Seasons

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The seasons are a division of time based on changes in weather and the number of daylight hours in a given region. They are similar to real life, as in there are four, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, but in the known world, they are extremely long seasons of varying length, usually lasting at least a couple of years each.

About

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Ironborn raiders in wintertime, by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games

Westeros and Essos both experience extremely long seasons of varying length, usually lasting at least a couple of years each. The maesters try to predict the length of the seasons, monitoring the temperature and length of a day, to advise on when to plant and when to harvest and how much food to store. Given the random nature of the seasons, however, this is not something that can be relied on.

At the beginning of A Game of Thrones, Westeros has enjoyed an unusually long decade-long summer of peace and plenty, and many fear that an equally long and harsh winter will follow. The end of the long summer comes at the outset of A Feast for Crows, with the arrival of the white ravens from the Citadel. The official announcement of winter comes at the end of A Dance with Dragons.[1]

Days are longest in summer, shorter in other seasons,[2][3] and shorter in the far north.[4] Food can be grown in a glass garden in winter.[5] George R. R. Martin has stated that the explanation for the world's unusual seasons is not scientific in nature and would be revealed by the end of the series.[6]

Known seasons

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Season Period Notes
Autumn 3 AC > 4 AC > Unknown The First Dornish War began in 4 AC, during the second year of autumn. Winter was believed to be "close at hand".[7]
Spring Unknown > 47 AC > Unknown King Maegor I Targaryen married his three "Black Brides" on a "warm spring day" in 47 AC.[8]
Summer Unknown > 52 AC > 54 AC Although the people of the Seven Kingdoms greatly disliked the taxes of Rego Draz, put into place in 52 AC, "a long summer" helped "blunt the edge of discontent".[9] Summer "gave way to autumn" in 54 AC.[9]
Autumn 54 AC - 56 AC Autumn began in 54 AC,[9] lasted through 55 AC,[10] and ended with the start of winter in 56 AC.[10]
Winter 56 AC - 57 AC Winter came to Westeros in 56 AC.[10] Elissa Farman brought the Sun Chaser to Oldtown in the last days of autumn during 56 AC, and departed again by the fourth moon of that same year.[10]
Spring 57 AC - 57 AC/58 AC Prince Baelon Targaryen was born in 57 AC. Two days after his birth, the Citadel announced the arrival of spring, and Baelon was subsequently dubbed the "Spring Prince".[10]
Summer 57 AC/58 AC - 58 AC When Alysanne Targaryen visited the north in 58 AC, it was summer.[10]
Autumn 58 AC - 59 AC Autumn had begun before the tourney at King's Landing on the anniversary of the king's coronation.[10] Autumn ended some time in 59 AC.[11]
Winter 59 AC - 60 AC The winter of 59 to 60 AC was especially hard and cruel. Autumn was apparently very short, as it had been summer the year before in 58 AC. For that matter, spring and summer had been relatively short, as the last winter ended at most only two years before. As a result, not enough food stockpiles had been set aside from the harvests, and famine conditions set in across much of Westeros - followed by the devastating plague known as the Shivers.[11]
Winter Unknown > 80 AC > Unknown Princess Gael Targaryen is born during winter, and named the Winter Child.[11]
Spring Unknown > 84 AC > Unknown Princess Saera Targaryen's cronies are arrested on a "warm spring night", setting off the chain of events that led to Saera fleeing to Essos and Jaehaerys disowning her.[11]
Summer Unknown > 99 AC > Unknown Princess Gael Targaryen dies, supposedly of a summer fever.[11]
Spring Unknown > 120 AC > Unknown 120 AC is known as the Year of the Red Spring, due to the sudden deaths of several nobles of note.[12]
Autumn Unknown - 129 AC > 130 AC When Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon traveled as envoys for their mother in 129 AC, it was already autumn.[13] By the time Jacaerys arrived at Winterfell, autumn was "well advanced".[13] Autumn ended with the announcement of winter on Maiden's Day in 130 AC.[14]
Winter 130 AC - 135 AC Winter began during the middle of the Dance of the Dragons, and was announced by the Citadel on Maiden's Day of the year 130 AC. The winter was cruel and long, lasting six years.[15]
Spring 135 AC - Unknown During this season, the Rogare family was at the apex of its power both in their native city of Lys as well as in King's Landing. This period is remembered as the Lysene Spring.[16]
Autumn Unknown > 166 AC > Unknown The second greatest storm in living memory to hit Storm's End occurred in this year.[17]
Spring 209 AC - 210 AC During this season, the Great Spring Sickness spread across the realm.[18]
Summer 210 AC > 211 AC > Unknown Summer followed the Great Spring Sickness, and contained a two year drought.[19]
Autumn Unknown > 221 AC > Unknown The greatest storm in living memory to hit Storm's End occurred in this year.[17]
Summer 224 AC/225 AC - 230 AC/231 AC During the reign of King Maekar I Targaryen (221 AC - 233 AC), a seven-year summer takes place. It is followed by a short autumn and a terrible long winter. The winter started in 231 AC. The exact start of the summer is unknown.
Autumn 230 AC/231 AC The exact date of the start of this autumn is unknown. Winter began in 231 AC.
Winter 231 AC - 236 AC A terribly cruel winter, much like the winter during 130 AC - 135 AC.
Spring 236 AC - Unknown 236 AC is known as the Red Spring.
Winter Unknown > 253 AC > Unknown The winter tourney at King's Landing takes place.[20]
Winter 272 AC - 274 AC Tyrion Lannister is born in the middle of a three year winter. By 298 AC, Tyrion reportedly had lived through eight or nine winters, including this one, though the exact time and duration of the following seven or eight is unknown.[2][N 1]
Winter 280 AC - 282 AC > Unknown[N 2] The Year of the False Spring, 281 AC, in which the people in Westeros believed that spring had come, despite the fact that the Citadel hadn't sent out the white ravens yet. The False Spring lasted for less than two months, and towards the end of 281 AC, winter returned in full. On the last day of 281 AC, it began to snow in King's Landing, continuing for the best part of a fortnight, causing the Blackwater to freeze.
Summer Unknown > 284 AC > Unknown By the time of Princess Daenerys Targaryen's birth in 284 AC, summer had begun.[21]
Summer 288 AC - 299 AC The longest summer in living history, which lasted 10 years, 2 months, and 16 days.[22]
Autumn 299 AC - 300 AC Autumn storms flood the riverlands,[23][24] and strike the narrow sea.[25] A snowstorm hits the riverlands,[26][27] and the region of Winterfell is engulfed by an enormous blizzard,[28][29] before winter is officially announced.
Winter 300 AC - Present By the time the white raven from the Citadel arrives, it is snowing in King's Landing.[1]

