Editing House Stark (section)

==History==
===Kings in the North===
[[File:T Jedruszek RobbSwornSwords.jpg|thumb|350px|Stark cavalry, Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games]]
The Starks are an ancient house of [[First Men]] descent.{{Ref|AGOT|1}} House Stark was founded by [[Brandon the Builder]], a legendary figure who lived during the [[Age of Heroes]]. Bran the Builder is said to have raised [[Winterfell]],{{ref|AGOT|2}} the seat of the Starks, and the [[Wall]],{{ref|AGOT|24}} and other legends connect him with [[Storm's End]]{{ref|ACOK|31}}{{ref|TWOIAF|The Stormlands: House Durrandon}} and the [[Hightower]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}} The Starks were [[King in the North|Kings of Winter]] in the north for eight thousand years{{ref|ACOK|21}}{{ref|ACOK|52}} since the Age of Heroes, possibly beginning with Bran the Builder. The [[Night's King]], the attainted thirteenth [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]], has been suggested to have been a Stark, among other possibilities.{{ref|ASOS|56}} The Night's King is said to have been defeated by [[Brandon Stark (Breaker)|Brandon the Breaker]] and [[Joramun]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}}

The ancient Starks gradually defeated rival kings, such as the [[Barrow Kings]] to their south and the [[Red King]]s to their east.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}} For several millennia, the Starks were not the uncontested Kings in the North. Their primary antagonists, the Red Kings from [[House Bolton]] of the [[Dreadfort]], swore fealty some thousand years ago, ending their [[flaying]] ways. Meanwhile, King [[Jon Stark]] drove raiders from the [[White Knife]], and the [[Wolf's Den]] was built at its mouth. This stronghold was often granted to sons and grandsons of the King in the North; one such branch, the [[House Greystark|Greystarks]], was extinguished after allying with the Boltons against the Starks.{{ref|ADWD|29}} King Jon's son, [[Rickard Stark (king)|Rickard]], defeated the [[Marsh King]] and married his daughter, bringing the [[Neck]] into Winterfell's realm under the lordship of [[House Reed]].{{ref|AGOT|66}}

When [[Andals]] attempted to conquer the north, King [[Theon Stark]] made common cause with House Bolton and defeated [[Argos Sevenstar]] in the [[Battle of the Weeping Water]], after which he raised a fleet and sailed to [[Andalos]]. There he took revenge by sacking and putting hundreds to death. He later conquered the [[Three Sisters]], attacked the [[Fingers]], and battled against the [[ironborn]], driving them away from [[Cape Kraken]] and [[Bear Island]] and slaying [[Ravos Hoare]]. Both places were later taken back by King [[Loron Greyjoy]], and King [[Rodrik Stark]] took Bear Island back after Loron's death. It is said that he did so by winning a wrestling match, though some scholars doubt the truth of this tale.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Mountain Clans}}{{Ref|AGOT|66}} Rodrik's sons and grandsons took back Cape Kraken.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}} King Theon also smashed a rebellion in the [[Rills]], and gave aid to the Night's Watch against [[wildlings]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}}

Thousands of years before [[Aegon's Conquest]],{{ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} King [[Brandon Stark (Shipwright)|Brandon the Shipwright]] attempted to sail across the [[Sunset Sea]], but never returned back home. His son, also named [[Brandon Stark (Burner)|Brandon]], burned the northern shipyards in his grief.{{Ref|AGOT|66}}{{ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} The north has since lacked strength at sea.{{Ref|ACOK|16}}

