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 three centuries ago 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.

## Terminology

Throughout thousands of years of history, the continent of Westeros was often divided amongst a multitude of monarchs and realms, including the so-called Age of the Hundred Kingdoms. The term "Seven Kingdoms" derives from the situation in Westeros just prior to Aegon's Conquest three centuries ago, when most of the continent had been consolidated under the rule of seven great monarchs:

Torrhen Stark, King in the North

Ronnel Arryn, King of Mountain and Vale

Harren Hoare, King of the Isles and the Rivers

Loren I Lannister, King of the Rock

Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach

Argilac Durrandon, the Storm King

Meria Martell, Princess of Dorne

Although the term refers to seven kingdoms, Dorne was ruled by by a princess instead of a king. Additionally, the term omitted the island "kingdom" of Dragonstone, which was ruled by the sovereign Lords of Dragonstone from House Targaryen, and the lands beyond the Wall.

Aegon I Targaryen and his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys Targaryen, conquered only six of the seven kingdoms, consolidating them under the rule of House Targaryen and the Iron Throne. Among the titles that Aegon received when crowned King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men in the Starry Sept in Oldtown, however, was "Lord of the Seven Kingdoms".

Aegon and his successors laid claim to Dorne, the seventh realm, though in truth the Iron Throne would not add Dorne to its domains for another two centuries, when the southernmost land joined peacefully through marriage. However, a shrewd bit of political maneuvering served a dual purpose for the Targaryens before Dorne joined the realm. By granting the riverlands to Edmyn Tully and splitting it apart from the Iron Islands, Aegon not only gained a valuable ally, but created what could be termed a seventh kingdom, even as Dorne resisted integration into Aegon's new realm. While this was but a technicality, it was an important one for a realm that made much of the number seven.

## 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.

### Great Houses that survived the Conquest

House Stark of Winterfell chose to submit and was confirmed as overlords over the north and Wardens of the North.

House Arryn of the Eyrie submitted and retained the Vale of Arryn as Wardens of the East.

House Lannister of Casterly Rock was allowed to keep their family holdings in the westerlands after they bent the knee, following defeat at the Field of Fire. The Lannisters became Wardens of the West.

House Nymeros Martell of Sunspear retained their independence in Dorne for a time. When the Martells eventually joined the Seven Kingdoms, they were allowed to retain their title of Prince of Dorne.

### Great Houses established by the Conquest

House Targaryen of Dragonstone obtained dominion over most of Westeros, and settled in King's Landing in the newly-established crownlands.

House Tully of Riverrun was awarded rule of the riverlands as Lords Paramount of the Trident, for supporting Aegon against House Hoare.

House Greyjoy of Pyke was named Lords of the Iron Islands after Aegon's invasion of the Iron Islands.

House Tyrell was granted Highgarden and rule over the Reach as Lords Paramount of the Mander and Wardens of the South after the extinction of House Gardener.

House Baratheon married into the Durrandons of Storm's End and was awarded the stormlands as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, after the defeat of the Storm King Argilac the Arrogant.

## Royal bureaucracy

The small council, advisers to the king who sits the Iron Throne, began during the era of King Aegon I Targaryen and became a more formal institution in the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

### 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.

### Treasury

The master of coin or lord treasurer sit on the small council and oversees the treasury for the kingdom. He has authority over:

* The King's Scales
* The Keeper of the Keys
* The King's Counter
* The Warden of the King's Mint

### Justice

The master of laws or lord justiciar sits on the small council and oversees the law and justice for the kingdom. He has authority over:

* The King's Justice, the royal executioner.
	+ The Lord Confessor, chief of the royal torturers.
		- The confessors, royal torturers.
* The Chief Gaoler, overseer of the royal dungeon.
	+ The Chief undergaoler
		- Undergaoler
			* Gaolers
			* Turnkeys
* The Commander of the City Watch
	+ Captains of the seven gates of King's Landing
	+ Serjeants of the City Watch

### Navy

The master of ships or lord admiral sits on the small council and oversees the royal fleet for the kingdom. He has authority over:

* Captains of the royal fleet

### Intelligence

The master of whisperers, the spymaster on the small council, gathers intelligence for the king.

