Abstract
In this chapter, a historical and archaeological analysis is performed on the different types of fortifications in the Seven Kingdoms as material culture in a specific space and time in George R. R. Martin’s literary saga, by applying analytical methodologies employed in the fields of archaeology and history to data collected from the novels and the TV series. Accordingly, Westeros and its cultural codes are first contextualised as a feudal society, while the functionality of its castles is analysed. Following this, the spatial location and political geography of these castles are examined, with the help of a geographical information system, for the purpose of reconstructing the Seven Kingdoms. Lastly, their evolution over time is analysed on the basis of their building phases. All of this shows that the Seven Kingdoms has been created in such a coherent and detailed way that when applying methodological tools inherent to archaeology and history to this fantasy world, it is possible to obtain satisfactory results.
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Notes
- 1.
- 2.
Perea Rodríguez (2018).
- 3.
- 4.
Martin: “How do you research your novels?” [webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.georgerrmartin.com/for-fans/faq/ (accessed 4 July 2022).
- 5.
On Martin’s sources of inspiration and neo-medievalism, see Carroll (2018: 1–23).
- 6.
Paradoxically, even with the dismemberment of the Seven Kingdoms in the War of the Five Kings just after his death, Robert I Baratheon was the king with the greatest direct territorial—and military, following the demise of the Targaryen dragons—power since Aegon’s Conquest. This is so because, at the time, House Baratheon ruled over the Crownlands, including Dragonstone, and the Stormlands.
- 7.
The king’s possessions in the Seven Kingdoms seem to be restricted basically to the Crownlands. The only ones outside them appearing in the novels are Summer Hall in the Stormlands and Pennytree in the Riverlands. Martin et al. (2014: 87–88) (“The Targaryen Kings. Daeron II”); DwD 49 Jaime 1.
- 8.
The Brotherhood without Banners, which seeks to keep the King’s Peace, would epitomise this belief, calling themselves ‘men of the King’. This monarch would be the idealised late King Robert, because none of the warring parties in the War of the Five Kings are considered to be legitimate because of their evil deeds. SoS 18 Arya 3.
- 9.
Martin (2018: 231–273) (Fire and Blood, “Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Their Triumphs and Tragedies”).
- 10.
GoT 21 Eddard 4.
- 11.
Martin (2018: 40–50) (Fire and Blood, “Three Heads Had the Dragon: Governance under King Aegon I”).
- 12.
Pavlac (2017b).
- 13.
In several cases, as with the Wardens of the South, this rank has become even more honorific over time, since it was originally created to protect the border with Dorne, before this principate joined the Seven Kingdoms.
- 14.
GoT 5 Eddard 1.
- 15.
CoK 66 Sansa 8.
- 16.
These houses continue to call Robert Arryn “True Warden of the East”: GoT 35 Catelyn 6.
- 17.
Martin (2018: 231–273) (Fire and Blood, “Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Their Triumphs and Tragedies”).
- 18.
Pavlac (2017b: 59–61).
- 19.
Apart from the civil war, noblemen had a say in the crowning of a new king, in event of a dispute over succession, by voting in a great council. The council, which was attended by all the lords of the realm, was only called on three occasions, twice to choose the successor to the throne and once to elect a regency council (101, 136 and 233 AC). All the dates in this chapter are AC, to wit, After the Conquest (of Aegon I) and BC for Before the Conquest. Martin et al. (2014: 60–65) (“The Targaryen Kings. Jaehaerys I”), 82–86 (Aegon III) and 106 (Maekar I); Martin (2018: 339–390) (Fire and Blood, “The Heirs of the Dragon: A Question of Succession”).
- 20.
Nevertheless, there is a clear contradiction between the codes of conduct that noblemen, noblewomen and knights are expected to follow and everyday practice. This contradiction is one of the main themes in Martin’s work and glaringly evident in Sansa’s plot. In this respect, see Carroll (2018: 23–54). This duality between theory and practice was also the case in feudal Europe: Porrinas (2019b).
- 21.
GoT appendix.
- 22.
- 23.
Martin (2015: 50) (“The Hedge Knight”).
- 24.
GoT 2 Bran 1.
- 25.
SoS 21 Catelyn 3.
- 26.
This is one of the proposals that have been put forward to resolve the problem of the inheritance of the widowed Lady Hornwood: CoK 17 Bran 2.
- 27.
SoS 69 Sansa 6; CoK 18 Tyrion 4.
- 28.
CoK 66 Sansa 8.
- 29.
