Difference between revisions of "House Karstark"

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The Karstarks are descendants of the [[First Men]], and have the blood of the [[House Stark|Starks]] of [[Winterfell]] in their veins from a thousand years before, when a younger son of the house named [[Karlon Stark]] put down a rebellion of the [[House Bolton|Bolton]] rebel lord and was granted lands for his valor.{{Ref|aSoS|20}} The castle he built had been named Karl’s Hold, but that soon became [[Karhold]], and over the centuries the Karhold Starks had become Karstarks. Karhold lies far to the northeast of [[Winterfell]] in the midst of a forest beyond the [[Last River]], overlooking the [[Shivering Sea]].
 
The Karstarks are descendants of the [[First Men]], and have the blood of the [[House Stark|Starks]] of [[Winterfell]] in their veins from a thousand years before, when a younger son of the house named [[Karlon Stark]] put down a rebellion of the [[House Bolton|Bolton]] rebel lord and was granted lands for his valor.{{Ref|aSoS|20}} The castle he built had been named Karl’s Hold, but that soon became [[Karhold]], and over the centuries the Karhold Starks had become Karstarks. Karhold lies far to the northeast of [[Winterfell]] in the midst of a forest beyond the [[Last River]], overlooking the [[Shivering Sea]].
  
The Karstarks answered the call of [[Robb Stark]] when he called the banners of The North. Led by Lord Rickard and his sons [[Harrion Karstark|Harrion]], [[Eddard Karstark|Eddard]], and [[Torrhen Karstark|Torrhen]], they brought three hundred mounted horse and near two thousand foot on the march south with Robb. Lord Rickard's heir [[Harrion Karstark]] was captured during [[Battle of the Green Fork]] and his two other sons were killed by [[Jaime Lannister]] during the [[Battle of the Whispering Wood]]. Rickard desired vengeance, but Jaime was needed as a prisoner. Still, Lord Rickard loyally campaigned with Robb through the [[Westerlands]], killing [[Stafford Lannister]] during the [[Battle of Oxcross]] and afterwards raiding along the coast. After [[Catelyn Stark]] freed the Kingslayer from captivity in an effort to retrieve her daughters, Rickard finally got his revenge by killing two Lannister hostages at Riverrun. For his crime, Robb Stark sentenced him to death and beheaded him himself. After the execution of Lord Rickard, the Karstark cavalry broke away from the rest of the Northmen and returned to Karhold. Their infantry ended up joining [[Roose Bolton]]'s force.  
+
The Karstarks answered the call of [[Robb Stark]] when he called the banners of The North. Led by Lord Rickard and his sons [[Harrion Karstark|Harrion]], [[Eddard Karstark|Eddard]], and [[Torrhen Karstark|Torrhen]], they brought three hundred mounted horse and near two thousand foot on the march south with Robb. Lord Rickard's heir [[Harrion Karstark]] was captured during [[Battle of the Green Fork]] and his two other sons were killed by [[Jaime Lannister]] during the [[Battle of the Whispering Wood]]. Rickard desired vengeance, but Jaime was needed as a prisoner. Still, Lord Rickard loyally campaigned with Robb through the [[Westerlands]]. After [[Catelyn Stark]] freed the Kingslayer from captivity in an effort to retrieve her daughters, Rickard finally got his revenge by killing two Lannister hostages at Riverrun. For his crime, Robb Stark sentenced him to death and beheaded him himself. After the execution of Lord Rickard, the Karstark cavalry broke away from the rest of the Northmen and returned to Karhold. Their infantry ended up joining [[Roose Bolton]]'s force.  
  
 
With the death of Lord Rickard, Harrion Karstark beccame the new Lord of Karhold. With Harrion in Lannister captivity, however, [[Arnolf Karstark]], the castellan of Karhold, declared for [[Stannis Baratheon]] in a plot with [[House Bolton|the Boltons]] to provoke the Lannisters into executing Harrion, making Arnolf the lord (through marriage) and then turning against Stannis when his forces reached [[Winterfell]]. Arnolf's plot to claim Karhold is foiled when [[Jon Snow]] arranges the marriage between [[Alys Karstark]] and [[Sigorn]], the Magnar of [[Thenn]], and sends a raven to King Stannis informing him of Arnolf's treachery. Should Harrion die, lordship of Karhold would pass to the newly styled [[House Thenn]].
 
