Westerlands

The westerlands, historically the Kingdom of the Rock, is a region in the west of the continent of Westeros. Before Aegon's Conquest, it was ruled by the Kings of the Rock. People from the westerlands are known as westermen. The customary surname of bastards of noble origin born in the westerlands is Hill.
The westerlands are ruled from Casterly Rock by House Lannister. Notable bannermen have included Banefort, Brax, Broom, Clegane, Crakehall, Farman, Lefford, Lydden, Marbrand, Payne, Prester, Reyne, Serrett, Swyft, Tarbeck, and Westerling.
== Geography ==
The westerlands is known for its rugged hills, rolling plains, fertile fields, and broadleaf forests. The land contains lakes and rivers, and the hills conceal systems of caves and caverns.
The region lies along the coast of the Sunset Sea, with Ironman's Bay and the Iron Islands to the north. A salient of the northeastern westerlands extends near the ruins of Oldstones and the Blue Fork. Castles on the northwestern coast include Banefort and the Crag. Faircastle is located on Fair Isle, while Feastfires and the market town of Kayce are found on a peninsula jutting into the sea.
Also along the coast is Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister, a fortress carved out of a massive hill of solid rock. Near the Rock is Lannisport, a port and one of the largest cities of Westeros. Three days ride from the Rock is the village of Oxcross. Inland castles near the Rock including Ashemark and Sarsfield, as well as the ruins of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall.
The headwaters of the Tumblestone and the Red Fork begin in the westerlands and flow east into the riverlands. The main pass through the eastern hills is guarded by the Golden Tooth, a castle which controls access to the river road leading to Riverrun. Further south is the Goldroad, which runs east to King's Landing. Deep Den watches this road, with Hornvale to the north and Silverhill to the south.
The southern westerlands contain more flatland than the rest of the country and includes Cornfield and the forest by Crakehall Castle. The Ocean Road leads south from the Rock past Crakehall to Old Oak and Highgarden in the Reach. Also located in the westerlands are Greenfield and Wyndhall.
== People and Economy ==
The westerlands are not the largest, most populous, or most fertile part of the realm, but they are the richest. Full of hills and crags, the land is dotted with mines from which pour gold and silver in astonishing quantities. There are gold mines at Casterly Rock, the Golden Tooth, Castamere, Nunn's Deep, and the Pendric Hills. Besides farming, there is also some fishery in Lannisport and on Fair Isle.
== Military strength ==
A semi-canon source from 2005 estimates the military strength of the westerlands to be fifty thousand men strong, though this count includes even green boys, and depletes most castles of any protection. During Aegon's Conquest, King Loren I Lannister marched a host of twenty-two thousand from the westerlands to battle. The westerlands contributed ten thousand men-at-arms and one thousand knights during the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
According to a semi-canon source, in 261 AC House Reyne was able to field eight thousand men, while Houses Westerling, Banefort, Plumm, and Stackspear together were able to field at least sixty-five hundred men together.
In 283 AC, Lord Tywin Lannister commanded twelve thousand Lannister men during the Sack of King's Landing.
The Lannister fleet at Lannisport consists of twenty or thirty cogs, carracks, galleys, and dromonds, while lesser lords have two or three ships for patrolling.  A semi-canon sources from 2005 estimates the total naval power of the westerlands to be “probably closer to fifty or sixty large ships”. Casterly Rock's vessels were rebuilt after the burning of the Lannister fleet in 289 AC.
== History ==
=== Before the Andals ===
Little is known of the time before the coming of the First Men. Like the rest of Westeros, the children of the forest and giants lived in the westerlands and fought with the First Men when they came. After the Pact at the Isle of Faces, the children only kept the forests. The hills of the west were once inhabited by lions, but they are believed to all have been slain.
First Men lords, some of whom were petty kings, included the Baneforts, Brooms, Crakehalls, Farmans, Footes, Greenfields, Hawthornes, Morelands, Plumms, Reynes, Westerlings, and Yews. The coastal First Men were often raided by the ironborn from the Iron Islands.
During the Age of Heroes, the legendary hero and trickster Lann the Clever acquired Casterly Rock in some manner from House Casterly. According to legend he is the ancestor of the Lannisters, who became the Kings of the Rock with Casterly Rock as their seat. Westermen believe that Lann made off with some of the inheritance of Garth Greenhand by posing as one of his sons.
=== Kingdom of the Rock ===
The Lannister Kings of the Rock gradually conquered or acquired neighboring territory, including the lands of the Reynes and the Baneforts. They initially resisted the coming of the Andals, but later Lannister kings allowed the Andals to marry into the westermen nobility. New houses formed by the intermarriages included Houses Brax, Drox, Jast, Kyndall, Lefford, Marbrand, Parren, Sarsfield, and Serrett. In contrast to most kings of First Men origin, the support of the Andals allowed the Kings of the Rock to expand their power. When King Gerold III Lannister died without male issue, a council crowned his daughter's husband, Ser Joffrey Lydden, who became the first Andal King of the Rock, Joffrey Lannister.
