Hoster Tully

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House Tully.PNG
Hoster Tully
House Tully.PNG
Jonathan Standing HosterT.jpg
by Jonathan Standing ©

Titles
Allegiance House Tully
Culture Rivermen
Born or between 237 AC and 240 AC[1]
Died 299 AC
Riverrun
Spouse Lady Minisa Whent
Books

Hoster Tully is the Lord of Riverrun and head of House Tully. With Minisa Whent he fathered Catelyn, Lysa, and Ser Edmure. He is also the brother of the Blackfish, Ser Brynden Tully.

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of Hoster Tully

In his youth Hoster was tall and broad, with blue eyes and brown-red hair. As he grew older, he became portly.[2] When he was younger, Hoster was never one to stay still. He was always traveling somewhere.[3] During the timeline of the books, he is an old man who has been sick for the last two years, and has lost much weight.[3]

Hoster's armor is silver plate-and-mail, while his cloak and surcoat are blue and red. The crest atop his greathelm is a silver and bronze trout.[4] When he was younger he often rode a brown gelding.[5]

History

According to semi-canon sources, Hoster Tully served in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, making friends with Petyr Baelish's father, which led to Peytr being fostered at Riverrun.[6] Some time after the war, Hoster tried to betroth his war hero brother, Brynden, to Bethany Redwyne, but Brynden would have none of it. This began a decades-long feud between the two.[7]

Hoster's wife, Minisa Whent, gave birth to four sons and two daughters, though only Catelyn, Lysa, and Edmure survived infancy. Minisa died in childbirth with her fourth son, who also died shortly after. Minisa's death deeply saddened Hoster, who never fully recovered. Marriage continued to be a theme of Riverrun when Hoster forbade his younger daughter, Lysa, from marrying Petyr Baelish,[8] and ordered her to abort Petyr's child.[9] Hoster tried to arrange a betrothal between Lysa and the squire Jaime Lannister, to no avail,[10] and declined Lord Tywin Lannister's offer to marry Lysa to Jaime's younger brother, Tyrion.[11]

On the eve of Robert's Rebellion, Hoster's elder daughter, Catelyn, was engaged to Brandon Stark, the heir to Winterfell. After Brandon was killed in King's Landing by fiat of the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, Hoster joined the rebellion, fighting in the Battle of the Bells where he was wounded by the Hand of the King, Lord Jon Connington.[12] He married Catelyn to Eddard Stark, Brandon's younger brother, and Lysa to Jon Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, cementing House Tully to the rebel leadership. Several of his bannermen, such as the Mootons, Goodbrooks, Rygers, and Darrys, remained loyal to the Targaryens, so Hoster attacked them, putting at least one village of House Goodbrook to the sword.[13]

Hoster once invited Arianne Martell to meet Edmure, but the offer was declined by her father, Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne.[14]

In 296 AC, Lord Tully fell ill.[3]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

With the Lannisters threatening his borders and lands, Hoster keeps his illness a secret, with his son Ser Edmure taking many of his duties. When marauders under Ser Gregor Clegane attack the riverlands in retribution for Catelyn's capture of Tyrion Lannister, Hoster insists that the matter be brought before the Iron Throne so that Lord Tywin Lannister cannot pretend that a counterattack was unprovoked.

Hoster is bedridden when Riverrun is besieged by the army of Jaime Lannister and Edmure is captured. After Brynden the Blackfish and Hoster's grandson, Robb Stark, breaks the siege in the Battle of the Camps, Catelyn visits her father, who is still lucid. Robb is declared King in the North in Riverrun's Great Hall.[2]

A Clash of Kings

Hoster reconciles with his brother, Brynden.[15] Hoster's mind continues to slip more and more; he constantly loses track of events and time happening all around him.[16]

A Storm of Swords

During his last weeks, Hoster is only able to mutter a few feverish words and does not recognize his children. By this time his son Edmure has assumed control of Riverrun in his stead. He often speaks in his delirium of Lysa and her aborted pregnancy, initially bewildering Catelyn with his references to "Tansy" and "the blood". Though Catelyn and Edmure write to Lysa asking her to visit her father before his death, she never responds to the ravens.[17] Hoster dies in 299 AC and is succeeded by his son, Edmure.

At his funeral Hoster's body is put in a boat and set down the Red Fork by his liege lord, King Robb Stark, and six of his bannermen: Lord Jonos Bracken, Lord Tytos Blackwood, Lord Karyl Vance, Lord Jason Mallister, Ser Marq Piper, and Lothar Frey, who replaces Ser Desmond Grell at the last minute upon Robb's request. Hoster's armor, shield, hunting horn, and a wooden sword are added to the boat. As part of the funeral custom a flaming arrow is fired to light the sails as the boat travels downriver, but Lord Edmure misses three shots in his grief. Brynden, seeing this, takes the bow from his nephew's hands and succeeds in lighting the sail before the boat disappears downriver.[4]

Quotes about Hoster

Catelyn: He says he is too sick to fight.
Brynden: I am too old a soldier to believe that. Hoster will be chiding me about the Redwyne girl even as we light his funeral pyre, damn his bones.[2]

- Catelyn Stark and Brynden Tully


Lord Hoster looked as noble as a king, my lady. [4]

- Jeyne Westerling to Catelyn Stark

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lord Tully
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hoster
 
Minisa
Whent
 
Brynden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Two sons[18]
 
Catelyn
 
Eddard
Stark
 
Jon
Arryn
 
Lysa
 
Petyr
Baelish
 
Edmure
 
Roslin
Frey
 
Son[19]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Stark.svg
 
 
 
 
 
House Arryn.svg
 

References and Notes