House Stark is one of the most iconic and beloved noble families in Game of Thrones. Their unflappable moral character, noble resistance in the face of tyranny, and hard-won command over one of Westeros’ most hostile regions place them several cuts above most. However, the North wasn’t always unified under the direwolf banner. House Bolton remains one of House Stark’s least loyal vassals. This trend started with the Red Kings of the Dreadfort.
It takes a lot to be a villain in Game of Thrones. Most members of the cast are guilty of various war crimes, placing the bar high for anyone seeking the audience’s hatred. Ramsay Bolton fought that uphill battle, won, and then suffered one of the most cathartic deaths in the series. A look back at his family lineage might engender some sympathy. Ramsay’s actions were never justified, but with his upbringing, it’s hard to imagine him turning out any better.
Who were the Red Kings?
The Red Kings of the Dreadfort were ancient rulers of lands that are now the North. Far east of Winterfell, House Bolton dominated a vast tract of land from their castle, the Dreadfort. Their leadership evolved over hundreds of years. As the Age of Heroes raged, House Bolton survived the Long Night. Brandon the Builder built the Wall, creating the North as a nation. Brandon established House Stark and claimed dominion over Winterfell. His leadership was not uncontested. The Red Kings were among House Stark’s greatest enemies. House Bolton’s reputation has always been questionable. The family crest depicts a flayed man with blood on all sides, outwardly embracing their cruelty as a positive trait. Their leaders were known as Red Kings, carrying similar titles to Marsh Kings or Drifwood Kings in other regions. House Bolton commanded their region for hundreds of years, but their long-term goals remain less fulfilled. Historian Yandel described their reign like this:
Yet the bitterest foes of Winterfell were undoubtedly the Red Kings of the Dreadfort, those grim lords of House Bolton whose domains of old stretched from the Last River to the White Knife, and as far south as the Sheepshead Hills.
What did the Red Kings accomplish?
The 1,000-foot overview of this question yields an unimpressive answer. The Red Kings failed to unseat House Stark and claim the North. They came close a couple of times. The Red Kings staged rebellions against the Kings of Winter for hundreds of years. Royce II Bolton led a successful charge on Winterfell. He claimed the surrounding Winter Town, forcing Stark soldiers out of their homes and burning House Stark’s seat of power to the ground. His victory was temporary, eventually concluding with the contemporary King of Winter kicking Royce II out of Winterfell. After 300 years, Royce IV Bolton repeated Royce II’s success. Royce IV earned the nickname “Royce Redarm” for his unfortunate hobby of tearing prisoners’ innards out with his bare hands. Like his namesake, Royce IV claimed and burned Winterfell before running back to the Dreadfort.
The wars between the Red Kings and the Kings of Winter ceased after roughly 2,000 years of battle. Rogar “The Huntsman” Bolton surrendered to House Stark and sent two of his sons to Winterfell as hostages to end hostilities. They made that difficult decision as the Andals invaded Westeros from Essos. The Boltons and Starks were First Men, an ethnic group descended from the first humans to reach the new continent. The Andals struck thousands of years later, leading a campaign of nightmarish violence to spread their religion. Their crusade dominated most of the petty kings over the First Men. The North stymied their approach. The Red Kings supported the Marsh Kings of the crannogmen, swamp dwellers who presented an indefatigable road block. The Andals only reached the North through strategic weddings, rather than bloody conquest, thanks in part to the Red Kings’ surrender.
What happened to House Bolton?
Roose Bolton and his bastard son, Ramsay Snow, are two of the most despicable monsters in Game of Thrones. They maintain their family’s love of unmitigated cruelty. They also remain bitter rivals of House Stark, constantly working to undermine the lords they serve. The books see Cersei Lannister hand House Bolton the North after they betray the Starks to the Iron Throne. Jon Snow and Stannis Baratheon intend to unseat him, but that conflict hasn’t seen the page yet. The show unveiled the Battle of the Bastards, which saw Jon Snow and Sansa Stark dethrone Ramsay, execute his traitorous army, and put House Bolton in the ground for good.
The Red Kings were a compelling antagonist for the early Stark regime. Their animosity briefly halted as the Andals invaded, but House Bolton maintained their grudge for the following millennia. Despite their cruelty, the North likely would have fallen to the Andal invaders without them. House Bolton suffered the worst imaginable fate as its representatives died horribly. The Red Kings have a pattern, but only Ramsay and Roose showed fans how rough the Starks can be as they retake Winterfell.
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