In actual fact, one of the main rewards given to the victorious knights after the Battle of the Blackwater, and the compensation offered to Ser Barristan Selmy, were land and resources to build tower houses, thus becoming landed knights: CoK 66 Sansa 8; GoT 58 Sansa 5.
- 30.
DwD 58 Tyrion 11. On the Wonders of Game of Thrones, see De Miguel and Carbó in this volume.
- 31.
GoT, Appendix.
- 32.
- 33.
Thrones S4: Ep.5, “First of His Name”.
- 34.
FfC 42 Alayne 2.
- 35.
Despite the very few references in this regard in the novels, it can be inferred that it was not that odd for lords to use more than one castle or palace as a residence during the year, like, for example, the Arryns with the Gates of the Moon and the Martells with the Water Gardens. This roaming between fortresses, palaces and even hunting lodges is also confirmed by historical and archaeological sources for feudal royalty and nobility: Reeve and Thurlby (2005).
- 36.
DwD 30 Davos 4; Martin et al. (2014: 137–138) (“The North. The Kings of Winter”).
- 37.
SoS 10 Bran 1, GoT 9 Tyrion 2. From the references to watchtowers and surveillance points, it can be deduced that they were commonplace throughout the Seven Kingdoms. For example: SoS 11 Davos 2.
- 38.
Reche Ontillera (2019).
- 39.
The unique role played by the guilds of King’s Landing in the Battle of the Blackwater was to produce weaponry and supplies (wildfire, arms, armour, shields, the chain closing the river, etc.). Neither did they ever participate actively in the battle nor did it cross anyone’s mind to oblige the citizenry of King’s Landing to help the City Watch in the defence of their city.
- 40.
Martin (2018: 591–618) (Fire and Blood, “Under the Regents”).
- 41.
- 42.
- 43.
- 44.
- 45.
Martin (2015: 134–135) (“The Sworn Sword”).
- 46.
- 47.
GoT 44 Eddard 11.
- 48.
CoK 43 Davos 2.
- 49.
But these fortresses do not apparently offer refuge to all the people living in the vicinity. Catelyn Stark clearly reflects the view held by the Westerosi nobility that commoners are a burden in such an eventuality: “Only my sweet brother would crowd all these useless mouths into a castle that might soon be under siege” (CoK 40 Catelyn 5).
- 50.
CoK 50 Tyrion 11.
- 51.
This role also includes surveillance and raising the alarm, as in the case of Seagard, whose famous bronze bell is rung to give warning of ironborn raids: CoK 12 Theon 1.
- 52.
CoK 1 Prologue.
- 53.
Dixon and Lott (1993).
- 54.
Thrones S8: Ep.5, “The Bells”.
- 55.
An excellent example of this is when a number of peasants from the Riverlands enter the Great Hall of the Red Keep to beg for the King’s Justice: Thrones S1: Ep.6. “A Golden Crown”, GoT 44 Eddard 11.
- 56.
Thrones S1: Ep.6, “A Golden Crown” and S4: Ep.6, “The Laws of God and Men”.
- 57.
FfC 41 Princess in the Tower.
- 58.
Thrones S1: Ep.10, “Fire and Blood”.
- 59.
DwD 30 Davos 4.
- 60.
GoT 70 Tyrion 11.
- 61.
CoK, 17 Bran 2, 22 Bran 3.
- 62.
The Red Wedding demonstrates that castles can also become cursed places due to the events that took place within their walls: SoS 52 Catelyn 7, Thrones S3: Ep.9, “The Rains of Castamere”.
- 63.
Among others, GoT 6 Jon 1; CoK 17 Bran 2 for Winterfell, GoT 72 Catelyn 11, SoS 15 Catelyn 2.
- 64.
Among others, SoS 32 Jon 4, CoK 2 Arya 1, GoT 1 Prologue.
- 65.
GoT 10 Tyrion 1.
- 66.
FfC 12 The Kraken’s Daughter.
- 67.
Toubert (1973).
- 68.
GoT 9 Tyrion 2.
- 69.
Martin (2018: 339–390) (Fire and Blood, “Heirs of the Dragon: A Question of Succession”).
- 70.
- 71.
Martin et al. (2014: 124–126) (“The Fall of the Dragons. The Year of the False Spring”).
- 72.
Thrones S5: Ep.2, “The House of Black and White”.
- 73.
Thrones S5: Ep.6, “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”, DwD 38 The Prince of Winterfell.
- 74.
CoK 15 Arya 4.
- 75.
DwD 49 Jaime 1.
- 76.
- 77.
- 78.
