Map of 7 kingdoms game of thrones titles. Heroes of the Seven Kingdoms: the main men of the Game of Thrones series

This page provides information about history Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms before the events of the books begin.

Although the history of Westeros goes back many thousands of years, the dates before Aegon's Landing are estimated more than approximately, and the further into the past, the less confidence there is in certain dates. Many events, especially those related to ancient times, shrouded in a veil of myths and legends.

– When did this all happen?

“Five hundred years before the Andals.” Or for a thousand, according to " True story" But no one knows when the Andals crossed the Narrow Sea. The True History says that four thousand years have passed since then, but some maesters believe that only two. After certain moment all dates become blurred, and the clarity of history is replaced by a veil of legends. Dance of the Dragons, Jaime

Before Z.E.

Dawn era

At this time there were no people in Westeros; the mainland was inhabited by Children of the Forest and giants. The Children of the Forest, "singers of the land's song", have lived in Westeros for at least ten thousand years. They worshiped nameless Old Gods, did not know metals and, according to legend, had magical powers. It was they who carved faces on the weirwoods that can be seen in different places in Westeros.

12000
years ago

Approximately twelve thousand years ago, the First Men armed with bronze weapons appeared in Westeros. They came from Essos through the then existing isthmus that connected two continents - the Hand of Dorn. The human settlers began to cut down the sacred forests for their fields and fortresses, which horrified the Children of the Forest and they went to war with the newcomers. With the help of magic, the Children of the Forest caused natural disasters, in particular, fragmenting the Hand of Dorn and turning it into scattered islands of the Stepstone.

Finally, the sages of both nations called for peace, and a treaty was made between the Children of the Forest and the First Men on the Isle of Faces on Lake God's Eye. The Children of the Forest handed over most of the continent to the First People - the coasts, plains and mountains, keeping the forests for themselves, but forbidding the cutting down of the weirwoods. From that moment on, friendship began between the Children of the Forest and the First People. Over time, the First Men adopted faith in the Old Gods, who were worshiped by the Children of the Forest.

The Long Night and the Age of Heroes

8000
years ago

Eight thousand years ago, a long, cold winter turned into the Long Night, when the sun did not rise for many years - an entire generation. An army of Others invaded the kingdoms of men, bringing with them frost and death. A certain hero opposed the Others, and the First People, in alliance with the Children of the Forest, won. In the North, Brandon the Builder, with the help of giants, built a grandiose Wall. The Order of the Night's Watch, which fought against the Others in the Dawn Battle, began to guard the Wall - so as not to let the Others through if they returned again. Several decades later, the thirteenth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch declared himself the King of the Night and, with the help of witchcraft, ruled the Wall for thirteen years. Stark of Winterfell and Joramun the wildling together overthrew him.

However, the Age of Heroes is a time of great deeds and heroes; many modern houses like to trace their genealogy back to these ancient times. In the north, the same Brandon the Builder built, in addition to the Wall, the formidable castle of Winterfell and founded the Stark dynasty. The warrior Simeon Star-Eyed, having lost both eyes, inserted sapphires into his eye sockets. Even though he was blind, he remained a great warrior and fought with a staff with blades on both ends. In the east, Durran built the castle of Storm's End, which the sea gods failed to destroy, and founded the dynasty of the Durrandons, the Storm Kings. On the Iron Islands, the Gray King killed the colossal sea dragon Nagga and built a palace from her bones. In the west, the legendary cunning Lann the Clever took Casterly Rock from Casterly House, using nothing other than his wits. He stole gold from the sun to dye his curls with it. In the south lived a king named Garth Greenhand: he wore a crown of vines and flowers and miraculously made the lands of the Reach bloom.

Andal Invasion

4000
years ago

Between two and four thousand years ago, Westeros was invaded by a new people, the Andals. These conquerors, armed with weapons of steel and fanatically devoted to their faith in the Seven, crossed the Narrow Sea, fell upon the kingdoms of the First Men, and over the course of several hundred years conquered them one by one. Some kingdoms were defeated in battle, like the river kingdom of the Mudds, others surrendered and pledged allegiance to the conquerors, like the Hightowers and the city of Oldtown. Only at Moat Cailin did the First Men hold the line, and the North remained First Men while the south became Andal. The Andals intermingled with the First Men and formed new kingdoms; modern chivalric traditions, religion and writing are all Andal heritage.

Over the next millennia, different kingdoms divided the lands of Westeros among themselves. The Stark Kings of the North and the Kings of the Vale of Arryn have fought each other for centuries over the Three Sisters, islands in Jaw Bay. The Hoars, a new royal dynasty that reigned on the Iron Islands after the fall of the Greyirons, subjugated the western coast of the continent. The Gardner kings established their power in the Reach; only six hundred years ago they drove the powerful Manderly family from the banks of the Mander River, and they found a new home in the North as vassals of the Starks. And the North also could not do without wars: the Starks fought for centuries with the Boltons from the Dreadfort until they submitted to the power of Winterfell. The Durrandons captured part of the Riverlands, but later, just before the emergence of the Targaryens, the Hoars drove the Storm Kings out of there and created a powerful state stretching from sea to sea.

Relocation of the Rhoynar to Dorne

700
years BC

The last major migration of peoples to the lands of Westeros occurred a thousand years ago. The Rhoynar, once neighbors of the Andals in western Essos, were defeated by the Valyrians and fled west across the sea from their war dragons. Thousands of Rhoynar ships landed in the south of Westeros, in Dorne. In alliance with House Martell, the Rhoynar captured Dorne and mixed with the local inhabitants - descendants of the Andals and the First Men. Over time, they adopted the faith in the Seven and knightly traditions from the Andals, but Dorne remained an original region of Westeros, unlike any other - neither in blood, nor in clothing, nor in morals.

Doom of Valyria

102
years BC

In 102 B.C. the central lands of Valyria were destroyed by a natural disaster - earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis reshaped the Valyrian lands, and the once flourishing peninsula turned into a group of volcanic islands with the ruins of cities that are dangerous to approach even hundreds of years later. The wealthy and ancient Targaryen family foresaw the Doom and, twelve years before it, fled from their native lands to the island of Dragonstone, the western outpost of the empire off the coast of Westeros. All Valyrian dragons died during the Doom, leaving the three Targaryen dragons as the last of their kind in the world. Although Valyria disappeared from the world map, its legacy remained: nine Free Cities, former Valyrian colonies, rose on the western coast; in the east, the Ghiscari city-states rose - the remnants of the Ghiscari Empire, once conquered by Valyria. What remained were Valyrian roads, ancient scrolls and weapons made of Valyrian steel - as legends say, forged with the help of spells and dragon fire.

• 114: Aenar Targaryen and his family moved to Dragonstone.
• 102: Valyria is destroyed by Doom.
• 51: Vhagar hatched on Dragonstone.
• 42: Construction began on Harrenhal Castle.
• 37: Sharra Arryn born.
• 28: Visenya Targaryen born.
• 27: Aegon I Targaryen born.
• 26: Rhaenys Targaryen born.
• 2: Aegon landed with an army on the site of the future King's Landing.

After Z.E.

Conquest of Westeros

1
year AC

For almost two hundred years, the Targaryens lived on Dragonstone. Finally, Aegon I Targaryen and his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, as well as Aegon's half-brother Orys Baratheon, landed on the shores of the Blackwater Bay in what is now the Crownlands with a small army of several thousand soldiers and, more importantly, three adult dragons. Within two years, Aegon captured six of the seven kingdoms: he besieged and burned Harrenhal, defeated the army of the Stormlands in the field, then the united army of the Expanse and the West. Some kings died in battle, others, like Torrhen Stark, bent the knee and became lords vassal to the Targaryens. In 1 year AC. Aegon was anointed to reign as the High Septon in Oldtown - from that moment on, chronology is calculated. The unified Targaryen empire stretched from the Wall in the far North to the southern seas, and only one area never submitted to Aegon: Dorne. Attempts to conquer this country cost the Targaryens dearly, and in the end they recognized the independence of Dorne.

• 1: Aegon I's coronation in Oldtown.
• 4: Beginning of the First Dornish War.
• 7: Aenys Targaryen born.
• 10: Dornish assassins attack Aegon and Visenya on the streets of the capital; establishment of the Royal Guard; death of Rhaenys Targaryen.
• 13: After the death of Princess Meria Martell, a peace treaty is signed with Dorne.
• 19: Talltree on the Summer Isles is ravaged by pirates.
• 22: Aenys Targaryen married Alyssa Velaryon.
• 23: Rhaena Targaryen born.
• 25: Maegor Targaryen married Cerise Hightower.
• 33: Aegon I made his last tour of the land.
• 34: Jaehaerys I Targaryen born.
• 35: Aegonfort Castle in the capital is demolished to build the Red Keep.
• 37: Aegon I the Conqueror died.

