Editing Bastardy (section)

==Social status==
[[File: Rick Sardinha The Bastard of Bolton.JPG|thumb|350px|[[Ramsay Snow]], the Bastard of Bolton, by Rick Sardinha © Fantasy Flight Games]]
A polite way of referring to someone who is bastard-born is referring to them as a "natural son" or "natural daughter".{{ref|ASOS|38}}{{Ref|ASOS|53}}{{Ref|ASOS|68}}{{Ref|AFFC|21}} Others might refer to a bastard simply as "bastard-born".{{Ref|ASOS|15}}{{Ref|ASOS|36}}{{Ref|ASOS|48}} The term "baseborn"{{Ref|AGOT|19}}{{Ref|AGOT|30}} is used to refer to a child of whom one parent is of the [[smallfolk]].{{ref|TMK}}{{ref|AGOT|19}}{{Ref|AGOT|30}}{{Ref|AGOT|35}} A euphemism for being bastard-born is being "born on the wrong side of the blanket".{{ref|TMK}}

It is not unexpected for noblemen to have bastard children,{{Ref|AGOT|6}} though it is considered rude to pry into the origins of a man's bastards.{{ref|ASOS|73}} While it is not typical for a noble to bring his bastards home and raise them with his own children, it is usually expected that he will see to the child's well-being to some degree.{{Ref|AGOT|6}} Some might chose to have their bastards fostered at the home of another lord,{{ref|ACOK|16}} while others might decide to raise their bastard at their own home, in the position of a servant (e.g. [[Falia Flowers]]).{{ref|AFFC|29}} A noble-born wife can take insult at her husband's bastards being introduced into her household and being commensurate in rank with her trueborn children.{{ref|AGOT|6}}

[[File:Lucamore Strong Pleads His Case (The Rise of the Dragon).jpg|thumb|350px|Ser Lucamore Strong's children were attainted as bastards after his secret marriages were exposed © John McCambridge for ''[[The Rise of the Dragon]]'']]
There is a certain stigma that comes from being born as a bastard. They are said to be born from lust, lies, and weakness,{{Ref|ASOS|55}}{{Ref|ASOS|73}}{{Ref|TSS}} and as such, they are said to be wanton and treacherous by nature.{{Ref|ASOS|55}}{{Ref|ASOS|73}}{{Ref|TSS}} The presence of bastards can be considered offensive by some,{{ref|AGOT|5}}{{ref|ASOS|7}}{{ref|ASOS|38}} and the inclusion of bastards in marriage proposals can be considered dishonorable.{{ref|FAB|Aegon's Conquest}}{{ref|AFFC|44}}

Because of the stigma bastards have to deal with, they are said to grow up faster than trueborn children.{{Ref|AGOT|5}}{{Ref|AGOT|26}} Bastards can be resentful of their origins.{{ref|TMK}}{{ref|AFFC|29}}{{ref|ADWD|12}} Even after being legitimized, bastards can have difficulty in removing the stigma of having been bastard-born.{{Ref|TSS}}{{Ref|ADWD|32}}

Nonetheless, a bastard might rise high. Male bastards may study at the [[Citadel]] and become a [[maester]] (e.g., [[Walys]], a former maester of [[Winterfell]]).{{Ref|ADWD|37}} Female bastards are allowed to join the [[Faith of the Seven]] and become [[septa]]s, like [[Alysanne (daughter of Aegon IV)|Alysanne]], [[Lily]], [[Willow (daughter of Aegon IV)|Willow]], and [[Rosey (daughter of Aegon IV)|Rosey]], the four bastard daughters of King [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] by his second mistress, [[Megette]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV}} Potentially, this might mean that male bastards could become [[septon]]s.

Bastards can also be knighted, and may even be appointed to the [[Kingsguard]] (e.g., [[Mervyn Flowers]]).{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III}} Bastards can even rise to become the [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]], as [[Robert Flowers]] and [[Addison Hill]] did.{{ref|AFFC|16}} In the [[Night's Watch]], any man may rise to command, no matter the circumstance of his birth. Bastards who have risen to positions of command include [[Cotter Pyke]],{{ref|AGOT|19}} who is the commander at [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]], and [[Robin Hill]]{{Ref|ASOS|55}} and [[Jon Snow]],{{Ref|ASOS|79}} who both became [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander]]s.

Another example is the origin of [[House Justman]]. This house was founded by [[Benedict Rivers]], a bastard son descending of both [[House Blackwood]] and [[House Bracken]]. House Justman ruled the [[riverlands]] for three centuries before being eventually wiped out during a war against the [[ironborn]] and King [[Qhored Hoare]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Riverlands}}