House Stark attempted to conquer the Three Sisters, which began a conflict between the Starks and [[House Arryn]] from the [[Vale of Arryn|Vale]]. In response to the [[Rape of the Three Sisters]], the [[Sistermen]] asked for help from [[Mathos II Arryn]], [[King of Mountain and Vale]]. This conflict, the [[War Across the Water]], lasted for a thousand years, during which time the Starks thrice landed on the [[Fingers]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Vale}}{{Ref|ADWD|9}} During King [[Edrick Stark]]'s hundred-year long reign, the Wolf's Den, already torched by House Arryn, was captured by slavers from the [[Stepstones]]. Edrick's great-grandson, King [[Brandon Stark (Ice Eyes)|Brandon "Ice Eyes"]], took back the Wolf's Den.{{Ref|ADWD|29}} After a thousand years of war, the Arryns were victorious over the Starks, and the Valemen have ruled over the Three Sisters ever since.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Vale}}

Several centuries before Aegon's Conquest,<ref group="N">When exactly [[House Manderly]] came north is unknown. In {{Date|211}}, Lady [[Rohanne Webber]] dated the flight of the Manderlys as having occurred "a thousand years" ago (''[[The Sworn Sword]]''). Lord [[Godric Borrell]] defines the time period to "no more than nine hundred years" before {{Date|300}} (''[[A Dance with Dragons]]'', [[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 9|Davos I]]). However, [[Wylla Manderly]] and Maester [[Yandel]] date the arrival of the Manderlys in the north back a bit further, "a thousand years before [[Aegon's Conquest|the Conquest]]" (''A Dance with Dragons'', [[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 19|Davos III]]) and "some thousand years before the Conquest", (''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'', The North: The Kings of Winter) respectively. A semi-canon source lists "a thousand years before the Conquest" as well (''[[A World of Ice and Fire]]'', White Harbor). These accounts thus place the arrival of the Manderlys in the north between 1000 BC and 600 BC.</ref> [[House Manderly]] was driven into exile from the [[Mander]] by Lord [[Lorimar Peake]] during the reign of [[Perceon III Gardener]], [[King of the Reach]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}} The Starks welcomed them to the north, and accepted oaths of fealthy from the Manderlys, giving them the Wolf's Den and the surrounding lands, leading to the creation of [[White Harbor]] around the Wolf's Den.{{Ref|ADWD|19}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}}{{ref|AWOIAF|Wolf's Den}}

Possibly around 700 BC,<ref group="N">[[Catelyn Stark]] recalls that [[Karlon Stark]] put down a rebel lord "a thousand years ago" (''[[A Storm of Swords]]'', [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 20|Catelyn III]]). It is unknown if this means one thousand years ago (seven hundred years before [[Aegon's Conquest]]) or if [[George R. R. Martin]] is being figurative.</ref> [[Karlon Stark]], a younger son of Winterfell, helped crush a rebel lord. As a reward, he was granted lands on which he built a keep named Karl's Hold. Over time, the keep became known as [[Karhold]] and Karlon's descendants became [[House Karstark]].{{Ref|ASOS|20}} Three hundred years before the Conquest, the commanders of the [[Queensgate|Snowgate]] and [[Nightfort]] went to war with each other, then joined together to murder the [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]] when he tried to stop them. The Stark in Winterfell intervened and took both men's heads easily because the strongholds of the Night's Watch were not designed to be defensible from the south.{{Ref|ASOS|55}}

The Starks helped repel several major [[wildling]] invasions, such as when they and their [[House Umber|Umber]] bannermen defeated the brother [[King-Beyond-the-Wall|Kings-Beyond-the-Wall]] [[Gendel]] and [[Gorne]] three thousand years ago.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Wildlings}} [[Bael the Bard]] is said to have sired a son on the maiden [[Rose of Winterfell|daughter]] of [[Brandon Stark (the daughterless)|Brandon the Daughterless]]. Bael was later slain by his own son, who was unaware of the fact that Bael was his father.{{ref|ACOK|51}}

