Wait… what’s that little bald-headed runt on about? Aren’t there, you understand, seven kingdoms within the geopolitical entity often called the Seven Kingdoms? The quick reply to that’s no. The longer reply to that’s “it’s difficult.” Honestly, there is just one “kingdom” on the continent of Westeros and it simply so occurs to be known as the singular “Seven Kingdoms.” That title is akin to collective nation titles like the USA of America or the UK of Nice Britain and Northern Eire.
However whereas the U.S. and U.Okay. don’t include numbers of their names, the Seven Kingdoms does and it has now outgrown that preliminary quantity. Right here is how that occurred and why the Seven Kingdoms might extra precisely be described as “One Kingdom Consisting of 9 Areas.”
There Have been Seven Impartial Kingdoms Earlier than Aegon’s Conquest
Earlier than Aegon Targaryen, his sisters, and their dragons landed on the shores of Westeros, the continent was divided into seven impartial kingdoms. These kingdoms had been:
The Kingdom of the North, dominated by Home Stark in Winterfell
The Kingdom of the Mountain and the Vale, dominated by Home Arryn within the Eyrie
The Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers, dominated by Home Hoare in Harrenhal
The Kingdom of the Rock, dominated by Home Lannister in Casterly Rock
The Kingdom of the Attain, dominated by Home Gardener in Highgarden
The Kingdom of the Storm, dominated by Home Durrandon in Storm’s Finish
Dorne, dominated by Home Nymeros Martell (which kinds themselves as princes, not kings) in Sunspear
Whereas everybody else noticed seven impartial kingdoms, Aegon noticed only one landmass ripe for the taking. So he set out from his seat on the island of Dragonstone and took it! Some kingdoms (together with the North, the Vale, and the Rock) understood they couldn’t win a battle in opposition to three dragons and laid down their arms. The ruling homes there have been subsequently awarded positions as “wardens” of their respective areas – swearing fealty to King Aegon I because the one true king of all seven kingdoms whereas sustaining some energy and autonomy of their very own. Others foolishly tried to battle and had their entire strains extinguished (together with Home Hoare of the Iron Islands and Riverlands, Home Gardener of the Attain, and Home Durrandon of the Stormlands).
Solely Dorne and its favorable geography proved profitable in repelling the dragon risk, remaining impartial till King Daeron II introduced them into the realm by way of marriage afterward. Nonetheless, regardless of not having precise management of Dorne, King Aegon I styled himself because the “Lord of the Seven Kingdoms” to determine his dominion over the continent. The title “Seven Kingdoms” caught all through the years regardless that there was however one king and one kingdom, give or take a Dorne.
