House Stark
House Stark is a fictional noble family from
History
The Starks are descended from Brandon the Builder, a legendary figure from the Age of Heroes thousands of years in the past, who built Winterfell and the Wall. They were Kings of Winter in the North from the Age of Heroes beginning with Bran the Builder until Torrhen Stark submitted to Aegon the Conqueror at the end of the War of Conquest. Since that time the Starks have held the North for the kings of Westeros as Lords of Winterfell and Wardens of the North.
After
House Stark genealogy
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┌───┴────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
Edwyle═╤══Lady of the Flint Clan Unknown daughter══╤══member of House Royce
│ │
Rickard══╤══? 3 daughters═╤═Vale Lords
│ │
┌─────┼────┬─────┐ offspring
Brandon │Lyanna Benjen
│
?═══════╤═══════Eddard══╤══Catelyn Tully
│ │
│ ┌───────┼───────┬───────┬────────┐
Jon Snow Robb Sansa Arya Brandon Rickon
Current members
Eddard
Eddard Stark, sometimes called "Ned", is Lord of Winterfell, Lord Paramount of the North, and Warden of the North. He is a
From the age of eight, Ned was fostered by
Once the conflict had ended and Robert had taken the throne, Ned returned home, bringing with him a bastard son, Jon, about whose origins he refused to speak, even to his own wife; he quickly silenced rumors that the boy's mother was the Dornish noblewoman Ashara Dayne. He spent the next fifteen years as Lord of Winterfell, a task he had never expected and did not always feel equal to; he rarely left his lands, and did not involve himself in the complex intrigues of the southern courts.
After Jon Arryn's death, King Robert asked Eddard to replace him as Hand of the King, the monarch's closest advisor. Ned
preferred to decline the request, but went south at his wife's urging to investigate Arryn's death. He discovered that Robert's
children were actually the product of incest between Robert's wife
Catelyn Tully
Robb
Robb is Eddard Stark's eldest legitimate child, and the heir to Winterfell. He bears great responsibility with scant complaint, and shares his father's devotion to honor and justice. His appearance favors his Tully side, with a stocky build, blue eyes, and thick auburn hair. His companion direwolf is named Grey Wind.
When Eddard became the King's Hand, Robb remained at Winterfell to rule in his father's stead. Upon Eddard's execution, Robb
was declared King in the North and King of the Trident by his father's bannermen. The armies of the north and the riverlands
rallied to his cause. Robb won many great battles against the
His downfall was triggered by failure to fulfill one of his mother's pacts that cemented his tenuous reign. As part of an
alliance with
Wounded after a hard fought battle against
Lord Frey's claims of forgiveness eventually proved false, for when Robb attended his uncle's wedding to a Frey, he, Grey
Wind, his mother, and many of his men were murdered by Frey soldiers.
Shortly before Robb was murdered, he designated an heir by an official decree, believing his brothers and his sister Arya to be dead. During a conversation with his mother, they agreed that his sister Sansa, as the sole remaining lawful child of Eddard Stark, should be specifically disinherited to forestall her prospective children by Tyrion Lannister from having claim to Winterfell. In that conversation, he had suggested Jon Snow as the most plausible heir to Winterfell, as he is known to the Stark vassals as a son of Eddard Stark. It was not revealed who was named as heir in that decree, however. The only Lord who knows the identity of Robb Stark's heir is Roose Bolton.
Jeyne Westerling
Jeyne Westerling is the wife/widow of Robb Stark.