===Targaryen Conquest and Aftermath===
[[File:Katherine Dinger my loyalty.jpg|thumb|350px|Stark loyalist, by Katherine Dinger © Fantasy Flight Games]]
During [[Aegon's Conquest]], King [[Torrhen Stark]] raised thirty thousand [[northmen]] and marched south. With the [[burning of Harrenhal]] and the [[Field of Fire]] in mind, however, Torrhen submitted without battle to [[Aegon I Targaryen]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest}} Since the time of the King Who Knelt, the Starks have held the [[north]] for the [[Lords of the Seven Kingdoms]] as [[Warden of the North|Wardens of the North]].{{Ref|AGOT|Appendix}} Queen [[Rhaenys Targaryen]] arranged the marriage of Torrhen's daughter to [[Ronnel Arryn (king)|Ronnel Arryn]], the [[Lord of the Eyrie]], in an attempt to knit the new realm together.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Vale: House Arryn}} There are letters at the [[Citadel]] which suggest that Torrhen only agreed to this match after much protest, and that his sons had refused to attend the wedding.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}} Torrhen's sons did not agree with the rule of [[House Targaryen]]. Some spoke of rebelling and raising the Stark banner.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}}

Torrhen was succeeded by [[Brandon Stark (the Boisterous)|Brandon the Boisterous]]. At some point rule of the north passed to [[Roderick Stark]], and Roderick was succeeded by [[Brandon Stark (father of Walton)|Brandon the Boastful]]. Brandon the Boastful attended the [[Golden Wedding]] in {{date|49}}, along with his sons [[Walton Stark (son of Brandon)|Walton]] and [[Alaric Stark|Alaric]], though Brandon died soon after his return to the north.{{Ref|FAB|A Surfeit of Rulers}}

Despite earlier rumblings of dissent by Torrhen's sons, the Starks did not rise like the rebels [[Jonos Arryn]], [[Lodos the Twice-Drowned]], and [[Harren the Red]] against Aegon the Conqueror's son, King [[Aenys I Targaryen]]. As the north follows the [[old gods]], they did not heed the [[High Septon (Aenys I)|High Septon's]] calls for rebellion, and the Starks took no part in the [[Faith Militant uprising]] against Aenys and then his brother, King [[Maegor I Targaryen]]. Captured members of the [[Faith Militant]] had been exiled to the [[Night's Watch]] by Maegor the Cruel, and Aenys's son, King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]], exiled many of Maegor's supporters to the [[Wall]] as well, including surviving members of his old [[Kingsguard]]. Neither group had love for Jaehaerys, so in {{date|50}} the two groups made common cause to [[Night's Watch rebellion of 50 AC|rebel against the leadership of the Watch]]. Lord Walton Stark called his bannermen to intervene and crushed the deserters, but survivors fled beyond the Wall; Walton pursued them but was ambushed by wildlings and killed by [[giants]]. Walton was succeeded by his brother Alaric.{{ref|FAB|A Surfeit of Rulers}}

In {{Date|58}} Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen]] visited Winterfell and was received by Lord Alaric, who was initially cold to her and Jaehaerys because of Walton's fate. Alaric was gradually charmed by Alysanne's visit, however, and his daughter [[Alarra Stark|Alarra]] grew particularly close to the queen during her visit.{{ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} Two of Alaric's sons attended the [[Tourney at King's Landing on the anniversary of the king's coronation|tourney in King's Landing]] which celebrated the tenth anniversary of Jaehaerys's coronation.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} Alaric ordered his bannermen to put aside half of their harvests in anticipation of the winter of {{Date|59|60}}, but not all of the northmen obeyed, resulting in famine.{{Ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}} The [[Shivers]] followed later that winter, though no specific casualties are mentioned in the north and Alaric survived. Lord Alaric died in {{Date|72}} and was succeeded by his grandson, [[Edric Stark]], as Alaric's two sons had preceded him in death.{{Ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}}