With the death of Lord Rickard, Harrion Karstark beccame the new Lord of Karhold. With Harrion in Lannister captivity, however, [[Arnolf Karstark]], the castellan of Karhold, declared for [[Stannis Baratheon]] in a plot with [[House Bolton|the Boltons]] to provoke the Lannisters into executing Harrion, making Arnolf the lord (through marriage) and then turning against Stannis when his forces reached [[Winterfell]]. Arnolf's plot to claim Karhold is foiled when [[Jon Snow]] arranges the marriage between [[Alys Karstark]] and [[Sigorn]], the Magnar of [[Thenn]], and sends a raven to King Stannis informing him of Arnolf's treachery. Should Harrion die, lordship of Karhold would pass to the newly styled [[House Thenn]].

Revision as of 00:43, 22 April 2012

House Karstark of Karhold
House Karstark.PNG
The Sun of Winter
Coat of arms Sable, a sunburst argent
Seat Karhold
Head Harrion Karstark
Region The North
Title Lord of Karhold
Heir Alys Karstark
Overlord House Bolton
Founder Karlon Stark
Founded +/- 700 years before 1 AC

House Karstark of Karhold is a noble house from the North. Karstarks are big, fierce men, bearded and long-haired, and favor wearing cloaks made of the pelts of seals, bears, and wolves. Their blazon is a white sunburst on black and their motto is, "The Sun of Winter".[1]


History

The Karstarks are descendants of the First Men, and have the blood of the Starks of Winterfell in their veins from a thousand years before, when a younger son of the house named Karlon Stark put down a rebellion of the Bolton rebel lord and was granted lands for his valor.[2] The castle he built had been named Karl’s Hold, but that soon became Karhold, and over the centuries the Karhold Starks had become Karstarks. Karhold lies far to the northeast of Winterfell in the midst of a forest beyond the Last River, overlooking the Shivering Sea.

The Karstarks answered the call of Robb Stark when he called the banners of The North. Led by Lord Rickard and his sons Harrion, Eddard, and Torrhen, they brought three hundred mounted horse and near two thousand foot on the march south with Robb. Lord Rickard's heir Harrion Karstark was captured during Battle of the Green Fork and his two other sons were killed by Jaime Lannister during the Battle of the Whispering Wood. Rickard desired vengeance, but Jaime was needed as a prisoner. Still, Lord Rickard loyally campaigned with Robb through the Westerlands. After Catelyn Stark freed the Kingslayer from captivity in an effort to retrieve her daughters, Rickard finally got his revenge by killing two Lannister hostages at Riverrun. For his crime, Robb Stark sentenced him to death and beheaded him himself. After the execution of Lord Rickard, the Karstark cavalry broke away from the rest of the Northmen and returned to Karhold. Their infantry ended up joining Roose Bolton's force.

With the death of Lord Rickard, Harrion Karstark beccame the new Lord of Karhold. With Harrion in Lannister captivity, however, Arnolf Karstark, the castellan of Karhold, declared for Stannis Baratheon in a plot with the Boltons to provoke the Lannisters into executing Harrion, making Arnolf the lord (through marriage) and then turning against Stannis when his forces reached Winterfell. Arnolf's plot to claim Karhold is foiled when Jon Snow arranges the marriage between Alys Karstark and Sigorn, the Magnar of Thenn, and sends a raven to King Stannis informing him of Arnolf's treachery. Should Harrion die, lordship of Karhold would pass to the newly styled House Thenn.

House Karstark at the end of the third century

The known Karstarks during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
Karstark
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arnolf
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rickard
 
Unknown
wife
 
Unknown
first wife
 
Cregan
 
Unknown
second wife
 
 
Arthor
 
Daughters
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harrion
 
Eddard
 
Torrhen
 
Alys
 
Sigorn
 
 
 
Six grandsons
[Note 1]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes:
  1. It is not known whether these are the sons of Cregan, Arthor or one of their sisters.