Rise of the Holy Host and the Old King

37-48
years from AC

After the death of Aegon the Conqueror, his son Aenys Targaryen, a weak and incompetent ruler, ascended to the Iron Throne. News of Aegon's death sparked uprisings across the land, but the largest of these was the Rebellion of the Holy Host, which turned into a ten-year civil war. Maegor Targaryen, who replaced Aenys, spent years fighting both the rebel orders and his own nephews - pretenders to the throne. Ultimately, only Aegon's grandson Jaehaerys I Targaryen managed to restore peace in the country. With the help of his sister-wife Alysanne and his Hand, Septon Barth, he reigned for over fifty years, and his reign is remembered as peaceful and just.

• 37: The son of Aegon and Rhaenys, King Aenys Targaryen, ascended to the Iron Throne. Rebellions at different ends of the country: Harren the Red, Jonos Arren, false Lodos, Vulture King.
• 39: Maegor Targaryen married Alys Harroway.
• 41: Prince Aegon married his sister Reyna. Beginning of the uprising of the Holy Host.
• 42: Maegor Targaryen ascended the throne and married Tyanna of the Tower. Grand Maester Gaven is executed.
• 43: Battle of God's Eye. Death of Prince Aegon. Alice Harroway, Lucas Harroway and other members of the house, as well as Grand Maester Desmond, are executed.
• 44: The High Septon, the inspirer of the uprising, died. Visenya Targaryen died.
• 45: The Red Castle is completed. A new campaign against the Holy Host. Death of Cerisa Hightower.
• 47: Maegor Targaryen married three women at once ("Black Brides").
• 48: Jaehaerys I Targaryen announced his intention to reclaim the throne. Death of Maegor Targaryen and Tianna of the Tower.

Dance of the Dragons

129-131
years from AC

After the death of King Viserys I Targaryen, a new civil war broke out. The king was to be succeeded by his eldest daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen, but the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Criston Caul, called the Kingmaker, crowned Rhaenyra's half-brother, Aegon II. This fratricidal war, in which members of the Targaryen family and their dragons fought on both sides, ended with both Rhaenyra and Aegon dead. Aegon III, son of Rhaenyra, became the new king. Many dragons died during the war, and the last of them died after it, possibly being poisoned by Aegon III. Some speculate that with the death of the last dragons, magic disappeared from the world.

Dornish War

157-161
years from AC

The young king Daeron I Targaryen, having taken the throne, immediately organized an invasion of Dorne - the only country in Westeros that has not yet submitted to the Targaryens. After long battles, Daeron captured Dorne, but as soon as he considered his task completed and returned to the north, the Dornish rebelled again. Trying to suppress this uprising, Daeron I died. His successor, the extremely religious King Baelor the Blessed, saw fit to reconcile with Dorne, and only a few decades later another king, Daeron II Targaryen, annexed Dorne by dynastic marriage.

Blackfyre Rebellions

195-211
years from AC

Several civil wars were associated with the emergence of a subsidiary branch within the ruling house of Targaryen, the house of Blackfyre. King Aegon IV Targaryen was the father of many bastards and before his death legitimized every single one of them - which, according to law and custom, put them on a par with the king's only legitimate son, Daeron II, who himself may not have been the son of Aegon IV, but Aemon the Dragon Knight. Daemon Blackfyre, son of Aegon IV and his cousin Daena Targaryen, was a full-blooded Targaryen and, as a legitimate bastard, could lay claim to the throne - he even received the Targaryen family sword, the Black Flame, as a gift, which Daemon's supporters interpreted as a sign of his confirmation as heir. Twelve years after Aegon's death, Daemon Blackfyre rebelled against King Daeron, and almost half the kingdom joined him. In the Battle of the Redgrass Field, Daemon Blackfyre was killed, but many of his supporters, including another legitimized bastard of Aegon IV - Aegor Rivers - fled overseas to the Free Cities. Subsequently, the descendants of Damon Blackfyre - in fact, a separate branch of the House of Targaryen - more than once tried to raise uprisings and seize the throne.

Events of the stories of Dunk and Egg

209-211
years from AC

The three Dunk and Egg tales released to date are set in 209-211 AC. In the story “The Hedge Knight”, the squire Dunk declared himself knight Duncan the Tall and attended the Ashford tournament, accompanied by the boy Egg, who became his squire. Dunk's conflict with Prince Aerion Targaryen almost cost the knight his life, but Egg saved him by revealing his incognito identity: Prince Aegon Targaryen, Aerion's younger brother. The Court of Seven was organized, at which Dunk defended his honor, but the uncle of both princes, Prince Baelor, who fought on his side, received a mortal wound. Egg remained Dunk's squire. In 211, two years later, Dunk and Egg entered the service of Eustace Osgrey, a minor landowning knight in the Reach, and were forced to resolve a border dispute with Osgrey's neighbor, Lady Roanna Webber. Another six months later, Dunk and Egg found themselves involved in a conspiracy that almost escalated into a new civil war: Damon Blackfyre Jr. and Lord Gormon Peak tried to gather the opposition lords at a tournament in Whitewall, but the then Hand of Brynden Rivers surrounded the castle with troops and arrested the conspirators.

Great spring fever

209
year AC

This year, a pandemic of some highly contagious disease, possibly the gray plague, broke out in Westeros, killing many of the continent's inhabitants. In King's Landing, 40% of the population died, and in Lannisport and Oldtown, up to half. King Daeron II Targaryen, his eldest sons, the then High Septon and Hand of the King, Lord Damon Lannister and many others died. The eldest surviving prince, Aerys I Targaryen, took the throne, and Brynden Rivers became his Hand.

Rise of Dagon Greyjoy

211
year AC

The Lord of the Iron Islands, Dagon Greyjoy, took advantage of the weakening of central power by announcing his intention to conquer the lands near the Sunset Sea. The islanders' ships attacked and plundered the entire coast from the Stony Shore in the north to the Arbor in the south; The armed forces of the Starks and Lannisters were defeated - as the descendants of Dagon put it, he “dragged the lion by the beard and tied the tail of the direwolf in a knot.” However, the Targaryens suppressed this rebellion.

War of the Ninepenny Kings

255-260
years from AC

The Ninepenny Kings were a group of ambitious magnates, mercenaries, and pirates who seized power in the Free City of Tyrosh. They later subjugated the Disputed Lands and the Stepstones, the islands between Westeros and Essos. Here they began to make plans for the invasion of Westeros, gathering a fleet and people. The king of the new Westeros was to be Maelis Blackfyre, captain of the Golden Company and the last of the dynasty

) has systematically and deliberately cut out almost all references to the history of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros in an attempt to pare down as much of the story as possible. Everything went well for the first five seasons, but the sixth season suddenly introduces 12,000 years of history into the main plot, setting the stage for the final two (incomplete) seasons of the series, and attempting to provide roughly the same ending as author George R.R. Martin intended in of his latest two upcoming novels.

This has understandably left many fans scratching their heads as to what this means. In an attempt to untangle the confusing backstory, we've put together a brief but comprehensive history of Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, you won't learn all the intricacies of the conqueror Aegon's campaign to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, but you will have a good understanding of the basics of Westeros.

Before Game of Thrones

Age of Dawn – 12,000 years ago

The first people arrive in Westeros through a naturally created land bridge that connects the mainland to Essos. Along with their own culture and religion, they bring with them something Westeros has never seen before: technology. Equipped with bronze swords and leather shields, and using horses to travel and fight, the first people begin to claim the land for themselves, cutting down forests to make way for their new settlements.

This drives out the native inhabitants of Westeros, a lesser race of magical creatures that the First Men came to call the Children of the Forest. And to make matters worse, they were considered Heart Trees, and the trees were systematically cut down, which was blasphemous towards them. War was approaching.

The children use their magic (including breaking the bridge of the earth, turning it into rocky islands), but they are no match for the numbers and superiority of the people. They make one last desperate move and create the White Walkers, who essentially become a series of supernatural super-soldiers. However, this backfires: one day, these ice zombies rebel against their masters.

The pact was eventually signed; it provides for the peaceful coexistence of the two peoples. The children agree to stay in the forest, and the First Men vow to leave the forests alone. Eventually, they even adopt the Children's religion as their own, worshiping the gods of the forest, stream and stone (a practice that is still alive in the north to this day).

(It is possible that the truce was due to the growing threat of the Walkers, but there is nothing in history about the first mass invasion of Westeros under the onslaught of these creatures).

The Long Night – 8,000 years ago

A generation-long winter suddenly descends upon the entire world, bringing with it the first all-out White Walker invasion. Between hunger, insecurity and the war itself, tens of thousands (if not more) of people are dying.

In Westeros, the First Men search for the now-forgotten haunts of the Children of the Forest, attempting to lead a military alliance to keep the ice zombies at bay. This works and the Wall is subsequently created along with the Night's Watch to ensure that a surprise attack never hits the continent again. The children supply the first brothers of the Watch with several hundred obsidian daggers, the only weapons that can harm the Walkers.

Essos sends a legendary figure mainly known as Azor Ahai, who forges an unstoppable magical sword, the Lightbringer, by tempering it in the blood (and possibly soul) of his wife, Nissa Nissa. The Red Priests and priestess R'hllor, the god of fire, prophesy that the Long Night will one day return, and the reincarnated Azor will soon follow her to save humanity once again.

