House Westerling
| House Westerling of the Crag | |
|---|---|
 Honor, Not Honors
| |
| Coat of arms |
Six white seashells on sand (Carnation, six escallops argent) |
| Seat | The Crag |
| Head | Lord Gawen Westerling[1] |
| Region | Westerlands |
| Title | Lord of the Crag[1] |
| Heir | Rollam Westerling[2] |
| Overlords |
|
| Founded | Dawn Age/Age of Heroes[3][N 1] |
House Westerling of the Crag is a noble house from the Crag in the northwestern westerlands. They are sworn to House Lannister of Casterly Rock, and are considered among their principal bannermen.[4] Their sigil is six seashells, white on sand.[5][6] According to semi-canon sources, their words are "Honor, not Honors".[7]
Contents
History
The Westerlings are an ancient and proud house, dating back to the days of the First Men.[5][3] They sometimes wed the Kings of the Rock, House Lannister of Casterly Rock.[5]
After the death of her husband, Lord Alyn Tarbeck, Jeyne Westerling was forced to marry King Maegor I Targaryen, becoming one of his Black Brides.[8]
Ser Harrold Westerling was asked to join the Kingsguard under Viserys I Targaryen, and he rose to the position of Lord Commander.[9][10] After the Dance of the Dragons, Lord Roland Westerling was one of the original members of the council of seven during the regency of Aegon III.[11]
Ser Ormond Westerling participated in the tourney at Ashford Meadow in 209 AC.[12] The Westerling arms were spotted by Ser Duncan the Tall among the gathered heraldry.[13]
According to a semi-canon source, the Westerlings supported Ser Tywin Lannister when he suppressed the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion.[14]
During Robert's Rebellion, Ser Elys Westerling participated in the Sack of King's Landing. Elys witnessed the aftermath of King Aerys II Targaryen's death at the hands of Ser Jaime Lannister.[15]
The Westerlings' fortunes have faltered over the years, with lands and mines being sold until the Westerlings were reduced to little wealth and influence. They now scarcely have the funds to maintain the Crag, which is now more ruin than stronghold, and they are regarded as having more pride than power.[5] Lord Gawen Westerling wed Sybell of House Spicer, a wealthy house, but one of lowborn origins.[16] This marriage is said to have somewhat sordid origins,[17] and Gawen is rumored to have been entrapped into the marriage.[18][16] Gawen offered his daughter Jeyne as a possible match for Willem or Martyn Lannister, but he was turned down by Ser Kevan Lannister because of her "doubtful blood", as her maternal great-grandfather from House Spicer was a mere trader in spices, and her maternal great-grandmother was a maegi from Essos.[16]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Lord Gawen Westerling is captured by Lord Jason Mallister in the battle in the Whispering Wood.[19][5]
A Clash of Kings
Gawen is held at Seagard during his imprisonment.[1]
Around the time of the Battle of the Fords, Robb Stark, King in the North, and his forces in the westerlands march on the Crag.[20]
A Storm of Swords
Ser Rolph Spicer, Gawen's brother-by-law and castellan of the Crag, yields to Robb during the storming of the Crag. Rolph and his sister, Gawen's wife Lady Sybell, discreetly negotiate with their liege, Lord Tywin Lannister, in return for promises of worthy marriages for Sybell's daughters, Jeyne and Eleyna.[21] Rolph and Sybell maneuver Jeyne into comforting Robb, who was wounded by an arrow.[22] After sleeping with Jeyne, Robb chooses to wed her to save her from dishonor. Gawen is freed from Seagard after his daughter marries the King in the North, although they wed without his consent. Rollam Westerling becomes Robb's squire, and Ser Raynald Westerling joins his retinue. When House Westerling joins House Stark in the War of the Five Kings, they bring fifty men, of whom only twelve are knights.[5] Sybell provides a posset to Jeyne, claiming it will make her fertile.[23]
Robb's marriage with Jeyne breaks his alliance with House Frey, as he had promised to marry a daughter of Lord Walder Frey.[5] Sybell, Jeyne, Eleyna, and Rollam remain at Riverrun when Robb departs to the Twins for the wedding of Lord Edmure Tully to Roslin Frey,[24] while Raynald accompanies the king as the royal banner-bearer. Robb is murdered by the Freys and Boltons in the Red Wedding.[25] Raynald releases Grey Wind from the stables, allowing Robb's direwolf a fighting chance during the massacre.[26] Afterwards, Raynald's whereabouts are unknown.