References in the books

A Song of Ice and Fire

  • The Karstarks, led by Lord Rickard and his sons Harrion, Eddard and Torrhen, came to Winterfell when Robb called his banners. They brought three hundred mounted horse and near two thousand foot, singing hymns and marching to the rhythm of a big drum. Bran saw them as fierce big men, with their faces covered with beards and their bodies with pelts and skins.
  • The Karstark family entered Winterfell to pay their respects to the Starks, wearing black iron halfhelms and black woolen cloaks patterned with the white sunburst. Bran overhears Eddard Karstark muttering to his brother Torrhen that he would sooner die than live crippled as Bran. Torrhen replies that Bran was likely broken inside, but was too craven to take his own life.
  • The Karhold men command the Drunkard's Tower at Moat Cailin on the march south.
  • Catelyn warns Robb that he cannot seem indecisive in front of men like Roose Bolton and Rickard Karstark.
  • When the northern army splits at the Twins, Rickard Karstark and his two younger sons join Robb with the cavalry, while his oldest leads the Karstark spears with Roose Bolton's infantry.
  • Among others, Tyrion sees the Karstark sunburst among the enemy banners at the Green Fork
  • Harrion Karstark is captured and taken prisoner to Harrenhal.
  • Torrhen and Eddard Karstark are two of the thirty sons of nobles that ride beside the Young Wolf during the war.
  • Both Torrhen and Eddard are slain by Ser Jaime Lannister at the Battle of the Whispering Wood.
  • Rickard Karstark is seen by Catelyn Tully praying at Riverrun's godswood with Robb and other followers of the Old Gods.
  • After the death of his sons, Lord Karstark is perceived by Catelyn as a man in a nightmare, gaunt and hollow-eyed in his grief.
  • Lord Karstark is the second man to acclaim Robb Stark as King in the North, just after the Greatjon.
  • The Karstarks are one of the families with ties to House Hornwood through the female line, and thus one of the houses interested on the inheritance of their lands after the death of Lord Halys Hornwood and his heir Daryn.
  • Arnolf Karstark sent regrets to Winterfell alleging that they could not send help to Ser Rodrik Cassel against the ironborn because all the men had gone south with Robb.
  • At one point, the acting Hand of the King Tyrion planned to exchange Harrion Karstark and Ser Wylis Manderly for Willem Lannister, but the negotiations failed.
  • Rickard Karstark killed Ser Stafford Lannister at the Battle of Oxcross, driving a lance through his chest.
  • Lord Rickard Karstark and Galbart Glover raided along the coast during Robb's campaigning in the Westerlands.
  • Theon Greyjoy noticed few Karstark banners among the army commanded by Rodrik Cassel that gathered at Winterfell to expel the ironmen.
  • When Roose Bolton takes Harrenhal, Harrion is released from captivity. Lord Bolton sends him as part of Robett Glover and Helman Tallhart's force to take Duskendale.
  • At the Battle of Duskendale, Harrion Karstark is captured again by Randyll Tarly's army, and is held at Maidenpool.
  • After the Sack of Winterfell, Bran considers going to the Umbers or the Karstarks, which he considered loyal. He remembers that his father always said Karhold was a strong castle.
  • Lord Karstark is upset at Catelyn when she frees Jaime, and tells her that she has robbed him of his vengeance.
  • Rickard Karstark murdered Tion Frey and Willem Lannister in their cell, as revenge for the deaths of his sons Torrhen and Eddard. For this, Robb sentenced him to death. In his speech before his execution, Rickard appealed to his and his family's loyalty to House Stark, and cursed Robb with a (feeble) accusation of kinslaying due to the ancient relation between Karstarks and Starks. After his execution the Karstark cavalry abandoned Robb's army.
  • The Karstarks that survived the Battle of Duskendale joined Roose Bolton's forces and went with him to the Twins.[3] They are part of the force that he keeps with him after the Battle of the Ruby Ford.
  • Maester Aemon sent a raven to Karhold in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.
  • The Karstarks take Stannis Baratheon's side against the ironmen and the Boltons, being the only major noble house from the North do do so.
  • Ser Daven Lannister confesses to Jaime that he had sworn not to cut his hair until avenging his father Ser Stafford, but he couldn't accomplish his goal once Karstark had been executed by Robb.
  • Brienne of Tarth spots the badge of House Karstark among those that had been collected from the dead around Duskendale.[4]
  • Ser Roger Hogg, the Knight of Sow's Horn in the Crownlands, told Ser Jaime Lannister that he had been attacked by men wearing the white sunburst.
  • The Karstarks declaration for Stannis is actually a ruse orchestrated by Arnolf and Roose Bolton. The plan is to provoke the Lannisters to execute Harrion and turn against Stannis when his forces reach Winterfell. Arnolf's plot also involves forcing Alys to marry his son Cregan, making the latter Lord of Karhold.
  • Alys arrives at the Wall seeking Jon Snow's help, and reveals Arnolf's treachery. Cregan arrives to find Alys already married to Sigorn, the new Magnar of Thenn, and is thrown in an ice cell. He's given the choice to join the Night's Watch and be cleared of all crimes or wait for the return of Stannis and be executed for treason.
  • Stannis learns of Arnolf's plot thanks to a letter sent by Jon Snow. Stannis summons Arnolf, his son Arthor, and his three grandchildren, to his presence under the pretext of breaking fast. Stannis' knights surround and arrest the Karstarks, injuring two of the grandchildren in the process. Stannis offers the Karstarks to choose between cooperation and being granted swift deaths, or being burned alive.

References and Notes