Great Houses

The Great Houses are the most powerful of the noble houses of the Eight Kingdoms. They exercise immense authority and power over their vassals and territories and are answerable only to the King of the Eight Kingdoms.

Before the Darkest Night, each of the Eight Kingdoms was ruled independently by a powerful royal family. In the aftermath of the war, these families signed a pact to form a United Kingdom, diminishing each King's claim to Kinghood and their ownership of a kingdom.

What were once eight kingdoms, were now eight regions or provinces, and the men that used to rule as Kings, were now Wardens of their province.

Each Great House has a large number of vassal houses, some of whom have smaller vassals under them, extending all the way down to farmers and low knights. Each Great House rules over its province and is responsible for collecting taxes, enforcing the King's royal decrees, and in times of war, raising troops to fight for the King. Otherwise, they are largely left to operate autonomously to simplify the bureaucracy and governance of the realm.

Current Great Houses

 * House Lannister - the de facto royal house of the Eight Kingdoms. They rule Wintervale from Winter's Landing as well as Lannisport.
 * House Stark - the rulers of the Northern Helm from their castle of Frozen Hold.
 * House Naharis - the rulers of Silandria whom rule from the capital Rayleen.