With Andal support the Lannisters extended their rule to the Golden Tooth and Fair Isle and engaged in border wars with the Kings of the Trident and Kings of the Reach. The growing strength of House Lannister allowed them to expel the ironborn from the western coasts, and King Gerold the Great raided the Iron Isles and brought hostages back to the Rock.
Some of the eastern hills of what is now the westerlands were historically ruled by Kings of the Rivers and the Hills, such as the Mudds and the Teagues. Lord Torrence Teague used his spoils after raiding the west in his successful campaign to become river king.
Ser Eustace Osgrey mentioned that a famous relative of his defeated an attack by the Kingdom of the Rock by killing a Lannister king, Lancel V.
=== Targaryen Era ===
Loren I Lannister, King of the Rock, mustered his armies to fight Aegon Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone, during Aegon's Conquest. Allied with Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach, they assembled the enormous Host of the Two Kings. However, they were no match for Targaryen dragons. King Loren escaped the so-called Field of Fire and submitted to Aegon. His primacy in the westerlands as Warden of the West was confirmed by the Targaryens. Since this time the westerlands have been part of the Seven Kingdoms controlled by the Iron Throne.
During the Faith Militant uprising, Prince Aegon Targaryen and Princess Rhaena were besieged by the Poor Fellows at Crakehall. Lord Lyman Lannister later gave sanctuary and lent Aegon limited support when he challenged his uncle, King Maegor I Targaryen. Several houses from the westerlands fought for Aegon at the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye, including houses Farman, Tarbeck, Parren and Westerling. When Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen announced his claim to the throne in 48 AC, Lord Lyman was one of the great lords who supported him. 
During the Dance of the Dragons, the westerlands under Lord Jason Lannister declared for Aegon II Targaryen. Jason led his armies into the riverlands, where they fought several battles against the blacks until the host was obliterated during the Battle by the Lakeshore. Meanwhile, the undefended westerlands were attacked by Lord Dalton Greyjoy, the Red Kraken, who declared for Queen Rhaenyra. Dalton subsequently sacked Lannisport and took Kayce and Fair Isle. 
After the conclusion of the Dance, the regency council of Aegon III ordered Dalton to cease the raiding of the westerlands, but the order was ignored. The regents sent a fleet under the command of Lord Alyn Velaryon to deal with this rebellion, but Dalton was slain by one of his salt wives before a battle could be joined.  The ironborn were subsequently driven out from the westerlands, and Lady Johanna Lannister led a campaign into the Iron Islands in retaliation. 
During the First Blackfyre Rebellion, many battles were fought in the west. House Tarbeck kept a foot in both camps, trying to support Daeron II Targaryen and his rival, Daemon I Blackfyre. Ser Quentyn Ball killed Lord Lefford and forced Lord Damon Lannister into retreat.
During the Great Spring Sickness the coast of the westerlands suffered under the attacks Dagon Greyjoy, the Last Reaver.
=== Reyne-Tarbeck revolt ===
During the rule of Lord Tytos Lannister, the power of House Lannister was nominal. Tytos was held in low esteem and was largely ignored by his vassals. Lord Roger Reyne took command of the Lannister army after Ser Jason Lannister was killed in the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
Houses Reyne and Tarbeck eventually rebelled against the rule of Tytos, but his son, Ser Tywin, led the campaign against the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt. The two families were extinguished and their respective seats of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were destroyed. Since this time no House has dared oppose House Lannister in the westerlands. The prestigious Tywin served for a time as Hand of the King for King Aerys II Targaryen.
=== Robert's Rebellion ===
Lyanna Stark, who was betrothed to Lord Robert Baratheon, was apparently abducted by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. After the executions of her father, Lord Rickard Stark, and brother, Brandon, by King Aerys II, Robert's Rebellion broke out against House Targaryen, with Houses Arryn, Baratheon, Stark, and Tully opposing House Targaryen.
For the better part of the war the westerlands remained neutral. After the Battle of the Trident and the death of Rhaeger, however, Tywin chose the side of the rebels instead of his one-time friend, Aerys. Tywin ordered the Sack of King's Landing and the killing of the Targaryen heirs to prove House Lannister's support. After being crowned king, Robert I married Cersei Lannister to bind the Lannisters to his cause.
=== Baratheon Era ===
The burning of the Lannister fleet at Lannisport began Greyjoy's Rebellion. After the ironborn failed in the storming of Seagard, King Robert I Baratheon invaded the Iron Islands along with his Warden of the West, Lord Tywin Lannister, and his Warden of the North, Lord Eddard Stark.