The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are divided between many hundreds of noble houses of various sizes. In Westeros ultimate power derives from the King on the Iron Throne and descends through the Great Houses that rule the constituent regions of the continent to their vassals.
There are nine Great Houses, and each of them have a number of vassal houses (sometimes also referred to as minor houses) in their liege. The most powerful vassal houses may themselves field armies of a few thousand and control large regions, whilst the smallest houses may be little more than impoverished landholders with only a few men to their name.
A typical noble house is seated at a castle and controls the land around it, collecting tithes and taxes from farmers, lesser landholders and smallfolk. In times of war they are expected to recruit and maintain a number of soldiers for their lieges. In most of Westeros only men can become ruling lords, and women can only rule if the rest of the male line has been extinguished or if they are acting as regents for their sons until they become of majority. In Dorne men and women have equal property, inheritance and ruling rights.
In the series
The following houses have appeared in the series:
- House Arryn
- Sworn to House Arryn:
- House Baelish
- House Egen
- House Baratheon
- Sworn to House Baratheon of Storm's End:
- House Dondarrion
- House Selmy
- House Trant
- Sworn to House Baratheon of King's Landing:
- House Thorne
- House Slynt of Harrenhal.
- House Lannister
- Sworn to House Lannister:
- House Clegane
- House Payne
- House Stark
- Sworn to House Stark:
- House Tully
- Sworn to House Tully:
- House Bracken
- House Frey
- House Whent
- House Slynt
- House Tyrell
- Sworn to House Tyrell:
- House Florent
In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels and accompanying short stories, websites and RPG sourcebooks, there are over 300 named noble houses of Westeros. All of these are sworn to the Great Houses. After the Great Houses, the most prominent vassal houses that will likely play a role in the TV series are:
- Sworn to House Arryn
- Sworn to House Baratheon of Storm's End
- Sworn to House Baratheon of King's Landing:
- House Blount
- House Kettleblack
- Sworn to House Martell
- Sworn to House Stark
- Sworn to House Tully
- Sworn to House Tyrell