Sansa
Catelyn and Eddard's elder daughter, Sansa (a
When her father became the Hand of the King, eleven-year old Sansa was delighted at the prospect of life at court in
King's Landing, and thrilled to be betrothed to the handsome
She remained betrothed to Joffrey, suffering verbal and physical abuse at his hands and on his orders, until she was set aside
in favor of
After revealing the Tyrell plan to Ser Dontos (who told his master Petyr Baelish, who in turn told the Lannisters), Sansa was
instead forced to marry the king's uncle, the dwarf
Sansa ultimately escaped King's Landing on the day of Joffrey's wedding during the chaos caused by Joffrey's poisoning and
death. Believing Ser Dontos to be her savior, she was yet again disillusioned when she learned that he was working for payment,
from Petyr Baelish. Baelish took her by ship to the Eyrie, which
was ruled by Sansa's aunt,
While at the Eyrie, Sansa pretended to be Baelish's bastard daughter, taking the name and persona of 'Alayne Stone' so
thoroughly that she no longer thought of herself as Sansa. After Lysa's death Alayne became the mistress of the Eyrie,
demonstrating again her aptness for household duties, and learned something of courtly intrigues from Baelish. He also planned
for her marriage to
Arya
Arya (a
Arya traveled with her father to King's Landing. On the way south to the capital, however,
she was forced to abandon her direwolf Nymeria when it defended her from
With no family or home, and being hunted for a highborn prisoner, Arya became a servant to many parties under different names.
First, with Yoren of the
Sandor Clegane then stole her away to return her to her brother Robb and win a place in his service. Clegane and Arya reached the Frey castle at the Red Wedding, just as Arya's brother and mother were being murdered. Clegane prevented Arya from running to them, and decided that the only place left to take her was to the Vale of Arryn, which was ruled by Arya's aunt, the Lady Lysa. On the way, Clegane took a mortal wound, and Arya left him to die and caught a ship to Braavos to become an acolyte of the Faceless Men, the elite and terrifying company of professional assassins to which Jaqen H'ghar belonged.
Part of her training involved her assuming the new identity of "Cat of the Canals". Arya's training included abandoning all personal identity, but one night she took actions suitable for Arya Stark: killing a deserter from the Night's Watch and accepting milk meant for "Arya". She awoke blind the next morning.
Before sleeping, Arya always recites the names of her living enemies, finishing with "Valar Morghulis", a High Valyrian phrase meaning "All men must die." She has pitilessly eliminated several names from her list. Arya is bent on avenging her murdered family.
At the end of A Storm of Swords,
Bran
Catelyn and Eddard's second son, Bran (a POV character) enjoys climbing and exploring Winterfell. Like his siblings, he is dutiful and tough-minded. He is named for his deceased uncle Brandon, elder brother of Eddard. He dreams of one day being a great knight. His direwolf companion is named Summer.
On a climbing expedition, he passed a window through which he could see
After Robb became King in the North, Bran, as Robb's heir, became the Prince of Winterfell and ruled the castle in his brother's absence. He befriended Meera and Jojen Reed, children of his father's most trusted friend, Howland Reed, when they came to pledge the fealty of House Reed. While sleeping, Bran frequently entered Summer's mind, though he thought at first that he was simply dreaming. Jojen recognized Bran's ability and instructed him on how to use it properly. After learning of Bran's visions, Jojen claimed that if Bran went north beyond the Wall, he could find the three-eyed crow. When Theon Greyjoy betrayed the Starks and captured Winterfell, Bran hid in the crypts until Theon was betrayed inturn by the Bastard of Dreadfort and Winterfell was burned, exceptingthe crypts and Godswood. Bran, the Reeds, and Bran's idiot but gigantic servant Hodor went north to seek the three-eyed crow of Bran's dreams. They traveled beyond the Wall and met Coldhands, an enigmatic figure of uncertain allegiance.
Rickon
Eddard's youngest child, only three years old when the series begins. Rickon is a naturally aggressive and strong-willed child, but his youth makes it difficult for him to cope with the terrible changes that come to his family and life. His direwolf companion is named Shaggydog.
