House Bolton

## House Information

### Sigil

A red flayed man, inverted. A common variant displays the flayed man on a white saltire

## Historic Information

### Founded

Age of Heroes

House Bolton of the Dreadfort is an old line descended from the First Men and dating back to the Age of Heroes. Their sigil is a flayed man, red on pink. Their seat is the Dreadfort and they are one of the most powerful houses of the North. The Boltons are known for their practice of flaying their enemies. Their words are, "Our blades are sharp."

## History

### Ancient History

The Boltons are an ancient and powerful house of the North who once ruled as Red Kings from the Dreadfort. Their land reached from the Last River and the White Knife to the Sheepshead Hills. It has been suggested that the legendary Night's King was a Bolton.

Since the Long Night the Red Kings were bitter rivals of the Kings of Winter, the Starks of Winterfell. The Boltons achieved some successes against the Starks, with Kings Royce II and Royce IV burning Winterfell. The Boltons are said to have flayed the skins of several Stark lords and hung them in the Dreadfort. According to rumor, some Bolton lords wore the flayed skins of their enemies—including Starks, such as the son of Bael—as cloaks. This practice has given the Boltons a sinister reputation. The last Red King, Rogar the Huntsman, submitted to Winterfell when the Andal invasion of Westeros was also beginning. King Theon Stark, the Hungry Wolf, and the Boltons defeated Argos Sevenstar and his Andals in the Battle of the Weeping Water.

Thousands of years ago, the Dreadfort rose in an unsuccessful rebellion with the Greystarks of the Wolf's Den against the Starks. The Boltons survived the rebellion, although the Greystarks did not.

*The Chronicles of Longsister* state that during the Rape of the Three Sisters by the Kings of Winter, which occurred two thousand years ago, Belthasar Bolton had a Pink Pavilion made from the the flayed skins of a hundred Sistermen.

The Boltons threatened Winterfell during the reign of King Edrick Snowbeard. At some point unspecified centuries ago, the Boltons rebelled against the Starks. The Stark armies besieged the Dreadfort for two years before the Boltons capitulated to KingHarlon Stark and dipped their banners once more.

Approximately a thousand years ago, the Boltons bent their knees to Winterfell and agreed to abandon their practice of flaying their enemies. Also a thousand years ago, Karlon Stark built a castle on land taken from a rebel lord; it is possible this land of House Karstark was taken from the Boltons. For many centuries the Boltons have remained loyal to the Starks, although rumors persist that they continue to flay their prisoners in secret and maintain a hidden chamber in the Dreadfort to display the skins of their enemies.

### Robert's Rebellion

When Lord Eddard Stark called the banners of the North to fight in Robert's Rebellion, Lord Roose Bolton took up arms, fighting in the Battle of the Trident. Afterward, he counseled that Lord Robert Baratheon should slash the throat of the legendary Kingsguard knight Ser Barristan Selmy, but Robert sent for his maesters instead.

### War of the Five Kings

During the War of the Five Kings, Lord Roose Bolton answered Robb Stark's called to arms, and joined with the other Northern Lords in proclaiming the Young Wolf as King in the North. Roose led the Northmen's diversionary feint at the Battle of the Green Fork, and Bolton forces were also heavily involved at the Battle of Castle Black.

###

### War of the Exile

Bolton forces led by Royce Bolton and his son Rogar participated in the Battle of Maidenpool and the Battle of the Hunt, then marched to meet up with the Northern force from Gulltown at Crackclaw Point. The Boltons were vocal proponents of repaying the invaders in kind for the sack of Maidenpool, and participated in the vicious retribution against the Pentoshi invaders and the rebellious Clawmen. Right or wrong, Royce Bolton has been held responsible for leading the Scouring of Crackclaw Point, and was utterly unrepentant afterward. "Crackclaw Point was in rebellion when we arrived; when we left, it was not," were his words on the matter.

### War of the Burning Brand

Rogar Bolton commanded the Bolton forces at the Liberation of Stoney Sept in 356 AC due to Lord Royce's precipitously declining health. The Bolton heir commanded the Northmen calvalry at the Battle of the Brand, where the bandit king and his army were finally put down.

## Members of House Bolton

* Roose Bolton (260 AC - 345 AC)
* ->Bethany Ryswell (dates unknown)
	+ Domeric Bolton (279 AC - 297 AC)
* ->Walda Frey (283 AC - 351 AC)
	+ Royce Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort 345-363 (300 AC - 363 AC)
	+ ->Betha Bolton (nee Blackwood) (b.301 AC), Dowager Lady of the Dreadfort
		- Rogar Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort 363-present. (b.315)
		- ->Myriame Bolton (nee Stark), Wife, Lady of the Dreadfort (daughter of Rickon Stark)
			* Roderick Bolton, Heir to the Dreadfort (b.337)
			* -> Victaria Bolton (nee Harlaw) (b.341)
				+ Runa Bolton (b. 362)
				+ Branda Bolton (b. 365)
				+ Robb Bolton (b. 368)
			* Bethany Bolton, Daughter - (b.341)
			* Belthasar Bolton, Son - (b.344)
			* Arya Bolton, Daughter (b.347)
			* Roose Bolton, Son - (b.353)
		- Rickard Bolton (b.321) Sent to the Wall in 344
		- Rymund Bolton (b.325) - Master-at-Arms for House Umber
		- -> Wife of Rymund
			* Children
			* Jory Snow
		- Rhialta Bolton (b. 327), wed to Royce Dustin
		- Rhea Bolton (b. 331), wed to Petyr Reed
	+ Benjen Bolton (302 AC - 368 AC)
	+ -> Wife of Benjen
		- Children
	+ Ryella Bolton (b.305 AC), wed to Waltyr Manderly
	+ Beron Bolton (b. 306 AC ) Archmaester of Politics at the Citadel
	+ Berena Bolton (b.312), wed Jon Mormont