Catelyn Stark

Catelyn Stark, formerly Catelyn Tully, is a major character in Game of Thrones. She was played in the unaired pilot by Jennifer Ehle and in the series itself by Michelle Fairley. She first appears in the first episode of the series.

Catelyn was born into House Tully as the eldest daughter and child of Lord Hoster Tully. She has a younger brother, Edmure, and a younger sister, Lysa. She was betrothed to marry Brandon Stark of Winterfell, but he was brutally murdered by the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen after Prince Rhaegar had kidnapped Brandson's sister Lyanna. Catelyn instead married Brandon's brother, Eddard.

Catelyn has five children: Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. She is unhappy with Eddard's bastard son Jon Snow living in Winterfell, the only source of friction between her and her husband.

Catelyn has some independent political influence. A former ward of her father's, Petyr Baelish, known as 'Littlefinger', is King Robert Baratheon's master of coin and one of his closest advisors in King's Landing.

In the books
In the novels, Catelyn is proud, strong, kind and generous, but has a severe disregard for Jon Snow, whose very presence drives her to anger. She loves her five children very much and dotes on them, but also knows they need to be strong if they are to inherit leadership positions in the North. A letter received by Catelyn from her sister Lysa sets in motion the events of the novels.