Recent Events

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A Game of Thrones

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When Tyrion Lannister explores the Library Tower during his visit to Winterfell, he reads a book about the changing of the seasons.[30]

A Clash of Kings

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A white raven approaching Dragonstone, by Sandara Tang © Fantasy Flight Games

A white raven arrives at Dragonstone from the Citadel with a message declaring the end of summer.[31]

White ravens bring word of autumn to Winterfell,[32] Castle Black,[33] and Riverrun.[34]

Items in the vaults of Castle Black include accounts of seasons written by maesters.[33]

A Dance with Dragons

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Ser Kevan Lannister arrives at Grand Maester Pycelle's chambers at the Red Keep and finds a white raven sitting on the window ledge, a sign from the Citadel that winter has come.[1]

Notes

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  1. ↑ See also the errata for issues with Tyrion's claim.
  2. ↑ In 281 AC, the winter had lasted close to two years. It would continue into 282 AC.

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 21, Tyrion III.
  3. ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 73, Jon X.
  4. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 4, Bran I.
  5. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 35, Jon VII.
  6. ↑ So Spake Martin: US Signing Tour (Ann Arbor, MI) (November 11, 2005)
  7. ↑ Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
  8. ↑ Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Fire & Blood, Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I.
  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. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
  12. ↑ Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son.
  14. ↑ The Princess and the Queen.
  15. ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
  16. ↑ Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: Storm’s End.
  18. ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.
  19. ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys I.
  20. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 55, The Queensguard.
  21. ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 3, Daenerys I.
  22. ↑ A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
  23. ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 47, Arya IX.
  24. ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
  25. ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 15, Samwell II.
  26. ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
  27. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 48, Jaime I.
  28. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 41, The Turncloak.
  29. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 42, The King's Prize.
  30. ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 9, Tyrion I.
  31. ↑ A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
  32. ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 4, Bran I.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 6, Jon I.
  34. ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 7, Catelyn I.
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