Alaric's relationship with the Targaryens remained complicated throughout his reign. According to Archmaester [[Gyldayn]], Alysanne charmed a reluctant Alaric<ref group="N">Earlier prints of ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'' state that Lord [[Ellard Stark]] was the lord who had been forced to give up the New Gift. However, [http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/119534-twoiaf-spoilers-inconsistency-or-intentional/&do=findComment&comment=6483268 it has been confirmed that this is an error], and ''[[Fire & Blood]]'' states that [[Alaric Stark]] was the lord in question.</ref> into granting the [[New Gift]] to the Night's Watch because, even though Alaric was a strong friend to the Watch, he knew the northern lords who already held the lands in question would not be happy to give them away.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} According to Maester [[Yandel]], however, the Starks were opposed to the royal demand for a different reason: the Starks feared that, under the control of [[Castle Black]], the New Gift would inevitably decline, for the Night's Watch would always look northward and never give much thought to their new tenants to the south. Time proved this criticism correct, for as the decades passed the Night's Watch neglected the New Gift and it fell into disuse. Yandel cites that there are archived letters in the [[Citadel]] sent by Lord Stark’s sons, asking the [[maesters]] about precedents against forced donation of property.{{ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}} Whatever the case, on the whole Jaehaerys and Alysanne became popular in the north due to their other generous donations to the Night's Watch, and their construction of the new [[kingsroad]] extending from the [[Neck]] to Winterfell and the Wall.{{ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}}

===The Dance of the Dragons===
Edric was succeeded by Lord [[Ellard Stark]], who attended the [[Great Council of 101 AC]] to determine the new heir of the elderly King Jaehaerys. The final vote came to a choice between [[Viserys I Targaryen|Viserys Targaryen]] (son of Jaehaerys's second son, Prince [[Baelon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Baelon]]) and [[Laenor Velaryon]] (grandson of Jaehaerys through [[Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Aemon)|Rhaenys]], daughter of his first son, Prince [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Aemon]]). Viserys was the candidate Jaehaerys himself preferred, and he won the final vote by a landslide, though the Starks were among the minority of lords who had supported Laenor (and one of only two [[Great Houses]], the other being the [[House Baratheon|Baratheons]]). Yandel that Ellard voted against Jaehaerys's preferred successor because the Starks were still bitter about the king forcing them to donate the [[New Gift]] to the Night's Watch, leading to its mismanagement. The pushed the Starks closer to the Velaryon faction at King [[Viserys I Targaryen]]'s court, and through them to ultimately side with [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]] during the [[Dance of the Dragons]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}}

At some point after {{date|101}}, Ellard was succeeded by [[Benjen Stark (lord)|Benjen Stark]], and later Benjen was succeeded by his son [[Rickon Stark (son of Benjen)|Rickon]]. Rickon died in {{date|121}}, and was succeeded as the nominal Lord of Winterfell by his only surviving son, the thirteen-year-old [[Cregan Stark]]. Rickon's brother, [[Bennard Stark|Bennard]], served as [[regent]] during Cregan's minority. When Cregan came of age in {{Date|126}}, however, Bennard was slow to surrender his power. Relations grew strained between Bennard and Cregan as the young Lord of Winterfell chafed under the limits imposed on him by his uncle. Ultimately, Cregan rose up against his uncle, imprisoned Bennard and his sons, and took rule of the north into his own hands.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

[[File:Cregan_Stark.JPG|thumb|350px|[[Cregan Stark]], as depicted by Douglas Wheatley in ''[[Fire & Blood]]''.]]

In {{date|129}}, as the [[Dance of the Dragons]] began, Prince [[Jacaerys Velaryon]] recruited Lord Cregan's aid for his mother, Queen [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]], known as the [[Pact of Ice and Fire]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}} even though the north was considered to be too remote to be of much influence in the war.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens}} Cregan initially sent the [[Winter Wolves]] under [[Roderick Dustin]], [[Lord of Barrowton]], and knights from [[White Harbor]] led by Ser [[Medrick Manderly|Medrick]] and Ser [[Torrhen Manderly]].{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

