the Faith of the Seven instead of the old gods and thus have a strong tradition of knighthood.[9]

Targaryen Era

In the aftermath of Aegon's Conquest, Ser Warrick Manderly and Queen Visenya Targaryen suppressed the Sistermen's Rebellion. Lord Steffon Sunderland sent a son to be fostered with the Manderlys.[19]

Mara Manderly was a companion to Queen Alysanne Targaryen at Dragonstone in 55 AC. Her father, Lord Theomore Manderly, hosted Alysanne in 58 AC when the queen visited White Harbor as part of her royal progress, with Mara's sister, Jessamyn, serving as her cupbearer.[10] Theomore was to marry Princess Viserra Targaryen in 86 AC,[10] but the high-spirited girl died after falling from a horse while racing drunkenly through the streets of King's Landing.[20] House Manderly supported Princess Rhaenys Targaryen in the Great Council of 101 AC at Harrenhal.[21]

During the Dance of the Dragons, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon traveled to White Harbor and Winterfell and convinced the north to join the blacks. After agreeing that his youngest daughter should wed Prince Joffrey Velaryon once fighting ended, Lord Desmond Manderly sent warriors led by his sons, Ser Medrick and Ser Torrhen, to support Rhaenyra Targaryen.[22] The courtly brothers were well regarded in King's Landing, especially when compared to the northmen who served in the host of Lord Cregan Stark.[23] Torrhen served as one of the regents of King Aegon III Targaryen after the war, resigning in 132 AC after the deaths of his father and brother from Winter Fever.[24] When Aegon came of age in 136 AC, he ended the regency and dismissed Lord Manderly, his Hand of the King.[25]

Lady Jeyne Manderly wed Rickon Stark, eldest son and supposed heir to Lord Cregan Stark and gave him two daughters, Serena and Sansa.[26] Lady Myriame Manderly married Rodwell Stark and became Lady of Winterfell upon her husband's accession.[26]

Recent History

Members of House Manderly were present at the Tourney at Harrenhal of 281 AC.[27][28]

When Lord Eddard Stark called the northern banners to join Robert's Rebellion against King Aerys II Targaryen, Lord Wyman Manderly led the Manderlys south. Wyman fought at the Battle of the Trident, rewarding his retainer Ser Bartimus for saving his life by making him castellan of the Wolf's Den, now White Harbor's prison.[4]

Lady Manderly, the wife of Lord Wyman, died in around 291 AC.[29]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Wyman Manderly by Cecilia Latella ©

After learning of the assassination attempt on his son Bran's life, Lord Eddard Stark instructs his wife Catelyn to have Lord Wyman Manderly strengthen White Harbor.[30]

After leaving the Vale of Arryn, Catelyn meets the Manderlys at White Harbor. Because of Eddard's arrest in King's Landing, a Manderly army, led by Ser Wylis and Ser Wendel, joins Robb Stark at Moat Cailin when marching south against the Lannisters. Their force consists of near fifteen hundred men, including some twenty knights with their squires, 200 mounted lances, swordsmen and freeriders, and the remaining foot armed with spears, pikes and tridents. Wyman remains at White Harbor to watch over the city.[1]

When the northern army splits at the Twins, Wendel accompanies Robb to free Riverrun, and although he is already a mature man, he is counted among the thirty young sons of lords that form Robb's personal guard. Meanwhile, Wylis leads the White Harbor infantry with Lord Roose Bolton on his march south, and is captured at the battle on the Green Fork.[31]

A Clash of Kings

While at Winterfell for the harvest feast, Lord Wyman meets with Bran Stark, Ser Rodrik Cassel, and Maester Luwin. He offers to mint coins for Robb, informs them of White Harbor's defenses, and proposes to build the king a new warfleet of galleys, with Rodrik saying he will inform Robb of the proposal. Later during the feast, Rodrik commands Hother and Mors Umber to work with Wyman in building longships to combat wildlings.[29]

Lady Donella Hornwood (née Manderly) is widowed by the death of Lord Halys Hornwood on the Green Fork. During the harvest feast, Lord Wyman advances his claim for the House Hornwood lands, going on to offer to wed his cousin. However, Donella is forcefully wed when she returns to her lands and is locked away to die by Ramsay Snow, the Bastard of Bolton. In response, Wyman seizes Hornwood to prevent Ramsay from occupying it,[32] and Manderly knights attack Bolton men in the Hornwood forests. News reaches Winterfell via Rodrik, but he does not have the manpower to stop them.[33]

In the south, Wendel accompanies Lady Catelyn Stark to negotiate with Kings Renly and Stannis Baratheon, bearing the Stark banner at the parley before Storm's End. Meanwhile, Wylis has been held prisoner at Harrenhal, where he frequents the kitchens. Wylis is one of the northmen Tyrion Lannister is willing to trade for his cousins captured at the battle in the Whispering Wood.[34] Wylis is ultimately freed when Roose Bolton captures Harrenhal.

After Theon Greyjoy seizes Winterfell, he receives reports that Lord Wyman sent a dozen barges up the White Knife packed with knights and siege engines to help recapture the Starks' seat.[35] During his parley with Rodrik outside the gates of Winterfell, Theon observes a line of mounted Manderly knights. Rodrik's forces are betrayed by House Bolton in the battle at Winterfell, however.[36]

A Storm of Swords

As Robb marches to the Twins to attend the wedding of Edmure Tully, Ser Wendel Manderly is placed in charge of protecting his baggage train. Ser Wylis commands Lord Roose Bolton's rearguard as they march to the same destination. Wylis is captured for a second time when Gregor Clegane's men attack the army as they cross the ruby ford of the Trident, with Lord Bolton unable to prevent the Mountain from destroying his rearguard.[37] Wylis is returned to captivity at Harrenhal.[38] At the Twins, Wendel dies at the Red Wedding, with an arrow going into his open mouth.[39]

Maester Aemon sends a raven to White Harbor in a plea for help from the Manderlys to defend Castle Black from the wildlings.[40]

A Feast for Crows

According to Queen Cersei, the Manderlys are on the verge of allying themselves with the Boltons, with Lord Wyman agreeing to marry both of his granddaughters to members of House Frey and open his port to Lannister ships. The Iron Throne receives reports that Wyman executed Davos when he attempted to negotiate an alliance with Stannis; Cersei responds by allowing the release of Wyman's surviving son, Wylis Manderly. At Harrenhal, Ser Jaime Lannister informs a grateful Wylis he will have an escort to Maidenpool and be put on a ship home to White Harbor.