Andal Invasion - 6,000 years ago

Thanks regarding new technology shipbuilding and shipping, a group of people called the Andals leaves Essoss and goes looking for new home in Westeros, like the first people six thousand years ago. And just like their predecessors, the Andals begin the process of rapid colonization, starting a long war with the First People and pushing them north.

And again, in the end, a truce is signed for harmonious coexistence. The First Men remain in the north, where they continue to pray to the Old Gods, while the new arrivals take over the rest of the continent, establishing their new Faith of the Seven (of which the High Sparrow is the current leader). But the cultural invention of knights and Andal chivalry eventually begins to be practiced throughout the country.

Another side effect of the migration is less positive: the complete disappearance of the Children of the Forest due to the presence of a great man. Soon people believe that they will become extinct and (eventually) become just a myth.

Rise of Valyria – 5,000 years ago

Originally just one of countless societies scattered across the great landmass of Essos, Valyria abandoned its place when it discovered the presence of dragons within its borders (a nesting place in a massive ring of volcanoes). After the Valyrians learned to use magic to tame the great beasts, they quickly established themselves as the greatest political and military power the world had ever known, ruling for nearly five millennia.

Former superpower of Essos, Old Empire Ghis tries to prevent his extinction by going to war with the Valyrians about five times, but their legions of soldiers are no match for the dragons. Valyria expands to include former Ghiscari territory, including Slaver's Bay (which Daenerys Targaryen currently calls home), and even spans west to the very edge of Westeros, forming the remote outpost of Dragonstone (which will eventually be under the control of King Stannis Baratheon).

Exodus of the Rhoynar - 1,000 years ago

The third and final major migration in Westeros is sparked by the Valyrians, who proceed to take over Essos. The Rhoynar, egalitarians who make their home along the mighty Rhoyne River, are soundly defeated in war (water magic is apparently useless against dragons), prompting their warrior queen, Nymeria, to set sail in search of a new home. They eventually find Dorne, where Nymeria marries into the Martell family and spreads the liberal culture of her people: explains why Dorne remains so unique among all the other kingdoms of Westeros (including the reason for using "prince" instead of "king").

Doom of Valyria – 412 years ago

After five thousand years of unbroken dominance, Valyria falls precipitously when a disaster of unknown nature strikes them, reducing the peninsula to a series of islands. (It seems that a huge chain of volcanoes located throughout the country is to blame for the cataclysm, but we are not sure whether their massive eruptions were magical or strictly geological in nature). The now flooded area is called the Smoking Sea.

There are two powerful consequences of the so-called Doom of Valyria: first, all Valyrian spells, knowledge and history are lost forever. Second, the rest of the Dragonrider Empire crumbles almost instantly along with their homeland, causing many regions and former colonies to declare their independence (including Slaver's Bay and the Nine Free Cities).

Aegon's Conquest – 298 years ago

Just 12 years before the death of Valyria, Daenerys Targaryen saw a prophetic vision of her apocalyptic fall. She begs her father to move House Targaryen to the safety of Dragonstone, which he does, preserving his family and allowing her to become the sole survivor of the former empire.

In the century following the fall of Valyria, the Targaryens try to expand their domain to recreate their own little piece of Valyria. However, until Aegon arrives, their dreams of conquest are not realized. The intervention of the constantly warring Free Cities began. Aegon quickly decides to turn back to Essos and do something that has never been done before: unite all of Westeros into one giant, master kingdom. (By this point, the several hundred kingdoms that the First Men had originally founded had been reduced to seven by neighbors who absorbed each other through military conquest or marriage alliances).

Through Aegon's conquest, he, his two sister-wives and their three dragons, supported by a relatively small number of soldiers, defeat six of the Seven Realms, with some kings killed in battle and others willingly submitting to King Aegon I Targaryen. After two short years, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are formed. The consequences are impressive: the Iron Throne is assembled from the melted swords of all of Aegon's fallen enemies; King's Landing, the new capital, is built where his campaign began; and former kings were given new titles, such as the Starks, who rule as kings in the North and are currently called the Wardens of the North.

Although Dorne technically still remains independent of the new Targaryen rule (it is the only kingdom that has successfully withstood the might of the Horsemen) - after 187 years, they join the monarchical church through the marriage of the current prince from Dorne and a Targaryen princess.

Rise of the Holy Host – 257 years ago

Aegon I Targaryen's son, Aenys, takes the throne after his father's death and immediately, albeit unintentionally, continues to agitate the Faith of the Seven, which at this time possessed an army called the Holy Host. The last straw is the marriage of the king's son Aenys and his daughter; Although the Targaryens marry among themselves according to a long tradition, the Faith condemns them for insulting the gods. A war begins that lasts for seven long and bloody years.

When Jaehaerys I ascends the throne, the rebellions end and peace reigns. The new king negotiates a peace treaty with the High Septon; in exchange for a formal pardon for all rebels and an oath that the Iron Throne will always defend the Faith, the Holy Host is disbanded and the practice of religious trials ends.

This status quo lasts for the next two and a half centuries until Queen Regent Cersei Lannister rescinds King Jaehaerys' treaty for immediate and fleeting personal gain.

Death of the Last Dragon – 145 years ago

King Aegon III Targaryen, the seventh king of the united Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, has the dubious honor of being the last monarch to oversee true dragons. Magical creatures have become increasingly weaker over the past century, especially since the bloody Targaryen Civil War (called the Dance of Dragons), which ended 22 years ago, killing many dragons. And while Aegon does everything possible to give birth to healthy offspring, he only succeeds in breeding sickly babies. He is unable to prevent the death of the last of them, which earns him the nickname of the Dragon Slayer, and this dramatically undermines the effectiveness of magic throughout the world.

Robert's Rebellion – 17 years ago

Rhaegar Targaryen, the crown prince, "kidnaps" Lyanna Stark (Jon Snow's mother), Eddard Stark's sister, and proceeds to hold her hostage and "rape" her. However, this is only the official summary of events, as belatedly revealed by Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark. There are several reasons to believe that Lyanna left Rhaegar of her own free will, as they appeared to be secretly in love, despite the fact that he was already married and had two children of his own.

Lord Rickard Stark, Warden of the North, and his eldest son and heir, Brandon, seek justice. King Aerys II, the 17th Targaryen monarch, summons them to King's Landing only to be tortured and executed. Additionally, in order to prevent further "rebellion", he demands the heads of Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon, who live in the Eyrie under the watchful (and instructive) watch of Lord Jon Arryn, Warden of the East.

He has already earned the nickname "Mad King" for his increasingly erratic behavior (largely believed to be a byproduct of centuries of inbreeding by the Targaryen family), and these unjustifiably cruel actions become the last straw for many in the kingdom. Houses Stark, Baratheon, and Arryn openly declare war, calling on the other Great Houses of Westeros to overthrow Aerys. Robert's Rebellion, as it is called, lasts one year and results in the deaths of Prince Rhaegar (who is killed by Robert in one battle) and King Aerys II (killed by Jaime Lannister, a member of his own Kingsguard, who stabs him in the back); the murder of Rhaegar's wife Elia Martell (sister of Princess Doran and Oberyn Martell) and her two children on the direct orders of Lord Tywin Lannister; and the final exile of Aerys's two remaining children, Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys (who flee with Varys' secret help to Essos). After the end of the war, Lyanna Stark also dies in childbirth in the Tower of Joy in Dorne, where she was secretly kept.

With the fall of House Targaryen, House Baratheon rises to become the second royal family, Robert ascends to the Iron Throne, and Jon Arryn becomes Hand of the King. It is Jon who arranges his marriage to Cersei Lannister, uniting the two most powerful houses in all of Westeros to help heal the wounds of the rebellion.

Other notable events during the war include: the allegiance of House Tully, the Masters of Riverrun, to the Baratheon-Stark-Arryn alliance (in exchange for the marriage of Lysa Tully and Jon Arryn); House Tyrell swears allegiance to the Targaryens and attempts to lay siege to Storm's End, the seat of House Baratheon (which Stannis once held); King Aerys II's secret plan to level all of King's Landing with a hidden forest fire; and the sudden as well as unexpected arrival of the venerable Ned Stark's illegitimate son, Jon Snow, who returns home to Winterfell with him.

Rise of the First Greyjoy – 9 years ago

Since House Greyjoy, lords of the Iron Islands, has remained neutral in Robert's Rebellion, maintaining its power, and since Lord Balon Greyjoy believes that King Robert Baratheon has a weak hold on the Iron Throne, Balon decides to declare the independence of the ironborn, proclaiming himself king, and begins a war of devastation along the western coast of Westeros.

But Balon was wrong on two main points: Robert had strong support among the Great Houses, and the Royal Navy was larger and stronger than the Iron Fleet. The Greyjoy Rebellion ends almost immediately after it begins, resulting in the invasion of the Iron Islands, Balon swearing allegiance to King Robert personally, and the kidnapping of Balon's only surviving son, Theon, who is taken to Winterfell to serve as Eddard Stark's hostage, as well as House Greyjoy obeyed.