### Lord Commander of the Kingsguard

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

### Other offices

* Harbormaster
* Tax farmer
* Customs sergeant
* Wool factor
* Toll collector
* Purser
* Wine factor
* Chief Steward
* Understeward

## Regions and Territory

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 of Arryn
* 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.

## Population

The population of the Seven Kingdoms numbers in the millions. The monarch on the Iron Throne uses the title King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, referring to the major ethnic groups from which most Westerosi descend.

The Reach is the most populous of the Seven Kingdoms, while Dorne is the least populous. The north, due to its large size, is also regarded as thinly peopled.

### Settlements

The kingdom is speckled with castles, holdfasts, towns, and villages, but only five settlements can be called cities. Listed in decreasing order of size, they are:

* King's Landing in the crownlands;
* Oldtown in the Reach;
* Lannisport in the westerlands;
* Gulltown in the Vale of Arryn;
* White Harbor in the north.

King's Landing is the youngest of the five cities. It started in 2 BC as a small town, but within two years grew into a village with a few thousand people in it. By 10 AC, it had grown almost as large as Gulltown and White Harbor, and could be called a city. By 25 AC, it had surpassed both cities. By 33 AC, King's Landing's population had grown to a hundred thousand. During the reign of Jaehaerys I Targaryen (48–103 AC), the population of King's Landing increased fourfold. Eventually, although similar in size, King's Landing became even more populous than Oldtown, and with its population of approximately half a million is now considered the most populous city of the Seven Kingdoms.

Oldtown is the eldest of the cities. Its origins are lost in the mists of time in the Dawn Age, extending back to when the First Men first settled in Westeros, if not earlier. By the time of the coming of the Andals, Oldtown was already considered a city. Today, it is still the largest and richest city in the Seven Kingdoms, although King's Landing has more people.

Lannisport is the second oldest of the cities, founded by the descendants of Lann the Clever. Within a few generations it quickly grew from village to town to city. By the coming of the Andals, Lannisport had become the second-largest city in Westeros. It currently is the third-largest city in the Seven Kingdoms.

Gulltown and White Harbor are the smallest cities of the kingdom. Gulltown was a prosperous port-town which grew into one of the foremost cities of the realm under the rule of House Arryn. White Harbor is newer than Oldtown, Lannisport, and Gulltown, having been built after House Manderly came north following their exile from the Reach. White Harbor is the north's only city, and the smallest city in the Seven Kingdoms.

Prominent towns in the realm include Barrowton, Duskendale, Fairmarket, Hull, Lordsport, Maidenpool, the Planky Town, Saltpans, Sisterton, Stoney Sept, the Weeping Town, and the winter town.

## Culture

The people of the Seven Kingdoms are a mixture of several ethnic groups which have migrated to Westeros over the centuries and intermarried over hundreds and thousands of years. As such these original ethnicities are more of a blurred trend than firm political units. Today they are mostly identified through their place of residence, where each kingdom retains its unique flavor.
The influence of the Andals is strongest in the south, while the northmen still follow many customs of the First Men. The traditions of chivalric knighthood and courtly singers are said to have originated in the Reach. Dornishmen are heavily influenced by the mass immigration of the Rhoynar, who according to legend were led to Westeros by Nymeria on ten thousand ships. Small groups, such as the ironborn of the Iron Islands and the Vale mountain clans in the Mountains of the Moon, maintain different cultures from the rest of the realm.

The most common language in the kingdom is the Common Tongue. Unlike their counterparts in Essos, Westerosi nobles take pride in their heraldry. Exiled and adventurous Westerosi warriors have been known to serve in sellsword companies in Essos, such as the Golden Company, the Windblown, the Second Sons, the Company of the Rose, and the Wolf Pack.

The people of the Seven Kingdoms follow several different faiths.

