Age of the Hundred Kingdoms
The Age of the Hundred Kingdoms,[1] also called the Hundred Kingdoms of the Heroes[2] or simply the Hundred Kingdoms,[3][4][5] was a broad period of Westerosi history.
Contents
Definition
In a 2012 panel at World Con, George R. R. Martin spoke of: "...The history of Westeros, and the ages before: the Dawn Age, and the Age of Heroes, and the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms..."[6] It is known that the Dawn Age ended with the signing of the Pact, and that the Age of Heroes began afterwards.[7][8]
Although the start and end of this time period has not been specified, several indications are given. King Arlan I Durrandon extended the domains of his kingdoms as far as the Blackwater Rush and the headwaters of the Mander during the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms.[1] Arlan's grandson, Arlan III Durrandon, conquered the riverlands, which the Storm Kings held for three centuries before losing it to King Harwyn Hoare during the century before Aegon's Conquest. This usage indicates that the term "Age of the Hundred Kingdoms" was still applied even during the past four to five centuries before the Targaryen conquest.
The Darklyns of Duskendale are known to have been kings of Duskendale in days of the Hundred Kingdoms[9][4] before the Andals came to Westeros, during the Age of Heroes.[10] The usage of the Darklyns having been kings both in the days of the Hundred Kingdoms and during the Age of Heroes leads to the possibility that the two time periods overlap.
Old Nan refers to "the hundred kingdoms" of the First Men spread across Westeros when the Long Night occurred.[11] Similarly, Maester Aemon states that the Night's Watch was formed after the Long Night by men from "a hundred quarrelsome kingdoms".[12] If meant to indicate the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms, they would place the start of this time period before the Long Night and indicate an overlap between the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms and the Age of Heroes. However, it has not been confirmed whether these statements refer to the specific time period known as the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms or not.
Importantly, according to Maester Yandel and Lord Albin Massey, "Hundred Kingdoms" is just common usage; Westeros was never divided into exactly one hundred independent kingdoms.[5][2]
Quotes
Before there were seven kingdoms, there were eight. Before that nine, then ten or twelve or thirty, and back and back. We speak of the Hundred Kingdoms of the Heroes, when there were actually ninety-seven at one time, one hundred thirty-two at another, and so on, the number forever changing as wars were lost and won and sons followed fathers.[2]
—writings of Albin Massey
By region
Crownlands
The crownlands were only created after Aegon's Conquest. Prior to House Targaryen's victory, the region contained local petty kings and was also disputed by kings from afar, such as the Storm Kings and river kings.
- House Bar Emmon of Sharp Point[1]
- House Darklyn of Duskendale[10]
- House Massey of Stonedance[1]
- House Targaryen of Dragonstone
Dorne
Dorne was a patchwork of kingdoms until its unification by House Nymeros Martell during Nymeria's War.
- House Allyrion of Godsgrace[13]
- House Blackmont of Blackmont[14]
- House Dayne of Starfall, the Kings of the Torrentine[13]
- House Dryland of Hellgate Hall, the Kings of the Brimstone[14]
- House Jordayne of the Tor[15]
- House Fowler of Skyreach, the Kings of Stone and Sky[13]
- House Manwoody of Kingsgrave[14]
- House Nymeros Martell of Sunspear, the Princes of Dorne,[16] formerly House Martell, Lords of the Sandship
- House Yronwood of Yronwood, the Bloodroyals, High Kings of Dorne, Lords of the Stone Way, Masters of the Green Hills[13]
- Houses Briar, Brook, Brownhill, Holt, Lake, Shell, and Wade, the High Kings of Dorne[13]
Iron Islands
In antiquity, each of the Iron Islands had its own rock king and salt king. A high king wearing a driftwood crown was eventually chosen through kingsmoots. House Greyiron eventually made the title King of the Iron Islands hereditary, which was continued by House Hoare. The Hoares later became Kings of the Isles and the Rivers.
North
Over thousands of years the Kings of Winter from House Stark subdued the other kingdoms of the north. In later centuries the Starks were known as Kings in the North.
