Editing North (section)

==History==
===Dawn Age===
During the [[Dawn Age]], [[Westeros]] was inhabited by [[children of the forest]] and by [[giants]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Dawn Age}} Maester [[Kennet (maester)|Kennet]] has found evidence that giants who lived in what is now the north buried their dead.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Dawn Age}}

The human peoples of the north are nearly all descended from the [[First Men]], who settled the land between eight thousand and twelve thousand years ago.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Coming of the First Men}} Little is known of that time, but cryptic [[runes]] carved in old stones and the [[barrow]]s of the First Men can still be found in the [[barrowlands]]. Ancient forts of the First Men are scattered throughout the north, including a ringfort atop Seal Rock near [[White Harbor]]{{Ref|ADWD|15}} and ruins in [[Sea Dragon Point]].{{Ref|ADWD|26}} The children of the forest also made [[weirwood]] circles.{{Ref|ADWD|26}}

===Kings of Winter===
[[File:Tiziano Baracchi banner of the north.jpg|thumb|350px|Banner for the North by Tiziano Baracchi © Fantasy Flight Games]]
About eight thousand years ago, the legendary [[Long Night]] occurred when the [[Others]] invaded from the [[Lands of Always Winter]]. The event defined and shaped the north, leading to the founding of the [[Wall]], the order of the [[Night's Watch]], the castle of [[Winterfell]], and the first [[Kings of Winter]] from [[House Stark]]. [[Brandon Stark (Breaker)|Brandon the Breaker]] is said to have allied with [[Joramun]], a [[King-Beyond-the-Wall]], to bring down the [[Night's King]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}}

The 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}} During the [[coming of the Andals]], the Kings of Winter stopped [[Andals]] at [[Moat Cailin]] and the eastern shores, the only kingdom in Westeros to do so.{{Ref|AGOT|66}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}}

King [[Jon Stark]] founded the [[Wolf's Den]] at the mouth of the [[White Knife]] after driving out sea raiders.{{Ref|ADWD|29}} His son, [[Rickard Stark (king)|Rickard Stark]], conquered the [[Neck]] from the [[Marsh King]] and married his daughter.{{Ref|AGOT|66}} King [[Rodrik Stark]] is said to have won [[Bear Island]] from the [[ironborn]] in a wrestling match.{{Ref|AGOT|66}} Two thousand years ago the north warred with the [[Vale of Arryn]] after the [[Rape of the Three Sisters]], with the Arryns eventually gaining control of the islands in this [[War Across the Water]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Vale}}{{Ref|ADWD|9}}

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}} The north has since lacked strength at sea.{{Ref|ACOK|16}}

For many centuries the [[House Bolton|Boltons]] were bitter rivals of the Starks of [[Winterfell]]. The practice of flaying their enemies gave the Boltons a sinister reputation. It is said that a thousand years ago, the Boltons finally swore fealty to the Kings in the North and agreed to abandon their practice of flaying their enemies.{{Ref|ACOK|51}}

Around a thousand years ago, the [[House Manderly|Manderlys]] were driven from the river [[Mander]] by [[Perceon III Gardener]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}} [[King of the Reach]], and fled to the north, where they were welcomed by the Starks of Winterfell as their own bannermen.{{Ref|TSS}} The Manderlys received the Wolf's Den and developed [[White Harbor]], one of the five cities of [[Westeros]] and the main northern port for commerce and naval transport. The Manderlys are the most prominent of the few northern noble houses to follow the [[Faith of the Seven]] instead of the [[old gods]].{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}

===Targaryen Era===
[[File:T Jedruszek WinterfelHonorGuard.jpg|thumb|350px|Winterfell Honor Guard by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games]]
The Starks led the north to war during [[Aegon's Conquest]]. After the [[Field of Fire]], however, King [[Torrhen Stark]] knelt to [[Aegon I Targaryen|Aegon the Conqueror]] rather than face his [[dragons]]. The north was included in the [[Seven Kingdoms]] and owed allegiance to the [[Iron Throne]] of [[House Targaryen]]. The Stark [[Kings in the North]] became the Lords of Winterfell and [[Warden of the North|Wardens of the North]]. Some northmen who refused to bend the knee fled into exile  in [[Essos]] and formed the [[Company of the Rose]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Quarrelsome Daughters: Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh}}

Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen]] convinced her husband, King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]], to grant the [[New Gift]] to the [[Night's Watch]]{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} despite the objections of Lord [[Ellard Stark]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Lords of Winterfell}}

During the [[Dance of the Dragons]], the Starks supported the [[blacks]] against the [[greens]]. Lord [[Roderick Dustin]] led two thousand northern soldiers, known as the [[Winter Wolves]], during the war, while the Manderlys had knights from White Harbor also support the claim of [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}} Lord [[Cregan Stark]] led a great host of northmen to King's Landing, where he briefly ruled as [[Hand of the King]] for [[Aegon III Targaryen]] during the [[Hour of the Wolf]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III}}

Lord [[Dagon Greyjoy]] led the ironborn in raiding the north during the reign of King [[Aerys I Targaryen]]; Lord [[Beron Stark]] gathered swords to repel them.{{Ref|TMK}}

The people of the north must be vigilant against [[free folk|wildlings]] who manage to bypass the [[Wall]]. One [[King-beyond-the-Wall]], [[Raymun Redbeard]], was defeated by the Starks and [[House Umber|Umbers]] at [[battle at Long Lake|Long Lake]].{{Ref|ADWD|7}}

A century ago the [[Skagos]]i unsuccessfully rebelled against the Starks, costing the lives of Lord [[Barthogan Stark]] and hundreds of his supporters.{{Ref|AFFC|15}}

===Robert's Rebellion===
The northmen composed much of the rebel forces during [[Robert's Rebellion]], also known as the War of the Usurper. After King [[Aerys II Targaryen]] caused the deaths of Lord [[Rickard Stark]] and his heir, [[Brandon Stark]], their successor, Lord [[Eddard Stark]], led armies alongside Lord Robert Baratheon, who was crowned King [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert I]] at war's end.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Fall of the Dragons: Robert's Rebellion}}