* The Faith of the Seven, the primary religion of the Seven Kingdoms, was brought to Westeros by the Andals thousands of years ago. The Faith worships the Seven, a single deity with separate aspects: the Mother, the Father, the Warrior, the Smith, the Maiden, the Crone, and the Stranger. Knighthood is popular

* The old gods are worshiped in the north and the lands beyond the Wall. It was the faith of the children of the forest, who used to inhabit the land thousands of years ago. Followers worship numerous and nameless gods of the forests, who are always watching through the faces carved into the bark of heart trees, most which are ancient weirwood trees.

* The Drowned God, the indigenous deity of the Iron Islands, is a harsh deity who rewards those who plunder in his name.

* R'hllor, the red god, is a deity popular in Essos but little-known in Westeros, although gaining in popularity. The followers of R'hllor claim their deity is the Lord of Light and will stand against the Great Other, the god of darkness and cold, in a war that is to come.

## Law and Justice

Feudal society is based on the model of the old kingdoms on which the Targaryen dynasty was built with each region retaining some sovereign rights and ruled by Great Houses whose high lords answer only to the king. Many traditional customs have endured in the regions, although some kings, such as Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Aegon V Targaryen, have attempted to reform the realm's laws.

## Commerce and Currency

Most transactions in the Seven Kingdoms involve currency. The coinage is minted by the master of coin appointed by the king on the Iron Throne. There are golden dragons, silver stags, and copper stars. Golden dragons are worth the most and have a dragon stamped on one side and a king's face on the other. Most smallfolk would never own a gold dragon, using mostly copper stars for their needs.[*citation needed*]

The kingdom chiefly trades with the Free Cities across the narrow sea, and ships from the Summer Isles and Ibben also visit Westerosi ports.

## History

### War of Conquest

The continent of Westeros was once divided among a multitude of monarchs in the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms, but over time the land was consolidated into seven major realms. Aegon Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone, and his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, invaded the continent, with Aegon demanding the submission of the mainland's monarchs.
Aegon's Conquest began with House Targaryen landing at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, and Aegon was crowned King of All Westeros at the Aegonfort. Aegon then extinguished Harren the Black and House Hoare with the burning of Harrenhal, ending the Kings of the Isles and the Rivers. Aegon granted the riverlands to House Tully. Meanwhile, Argilac Durrandon, the Storm King, was killed in the Last Storm by Orys Baratheon in the stormlands, with House Baratheon replacing House Durrandon.

At the Field of Fire, the Targaryen siblings used their dragons—Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes—to defeat the armies of the Two Kings. Mern IX, King of the Reach, and his family from House Gardener were extinguished in the dragonflame, while Loren I, King of the Rock, surrendered the next day. Aegon granted Highgarden and the Reach to House Tyrell, and he allowed the defeated House Lannister to retain their rule in the westerlands. Aegon then met the host of Torrhen Stark, King in the North, at the Trident. Aware of Harrenhal's fate, Torrhen knelt to Aegon instead of engaging in a pitched battle.

Visenya flew to the Eyrie in the Vale of Arryn, where she achieved the submission of Ronnel, the last King of Mountain and Vale from House Arryn. Rhaenys was sent south to Dorne, but Meria Martell, Princess of Dorne, refused to join Aegon's realm.

The High Septon advised Lord Manfred Hightower to welcome Aegon to Oldtown, and the new king's reign is regarded by maesters as having begun with his coronation in that city as King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.

The Sistermen's Rebellion in the Three Sisters was quickly defeated by Visenya and Ser Warrick Manderly, and Aegon led an invasion of the Iron Islands to put an end to the civil war among the ironborn. In 2 AC, Aegon allowed House Greyjoy to rule the Iron Islands.

Since Dorne had refused to submit during Aegon's Conquest, the Targaryens began the First Dornish War in 4 AC. Queen Rhaenys and Meraxes were killed at the Hellholt in the bloody war, and Orys was mutilated by House Wyl. Despite the burning of the Dornish castles with dragonflame, the Dornish refused to surrender. After the passing of Meria in 13 AC, Aegon finally agreed to a peace with Prince Nymor Martell, with Dorne remaining independent.