- Barrow Kings of the barrowlands[19]
- Marsh Kings of the Neck[19]
- Warg King of Sea Dragon Point[19]
- House Amber[19]
- House Blackwood[19]
- House Bolton of the Dreadfort, the Red Kings[19]
- House Fisher of the Stony Shore[19]
- House Flint of Breakstone Hill[19]
- House Frost[19]
- House Glover of Deepwood Motte[19]
- House Greenwood[19]
- House Locke of Oldcastle[19]
- House Ryder of the Rills[19]
- House Slate of Blackpool[19]
- House Stark of Winterfell, the Kings of Winter[16]
- House Towers[19]
- House Umber of Last Hearth[19]
Reach
The Reach once consisted of four kingdoms which were consolidated by House Gardener, the Kings of the Reach:
- Oldtown and its environs, bounded by the Red Mountains to the east and the headwaters of the Honeywine in the north; ruled by House Hightower, the Kings of the High Tower.[20][21]
- The Arbor; ruled by House Redwyne, the Kings of the Arbor.[20][21]
- The western marches, from Horn Hill to Nightsong.[20]
- The Reach proper, from the Shield Islands in the Sunset Sea, up the mouth of the Mander, past Highgarden, to Red Lake, Goldengrove, and Bitterbridge, as far as Tumbleton and the Mander’s headwaters; ruled by House Gardener of Highgarden.[20]
Possibly once-sovereign houses include:
- House Ball[22]
- House Beesbury of Beesbury[22]
- House Bulwer of Blackcrown[22]
- House Crane of Red Lake[22]
- House Florent of Brightwater Keep[22]
- House Fossoway of Cider Hall[22]
- House Oakheart of Old Oak[22]
- House Peake of Starpike[22]
- House Rowan of Goldengrove[22]
- House Tarly of Horn Hill[22]
House Tyrell's lack of a royal history, unlike other great houses and its vassals, causes the family to seek more status and power.[23]
Riverlands
The riverlands of old were divided by numerous petty monarchs, although some river kings grew to become Kings of the Trident or Kings of the Rivers and the Hills. The riverlands eventually passed first to the Storm Kings from House Durrandon and then the Kings of the Isles and the Rivers from House Hoare.
- House Blackwood of Raventree Hall[24]
- House Bracken of the Stone Hedge[24]
- House Charlton[24]
- House Fisher of the Misty Isle[24]
- House Hook[9]
- House Justman[24]
- House Mallister[24]
- House Mooton of Maidenpool[25]
- House Mudd of Oldstones[24]
- House Teague[24]
- House Vance[24]
Stormlands
The Storm Kings of House Durrandon conquered what is now the stormlands, although their rule was threatened by petty kings during the coming of the Andals.
Vale
The Vale of Arryn consisted of a score of petty kingdoms which were conquered during the coming of the Andals, after which they were ruled by the Kings of Mountain and Vale from House Arryn.
- House Arryn of the Eyrie, the Kings of Mountain and Vale[16]
- House Brightstone, Kings of the Fingers[27]
- House Corbray of Heart's Home, Kings of the Fingers[27]
- House Royce of Runestone, the Bronze Kings[27]
- House Shell, Kings of the Fingers[27]
- House Shett of Gulltown, Kings of the True Men[27]
- House Sunderland of Sweetsister, Kings of the Three Sisters[27]
Possibly once-sovereign houses include:
- House Belmore of Strongsong[27]
- House Coldwater of Coldwater Burn[27]
- House Hunter of Longbow Hall[27]
- House Redfort of the Redfort[27]
- House Upcliff of the Witch Isle[27]
Westerlands
The westerlands were gradually consolidated by the Kings of the Rock from House Lannister.
- House Banefort of Banefort, the Hooded Kings[28]
- House Farman of Faircastle[28]
- House Lannister of Casterly Rock, the Kings of the Rock[16]
Possibly once-sovereign houses include:
- House Broom[28]
- House Crakehall[28]
- House Foote[28]
- House Greenfield of Greenfield[28]
- House Hawthorne[28]
- House Moreland[28]
- House Plumm[28]
- House Reyne of Castamere[28]
- House Westerling of the Crag[28]
- House Yew[28]
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: Andals in the Stormlands.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Aegon's Conquest.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The North.
- ↑ GRRM live-reading at Chi-Con 7, 2012
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 66, Theon VI.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Coming of First Men.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 9, Brienne II.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 24, Bran IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 60, Jon VIII.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Kingdoms of the First Men.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Coming of the Rhoynar.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Andals Arrive.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Black Blood.
- ↑ 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 19.11 19.12 19.13 19.14 19.15 The World of Ice & Fire, The North: The Kings of Winter.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Oldtown.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 22.9 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Garth Greenhand.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa I.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 24.8 The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: House Durrandon.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: The Men of the Stormlands.
- ↑ 27.00 27.01 27.02 27.03 27.04 27.05 27.06 27.07 27.08 27.09 27.10 The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale.
- ↑ 28.00 28.01 28.02 28.03 28.04 28.05 28.06 28.07 28.08 28.09 28.10 28.11 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.