After the Red Wedding, the Westerlings are pardoned by King Tommen I Baratheon, and welcomed back into the king's peace. Rolph Spicer is named Lord of Castamere.[27]
A Feast for Crows
During the siege of Riverrun, Gawen expresses to Ser Daven Lannister his concern for his family within the castle.[28] Ser Brynden Tully refuses the offer of Ser Jaime Lannister to exchange Ser Edmure Tully for the besieged Westerlings.[29] After the end of the siege is negotiated, Sybell tells Jaime of his father Tywin's plan to wed Raynald to a bride from Casterly Rock. Jaime supposes the bride to be his bastard cousin Joy Hill, not knowing Tywin had already planned to wed her to a Walder Frey's natural son,[30] and Sybell is upset about it, not wanting a bastard wife for Raynald. Sybell reveals that she took measures to prevent Jeyne from becoming pregnant with Robb's child. She also reveals that Raynald knew nothing of their plans, and if Sybell had known what was to happen at the wedding, she would not have allowed him to attend. She believes him to be a captive at the Twins, and Jaime promises to make inquiries and pay for his ransom if need be.[21]
After the Westerlings depart Riverrun for their home in the westerlands, Edwyn Frey informs Jaime that the wounded Raynald is believed dead. After freeing Robb's direwolf, he was hit by a crossbow bolt and fell into the Green Fork.[21]
House Westerling at the end of the third century
The known Westerlings during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Lord Gawen Westerling, Lord of the Crag.[2]
- Lady Sybell Spicer, his wife.[2]
- Ser {Raynald Westerling}, his eldest son and heir. Last reported falling into the Green Fork during the Red Wedding.[2]
- Jeyne Westerling, his eldest daughter, widow of Robb Stark, the late King in the North.[2]
- Eleyna Westerling, his second daughter.[2]
- Rollam Westerling, his second son.[2]
- Lady Sybell Spicer, his wife.[2]
With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch there are also:
- Ser Elys Westerling, a knight who participated in the Sack of King's Landing.[15]
Household
- Ser Rolph Spicer, castellan of the Crag. Now Lord of Castamere.[2]
Historical Members
- Lord Westerling, who supported Prince Aegon the Uncrowned.[31]
- Lady Jeyne Westerling, originally married to Lord Alyn Tarbeck, forced to marry Maegor I Targaryen after birthing Alyn a posthumous son, thereby becoming one of Maegor's three Black Brides.[31][8]
- Brother(s).[31]
- Lord Westerling, who died from the Shivers in 59 AC.[32]
- Ser Harrold Westerling, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under Viserys I Targaryen.[33][10]
- Lord Roland Westerling, Lord of the Crag and member of the council of seven during the early reign of Aegon III Targaryen.[11]
- Lady Johanna Westerling, Roland's daughter, wife of Lord Jason Lannister.[3][34]
- Ser Ormond Westerling, participated in the tourney at Ashford Meadow of 209 AC.[12]
Quotes
—thoughts of Tyrion Lannister
Notes
- ↑ The text states that certain houses trace their roots back to the "golden age of the First Men",[3] a term that could be meant to cover the Dawn Age and the Age of Heroes together. As it is unlikely that no First Men houses of note were founded in the Age of Heroes, we cannot tell if the mentioned houses were founded in the Dawn Age or the Age of Heroes.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: Houses in the Westerlands
- ↑ The Citadel. House Mottoes
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
- ↑ The Rogue Prince.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys I.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Hedge Knight, Graphic Novel.
- ↑ The Hedge Knight.
- ↑ georgerrmartin.com: WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE SAMPLE
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 11, Jaime II.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Gawen Westerling.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Crag.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63, Catelyn X.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 45, Catelyn VI.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Rolph Spicer.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 20, Catelyn III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Epilogue.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 38, Jaime VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 53, Tyrion VI.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny and Pain.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.
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