### Iron Throne

Instead of Oldtown or Dragonstone, King Aegon I Targaryen made the new city of King's Landing the capital of his kingdom, with the swords of his defeated foes made into the Iron Throne. The crownlands were created out of territory near the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and along Blackwater Bay.
Aegon encouraged included nobles and their children from throughout the land to serve at court, and the Targaryens encouraged marriages between disparate families in an effort to unite the formerly-independent realms. Aegon the Conqueror spent much of his reign learning about the peculiarities of each province during his many royal progresses, and he often left alone the laws and customs already in place.

### Aenys and Maegor

Soon after ascending the throne, King Aenys I Targaryen was faced with the rebellions of Jonos Arryn in the Vale, Harren the Red in the riverlands, Lodos the Twice-Drowned in the Iron Islands. Lord Orys Baratheon helped suppress the Vulture King in the Second Dornish War.

The Faith Militant uprising began during the reign of Aenys I and continued through the reign of his brother, Maegor I Targaryen. Aenys's heir, Aegon the Uncrowned, was defeated by Maegor in the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye. Most of the realm eventually turned against Maegor the Cruel, however, and the king was found dead on the Iron Throne.

### Jaehaerys the Conciliator

The uprising of the Faith Militant finally ended after the ascension of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. In 55 AC, Jaehaerys and his advisers began work on the first unified code of law for the realm; Septon Barth contributed greatly to the Great Code. A terrible case of the Shivers spread through the realm in 59–60 AC. Construction of the kingsroad began in 62 AC during Jaehaerys's reign. The Old King dealt with another Vulture King in the Third Dornish War in 61 AC, and then defeated the Fourth Dornish War in 83 AC.

More than a thousand lords traveled to Harrenhal for the Great Council of 101 AC, during which Prince Viserys Targaryen was chosen to be Jaehaerys's heir.

### The Dance of the Dragons

Prince Daemon Targaryen, the younger brother of King Viserys I Targaryen, began his war for the Stepstones in 106 AC.
The death of Viserys in 129 AC began the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Throughout the realm, the blacks of Rhaenyra Targaryen battled the greens of Aegon II Targaryen. Both claimants died during the war, which ended with Aegon III Targaryen, Rhaenyra's son, sitting the Iron Throne. Dalton Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, continued to occupy parts of the westerlands after the war ended, and a succession struggle broke out in the Iron Islands after his death.

The Winter Fever struck the realm in 132–133 AC during the regency of Aegon III. The last dragon of House Targaryen died in 153 AC during Aegon's reign, so he became known as the Dragonbane.

### The Young Dragon and Baelor the Blessed

King Daeron I Targaryen began his conquest of Dorne in 157 AC, and he achieved the Submission of Sunspear the following year. The Dornishmen rose in rebellion, however, and the Young Dragon was killed while meeting under a peace banner.

King Baelor I Targaryen traveled to Dorne to make peace and secure the release of Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. Baelor the Blessed began construction of the Great Sept in King's Landing, which would became the new seat for the Faith of the Seven.

### Aegon the Unworthy and Daeron II

King Aegon IV Targaryen is often regarded as one of the worst rulers of the Seven Kingdoms. The king granted Blackfyre, one of the Valyrian steel swords of House Targaryen to Ser Daemon Waters, one of his bastards, instead of awarding it to his heir. On his deathbed, Aegon the Unworthy legitimized all of his bastards, including the Great Bastards, those born to noble women.

In 187 AC, Dorne peacefully joined the Seven Kingdoms through the marriage of Princess Daenerys Targaryen, sister of King Daeron II Targaryen, to Maron Martell, Prince of Dorne.

Barthogan Stark, Lord of Winterfell, was killed while suppressing a rebellion of the Skagosi.

### Blackfyre Rebellions

Some lords hated the inclusion of Dornishmen at court, and they preferred the legitimized Daemon Blackfyre over the peaceable King Daeron II Targaryen. Supported by Ser Aegor Rivers, another of the Great Bastards, Daemon led the First Blackfyre Rebellion in 196 AC. The civil war ended with Daemon being struck down by Brynden Rivers, a Great Bastard called Bloodraven, in the Battle of the Redgrass Field. Aegor, called Bittersteel, survived the battle and went into exile in the Free Cities.
The Great Spring Sickness killed tens of thousands in the realm in 209–210 AC.

