The Westerlands

The Westerlands is one of the constituent regions of the continent of Westeros. It was formerly a sovereign nation known as the Kingdom of the Rock before the Targaryen conquest.

The Westerlands are ruled from the castle of Casterly Rock by House Lannister. It is one of the smaller regions of the Seven Kingdoms, but is immensely rich in natural resources, particularly metals. Bastards born in the Westerlands are given the surname Hill.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels the Westerlands consist of a landscape of hills and valleys stretching from the well-watered Riverlands in the east to the sea in the north and west, and to the fertile plains of the Reach to the south. The hills are riddled with veins of gold and silver, the mining of which has made the Lannisters and their bannermen immensely rich. Whilst the Lannister armies are not huge, they are the best-equipped in the realm, with heavily-armoured soldiers and cavalry.

Castles of the Westerlands

 * Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister, the ruling house of the Westerlands.
 * Ashemark, the seat of House Marbrand.
 * The Crag, the seat of House Westerling.
 * The Golden Tooth, the seat of House Lefford, which guards the main pass from the Westerlands into the Riverlands.
 * Lannisport, the principal city and port of the Westerlands, located in the shadow of Casterly Rock.