During Game of Thrones

The Death of Lord Hand Jon Arryn

Unbeknownst to King Robert Baratheon, Queen Cersei Lannister has been maintaining a secret affair with her twin brother, Jaime, for years, resulting in her giving birth to three illegitimate children: Princes Joffrey and Tommen, and Princess Myrcella. When Jon Arryn, Hand of the King, learns this terrible truth, he decides to tell Robert, but is poisoned by his own wife Lysa on the direct orders of Lord Petyr Baelish, Master of Coin from Robert's small council. And when the deed is done, he forces her to write a letter to her sister, Lady Catelyn Stark, blaming the Lannisters for the incident.

Jon Arryn is unaware of what is happening, and Littlefinger knows that King Robert will turn to his close friend, Eddard Stark, to replace him. And now, with the Starks armed with the belief that the Lannisters are secretly trying to stage a coup (which, ironically, Cersei is planning), Littlefinger also realizes that the two houses will soon be at war with each other. He's simply trying to drag as many of the Seven Kingdoms into conflict with them as possible, leaving himself in a better position to ascend to the Iron Throne.

War of the Five Kings

The war indeed begins, but it has consequences that no one expected. King Robert is killed in a hunt set up by Cersei, allowing Joffrey to claim his "birthright" as king. Ned Stark, who wants the throne to pass through its rightful line of succession to Stannis Baratheon, Master of the Courts, becomes a traitor under the new royal regime and is executed. In turn, the north seeks to regain its independence from King's Landing, proclaiming Eddard's son, Robb, as the first king in the North since Aegon the Invader three centuries ago.

Seeing the instability that the situation has caused, a number of other individuals also enter the royal fray: Stannis, who does not want to ascend the throne, but will still do his duty as the rightful heir; Renly Baratheon, Stannis's younger brother, who fancies himself a better ruler than his cantankerous sibling; and Balon Greyjoy, who sees a chance to try to start a second war of independence for his Iron Islands.

The so-called War of the Five Kings lasts for about two or three years (starting in the first season and ending in the fourth), killing thousands and displacing even more (meanwhile a long winter sets in in the following years, meaning many more will die from hunger and insecurity ). Renly, Robb, Joffrey and Stannis are all killed: some in battle on the battlefield, some through murder. Tommen Baratheon, young and naive and easily manipulated (hence Petyr Baelish's desire to see him ascend the throne), becomes king and enters into an arranged marriage with Margaery Tyrell. She, in turn, is so eager to become queen that she is ready for anything (including first marriage to “King” Renly and then Joffrey, although she is not able to consummate either relationship before her husband is killed) .

Consequences of the war

In addition to each fallen monarch and their armies, other senior lords or advisors were also killed, including Lord Tywin Lannister, Joffrey, and Hand of the King Tommen. This leaves much weaker and much less experienced advisors vying for positions of power, such as Queen Regent Cersei Lannister, who so desperately deceives House Tyrell for influence over King Tommen. She tricks the Faith of the Seven into rearming and bringing judgment on all sinners. This involves Margaret for lying about her brother Ser Loras Tyrell committing an illegal homosexual "transgression", as well as Cersei herself for cheating on her royal husband and committing incest. When her son also falls under the spell of the High Sparrow, Cersei feels she has no choice but to execute the entire leadership of the Faith, a number of rival royal advisors, and virtually the entire House Tyrell in one fell swoop, destroying the Great Sept of Baelor with the secret fire left over from the Madman's reign. King Aerys. Shattered by personal and professional losses, Tommen soon follows them, throwing himself from a tower window. The Iron Throne is now occupied by Cersei herself, making her the first queen in the history of Westeros.

In the north, House Bolton, a longtime vassal of House Stark, finally rises to the position of Warden of the North when it conspires with the Lannisters and House Frey to assassinate King Robb Stark. The illegitimate Ramsay Bolton holds Winterfell as his personal seat for some time, personally killing the long-hidden Rickon Stark in order to later gain power over the north.

House Tully defies the Lannister-Frey alliance in the Riverlands for a time, withstanding the siege of Riverrun until Ser Jaime Lannister personally, on the orders of King Tommen, resolves the situation. Riverrun capitulates, and one of the very last areas still clinging to the war finally returns to the king's world.

Remaining untouched throughout the devastating war is the Vale, a region where Lysa Arryn rules as regent until her son Robin reaches adulthood and can fully claim the mantle of Warden of the East. Lysa secretly falls in love with Petyr Baelish decades ago. She is finally able to marry him after the death of her husband, John Arena, until he kills her, thereby claiming the title of regent. Throughout the entire process, he arranges for the Knights of the Vale, one of the largest armies in all of Westeros, to remain safely hidden in the mountainous east, waiting for the right moment to strike, ostensibly as his personal fighting force.

Threat in the East: Daenerys Targaryen

Lord Varys, master of whispers in the king's small council, and Illyrio Mopatis, master of the Free City of Pentos, plot to unknown reasons, to reinstall the Targaryen dynasty on the Iron Throne before the end of Robert's Rebellion and before House Baratheon claims the crown for itself. The bulk of this plan initially relies on Viserys. They negotiate with his sister, the young Daenerys, to be sold to Khal Drogo, one of the most powerful of the Dothraki, to use his Khalasarse as the basis of a Targaryen army.

But Viserys ultimately turns out to be as mad as his father Aerys II, and he is killed for personal troubles. Dany replaces him, claiming the remains of Drogo's master after he too dies from three dragons, which she inadvertently manages to breed in her husband's funeral pyre to inspire devotion in her followers and fear in her enemies. Believing that she must gather as large an army as possible before landing in the Seven Kingdoms, she first acquires a considerable number of Unsullied soldiers, the most formidable army in the world, and then also gains the allegiance of mercenary companies and almost the entire Dothraki horde.

In the process, Dany also believes that she needs more practice as a ruler before restoring the Targaryen dynasty, lest she end up being an incompetent monarch like her father. She settles in the city of Mirin, one of the largest slave traders in the Gulf. Suffering from a rebellion against her anti-slavery reform, she still manages to put down the rebellion thanks to her large army, dragons (of course), and the presence of inspired council members, including Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf who irrevocably turns his back on his home and instead seeks to overthrow the regime of his nephew by returning Targaryen power.

There is also an interesting fact about the ironborn. After the self-proclaimed King Balon is first killed and then replaced by his brother Euron, Balon's children Theon and Yara flee the Iron Islands for safety, taking with them as much of the Iron Fleet as possible. They cross the narrow sea and land in Myrina in the hope of forming an alliance with the future queen Daenerys. After an argument with her, they came to an agreement: the ironborn would provide the ships with which Dany would invade Westeros, and pledge to never plunder the other six kingdoms again in exchange for her help in overthrowing King Euron and placing Yara on the Salt Throne.

With all the pieces finally put together, Daenerys Targaryen, future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, sets sail for home and the biggest invasion Westeros has ever seen.

Threat Beyond the Wall: White Walkers

The real threat to Westeros is the White Walkers, who after these tens of thousands of years have returned to complete their assimilation of the living.

Quietly increasing their numbers and slowly but persistently heading south towards the Night's Watch (which was created to monitor their return and provide a defense against their attack), they belatedly resume their activities. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont calls for a Great March beyond the Wall to survey where the Wildlings have gone and learn the numbers and movements of the Walkers. This campaign was almost completely destroyed by ice zombies and deprived the people of their Commander.

Jon Snow is forced to take over the leadership of the Watch, a job that proves so difficult that he takes the most unconventional approach to increase the meager number and make the best protection against the enemy: he reaches out to the Wildlings through the Wall and offers them a large strip of uninhabited land for habitation. In turn, the so-called Free Folk must abide by the rules of the King of the Iron Throne and aid the people of the Wall in the inevitable supernatural invasion.

Jon is killed for personal problems by his own brothers, who are stunned by the sudden turn in the politics of the Night's Watch over eight thousand years. Luckily for him, Lady Melisandre, temporarily residing at Castle Black (the result of King Stannis Baratheon coming to the Watch for help during a massive confrontation with the Wildlings), discovers that she has the ability that some of the red priests and priestesses possess: resurrection. dead.

A clear sense of loyalty pushes Jon to decide that life as one of the Night's Watch is no longer for him. He resigns as Lord Commander and instead becomes a Stark (albeit an illegitimate one), helping his sister Sansa rally the houses in the north (and various Wildling tribes) to retake Winterfell by force and remove the Boltons as Wardens of the North. After a protracted battle, Jon and his army emerge victorious, but only after Petyr Baelish finally reveals his Knights of the Vale, coming to Lady Sansa's aid and further strengthening his position of influence over events on the continent.

Or so he thinks: after Jon demonstrates bravery and skill on the battlefield, the various houses of the North flock to him in the same way they originally flocked to his half-brother Robb, declaring him the White Wolf, the new King in the North. Jon, Sansa and Littlefinger are shocked by this unexpected turn of events.

Order has finally been restored in the North, but the White Walkers are closer than ever, and real war is about to begin.

