Kneelers is a derogatory name used by the Free Folk to describe people who live south of the Wall. In Westeros kneeling is an act of submission.[1]
The Free Folk do not kneel for anyone, while the kneelers are subject to lords and kings. The Free Folk view the kneelers as lacking freedom, whereas the people of the Seven Kingdoms view the "wildlings" as savage, lawless and primitive killers, rapists and thieves.
For centuries, House Bolton resisted the rule of House Stark as Kings of Winter. They were eventually defeated and bent the knee, giving up their barbaric practice of flaying as a sign of their submission.
After the Field of Fire, KingTorrhen Stark surrendered and was named Lord Paramount of the North and Warden of the North. He was foreverafter known as the King Who Knelt.
Visenya Targaryen flies her dragon over the Eyrie and Ronnel Arryn surrenders in exchange for a ride on the beast
Mace Tyrell kneels to Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark
After Robert's Rebellion and the fall of the Targaryen dynasty, LordMace Tyrell bent the knee to Robert Baratheon, and in return was treated leniently, pardoned, and allowed to continue ruling the Reach as his family had before the war.
Balon Greyjoy kneels to Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark after his failed rebellion
"After Aegon and his dragons destroyed the combined armies of the Reach and the Rock at the Field of Fire, King Torrhen Stark bent the knee and swore fealty to the Targaryen Dynasty in order to spare the destruction of Winterfell and it's people. He was foreverafter known as the King Who Knelt. As a reward for his submission, Aegon named Torrhen Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North."
"Seeing both the threat and opportunity the Targaryens represented, Loren wisely surrendered and aided Aegon in his further conquest of Westeros. The Lannisters were thus appointed Lords Paramount of the Westerlands and Wardens of the West, titles we hold to this day."
"When the lion finally showed his colors and purged King's Landing, we knew our cause was lost. My father chose the peaceful route and bent the knee to Robert, who heartily pardoned us."
"I've always served thieves according to their deserts, as you well know, Ser Davos. Joffrey, Renly, Robb Stark, they're all thieves. They'll bend the knee or I'll destroy them. "
"You act as if I volunteered to go. You gave me away, if you remember! The day you bent the knee to Robert Baratheon, after he crushed you! Did you take what was yours then?!"
"The last Gardener king lost his face along with his body, and his steward Harlen Tyrell promptly yielded Highgarden to Aegon. My grandmother swears that Harlen was like most of our men and grew up banging steel together too loudly for thought to penetrate, but luckily his wife had better sense. Whatever the case, in return for Harlan's show of sense Aegon proclaimed House Tyrell the Lords of the Reach and Wardens of the South, passing over all the other houses with better claims."
"The people of the Vale say that Ser Artys Arryn, the Andal general, flew on the back of a giant falcon and slew the Griffin King on top of the tallest mountain. During Aegon's conquest, one of his sisters did the same, flying her dragon over the Bloody Gate and up to the Eyrie, the Arryn stronghold, and the Arryn boy king yielded the Vale in return for a ride on the beast."
"Aegon Targaryen landed to our south and, as had many before him liked the look of the Riverlands. My ancestor Edmyn Tully led the desertion of riverlords to his cause and was rewarded by getting to watch King Harren burn in his own tower. Unfortunately, that's not all Edmyn got. House Tully was named the Lords Paramount of the Trident, which means we had to keep in line all of those lords who hadn't governed themselves for thousands of years."
"After years of war, my ancestors gave up their barbaric practices and bent the knee to their new kings. Thus House Bolton became what we are today: loyal bannermen and staunch ally to the Starks, and the second greatest house in the North..."
Stannis: "It is customary to kneel when surrendering to a king."
Mance: "We do not kneel."
Stannis: "I'll have thousands of your men in chains by nightfall. I have nowhere to put them, I have nothing to feed them. I'm not here to slaughter big dogs. Their fate depends on their king."
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, "kneelers" is also a derogatory term used by the Free Folk to refer to those south of the Wall, as they view kneeling as an act of renouncing one's freedom.
