Seven Kingdoms

The Seven Kingdoms is a realm located on the continent of Westeros, ruled by a monarch styled King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, the king who sits on the Iron Throne in the capital city, King's Landing. Its name derives from the situation when Aegon the Conqueror set to unite the lands of Westeros, which was ruled by seven independent realms, besides the lands beyond the Wall. The new kingdom created from Aegon's Conquest is divided in nine distinct regions or provinces.

## Contents

* 1. The Great Houses
* 2. Hand of the King
* 3. Grand Maester
* 4. Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
* 5. Regions

## The Great Houses

Due to the vast size of the new kingdom, in each region Aegon I Targaryen raised Great Houses who swore fealty to him, mostly the former ruling dynasties. The lords were granted a degree of autonomy and granted authority over their bannermen and smallfolk. Wardens are generals who defend their regions.

Aegon established his new realm's capital on the spot of his landing at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, for which it was known as King's Landing. The area around King's Landing, which had also been a battleground between several kingdoms, constituted the royal demesne and became known as the crownlands. Within the crownlands, Dragonstone was successively granted to the heir apparent to the throne, the Prince of Dragonstone.

The Great Houses that survived the Targaryen conquest are: House Stark, House Martell , House Lannister and House Arryn.

The Great Houses that estabilished by the Targaryen conquest are: House Targaryen, House Tully, House Greyjoy, House Tyrell and House Baratheon.

## Hand of the King

The Hand of the King is the monarch's chief adviser and servant.

## Grand Maester

The Grand Maester is selected by the Citadel to advise the monarch on matters relating to the kingdom's governance.

## Lord Commander of the Kingsguard

The Lord Commander sits on the small council and leads the Kingsguard, seven prestigious knights who guard the king.

## Regions

Despite its name, the Seven Kingdoms is a realm divided into nine administrative regions or provinces:

* the Crownlands
* Dorne
* the Iron Islands
* the North
* The Reach
* the Riverlands
* the Stormlands
* the Vale
* the Westerlands

If seven "kingdoms" were to be counted from among the nine provinces, the regions included would appear to be Dorne, the north, the Reach, the riverlands, the stormlands, the Vale, and the westerlands.

The realm's territory includes all but the northernmost lands on the continent of Westeros, where the Wall defines its northern border. The Iron Throne also controls the many islands off the coast of Westeros, such as the Arbor, Bear Island, Claw Isle, Dragonstone, Driftmark, Estermont, the Shields, Skagos, Tarth, and the Three Sisters. The kingdom has occasionally been drawn into conflicts over the Stepstones off its southeastern coast, but it has rarely controlled a significant portion of them.

The Night's Watch guards the Wall in the north. The lands beyond the Wall, however, do not recognize the authority of the Iron Throne. The free folk who live in the far north consider the people of the Seven Kingdoms to be kneelers, while Westerosi think of the free folk as uncivilized savages.