The One to Lead Them All: Bran Stark

Beginning life as the second-born son of House Stark, Bran learns that his dreams of knighthood are dashed when he falls from a tower at Winterfell and becomes paralyzed from the waist down (Bran was deliberately thrown from a window by Ser Jaime Lannister after he accidentally saw Jaime had sex with his twin sister). But when one door closes, another opens. Bran acquired the ability to penetrate other living beings (mainly his Direwolf, Leto) and even see the future.

Bran eventually realizes that the three-eyed raven who keeps appearing in his dreams is actually another clairvoyant who is beyond the Wall, and who is beckoning Bran to join him to learn his newfound abilities (and essentially become the general of all forces , living in the upcoming battle with the undead). After a dangerous journey through hostile territory, Bran eventually encounters the Three-Eyed Raven, learning that he is connected to the roots of the massive Heart Tree in a cave system that has a connection to one of, if not the last, settlement of the Children of the Forest.

Bran learns a lot during his training, such as how to travel back in time to see how events unfolded in the past. But everything is cut short when young Stark, during one of his astral walks, accidentally meets the Night King, the apparent leader of the White Walkers. This allows the Walkers to bypass the Three-Eyed Raven's magical defenses, killing him and forcing Bran and his only surviving ally, Mira Reed, to go on the run.

The Seven Kingdoms or Westeros is a fictional world created by writer George R.R. Martin. In the vastness of this huge continent, the action of the books from the series takes place "A Song of Ice and Fire", as well as a popular series based on these works "Game of Thrones". It’s hard to call Westeros one big scenery, because the huge amount of information that has accumulated in Martin’s works has turned the Seven Kingdoms into a full-fledged living world with its own thoughtful geography, history, culture and religion.

There is a green oak near the Lukomorye...

If we draw an analogy with the real world, then Westeros stretches from the polar latitudes to the equator, affecting, accordingly, all climatic zones. On the mainland you can see thick ice sheets, vast forests, marshy swamps, hot steppes and deserts. And, of course, don’t forget about the magnificent mountain gorges and valleys. All the wonders of the world, as if to choose.

Dragon stone

The least explored part of the continent is considered to be the far north or the Land of Eternal Winter. A wild area, fenced off from the kingdom by a giant ice wall, built by ancient heroes to protect humanity. This is the region of permafrost, where sparse coniferous forests very quickly give way to lifeless mountain peaks. People, however, live in these unfavorable places, forming scattered tribes of wildlings. But even they located their camps only in more or less warm areas a few kilometers north of the Wall. What happens behind the icy mountain peaks is not known for certain, but judging by the creepy stories and ancient legends, there is an abode of real evil there.

The largest kingdom in Westeros, the North, stands proudly south of the wall. The homeland of stern men, cold-blooded beauties and the greatest heroes, for whom valor and honor have always been above all else. It was the northerners who at one time built the Wall and stood up to protect the mainland from the horror of distant icy deserts. The North is a region where snow can fall even on hot summer days, and in a winter snowstorm only geothermal springs can save you. Despite its enormous size, the population here is small: few people like to inhabit these cold lands, grow greens and raise animals. But when it comes to war, the northerners willingly drop everything and grab their swords, even if the threat could bypass them. These are such hot people.

Red Castle

Continuing your journey south will take you to the Riverlands. An area with a temperate climate located between the beds of the largest rivers in Westeros. There are plenty of marshy swamps in this region, among which there are many small villages and farmsteads. Despite the tranquility that reigns here, this is a region with a difficult fate, because the kingdom is located almost in the center of the mainland, borders on many important areas, and even passes through the Royal Highway, the most important trade and transport route. It was precisely because of its strategically important location that the Riverlands often became the scene of military operations.

To the east of the Riverlands are the majestic mountains, behind which lies the Arena Valley. There is perhaps no quieter and more peaceful place among the Seven Kingdoms. Remote from the main trade routes, hidden from prying eyes by beautiful but difficult to traverse mountains, the Valley has always lived somewhat separately from the busy life of Westeros. However, this area is still very important for the rest of the kingdoms, because among the mountains there are rich sources of minerals, without which a developed state in an era close to the Middle Ages cannot live.

Eagle's Nest

But to the west of the Riverlands there is a kingdom that, on the contrary, has always played a very important role in the political life of Westeros, because the basis of the state's market relations - gold - is mined here. The large number of mines made the Westerlands the richest region, exerting quite a strong influence on royal power. The Westerlands also have mountains, but they are not nearly as majestic as those in the Vale. It is a predominantly hilly area, well populated largely due to the warm climate and wealth of the region.

Continuing the journey to the south, the traveler, of course, will not be able to pass by, albeit small, but the most densely populated and politically important region: the Royal Lands. This is the heart of Westeros. Instead of the tranquil landscapes of the medieval outback, the main attraction of these lands is King's Landing. This is the largest city in Westeros, the capital of the state, where the king himself sits in the throne room of the magnificent Red Castle.

Wall

To the south of the royal lands lies the Expanse. The place, in fact, is ideal for the modern generation of teenagers: quiet, beautiful, with a warm climate. Even in severe winter years, there may be no snow at all in the south of the Expanse. Excellent weather conditions, fertile soil and vast areas allocated for crops allow for rich harvests several times a year and make the Expanse a real feeding trough of the Seven Kingdoms. In addition to bodily food, space gives Westeros food for the mind, because it is in this kingdom that the city of Oldtown is located, where Meisters - local scientists, philosophers and healers - study.

The southernmost and most different kingdom from other lands is Dorne. Historically, Dorn has always lived by his own laws and adhered to his own views on world events. Even hundreds of years after the six other kingdoms were united to form Westeros, Dorne continued to live separately, staunchly resisting the invading armies. No force could break its inhabitants, and the difficult mountain range on the border with other lands only complicated the task of the conquerors. Only a peace treaty, secured by the marriage of the king and the Dornish princess, made these lands part of Westeros, but even after this, the southern kingdom continues to live its own life. Most of these lands are covered with desert, which is washed on three sides by major seas. Dorne plays an important role in trade and is also famous for its wine, which is recognized as the best in Westeros.

Others

After brief description It would be impolite for the Seven Kingdoms not to say a few words about the second continent, because in the east Westeros has a neighbor - the no less huge continent of Essos. However, most of it is a lifeless desert. Only in a narrow coastal zone are several large cities located. Once they were nothing more than colonies of the legendary Valyria, but after the death of this empire they gained independence and the right to self-government. In time immemorial, the continents were a single whole, but a natural cataclysm of crushing power destroyed the narrow isthmus, and Essos was forever separated from Westeros by the Narrow Sea.

Golden Age of Heroes

Like any state, Westeros has its own rich history. Many significant events have taken place on the mainland and beyond since the formation of the world - it’s impossible to list them all. We will try to talk in general about how the Seven Kingdoms developed on the way to their modern form.

The beginning of the history of Westeros is associated with certain mythical creatures - the Children of the Forest. Since the beginning of time, they have inhabited the lands of the mainland, along with giants and other fairy-tale creatures. Children of the forest can hardly be called people. These were small creatures, similar either to gnomes or fairies, who possessed magic and knew how to communicate with nature. The Children of the Forest worshiped the so-called Old Gods, personified by white trees with carved faces - the Weirwoods.

Aegon the Conqueror on a dragon

The first people came to Westeros from Essos along the land isthmus, which at that time still connected the continents into a single whole. In development they were comparable to earthly man of the Bronze Age. The first people began to massively cut down forests to build their settlements, hunting “on an industrial scale.” The Children of the Forest could not accept this and gave the First People a fight. They compensated for the lack of weapons with their magic, unleashing natural disasters on the First People. According to legend, it was the magic of the Children of the Forest that destroyed the isthmus that connected Westeros and Essos.

However, the First People were in no hurry to give up. The matter threatened to develop into a long war, but both peoples realized in time that no one needed bloodshed. Therefore, an agreement was concluded between the Children of the Forest and the First People, according to which people could freely populate most of the continent, but had to be more careful about nature. They were also strictly forbidden to cut down the Weirwood tree. The First People willingly accepted these conditions, and from then on lived in peace with the Children of the Forest, and over time even adopted their religion.

Several thousand years later, Westeros survived the conquest of the Andals. These ardent people also came from Essos, crossing the Narrow Sea. Being a more advanced civilization, the Andals possessed high-tech steel weapons, which gave them superiority over the First Men. Over the course of a hundred years, they captured almost all the kingdoms, and only in the River Lands were the First People able to give a worthy rebuff to the conquerors. The north remained behind them, but the remaining regions came under the rule of the Andals, who brought with them the new religion of the Seven, developed writing and traditions that determined the appearance of modern Westeros.

With the arrival of the Andals, the Children of the Forest begin to leave Westeros, and soon completely disappear somewhere in the north.