Shortly after Eddard's death in King's Landing, both Bran and Rickon shared a vision of their father's spirit in the crypts. As the turmoil of Eddard's death shakes his family, Rickon became largely unsupervised as his eldest brother and mother left to war, and his sisters were held captive at King's Landing. Alone with his crippled brother Bran at Winterfell, Rickon developed an unruly, often violent temper. His fear and rage were reflected in his direwolf, Shaggydog, who turned largely feral and attacked several people before being restrained. Several times, Bran's direwolf Summer was forced to fight Shaggydog into submission. Rickon hid with Bran in the crypts during Theon Greyjoy's brief reign at Winterfell. When Winterfell was sacked and burned by Ramsay Bolton, the brothers were separated for their safety. The wildling woman Osha took Rickon and Shaggydog to parts unknown.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow is the
Jon, who received the surname customarily assigned to bastards born of the North, is of an age with Robb. Despite his wife
Catelyn's objections, Ned insisted on taking responsibility for the boy, and he grew up side-by-side with the trueborn Starks and
is close with everyone but Catelyn and Sansa. He has a long face and lean build, with strong Stark features. His direwolf
companion is named Ghost due to his
As Jon was growing up, his position became increasingly awkward. During King
When Mormont mounted an expedition to investigate the goings-on in the north after disappearances of several rangers,
including Benjen Stark, Jon went ahead with a small group of scouts led by the famous Qhorin Halfhand. Along the way, Jon
captured a
Jon joined the wildlings and linked up with the massive wildling army Mance Rayder had drawn together. Jon met Mance and learned his plans to cross the
Wall. For a time, Jon became Ygritte's lover and hesitated between betraying her or leaving the Night's Watch. On a mission to
scale the Wall, Jon escaped his wildling comrades to rejoin the Watch. There he took command of the skeleton crew left defending
the Wall after Mormont's expedition was scattered. Despite overwhelming odds, Jon successfully beat back several wildling
assaults until
Though several of Jon's enemies in the Watch accused him of being a turncloak during his time with the wildlings, his service
defending the Wall and spying on Mance earned him popular support. Jon was released and, due to the efforts of Samwell Tarly,
voted the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Though Stannis offered to make him Lord of House Stark, Jon refused, and
further worked to frustrate the plots of Stannis's priestess Melisandre by sending Mance's child away from the wall. He does not trust
Stannis, and is full of hatred for
Jon Snow's parentage is a subject of intense speculation among fans. Eddard would not speak of the matter: when asked point-blank by Catelyn about the rumor that Jon's mother was Ashara Dayne, he would not answer; years later, when queried by Robert, he admitted that a lowborn woman named Wylla is Snow's mother. Both possibilities have been mentioned by outside sources (Cersei Lannister believes his mother to be Lady Dayne, while Lord Edric Dayne of Starfall, who was wet-nursed by Wylla, assures Arya that he and Jon are milk brothers), but the only living characters who know for certain are Howland Reed and possibly Wylla herself.
Benjen
Benjen Stark is Lord Eddard's younger brother, and the First Ranger of the
When King Robert visited the Starks at Winterfell, Benjen was invited back to the castle. At the feast held in honor of the
king, Benjen's talk with his nephew Jon Snow ultimately prompted the young bastard boy to join the
Past and historical members
Brandon
Eddard's elder brother, who died before the Usurper's Rebellion. He is described by those who knew him as taller, more handsome, and more passionate than Eddard. He was also an excellent swordsman and jouster.
Brandon was betrothed to Catelyn Tully of Riverrun, but Petyr Baelish, a ward of Catelyn's father, loved Catelyn and challenged Brandon to a duel for her hand. Brandon won their duel, but did not kill him in concession to Catelyn's pleas. Brandon was on his way to Riverrun to wed Catelyn when word reached him of his sister Lyanna's supposed abduction by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Brandon and four companions rode to King's Landing and threatened Rhaegar's life. They were arrested by King Aerys and charged with plotting Rhaegar's murder. Their fathers were called to court to answer the charges. Brandon died while trying to save his father from being burned to death by King Aerys.
Lyanna
Eddard's only sister, Lyanna died at the end of Robert's Rebellion. She is described by many people who knew her as a spirited young woman and an excellent rider. She was said to exhibit the same Stark coloring as her brother Ned, and was regarded as beautiful.
Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, who was infatuated with her. Lyanna was not as ardent in her love for Robert, and
was fully aware of his philandering ways. However, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen crowned her
Queen of Love and Beauty after winning the Harrenhal tourney, passing
over his wife, the Dornish princess Elia, in her favor. The exact nature of her relationship with Rhaegar is not presently clear,
but shortly thereafter Rhaegar apparently abducted her. Robert and Brandon Stark believed that Lyanna had been taken against her
will. Their anger over the event triggered Robert's Rebellion. After the
sack of King's Landing, Eddard and six companions went to retrieve Lyanna at the building Rhaegar had named the "tower of joy".