All the maps plotted are available in the supplementary materials at http://hdl.handle.net/10481/58562.
- 79.
Martin et al. (2014: 156–160) (“The Riverlands. House Tully”).
- 80.
Martin et al. (2014: 183–186) (“The Iron Islands. The Black Blood”).
- 81.
Taking into account only the armed actions described in the novels, while excluding those between Targaryen and Lannister shown in the TV series during the last seasons, because they deserve their own analysis. Although not strictly related to the dispute over the Iron Throne, fighting on the Wall is included because Stannis was involved in it.
- 82.
GoT 63 Tyrion 8, and 70 Tyrion 9.
- 83.
Also applied in archaeology for multiple purposes. In this regard, see Baxter et al. (1997).
- 84.
FfC 31 Jaime 4, 34 Jaime 5, and 39 Jaime 6; DwD 49 Jaime 1.
- 85.
CoK 47 Bran 6, and 70 Bran 7; DwD 63 The Sacrifice.
- 86.
CoK 45 Tyrion 10; DwD 62 The Griffin Reborns.
- 87.
GoT 35 Catelyn 6.
- 88.
- 89.
Thiessen polygons for the rest of the regions are available in the supplementary materials at http://hdl.handle.net/10481/58562.
- 90.
Martin et al. (2014: 139) (“The North. The Stoneborn of Skagos”).
- 91.
Martin et al. (2014: 139) (“The North. The Mountain Clans”).
- 92.
GoT 21 Eddard 4.
- 93.
The noble houses of the North have much more territory than their southern peers, because in smaller regions like the Reach and Dorne, there are many more documented houses. However, the northern lands are much less densely populated.
- 94.
DwD 30 Davos 4.
- 95.
CoK 36 Bran 5.
- 96.
DwD 33 Reek 2.
- 97.
CoK 36 Bran 5, and 38 Theon 3.
- 98.
Carroll (2017).
- 99.
- 100.
SoS 42 Bran 3.
- 101.
Martin et al. (2014: 29–31) (“The Reign of the Dragons”).
- 102.
SoS 20 Tyrion 3.
- 103.
CoK 35 Jon 4; SoS 19 Samwell 1.
- 104.
Martin et al. (2014: 142–144) (“The North. Winterfell”).
- 105.
García Curieses (2017).
- 106.
- 107.
The fortifications appearing in the TV series merit their own analysis because their settings combine real heritage sites, with their own building history, with additions for the filming of the different episodes. For further information on the heritage sites appearing in Game of Thrones, see the project www.heritageofwesteros.com (accessed 29 December 2019).
- 108.
Martin et al. (2014: 142–144) (“The North. Winterfell”).
- 109.
Martin et al. (2014: 142–144) (“The North. Winterfell”).
- 110.
Martin et al. (2014: 142–144) (“The North. Winterfell”).
- 111.
Martin et al. (2014: 142–144) (“The North. Winterfell”). In the Winterfell of the TV series, although different to the one described in the novels, it is also possible to observe the existence of square and round towers, alike, so they presumably date from different periods. Thrones S8: Ep.1, “Winterfell” and Ep.3, “The Long Night”.
- 112.
Martin et al. (2014: 142–144) (“The North. Winterfell”).
- 113.
GoT 9 Bran 2.
- 114.
GoT 3 Catelyn 1.
- 115.
CoK 70 Bran 7, and 67 Theon 6.
- 116.
Martin (2018: 3–26) (Fire and Blood, “Aegon’s Conquest”).
- 117.
Martin (2018: 40–50) (Fire and Blood, “Three Heads Had the Dragon: Governance under Aegon I”).
- 118.
Martin (2018: 51–70) (Fire and Blood, “The Sons of the Dragon”).
- 119.
Martin (2018: 70–79) (Fire and Blood, “The Sons of the Dragon”).
- 120.
Martin (2018: 80–106) (Fire and Blood, “The Sons of the Dragon”).
- 121.
FfC 13 Cersei 3.
- 122.
CoK 12 Theon 1.
- 123.
Rouco (2021).
- 124.
See Sánchez in this volume.
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Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Carlos J. Galbán Malagón and Mikel Herrán Subiñas for their valuable comments and advice.
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Rouco Collazo, J. (2023). “There had been a Great Strength in those Stones”: Materiality and Archaeological Perspectives of Westerosi Fortifications. In: Álvarez-Ossorio, A., Lozano, F., Moreno Soldevila, R., Rosillo-Lopez, C. (eds) Game of Thrones - A View from the Humanities Vol. 1. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15489-8_3
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