Approximately thousands of years before the events of the cycle "A Song of Ice and Fire" Another people appeared in Westeros: the Royonar. This civilization once occupied lands adjacent to the Andals in Essos. The troops of the Royonars were defeated by the army of Valyria during the aggressive campaigns of this empire. Queen Nymeria, saving her people, led them across the narrow sea to Westeros, where the ships of the Royonars landed in the south of the mainland. And although the Andals were not delighted with their arriving neighbors, the new people settled firmly in Dorne. Nymeria gave the order to sink her ships as a sign that the Royonars had found their home and were not going to go anywhere.

The main event that finally shaped the modern appearance of Westeros was the rise to power of the Targaryens, which was marked by the unification of the kingdoms into a single state.

The Targaryens were originally from Valyria. The empire mentioned more than once developed in parallel with Westeros and was the most powerful force in the region. The Valyrians mastered magic and knew how to raise dragons, which they used in their campaigns of conquest. The Empire had advanced technological knowledge that allowed it to produce impressive things, an example of which is the strongest Valyrian steel, which has a high price in Westeros.

As legend has it, the Valyrians paid for their thirst for knowledge. Failed experiments with magic led to a catastrophe of staggering proportions that destroyed Valyria. A firestorm rages over the islands of the empire even after hundreds of years, which is why sailors prefer to bypass the lost state on the tenth side.

The family of the future rulers of Westeros managed to escape the death of Valyria. Aegon Targaryen with two sisters and a small army landed at Dragonstone, a small island near King's Landing. It was with him that the campaign that united the Seven Kingdoms into Westeros began. Aegon possessed crushing power - three dragons, against which no army could resist. Some kingdoms tried to resist the invaders, others swore allegiance to such a powerful force. Only Dorne remained unconquered and became part of Westeros only two hundred years after Aegon's conquests.

The Targaryens ruled Westeros for almost three hundred years. During this time, all the dragons died, apparently unable to withstand the climate of Westeros, but the dynasty continued to retain power. Among the Targaryens there were very wise kings, and there were also those who brought only trouble to the Seven Kingdoms. Such a king was Aerys II, nicknamed the Mad. With his antics he turned the entire kingdom against himself. Mass discontent escalated into the Baratheon Rebellion, which ended Targaryen rule. The uprising itself is a rather capacious topic, covered with many interesting events, heroic deeds, absurd incidents and beautiful legends. This event deserves a separate article, so it is not worth talking about it in detail within the framework of this material.

After the fall of the Targaryen dynasty, Robert Baratheon came to power. Twenty years after this, the story of the books and the series begins.

About the weather and more Perhaps, main feature Westeros is characterized by an unusual change of seasons. Time is calculated on the mainland in the years that are familiar to us, but the arrival of winter is in no way connected with the calendar year and is more reminiscent of a short ice age. The hot season can last more than ten years. Then the autumn period quickly passes, and a harsh winter comes to the Seven Kingdoms. The cold also shackles the lands of Westeros for a long time. Usually the freezing season here lasts 2-3 years, but the history of the mainland knows winters that lasted for decades, bringing with them many troubles to the inhabitants of Westeros. One day, a surprisingly cold winter turned into a Long Night. People were born and died in darkness, never seeing the light of the sun. As you know, trouble does not come alone, and an army of Others - dark creatures bringing cold and death with them - fell on Westeros from the north. The First People, together with the Children of the Forest, were able to win, but at a great cost. To prevent a repeat attack by the Others, the legendary Brandon the Builder, founder of the Stark dynasty, with the help of giants and the magic of the Children of the Forest, built a wall, which has since been guarded by the Order of the Night's Watch.

The Wall and the Night Watch The Seven Kingdoms are full of delightful monuments to building skills, because the bright mind of a talented writer is sometimes able to surpass the efforts of even the most outstanding architects. Take, for example, the Eagle's Nest or the Red Royal Castle. And what about Harrenhal, which, although it lies in ruins, destroyed by the flames of the dragons of Aegon the Conqueror, continues to amaze the imagination with its enormous size. But the most impressive man-made structure in Westeros is, of course, the Wall. Built by ancient heroes, the monumental structure reliably protects the Seven Kingdoms from the dangers that lurk in the depths of the lands of the Far North. Since the time of the First Men, the wall has been guarded by the Order of the Night's Watch. This was once an elite organization, in which it was a great honor to serve. Each Lord Commander considered it his duty to build on the Wall, making the barricade more and more impenetrable. IN better times Thousands of people stood guard over the Wall; garrisons were located in ten castles. This powerful defensive complex was ready for new meeting with the army of Others, who once almost destroyed the mainland. However, centuries passed, and the prestige of the Night's Watch gradually declined. The existence of the Others began to be questioned, and the legendary battles of the Age of Heroes were increasingly perceived as a fairy tale. The garrison of the Night's Watch was thinning, and it was no longer possible for him to build a wall, as was customary for his ancestors. Moreover, it soon proved impossible to maintain ten castles, so by the time Game of Thrones began, only three defensive posts on the wall were operational. In addition, criminals were increasingly recruited to serve in the Night's Watch. The glory of the Wall began to decline rapidly, and as a result, in the eyes of ordinary residents of Westeros, it turned into a kind of prison, the garrison of which struggles for existence on scarce lands and prevents the penetration of small groups of wildlings into Westeros who want to move to warmer climes. Considering that in the forests of the North you can often stumble upon wildling camps, the modern Night Watch is not very good at its job. However, soon these people will have to meet with ancient evil. Whether the Wall will be able to fulfill its purpose and protect Westeros from the creatures of cold and darkness depends only on the writer’s imagination.

The sixth season of Game of Thrones starts on April 24. We decided to remember what the Seven Kingdoms are, who lives in them and why they are all at war with each other.

Seven Kingdoms- this is the name of the state on the continent of Westeros, washed on all sides by the seas and protected only by a wall on the north. Although in fact, this is one kingdom, the capital of which is in King's Landing along with the Iron Throne on which the king sits. Westeros was initially divided into hundreds of small kingdoms with the arrival of the Andal conquerors ( ancient people, bringing with them culture, language, faith in the Seven and jousting tournaments) most of them fell, and nine regions remained: Dorne, the Reach, the Western Lands, the Crownlands, the Storm Lands, the Iron Islands, the Vale of Arryn, the Riverlands and the North. And by the time of the reign of Aegon I the Conqueror, Westeros consisted of seven independent states, nicknamed the Seven Kingdoms.

Kings of the North, House Stark (North)

Coat of arms: gray direwolf running across a snowy field
Motto: Winter is coming
Family castle: Winterfell

Starkey- a very ancient family, originating from Brandon the Builder, who lived 8000 years ago. Like most northerners, they believe in the Old Gods. Before the unification of Westeros, they ruled the northern lands as the Kings of the North, however, after bending the knee to Aegon the Conqueror, they became the Lords of Winterfell and the Wardens of the North. It is this title that Lord Eddard Stark proudly bears at the beginning of a long story called A Song of Ice and Fire. He lives in Winterfell with his wife, five children and bastard Jon Snow. In season 1 of the series, he literally loses his head, and chaos begins not only among his household, but throughout the entire kingdom. At the moment, the eldest son Robb was killed at the wedding of Edmure Tully with Roslyn Frey in the walls of the Twins, Sansa married Ramsay Bolton, Arya is in Braavos in the House of Black and White, Bran was looking for Jon, but ended up finding the magic tree from his visions, fate Rikona is still unknown. Their mother Catelyn had her throat cut at that same bloody wedding. And Jon Snow, already as the commander-in-chief of the Night's Watch, was also killed by his own subordinates. However, we do not yet believe that he died completely and, most importantly, irrevocably.

North- The outermost and largest region of the Seven Kingdoms, although sparsely populated. It borders on the south with the River Lands on the Isthmus, and is backed by the Wall on the north. A harsh region, far from abundant in food, where winter could begin at any moment. But here it is so heavy and long that not everyone can survive it. The wall that stands on the border of the human world and the Lands beyond the Wall is guarded by brotherhood Night's Watch- an ancient order created eight thousand years ago, during Long Night. Its members take an oath of allegiance, take vows of celibacy and asceticism, and wear black. In the old days, the Watch was a powerful army and serving in it was considered a great honor. Nowadays it consists of exiled criminals and is unlikely to be able to defend even itself.

Kings of the Isles and Rivers, House of Hoar (Iron Islands, Riverlands, Royal Lands)

Coat of arms: consists of four parts, testifying to the former greatness of the house - a golden boat (Iron Islands), a green pine (Northern coast), a red bunch of grapes (Arbor) and a black raven (Old Town)
Motto: unknown
Family castle: They originally owned Hoar Castle on the island of Great Vic. But the last king from this house, Harren Hoar, built the fearsome Harrenhal in the Riverlands, where, in fact, he died.

Hoars- one of the extinct houses of the Iron Islands. At one time he was quite powerful and gave the islands several famous kings and naval commanders. After the arrival of the Andals, the Hoars achieved hereditary royal power. They were called black dynasty or black blood.