Brienne of Tarth and her companions see the corpses of the perpetrators of the raid on Saltpans hanged from trees. Among the dead are men with tridents badges sewn on their breasts, presumably Condon or Manderly men-at-arms who became broken men during the War of the Five Kings.[41]

A Dance with Dragons

Wylla and Wynafryd Manderly, by Eluas ©

When Davos Seaworth arrives in White Harbor hoping to ally Lord Wyman to King Stannis, he sees that twenty-three war galleys have been built without the Lannisters' knowledge. White Harbor is awash with refugees, including those from the Hornwood lands.[42] Despite the objections of his granddaughter, Wylla, Wyman denounces Davos in front of three Frey envoys—Jared, Rhaegar, and Symond—indicating he is ready to make peace with the Iron Throne and pay allegiance to Roose Bolton, the new Warden of the North, who requires that Wyman give up his claim to the Hornwood lands.[3] Wyman fakes Davos's death, however, killing a criminal in his place and altering the body so it resembles the Onion Knight. After Wylis returns safely to White Harbor, Wyman has Robett Glover release Davos from the Wolf's Den. Lord Manderly sends Davos on a mission to find Rickon Stark, known to be alive thanks to Wex Pyke, in a secret bid to unite the northern lords in resistance to Houses Bolton and Frey.[4]

Keeping up his ruse of loyalty, Lord Wyman arrives at Winterfell with three hundred men[43] to answer Roose Bolton's call to arms, and to attend Ramsay Bolton's wedding. At the wedding, he provides some of the food, including three pies implied to be made from the Frey envoys who disappeared after leaving White Harbor.[44][45]

While quartered in Winterfell, there is tension within the garrison between the Manderlys and Freys. When Wyman japes about the death of Little Walder Frey, it boils over into bloodshed, with Wyman wounded and several men-at-arms dead on both sides. Lord Bolton, hoping to reduce tensions and hungry mouths within the castle, sends the White Harbor men to engage Stannis's army, which is slowly approaching Winterfell.[46]

The Winds of Winter

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Warning
This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change.

Having escaped from Winterfell and been brought to the crofters' village, Theon Greyjoy tells Stannis Baratheon that Roose Bolton has sent the Freys and Manderlys to confront him. Stannis is angered at Wyman's support of the Boltons, but Theon does not believe Wyman would coordinate with the Freys against Stannis.[47]

House Manderly at the end of the third century

The known Manderlys during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wyman's
father
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Donella's
father
 
 
 
 
 
Marlon's
father
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wyman
 
Deceased
wife
 
 
Halys
Hornwood
 
Donella
 
Ramsay
Snow
 
Marlon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wylis
 
Leona
Woolfield
 
Wendel
 
 
Daryn
Hornwood
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wynafryd
 
Wylla
 


Household

Historical Members

Quotes

The Manderlys are no northmen, not down deep. 'Twas no more than nine hundred years ago when they came north, laden down with all their gold and gods. They'd been great lords on the Mander until they overreached themselves and the green hands slapped them down. The wolf king took their gold, but he gave them land and let them keep their gods.[15]

A thousand years before the Conquest, a promise was made, and oaths were sworn in the Wolf's Den before the old gods and the new. When we were sore beset and friendless, hounded from our homes and in peril of our lives, the wolves took us in and nourished us and protected us against our enemies. The city is built upon the land they gave us. In return we swore that we should always be their men. Stark men![3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 55, Catelyn VIII.
  2. The Citadel. Heraldry: the North
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19, Davos III.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 29, Davos IV.
  5. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Sheepshead Hills.
  6. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Broken Branch.
  7. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Ramsgate.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
  9. 9.0 9.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 53, Bran VI.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
  11. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Highgarden.
  12. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Mander.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Andals in the Reach.
  14. 14.0 14.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: The Gardener Kings.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 9, Davos I.
  16. 16.0 16.1 The Sworn Sword.
  17. 17.0 17.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, White Harbor.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 The World of Ice & Fire, The North: The Kings of Winter.
  19. Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
  20. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
  21. Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son.
  23. Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.
  24. Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
  25. 25.0 25.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Stark Lineage.
  27. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 24, Bran II.
  28. "The Citadel: FAQ, entry 6.2.6- Who were the different people in Meera's story?" (2007
  29. 29.0 29.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 16, Bran II.
  30. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 20, Eddard IV.
  31. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 62, Tyrion VIII.
  32. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 28, Bran IV.
  33. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 35, Bran V.
  34. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 25, Tyrion VI.
  35. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 56, Theon V.
  36. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 66, Theon VI.
  37. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
  38. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 27, Jaime III.
  39. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
  40. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.
  41. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 37, Brienne VII.
  42. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 15, Davos II.
  43. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 46, A Ghost in Winterfell.
  44. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
  45. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 37, The Prince of Winterfell.
  46. 46.0 46.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 51, Theon I.
  47. The Winds of Winter, Theon I
  48. 48.0 48.1 Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.