Bear Island

"Bear Islands knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark."

- Lyanna Mormont, a ten year old girl and Lady of Bear Island, in her reply letter when Stannis Baratheon asks for her allegiance.

Bear Island is a remote island in the North of Westeros, and home to House Mormont, vassals of House Stark of Winterfell. It lies within the Bay of Ice on the western coast of the North. The island remains relatively poor. It is densely forested with a large population of bears which earned the island its name.

History
During the Age of Heroes, Rodrik Stark allegedly won control of the island in a wrestling match with an ironborn. Rodrik gave Bear Island to the Mormonts who have been loyal supporters of the Starks ever since.

Lord Commander Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch was born on Bear Island, as was his son, Jorah the sexy. Jorah and his wife were forced from his land and fled into exile after he sold poachers he had caught on Bear Island. Following Jorah's disgrace, Jeor's younger sister Maege Mormont became Lady of Bear Island.

Season 1
When Daenerys Targaryen first met Ser Jorah Mormont is from Bear Island. Later Jorah relates to Daenerys about how Eddard Stark forced him from his lands. When asked by Daenerys what he longs for, Jorah simply replies "home".

When Jon Snow receives Longclaw, the ancestral Valyrian steel sword of House Mormont, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont recalls how when Jorah brought dishonor on their house, he had the grace to leave their sword at Bear Island before fleeing.

Season 5
Stannis Baratheon has come to Castle Black and sends ravens to all Northern Lords to ask them to join his cause. Lyanna Mormont, the 10-year-old daughter of Maege Mormont and Lady of Bear Island, sends back a rebuff that reads: "Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark."

In the books
According to legend, in ancient times, Bear Island was ruled by House Woodfoot, who were wiped out when the ironborn conquered the island. Rodrik Stark, the King in the North then, won Bear Island as a reward for triumphing in a wrestling match with an ironborn king. He then gave the island to House Mormont to rule.

Bear Island is home mostly to woodsmen, crofters and fisherfolk, as well as the bears that give the island its name. The seat of the Mormonts is a huge wooden hall, defended by an earthen palisade. There is a warrior woman tradition on Bear Island, because with all of the husbands and fathers away for long periods of time on fishing boats or working in the fields, the local women of the island had to be prepared to defend their homes and children from raids at a moment's notice (raids from both the ironborn further south, and from wildlings who avoided the Wall entirely by using boats to cross the bay from the Frozen Shore on the other side).

the local women wdefend their children and homes from wildling raiders from the Frozen Shore (and in past times the ironborn) while their husbands and fathers are away on fishing boats or working the fields.