Iron Islands- a group of islands in the west of Westeros, separated from the mainland by the Bay of the Iron Men, and washed from the west by the Sunset Sea. The region is even poorer than the north, surviving on seafood. Its inhabitants are called ironborn. These are free and very cruel pirates who worship the Drowned God. In the past, raids were often carried out along the mainland coast. The Isles are now ruled by House Greyjoy of Castle Pyke. Theon Greyjoy, the son of the treacherous traitor Balon, is still on the mainland in captivity of the Boltons, from which at the end of season 5 he apparently managed to escape along with Sansa Stark. And his father and warlike sister Asha are going to war.

Riverlands- a central, well-populated region with many rivers and lakes. However, its population is quite divided. House Tully rules them from their castle Riverrun, their Freya vassals own the crossing at the Twins, and the largest and most strategically important castle is the semi-abandoned Harrenhal. Now Brynden Tully (Blackfish), uncle of Catelyn Stark, who had been holding the siege of Riverrun for a long time, was forced to surrender, but he managed to escape the clutches of Lannister’s minions, and we do not yet know about his whereabouts.

Royal lands located on the east coast of the mainland. It is here that the capital of the state is located - King's Landing, as well as the small port of Duskvale and the island castle of Dragonstone - once the ancestral castle of the Targaryens. The Crownlands are bordered by the Riverlands to the west and the Reach to the southwest, separated by the Gulf from the Vale of Arryn and the Crownlands from the Stormlands. The Chernovodnaya River greatly contributed to the development of trade in the region and the prosperity of the port, which is considered the largest on the mainland. This is where the Royal Highway, the main artery connecting the North and the South, originates.

Kings of the Vale, House Arryn (Vale of Arryn)

Coat of arms: white moon and falcon on a sky blue field
Motto: Tall as honor
Family castle: Eagle's Nest

Arryns- one of the most ancient and purebred Andal families. In the ancient times of the Andals' migration to Westeros, the founder of the house, Artis Arryn, defeated the fairy-tale Griffin King, taking his place. After which his descendants ruled for many centuries as Kings of the Mountain and Vale until the coming of the Targaryens. The last of the heirs, Lysa Arryn, obsessed with her stupid son, was in love with Petyr Baelish. He sent her to her forefathers, having previously married, and received the Eagle's Nest for himself. True, there is still little Robert Arryn left, but in the world of George Martin, rare boys survive at least to adulthood. And even more so fragile and painful.

Vale of Arryn- eastern lands separated from Westeros by the Mountains of the Moon. The Eagle's Nest castle located on them is considered the most impregnable on the mainland. Wild mountaineers live in the mountains - robbers and robbers who obey no one. The most big city and the main port is Chayachy City. By the way, the Arrens from Gull City are representatives of one of the younger branches of the Arren family. The richest, however, also the most despised for marriages with brides from merchant families.

Kings of the Crag, House Lannister (Westernlands)

Coat of arms: golden lion on a scarlet field
Motto: Hear me roar! (A Lannister always pays his debts is a family saying)
Family castle: Casterly Rock

Lannisters- rulers of the Western Lands and representatives of one of the great houses of Westeros. They are proud of their origin and coat of arms, so they like to call themselves lions and lionesses. They control Lannisport, the main port of the west coast and the third largest city on the mainland. The Western Lands, among other things, are rich in gold mines. The profits from them and the skillful distribution of finances made the Lannisters the richest house of the Seven Kingdoms and the main creditors of the royal treasury. At the end of the fifth season, Tywin Lannister, the head of the family who could somehow restrain all his children, was killed by his own dwarf son Tyrion, who then fled to the Mother of Dragons. Tywin's daughter Cersei, the widow of ex-king Robert Baratheon, was publicly disgraced for committing adultery with her brother Jaime. And of their three children together, born in sin, only one boy, Tommen, remains, who is still officially listed as king. Joffrey's eldest son, crowned king after his "father's" death, was poisoned. Daughter Myrcella at the end of season 5 was also sent to her forefathers.

Western Lands- a small hilly but very fertile area. This, as well as their proximity to the Iron Islands, has always made them a target for attack and destruction. Lannisport, famous for its artisans, is located here. And not far from it is Casterly Rock - the family nest of narcissistic lions.

Storm Kings, House Durrandon (Stormlands)

Coat of arms: black crowned deer on a golden field
Motto: We are furious
Family castle: Storm's End

Durrandons (Storm Kings)- a royal dynasty that has ruled the Stormlands for many centuries. The Baratheons, who succeeded the Durrandons as lords of Storm's End, took their coat of arms and motto. Moreover, the Baratheons are also relatives of the Targaryens, who were overthrown during the uprising of Robert Baratheon. At the beginning of the story, he is the sole ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and the holder of the Iron Throne. True, not for long. After a hunting accident and his sudden death, the war for the throne began, since Robert had no heirs. At least legal ones. Only brothers.

Stormlands- region in the southeast. Windswept, but nevertheless fertile and rich. Many islands in the Narrow Sea belong to it, including Tarth and Jade. Connected to the northern part of the mainland by the Royal Forest. Bordered by the Crownlands, Dorne and the Reach. The Stormlands constantly fought with the last two for the Dornish Marches - lands on the border with Dorne, which changed hands several times. As a result of such historical events, the knights of the Dornish Marches became the strongest warriors, and the region received many enviable castles.

Kings of the Reach, House of the Gardeners (Reach)

Coat of arms: green hand on a white field
Motto: unknown
Family castle: Highgarden

Gardeners- destroyed royal family.

Space- the most fertile and densely populated region in the southwest of the country. Ideal natural conditions, mild climate and fertile lands made it the breadbasket of the Seven Kingdoms. The powerful and wealthy House of Tyrell rules here. The main city of the Reach and one of the most important ports, Oldtown is in no way inferior to King's Landing. It is here in the Citadel that learned maesters are trained. And noble knights rule the roost. At the moment, Margaery Tyrell, the only daughter of Lord Highgarden, is in King's Landing, becoming the wife of the heir to the throne for the third time. And her brother Loras Tyrell, once the object of desire of all the young maidens of the kingdom, is in custody for indecent relations with men.

Princes of Dornish, House of Martell (Dorn)

Coat of arms: red sun pierced by a golden spear
Motto: Unyielding, unbending, unyielding
Family castle: Sunspear

Martells originate from the Andals and traditionally style the head of the house and members of his family princes and princesses. They were the last to kneel before the Iron Throne. Several centuries before this, the Targaryens had tried in vain to conquer them with all their dragons. Why did they marry more than once with representatives of the Martell family? Thus, the blood of dragon lords flows in their veins. Elia Martell, the wife of Rhaegar Targaryen, and her children were killed by the Lannisters during Robert Baratheon's rebellion. Since then, her brothers Oberyn and Doran have fiercely hated lions. True, only Doran is alive at the moment.

Mandrel- the southernmost region, bordering the Expanse and the Stormlands. The land of the scorching sun, endless deserts and dead mountains. He was annexed to the Seven Kingdoms by dynastic marriage only a hundred years before the events described.

Daenerys Targaryen

And, perhaps, it would not be amiss to mention Daenerys Targaryen- perhaps the most important character in the saga. Although she is in no way connected geographically with all previous representatives of the Seven Kingdoms. She was born in the marriage of King Aerys II the Mad with his sister Rhaella Targaryen and is the only representative of her family. Dany was born after the extermination of all her relatives by Baratheon and lived all her life in the Free Cities. Now she is traveling through the countries of the East in search of allies, with the help of whom, as well as with the direct participation of her three dragons, she is going to return to the Seven Kingdoms and take the rightful Iron Throne.

House Lannister

Motto: "Hear me roar"

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Lannisters- one of the great houses of Westeros, rulers of the Western Lands. The Lannister crest features a golden lion on a red field, and members of the house like to refer to themselves as "lions" and "lionesses". Lannister Castle - Casterly Rock, in addition, this house is dominated by the city of Lannisport, the main port of the west coast, the third largest city in Westeros. The younger branch of the house lives in Lannisport - the Lannisters of Lannisport, who are distant relatives of the Lannisters of the Cliff.

The Lannisters are tall, handsome and fair-haired, they trace their ancestry from the Andals, who were able to destroy a powerful kingdom in the Westerlands, through the male line, and from Lann the Clever, the legendary scoundrel and deceiver who was able to take possession of Casterly Rock, through the female line. For a long time, the Lannisters ruled the Western lands as the Kings of the Rock.

The last of this royal dynasty was Lauren Lannister. Allied with the King of the Reach, Mern Gardener, he fielded sixty thousand warriors against Aegon Targaryen, but was defeated in the battle known as the Field of Fire. From this time on, the Lannisters serve the king on the iron throne as the Lords High of the Westerlands and the guardians of the west.

The numerous gold mines of the Westerlands and skillful handling of finances made the Lannisters the richest house in the Seven Kingdoms; they are the main creditors of the royal treasury. In addition to the official motto, this house has a saying: "A Lannister always pays his debts."

House Lannister is an old and wealthy family, throughout the history of which it has formed several branches that rule different castles in the Western lands. In comparison, House Stark is older than House Lannister, but due to the harsh conditions of life in the North, the Starks do not have many cousins ​​and only one branch, House Karstark. And the Lannisters have a countless number of relatives, cousins, many of them only distantly related to the house, and the Lannisters consider them more of their vassals than members of the family.