After the gathering of one last harvest before winter,{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown}} Cregan led a great army of childless, homeless, unwed, or old men, and younger sons, to King's Landing. He arrived after King [[Aegon II Targaryen]] had been [[poison]]ed, however, and though he had hoped to punish those lords who had supported the late king, [[Corlys Velaryon]], [[Lord of the Tides]], had already sent out ravens suing for peace. While the court awaited replies, Cregan held sway and arrested all those involved in Aegon II's death, as he objected to the murder of a king. The as-yet-uncrowned [[Aegon III Targaryen]] was cowed into naming Cregan as [[Hand of the King]], though Cregan served only a day in that office, a time known as the [[Hour of the Wolf]]. Lord Stark held trials for twenty-one out of twenty-two of his prisoners, with Corlys the only one spared a trial. Aegon III pardoned Lord Velaryon and restored his titles to him, which Cregan allowed when [[Alysanne Blackwood]] offered the Hand her own hand in marriage. Cregan returned north the next day.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III}}

Cregan struggled to hold the north together against several threats during the [[regency of Aegon III]]. A devastating winter had already begun late in the war which ultimately lasted six years, and in {{date|132}} the north was one of the first regions in Westeros struck by the [[Winter Fever]], which continued through {{date|133}}. With the north weakened by winter, famine, and plague, a large [[Free folk|wildling]] war-band led by [[Sylas the Grim]] seized on the opportunity to force their way south of the Wall. His force of 3,000 raiders overwhelmed the Night's Watch at [[Queensgate]] and proceeded to plunder the lands to the south. Lord Cregan rallied what few remaining able-bodied men were left among his bannermen, then rode out to hunt down and destroy Sylas's raiding bands.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows}}

Cregan's eldest son and heir was [[Rickon Stark (son of Cregan)|Rickon]], named after his own father. Rickon predeceased his father when he died in one of the final battles of the [[conquest of Dorne]], during the reign of King [[Daeron I Targaryen]]. The north lamented Rickon's death, for the subsequent reigns of Cregan's younger sons after him were troublesome.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}}

===Cregan's successors===
Cregan Stark had five sons: [[Rickon Stark (son of Cregan)|Rickon]], [[Jonnel Stark|Jonnel]], [[Edric Stark (son of Cregan)|Edric]], [[Barthogan Stark|Barthogan]], and [[Brandon Stark (son of Cregan)|Brandon]]. Though Rickon predeceased his father, he was survived by his own two daughters, [[Sansa Stark (daughter of Rickon)|Sansa]] and [[Serena Stark|Serena]], and by the known [[Laws and justice of the Seven Kingdoms|laws]] of succession they should have been ahead of Rickon's younger brothers in line of inheritance. Northern succession laws may be different,<ref name=HW>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Category/C91/P210/ The Hornwood Inheritance and the Whents], November 02, 1999</ref> there has never been a ruling Queen of Winter or ruling Lady of Winterfell for example,<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [https://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/2763/ Various Questions Concerning, Tywin, Oberyn, Gregor, The North, and Sansa], April 15, 2008</ref> however, and primogeniture is not necessarily binding elsewhere in the Seven Kingdoms either.<ref>A Forum of Ice and Fire: [http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/120966-errors-in-the-woiaf/&page=4#comment-6801531 Errors in the WOIAF &ndash; Comment by Ran], March 10, 2015</ref> Cregan's second son Jonnel succeeded Cregan upon his death, marrying his half-niece Sansa.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Stark Lineage}} Cregan's third son Edric married Rickon's other daughter Serena.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Stark Lineage}} Jonnel's marriage to Sansa was childless, but upon his death rule passed not to Cregan's third son Edric, but to his fourth son, Barthogan.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Stoneborn of Skagos}} While it is possible that Edric predeceased his older brother, Edric did have two sons and two daughters with Serena, and the daughters had children of their own,{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Stark Lineage}} and all of these normally would have been ahead of Barthogan in the line of succession. The exact reasons and circumstances under which Barthogan became lord are as yet unknown.

