Game of Thrones Season One Ultimate Unofficial Guide: The Game of Thrones Season 1

to King’s Landing to substitute in his place as Joffrey’s Hand since Tywin must remain on the battlefield. He instructs Tyrion to get Cersei and Joffrey under control because they are interfering with his power strategies and have started an irrefutable and unnecessary war.

Targaryen
    The Targaryens, although only one in the active bloodline now remains, were once a powerful House that occupied the King’s Landing region known as Dragonstone. It is said to be an active volcano island settled by the Valyrians of Old who built its dragon-shaped keep with magic. The Targaryens are the only surviving family of Old Valyria and were known to marry siblings to better preserve their pure dragon bloodline. Three hundred years ago, Aegon Targaryen used fiery dragons to submit six of the seven then separate kingdoms into one under his reign of terror. He erected King’s Landing, the Capital of Westeros, and with dragon’s fire forged the Iron Throne out of swords belonging to his vanquished foes. Aegon’s brother, Aemon, joined the Night’s Watch and Aegon’s son, Aerys, succeeded the throne. Aerys and his sister-wife Rhaella had three children: Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys. King Aerys became increasingly paranoid about his enemies and lost his mind, so much so that people refer to him as The Mad King. Rhaegar, Aerys’ eldest son, was killed by Robert Baratheon in an act of vengeance for Robert’s beloved, Lyanna Stark. Aerys was then killed by a member of his Kingsguard, Jaime Lannister, after unjustly executing Rickard and Brandon Stark. Robert took the throne, thus ending the Targaryen reign. The rest of the Targaryen family was killed on orders from Tywin Lannister, an event sadly recalled by Aemon during a conversation with Jon Snow. Viserys and Daenerys were aided in escape to Essos to grow up in secret exile. Currently, Viserys has been killed by the Dothraki for threatening to kill their queen and her unborn baby. Daenerys has realized her true identity as the Last Dragon and has hatched her three dragon eggs.

Arryn
    The Arryn family is descended from the first Andal invaders who crossed the Narrow Sea and took much of Westeros from the First Men. Artys Arryn, who defeated the Griffin King and took control of the area known as The Vale, built The Eyrie, a mountain stronghold situated on the highest peak of the Mountains of the Moon. Jon Arryn, who served as Hand of King Robert for seventeen years, met an untimely death for discovering the true bloodline of the three Baratheon children. Cat’s sister, Lysa Tully, was married to Jon Arryn. Lysa took their son, Robin, to be raised in Jon’s homeland after his death. Robin is heir to the lordship over The Vale. With the knowledge that the Lannisters poisoned her husband, Lysa lives in paranoid fear for her and her son. She ends up refusing to help Cat in the fight for Ned’s release because of her concern for Robin’s safety.
Tully
    Although a noble family, The Tullys do not descend from ancient kings. Ned’s wife, Catelyn Tully, grew up at the Riverlands stronghold named Riverrun. Cat was originally going to marry Ned’s brother, Brandon, in an attempt to unite their two Houses. When Brandon was executed, she fulfilled her duty by marrying Ned, the only remaining heir of the Stark family. Cat has a younger sister named Lysa who was married to Jon Arryn, The Hand of King Robert. The end of the season finds Cat working with Robb to rescue Sansa and Arya and to avenge Ned’s death without aid from her sister.
Greyjoy
    The Greyjoys are another lording family of a part of The Riverlands referred to as The Iron Islands. For the past three centuries, the Greyjoys have resided on the main island named Pyke. Although these “Ironmen” are sworn to protect the throne, they live independently from the laws of the mainland. They worship their own deity and conduct their own business. The Greyjoys attempted a failed revolt against the throne just after Robert took his position as king. This event led to Theon Greyjoy becoming a ward of Ned Stark at the age of eight. By season’s end, Robb is elected King in the North and Theon pledges his loyalty to Robb, forsaking any ties to the Greyjoy family.
Frey
    Lord Walder Frey is a third controlling factor in the Riverlands. He maintains lordship over a pair of identical, fortified castles called The Twins that sit on either side of the Green Fork. Lord Frey has prospered on tolls charged to people needing to cross