They fought three
Other Starks
No precise lineage of House Stark is known, but the individuals listed below are supposed to be in rough chronological order.
- Bran, the Builder, founder of house Stark and the first King of the North, builder of Winterfell castle and the Wall.
- King Theon, the Hungry Wolf
- King Jon
- King Brandon, the Shipwright, loved sailing and built up a mighty Northern fleet.
- King Brandon, the Burner, burned the entire Northern fleet after the disappearance of his father on the Sunset Sea.
- King Jon
- King Jonnel
- King Jon
- King Dorren
- King Jon
- King Jon, built the castle of White Harbor after driving away sea raiders.
- King Rickard, defeated the Marsh King extending their kingdom to include the Neck.
- King Rodrick
- King Edrick
- King Benjen, the Bitter
- King Benjen, the Sweet
- King Eyron
- King Edderion, the Bridegroom
- King Walton, the Moonking
- King Brandon, the Bad
- Karlon, a younger brother of the king and founder of the Karstarks.
- King Jorah
- King Jonos
- King Edwyn, the Spring King
- King Bran, the Daughterless
- Torrhen, the King Who Knelt, The last King in the North, who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror, making the North part of the Seven Kingdoms.
- Cregan, who fought Aemon the Dragonknight
- Brandon
- Barth
- Jonnel
- Rodwell
- Beron
- Donner
- Artos, the Implacable
- Willam
- Edwyle
- Rickard, killed by order of King Aerys Targaryen at the start of Robert's Rebellion.
Sworn Houses
Bolton of the Dreadfort. In the distant past, the Boltons were the Starks' most powerful rivals in the north. They violently contested Stark authority, but eventually submitted about a thousand years before the beginning of the series. Their sigil is a flayed man, coming from their tradition of flaying captives.- Cerwyn of Cerwyn. Their motto is "Honed and Ready".
- Dustin of Barrowton.
- Glover of Deepwood Motte.
- Flint. Three branches of House Flint are known:
- Flint of Flint's Finger.
- Flint of Widow's Watch.
- Flint (a clan of the mountains) Lord Eddard's grandmother was born of this house.
- Hornwood of Hornwood. Their motto is "Righteous in Wrath".
- Karstark of Karhold. The Karstarks are descended from a younger son of House Stark, Karlon Stark, who defeated a rebel lord. He was rewarded with lands of his own, on which a castle named after him was built. Karstark's motto is: "The Sun of Winter".
- Liddle. A clan of the mountains.
- Locke of Oldcastle.
- Manderly of White Harbour. A very rich house coming from the Reach; it is led by Lord Wyman Manderly.
- Mormont of Bear Island. The Mormonts were given the island after King Rodrick Stark took it over from the Ironborn.
- Norrey. A clan of the mountains.
- Reed of Greywater Watch. The Reeds rule the swampy lands of the Neck from a floating fortress.
- Ryswell of the Rills.
- Tallhart of Torrhen's Square.
- Umber of Last Hearth. Last Hearth is near the
Wall . The Umbers are thus used to fightingwildling raiders from the north.
External links
- House Stark entry at Tower of the Hand encyclopedia
- Who are Jon Snow's parents? - article referencing possible clues within the books
- House Stark on A Wiki of Ice and Fire
|
A Song of Ice and Fire by |
|
|---|---|
| Novels | A Game of
Thrones (1996) · A Clash of
Kings (1998) · A Storm of
Swords (2000) · A Feast for
Crows (2005) · |
| Novellas | The Hedge Knight · The Sworn Sword |
| Major Houses | |
| Other characters | Minor Houses · Independent characters ·
Complete character list · |
| Organizations | |
| Places | Westeros · Cities · Strongholds · |
| Wars and tourneys | Historic
wars · |
| Games | A Game of Thrones: |
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