Barthogan himself later died childless, when he was slain in the [[Skagos]]i rebellion during the reign of King [[Daeron II Targaryen]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Stoneborn of Skagos}} and he was succeeded by Cregan's fifth and final son, Brandon, from whom the later generations of House Stark descend. Convoluted succession challenges remained for decades, possibly through Serena and Edric's children and between Brandon's own rival grandchildren. Brandon was succeeded by his eldest son [[Rodwell Stark|Rodwell]], who died without issue, after which rule passed to his younger brother [[Beron Stark|Beron]]. The grandson of Cregan, Beron was mortally wounded fighting off an incursion by [[Dagon Greyjoy]]'s [[ironborn]], and as he lay dying in Winterfell [[The She-Wolves of Winterfell|multiple Stark widows]] pushed their children's rival succession claims against the others.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1408/ Boskone (Boston, MA; February 17-19)], February 17, 2006, report 1</ref><ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1409/ Boskone (Boston, MA; February 17-19)], February 17, 2006, report 2</ref>

Ultimately Beron was succeeded by his eldest son, [[Donnor Stark]], but when he died without issue rule passed to second son, [[Willam Stark]]. In {{Date|226}}, [[Raymun Redbeard]], the [[King-Beyond-the-Wall]], led a large [[wildling]] invasion. Lord Willam and [[Harmond Umber]], [[Lord of the Last Hearth]], met the wildling host in battle on the shores of [[battle at Long Lake|Long Lake]]. Although Willam was killed by Raymun, his younger brother, [[Artos Stark|Artos]], avenged him by slaying the King-Beyond-the-Wall.{{Ref|ADWD|7}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Wildlings}}

Willam was succeeded upon his death by his son [[Edwyle Stark]], father of [[Rickard Stark]] and grandfather of [[Eddard Stark]].

===Robert's Rebellion===
Lord [[Rickard Stark]], urged on by his [[maester]], [[Walys Flowers|Walys]], allegedly sought to further [[southron]] alliances.{{Ref|ADWD|37}} He sent his second son, [[Eddard Stark|Eddard]], to be fostered with Lord [[Jon Arryn]] at the [[Eyrie]] at the age of eight. There, Eddard befriended fellow ward [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert Baratheon]].{{ref|AGOT|2}}{{Ref|AGOT|6}} Rickard betrothed his heir, [[Brandon Stark|Brandon]], to [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn Tully]], the daughter of [[Hoster Tully]], [[Lord of Riverrun]],{{ref|AGOT|6}} and his only daughter, [[Lyanna Stark|Lyanna]], to Robert, [[Lord of Storm's End]].{{Ref|AGOT|4}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring}} Rickard's four children attended the [[tourney at Harrenhal]] in {{Date|281}}, where they met [[Howland Reed]]. After winning the jousting competition at the tourney, Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen]] crowned Lyanna as his [[queen of love and beauty]], passing over his own wife, Princess [[Elia Martell]].{{ref|AGOT|58}}

In {{Date|282}}, Brandon Stark was at [[Riverrun]] when the date of his wedding to Catelyn Tully was announced. [[Petyr Baelish]], Lord Hoster's ward, had been in love with Catelyn for years, and challenged Brandon to a duel for Catelyn's hand. Brandon won.{{Ref|AGOT|29}}{{Ref|AWOIAF|Petyr Baelish}}{{Ref|AGOT|18}}{{Ref|AGOT|40}} After the duel, Brandon left Riverrun, promising his bride-to-be that he would return soon.{{Ref|AGOT|40}} On his way back to Riverrun, however, Brandon heard about Lyanna's abduction by Prince Rhaegar, and rode for King's Landing, where he was arrested by Aerys II for threatening the life of the crown prince. Rickard, who had been on his way to Riverrun with the wedding party, was summoned to court to answer for Brandon's crime. Brandon and Rickard were executed by Aerys II; Rickard was burned alive, while Brandon strangled himself in his attempt to rescue his father.{{Ref|ACOK|5}}{{Ref|AGOT|53}}{{ref|AWOIAF|Catelyn Tully}} After the executions, King Aerys demanded the heads of Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon from their former foster father, Jon Arryn. The Lord of the Eyrie refused, however, and raised his banners in revolt.{{Ref|AGOT|2}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Fall of the Dragons: Robert's Rebellion}} This act is seen as the start of [[Robert's Rebellion]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Fall of the Dragons: Robert's Rebellion}}

