- Bran Stark: "I didn't like the way he was talking about Robb."
- Luwin: "Nor did I. But listening to people you'd rather not listen to is one of your responsibilities as Lord of Winterfell."
- — Bran Stark and Maester Luwin discuss Bran's duties[src]
Winterfell, the seat of the Lord of Winterfell.
The Lord of Winterfell is the ruler of the stronghold Winterfell, the capital of the North and seat of House Stark.
For generations, the title has been held by members of House Stark, until recently: during the War of the Five Kings, the title was taken by enemies of the Starks (Greyjoys and Boltons), but eventually House Stark reclaimed Winterfell and this title after the Battle of the Bastards.
According to the male-preference primogeniture law of inheritance followed in Westeros, Bran Stark is the rightful heir to Winterfell, ahead of Jon, a bastard, and Sansa, a female; however, Bran abdicated his lordship on the grounds that the Three-Eyed Raven cannot be the lord of anything. Bran's assertion upheld the recent status quo: Jon as Warden of the North and Sansa as Lady of Winterfell. However, after Sansa is crowned Queen in the North, both titles are presumably reunited under the current sovereign of the north.
Contents
Recent events
Season 1
Rickard Stark held the title until he was murdered, along with his eldest son Brandon by the Mad King, sparking Robert's Rebellion.[1] Rickard's second son Eddard Stark is the holder until his death, then the title passes to his eldest son Robb.[2] Following his father's death, Robb goes to war and leaves his brother Bran to be Lord of Winterfell in his absence.[3]
Season 2
During the War of the Five Kings, Theon is assigned to raid the Stony Shore,[4] but instead seizes Winterfell as his own, making him the new Lord of Winterfell.[5]
Season 3
Robb and many of his followers are murdered at the Red Wedding.[6] For his part in the massacre, Roose Bolton is named Warden of the North, becoming the new Lord of Winterfell, although he does not immediately move there.[7]
Season 5
Stannis offers to legitimize Jon Snow. He admits that his goal is to legitimize Jon as a full member of House Stark and install him as the Lord of Winterfell, surmising that the Northern lords will rally to Stannis's cause to take the Iron Throne if Stannis has the backing of a Stark lord. Jon ultimately declines the offer, leaving Winterfell's heir as Ramsay Bolton.[8]
Season 6
Ramsay becomes the new Lord of Winterfell after he murders his father.[9] After the Battle of the Bastards and Ramsay's death, Sansa is now Lady of Winterfell.[10]
Season 7
Sansa continues to be styled the Lady of Winterfell, and continues to govern alongside Jon, the elected King in the North.[11] Bran, the rightful Lord of Winterfell, returns home and reunites with Sansa, who is currently ruling the Kingdom of the North in Jon's absence. Sansa declares Bran is now Lord of Winterfell, as the last trueborn son of their father, but he declines his inheritance for his duty as the Three-Eyed Raven. Hence, Sansa remains Lady of Winterfell.[12]
Season 8
After arriving at Winterfell, Tyrion compliments Sansa on her title, stating that the Lady of Winterfell has "a nice ring to it."[13] Jon abdicates his kingship, in order to secure Daenerys's support in the coming battle. However, Sansa, as Lady of Winterfell, seeks to preserve the North, even if it means securing their independence once again. In a private meeting with Daenerys, the leaders discuss the future of the Seven Kingdoms after they defeat the army of the dead and Cersei. Sansa insists the North earned their independence in the Battle of the Bastards and promised never to kneel to a monarch outside of the North ever again.[14]
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire, prior to Aegon the Conquerer's War of Conquest, the Lords of Winterfell styled themselves as Kings in the North.
After Torrhen Stark gave up his crown, Aegon named him Lord of Winterfell (and Warden of the North), and since then the title passed to members of House Stark till its recent downfall.
See also
References
| Lord: | Sansa Stark | Heir: | Arya Stark |  | |
| Seat: | Winterfell | Lands: | The North | ||
| Title(s): | King in the North · Lord of Winterfell
Under the Iron Throne: Lord Paramount of the North · Warden of the North | ||||
| Ancestors: | Brandon the Builder · Brandon the Breaker · Dorren Stark · Jon Stark · Rickard Stark · Rodrik Stark · Karlon Stark · Theon Stark · Osric Stark · Torrhen Stark · Cregan Stark · Brandon Snow | ||||
| Current members: | Bran the Broken · Jon Snow | ||||
| Deceased members: | Rickard Stark · Brandon Stark · Lyanna Stark · Eddard Stark · Robb Stark · Talisa Stark · Catelyn Stark · Rickon Stark · Benjen Stark | ||||
| Household: | {Maester Luwin} · {Ser Rodrik Cassel} · {Jory Cassel} · {Vayon Poole} · Jeyne Poole · {Septa Mordane} · {Old Nan} · {Hodor} · {Farlen} · {Mikken} · {Osha} · {Jojen Reed} · Maester Wolkan | ||||
| Lord: | None, extinct | Heir: | None, extinct |  | |
| Seat: | Winterfell · The Dreadfort | Lands: | The North | ||
| Title(s): | Red King (former) · Lord of the Dreadfort | ||||
| Ancestors: | Royce IV Bolton · Rogar Bolton | ||||
| Deceased members: | Domeric Bolton · Ramsay Bolton · Roose Bolton · Walda Bolton | ||||
| Household: | {Locke} · Steelshanks · {Myranda} · {Tansy} · {Violet} · {Master Torturer} · Maester Wolkan | ||||
| Overlord: | House Baratheon of King's Landing | ||||