Bittersteel did not participate in the ill-fated Second Blackfyre Rebellion, which occurred at the wedding tourney at Whitewalls, but he did lead the Third Blackfyre Rebellion in support of Haegon I Blackfyre. The Targaryens triumphed over House Blackfyre again, however. After being freed while en route to the Wall, Aegor returned to Essos and founded the Golden Company.

Raymun Redbeard led a host of wildlings past the Wall in 226 AC, but they were eventually defeated in a battle at Long Lake.

### Aegon the Unlikely

After the death of King Maekar I Targaryen in the Peake Uprising, a Great Council was called in 233 AC to choose his successor. Aenys Blackfyre arrived in King's Landing to peacefully put forward his claim, but Bloodraven had him seized and executed. Maekar's fourth son was chosen, becoming King Aegon V Targaryen, and the new king sent Bloodraven to join the Night's Watch.

The Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion was one of several rebellions which Aegon the Unlikely was forced to confront. His efforts to help smallfolk through reform and rights made him popular with commoners, but his plans often provoked resistance from the realm's lords.

Aegon and many of those closest to him were killed in the tragedy at Summerhall in 259 AC.

### War of the Ninepenny Kings

After conquering Tyrosh and the Stepstones, the Band of Nine set the Seven Kingdoms as their next target. Lord Ormund Baratheon led the defense of the realm on behalf of King Jaehaerys II Targaryen in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. Ormund was killed by Maelys I Blackfyre in the conflict, but Ser Barristan Selmy avenged him by slaying Maelys on the Stepstones.

### Aerys and Tywin

King Aerys II Targaryen named his friend Ser Tywin Lannister, who had swiftly crushed the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt, to be his Hand of the King. The realm prospered from their partnership, with Tywin building new roads, holding tourneys, winning the support of merchants, and cultivating trade with the Free Cities. Tywin also rescinded many of Aegon V's efforts to help the smallfolk. Some came to say that it was Tywin who actually ruled the Seven Kingdoms.

Aerys's mental health declined greatly after the Defiance of Duskendale in 277 AC, and he eventually had a falling out with Tywin, Lord of Casterly Rock.

Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning and a knight of the Kingsguard, helped to defeat the Kingswood Brotherhood. The tourney at Harrenhal in 281 AC, the year of the false spring, was a splendid gathering of the realm's nobility, which included even the reclusive Aerys.

### Robert's Rebellion

The abduction of Lyanna Stark by Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone, led to King Aerys II Targaryen executing Lyanna's father Rickard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and Brandon Stark. Aerys then ordered Jon Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, to kill his wards, Eddard Stark and Robert I Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End. Lord Arryn refused, however, beginning Robert's Rebellion, also known as the War of the Usurper. Hoster Tully, Lord of Riverrun, arranged for his daughters, Catelyn and Lysa, to wed Eddard and Jon. Stannis Baratheon defended against the siege of Storm's End by Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden.

The slaying of Rhaegar by Robert in the Battle of the Trident led Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock, to march to King's Landing. Aerys opened the gates of the capital to his former Hand of the King, but Tywin's soldiers instead began the Sack of King's Landing. Tywin's son, Ser Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard, killed his charge, King Aerys, in the throne room. Robert succeeded Aerys on the Iron Throne and wed Tywin's daughter, Cersei Lannister.

### House Baratheon

King Robert I Baratheon sent his Hand of the King, Lord Jon Arryn, to secure peace with Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne. Robert's brother, Stannis Baratheon, led the assault on Dragonstone, the last redoubt of House Targaryen. Prince Viserys Targaryen and his infant sister, Princess Daenerys, fled into exile in the Free Cities with the aid of Ser Willem Darry.

In 289 AC, Robert and his Wardens suppressed Greyjoy's Rebellion, an attempt at independence by the Iron Islands.