Casterly Rock

Lore & Background

Seven relatively stable feudal kingdoms were forged across Westeros over thousands of years. One of these was the Kingdom of the Rock, ruled by House Lannister of Casterly Rock. Three hundred years before the novels begin, Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys invaded the Westerosi mainland with three fire-breathing dragons. Their armies subdued six of the Seven Kingdoms through conquest or treaty. While House Lannister of Casterly Rock is listed as one of the ruling houses, the text notes that Aegon wiped out three of the seven ruling houses that refused to bend their knees. Specifically, the source states that house Durrandon was replaced by house Baratheon, house Gardener with house Tyrell, and house Hoare with houses Tully and Greyjoy. The text implies House Lannister survived this conquest, likely through treaty or submission, maintaining its rule over the Rock as a vassal to the Iron Throne.

In Their Own Story

The narrative describes the unification of Westeros under the Iron Throne following the Targaryen invasion. Before this, the Kingdom of the Rock was an independent entity ruled by House Lannister from Casterly Rock. The text does not provide specific story moments occurring within the castle itself, nor does it detail the lives of Tywin, Cersei, or Jaime at the Rock during the War of the Five Kings. It establishes that for almost three centuries after Aegon's conquest, House Targaryen remained the ruling house until they were overthrown by a rebellion led by Robert Baratheon in 283 AC. The source mentions that territories fluctuated through constant warfare and no kingdom remained dominant for long prior to the unification.

Reader's Guide

Casterly Rock serves as the seat of House Lannister within the Westerlands region, one of the nine regions of the Seven Kingdoms. The source identifies it as a historical power center that survived the Targaryen conquest, unlike three other ruling houses that were wiped out. It is situated in a land where gold mines are implied by the house's name and reputation for wealth, though the text does not explicitly detail the mining operations or the specific resource extraction methods. The fortress represents one of the seven original kingdoms before Aegon's unification. Visitors to this part of Westeros would find it within the political structure of the Seven Kingdoms, where major noble houses wield significant power while owing fealty to the Iron Throne.

Did You Know?

• Casterly Rock was the seat of the Kingdom of the Rock, one of seven feudal kingdoms forged across Westeros before Aegon's conquest.
• Three hundred years prior to the novels' beginning, House Lannister survived Aegon the Conqueror's invasion while three other ruling houses were wiped out.
• The Seven Kingdoms are spread across nine regions, including the Westerlands where Casterly Rock is located.
• House Lannister owes fealty to the Iron Throne, which was forged from the swords of defeated enemies by dragonfire.