[[File:T Jedruszek EddardStarkCommand.jpg|thumb|350px|Lord [[Eddard Stark]] with [[Ice]], by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games]] 

Eddard made an arduous journey through the [[Mountains of the Moon]] and the [[Bite]] to call his banners in the north.{{Ref|ADWD|9}} The new lord then marched south and won an important victory during the [[Battle of the Bells]], rescuing his friend Robert with the aid of Hoster Tully.{{Ref|ASOS|29}} Next, he went to Riverrun, where he honored his late brother Brandon's betrothal by marrying Catelyn as part of the alliance to bring [[House Tully]] into the rebel fold.{{Ref|ASOS|2}}{{Ref|AGOT|6}}

One of the principal commanders in the war, Eddard took command of the rebel army after the [[Battle of the Trident]], following the remnants of Rhaegar's army to [[King's Landing]].{{ref|AGOT|12}} Ned arrived at the capital after the [[Sack of King's Landing]] by Lord [[Tywin Lannister]], however, and Lord Stark found Aerys II dead and Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] sitting on the [[Iron Throne]].{{Ref|AGOT|12}} He had a falling out with Robert when Robert accepted the aid of [[House Lannister]] and condoned the murders of Rhaegar's [[Elia Martell|wife]], [[Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Rhaegar)|young daughter]], and [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Rhaegar)|infant son]]. Eddard rode south the next day to relieve the [[siege of Storm's End]].{{Ref|AGOT|12}}

After Storm's End, Eddard and six companions went to retrieve Lyanna at the building Rhaegar had named the [[tower of joy]], finding it defended by three knights of the [[Kingsguard]]. Eddard and Howland Reed were the only survivors of the ensuing [[combat at the tower of joy]].{{Ref|AGOT|39}} Eddard found Lyanna dying in a bed of blood, clutching rose petals, dead and black, in her palm.{{Ref|AGOT|4}} She forced him to make a promise to her, the contents of which are unknown, but which have haunted Eddard since. Eddard and Robert were reconciled in their shared grief over Lyanna's death.{{Ref|AGOT|12}}

Eddard returned from the war with his [[bastard]] son, [[Jon Snow]],{{Ref|AGOT|6}} said to have been birthed by [[Wylla]],{{ref|AGOT|12}} and Ned was presented with his trueborn son, [[Robb Stark|Robb]], by Catelyn when she arrived from Riverrun. Ned buried Lyanna's body in the [[crypt of Winterfell]] beside her father and brother.{{Ref|AGOT|4}} Eddard's younger brother, [[Benjen Stark|Benjen]], joined the [[Night's Watch]] within a few months of Eddard's return from the war.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/ConQuest_Kansas_City_MO_May_27_294 ConQuest (Kansas City, MO; May 27-29)], May 27, 2005</ref> A skilled [[ranger]],<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Benjen_Stark About Benjen Stark], December 15, 2000</ref> Benjen eventually became [[First Ranger]].{{Ref|AGOT|19}}

Lord Stark fought in [[Greyjoy's Rebellion]] in {{Date|289}}, and he took [[Balon Greyjoy]]'s son [[Theon Greyjoy|Theon]] with him to Winterfell, a hostage to ensure the loyalty of the [[Lord of the Iron Islands]].{{Ref|AGOT|4}} Eddard has ruled the [[north]] in Robert's name, keeping a distance from the intrigue-ridden politics of King's Landing.{{Ref|AGOT|8}}