Among the representatives of the branches of the house in the series, Elton Lannister, the cousin of Jaime, Cersei and Tyrion, is mentioned. His mother is Cinda Lannister. There is also a branch of Lannisters from Lannisport who rule this port city, which is located near Casterly Rock. One of its representatives is Reginald Lannister, Tywin's standard bearer.

House Tyrell

Motto: "As we grow, we grow stronger"

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They rule the Reach, a vast, fertile, densely populated land in the southwest of the continent. Their castle is Highgarden.

The Tyrells, despite the fact that they begin to play an active role only at the very end of the saga, are a very powerful house. It is in the Tyrell domain that most of the grain of the seven kingdoms is grown. They have a large army, equal to the royal and navy. They share a common border with the Lannisters.

House Tyrell was a branch of House Gardener, the ancient kings of the Reach. For centuries the Tyrells served as castellans of Highgarden. Gradually their power grew, they became stronger and even sealed the bonds of marriage with the powerful noble houses of the Expanse.

During the War of Conquest, King Mern Gardener was burned alive in a battle called the Field of Fire, killed by Targaryen dragons. His heirs also died. After this, Harlen Tyrell voluntarily surrendered Highgarden to Aegon Targaryen, who, as a reward, made Tyrell Lord of Highgarden and Lord Paramount of the Reach, although there were other noble houses in the Reach with closer ties. family ties with the Gardners.

The history of the Tyrells is perfectly characterized by their coat of arms - thorns are hidden behind the beauty of the rose. The Tyrells seem honest and fair, but in reality they are no less cunning than the Lannisters, and they are no strangers to palace intrigue and political games.

Over the years, in military conflicts, the Tyrells have always sided with those most likely to emerge victorious from the conflict. This was during both the Targaryen conquest and Robert's Rebellion. During Robert's Rebellion, the Tyrells won a crushing victory at the Battle of Ashford and then laid siege to Storm's End. But after the death of the Mad King, they immediately surrendered and swore allegiance to Robert Baratheon.

House Baratheon

Motto: "We are furious"

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One of the great houses of Westeros, and the youngest of them all. The symbol of this house is a black crowned deer standing on its hind legs on a golden field. The crown did not appear on the coat of arms immediately; it was added there when Robert Baratheon won the Iron Throne.

Initially, the Baratheon family castle was Storm's End, but after Robert became king, the house also owned the Targaryen castle of Dragonstone, and the king himself began to rule from King's Landing.

When Robert died, House Baratheon split into three warring groups:

• House Baratheon of King's Landing, led by Robert's supposed children.
• House Baratheon of Dragonstone, led by Stannis, Robert's younger brother.
• The group is led by Renly, Robert's other younger brother. He proclaimed himself head of House Baratheon, and was supported by the houses of the Stormlands, as well as the Reach.

The ancestor of the house is Orys Baratheon, who was a general under Aegon the Conqueror. There were rumors that Orys was the bastard and half-brother of Aegon. Orys killed the last king of Storm's End, Argilac the Arrogant, and took over the castle. He took his daughter, Argella, as his wife.

House Tully

Motto - "Family, duty, honor"

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House Tully rules the Riverlands from their ancestral castle of Riverrun, led by the Lord of Riverrun.

In fact, the House plays almost no role in the saga. But he must be. Also, it should be remembered that the Creators did not set out to draw complete parallels with something, they painted a general picture.

House Tully achieved high position during the War of Conquest. Edmyn Tully, who was at that time the head of this noble house, supported the Targaryens and led a rebellion against the king who at that time ruled the Iron Islands and the Riverlands, Harren the Black. The lords of the Riverlands, led by Edmyn, gained the upper hand, and when Aegon I Targaryen conquered the continent and took the throne, he bestowed upon Edmyn the title of Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, and Edmyn's descendants have inherited the title ever since.

Until recently, the head of House Tully was Hoster Tully. His daughters Catelyn and Lysa, wives of Lords Eddard Stark and Jon Arryn, formed a major alliance between their houses during Robert's Rebellion.

Historically, the Riverlands have often been the site of war. To survive, House Tully constantly formed marriage alliances with other noble houses.

House Arryn.

Motto: "High as honor"

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They have ruled the Vale of Arryn for a thousand years. Robin Arryn is currently Lord of the Eyrie, but for now regent Lysa Arryn rules on his behalf.

The second strange house, right after the Starks. They practically do not take part in the division of the throne, but they raised the future king Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark, the future ruler of the North. They could easily separate themselves from the kingdoms, sitting in an impregnable castle on the rocks, but they do not do this. The symbol of the house is a white flying falcon and a month on a blue background.

According to legend, the house was founded by Ser Artys Arryn, who rode a falcon, landed on the highest mountain in the Vale of Giant's Spear and defeated the Griffin King, the last of the Mountain's First Men. Artis Arryn became the first King of the Mountains and Valleys. His descendants continued to rule the Vale until Aegon Targaryen's invasion, after which they became subservient to the King on the Iron Throne. Eagle's Nest Castle is considered impregnable and protects its inhabitants from attacks by wild tribes.

Lord Jon Arryn was a respected and noble man. He raised Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon. Following the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark and the execution of Rickard and Brandon Stark by the Mad King, Jon Arryn rebelled. The Starks and Baratheons joined him. They formed an alliance with House Tully through the marriage of Eddard Stark to Catelyn Tully. After the victory, the new king Robert Baratheon appointed Jon Arryn as Hand.

For the next seventeen years, Jon fulfilled his duties until he discovered that the children of Robert and Cersei were not at all like the descendants of the king. Soon after this, he became seriously ill and died suddenly.

John is survived by his wife Lisa and son Robin.

House Greyjoy

Motto "We do not sow"

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The Iron Islands are ruled from Castle Pyke. The symbol of this house is a golden kraken on a black field. Pirates, robbers, the local equivalent of the Vikings. House Greyjoy descends from the Gray King, the legendary King of the Iron Islands. According to legends, he ruled for a thousand years and took a mermaid as his wife.

Like most ironborn, they believe in the Drowned God.

At the beginning of the series, the head of the house was Balon Greyjoy. Eight years before the events of the first episode of the series, he rebelled against the power of the Iron Throne. The rebellion ended in defeat for Balon; his two sons, Rodrik and Maron, died. The third son, Theon, was taken hostage by Eddard Stark, he was taken to Winterfell Castle, where he was raised and studied with the Stark children. Only his daughter Yara remained next to Balon.

House Martell

Motto: Unyielding, unyielding, unyielding

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One of the great houses of Westeros. They rule the southernmost region on the continent, Dorne, from Castle Sunspear. Although they are loyal to the King on the Iron Throne, after Robert's Rebellion they try to isolate themselves.

The Martell symbol is a golden sun pierced by a spear.

House Stark

Motto: "Winter is coming"

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Great house of Westeros, former rulers of the North.

A very ancient family, it is believed that their lineage has not been interrupted since the time of Brandon the Builder, who lived eight thousand years ago. Like many other houses of the North, they retained their faith in the Old Gods. For a long time, the Starks ruled their region as Kings of the North. But after the invasion of Westeros by Aegon I Targaryen, King Torrhen Stark surrendered after seeing the dragons that Targaryen brought with him to the battle on the Field of Flames. So the Starks received the title of High Lords of the North and began to serve the king on the iron throne as guardians of the North.

Three hundred years later, Lord Eddard Stark became related to the House of Tully by marrying Catelyn Tully. During Robert Baratheon's Rebellion, Eddard and his men fought alongside Robert and helped him ascend to the throne.

Targaryens

Motto: "Fire and Blood"

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Targaryens- former dynasty of kings of Westeros and former Great House. After Robert Baratheon's rebellion was defeated, his descendants fled Westeros to Essos. The house's motto is "Fire and Blood" and its symbol is a red three-headed dragon on a black background.

The Targaryens were one of the noble families of the Valyrian Freehold, the powerful empire of Essos. They occupied the castle of Dragonstone on the island of the same name in the Narrow Sea. After the collapse of the empire during a cataclysmic volcanic eruption known as the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryens invaded Westeros with a small army and three dragons.

In a fairly short period of time, they conquered the six kingdoms that existed at that time on the continent, and founded the dynasty of the Andal Kings and the First Men. Two centuries later, they were joined by the kingdom of Dorne, which eventually led to the formation of the state known as the Seven Kingdoms.

Two hundred and eighty years later, the erratic reign of Aerys II Targaryen began, turning much of the region against him, resulting in a civil war called Robert's Rebellion. The Targaryens lost it and almost everyone was destroyed. Only two managed to escape younger children Aerys, Viserys and Daenerys, who took refuge in the Free Cities. Aerys' uncle Aemon Targaryen, who by that time had long served in the Night's Watch, also survived.

Almost all Targaryens have common features in their appearance, such as silver hair with a golden tint.

So, now we know exactly how the Lannisters differ from the Baratheons and who belongs to which house.