Castamere

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Castamere
Ruined castle
The westerlands and the location of Castamere.
The westerlands and the location of Castamere.
Castamere
The westerlands and the location of Castamere.[1]
Location Westerlands
Government House Spicer, Feudal lord
Ruler None (AGoT)
Lord Rolph Spicer (ADwD)
Religion Faith of the Seven

Castamere is a ruined castle[2] located south of the Crag and west of Ashemark in the northwestern westerlands;[1] also nearby is Tarbeck Hall.[3] The former seat of House Reyne, Castamere contains gold[4] and silver mines.[5]

Layout

Named after a nearby pool of blue water,[5] Castamere began as a mine like Casterly Rock. After building curtain walls to guard the entrance with two stout towers, the Reynes constructed keeps and halls. As the gold and silver dried up, the mine below was widened and converted into halls, galleries, bedchambers, and a vast underground ballroom. While the surface fortifications resembled those of a minor lord or landed knight, nine-tenths of the castle was subterranean.[5]

History

The drowning of Lord Roger Reyne, by Fuderiki

The rich veins of gold and silver allowed House Reyne to become nearly as wealthy as House Lannister of Casterly Rock during the Age of Heroes.[5]

Rhaena Targaryen and her dragon, Dreamfyre, briefly stayed at Castamere with the Reynes in 51 AC.[6] King Jaehaerys I Targaryen visited the castle in 55 AC.[7]

Kevan Lannister, the second son of Lord Tytos Lannister, served as first page and then squire to Robert Reyne, Lord of Castamere. Following the War of the Ninepenny Kings, tensions rose between the Reynes and Lannisters during the rule of Tytos. Castamere was where the opposing sides met to exchange hostages. Peace was short lived, however.[5]

During the ensuing Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion, the Reynes retreated to Castamere after the destruction of Tarbeck Hall. With Roger wounded and many of their men killed in battle, the Red Lion's brother, Ser Reynard, abandoned the surface castle for the safety of the mine's oak-and-iron gate. Tytos's heir, Ser Tywin Lannister, ignored Reynard's offers and had his miners bury Castamere's entrances beneath stone. The Lannisters then dammed the pool's stream and diverted it into a mine entrance, flooding the underground chambers of Castamere and drowning those trapped inside. Tywin also had the surface buildings put to the torch. The fate of the Reynes and Castamere is remembered in the song "The Rains of Castamere".[3][5]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

During the War of the Five Kings, the gold mines of Castamere are seized by Lord Jon Umber after the Battle of Oxcross.[4]

A Storm of Swords

For their part in the downfall of House Stark during the War of the Five Kings, House Spicer receives Castamere and Ser Rolph Spicer is named Lord of Castamere.[8]

Quotes

Tyrion: The Crag is not so far from Tarbeck Hall and Castamere. You'd think the Westerlings might have ridden past and seen the lesson there.
Tywin: Mayhaps they have. They are well aware of Castamere, I promise you.[3]

Every crow in the Seven Kingdoms should pay homage to you, Father. From Castamere to the Blackwater, you fed them well.[9]

—thoughts of Jaime Lannister

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, map of Westeros.
  2. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Castamere.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
  4. 4.0 4.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 39, Catelyn V.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands: House Lannister under the Dragons.
  6. Fire & Blood, A Time of Testing - The Realm Remade.
  7. Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
  8. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.
  9. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 8, Jaime I.