Game of Thrones is based on George R.R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy books. Set on the island continent of Westeros, Game of Thrones is a story about different houses and clans within the landmass vying for control, wealth and power in a grand game of politics played out like chess or as Cersei Lannister claims –“A Game of Thrones”. There are numerous players in Game of Thrones. House Stark, House Targaryen, and House Lannister might sound the most obvious ones but there are so many houses within the Seven Kingdoms that possess the ability to singlehandedly turn the tables that we have to list them out one by one. Presenting – 10 Strongest Houses from Game of Thrones series – Ranked
10. House Mormont
Their house sigil is the bear and their house motto is “Here We Stand.” House Mormont is not a large house and has very few fighters. But they are a proud house and every Mormont is known for his or her extreme fighting prowess in the heat of battle. House Mormont is fiercely loyal to one house throughout the series – House Stark. They claim that the only King they answer to is the King in the North.
Situated on Bear Island, their house castle is not as big and well-defended but they more than make up for it with the natural terrain that surrounds the area. Bear Island is almost inaccessible and no army in the world can actually conquer it since its terrain and landscape is very hostile to people who are not acclimated to such environments. Besides, their House Lord is Lyanna Mormont and no one, not even the Nights King, has the balls to mess around with Lyanna Mormont.
9. House Baratheon
House Baratheon used to be the strongest military and economic power in the old days. Now, it is only a shadow of its former self and is close to becoming extinct. The Baratheons have a very bad habit of quickly starting or ending a fight, which is why Stannis and his Brother Renly Baratheon lost their lives. The remaining Baratheon children are dead. Joffrey and Joanna died via poisoning while Tommen killed himself.
The only surviving member is the bastard child of Robert Baratheon, Gendry. But right now, it is hard to tell what actual power does the heir to Storm’s end, actually wields as the Stormlands, the ancestral kingdom of House Baratheon, descend into infighting and civil war.
8. House Bolton
Have a look at their House Motto – “A naked man has few secrets; a flayed man has none”. This alone is enough to reveal how sadistic and psychopathic members of House Bolton are. House Bolton is probably the only house in Westeros that could do what no other house in the history of the seven kingdoms could.
They ousted House Stark to become the rulers of Winterfell as Ramsay Bolton became the new King in the north. And they did that not by military might but pure, unadulterated psychological warfare. The Boltons know how to use terror and fear to their advantage, which is how they ruled the whole of the North during the peak of their power. The Boltons are capable of crossing any line and going to any extent imaginable if that is what it takes them to achieve their goals. This is what makes them so dangerous. They are ready to do anything to succeed. Honour? What’s that?!?!?!
7. House Arryn
Many have overlooked the vale as a meek house with ancient beliefs that will never be able to get out of its self-proclaimed isolated cocoon of pacifism. But rest assured, the vale decides to stay away from the politics of the rest of Westeros because they know the minute they take sides, victory will be of the ones they side with. Sure their king is a stupid ten-year-old that is as capable of ruling as a rabbit is capable of swimming.
But we forget that their castle called the Eyrie, has never ever been invaded. Not even the Targaryens dared order their forces to storm the vale and had to resort to other means to subdue them. House Arryn also has an extremely well trained infantry. The way they turned the tide for House Stark in the battle of the bastards is something to watch out for. Coupled with the fact that House Arryn commands one of the largest and most well trained armies in all of Westeros, they deserve the seventh position on this list. They could have been placed way above had they not held onto their pacifist behaviour.
6. House Tyrell
House Tyrell is the wealthiest House of Westeros. They are in charge of The Reach, a fertile stretch of land that spreads all throughout the southwestern part of Westeros. It allows them to have a yearlong supply of food grains. The enormous surplus is then traded elsewhere which provide them with huge amounts of money. House Tyrell’s true power is not their huge army.
They believe in amassing power by swaying the common folks’ opinion. One of the most generous houses in all of Westeros, they are the only house that is liked by everyone. They believe in keeping the people satisfied and thus satiated and playing their political games behind the scenes, away from the eyes of the public. Their House Motto – “A Golden Rose Growing Strong” might be able to indicate their true intentions.
5. House Martell
Dorne is a kingdom of sand and heat. It is a mysterious and exotic place where the people are just as enigmatic as they look and dress. Dorne is ruled by House Martell, the only House that was defiant to Aegon’s Conquest till the very end and still remains unconquered to this date. House Martell is just as, if not more, rich as House Tyrell but they never show off their wealth and resources to everyone.
The Dornish people are fierce warriors who use poisoned weapons in the battlefield and have the ablest force of assassins in all of Westeros. House Martell is also one of the mast progressive Houses of Westeros. They allow women to hold high positions of power and have no qualms with bastards taking up roles of responsibility in administration. Their House motto is – “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.”
4. House Greyjoy
Their House Motto is “We Do Not Sow”. The Greyjoys rule the Iron Islands, home to the feistiest sailors in the Seven Kingdoms – the Ironborn. They are used to pay the “Iron Price” for their actions and are constantly on the high seas, pillaging and pirating nearby villages and taking by force what they saw fit. The Ironborns’ true prowess is not their battle experience but their incredible naval fleet.
In a month’s time, House Greyjoy was able to conjure up a fleet that rivalled the entirety of the naval fleet of the rest of the Six Kingdoms combined. The Greyjoys are very much like the Boltons, they do not care about the means as long as they get what they want at the end. They also have a very bad habit of not playing by the rules set by the others. They are hated everywhere due to their constant pillaging but that has not stopped them from becoming a naval super power.
3. House Stark
“Winter is Coming”, maybe for the rest of Westeros but for the northerners, it is already here. House Stark, as much as we would like it, is never going to be able to take the Iron Throne. It is not because they don’t have that capability but due to the fact that they simply do not want to be embroiled in the petty politics of King’s Landing. They have the support of the entire North, they have a capable king that could inspire others to fight, a sizable naval fleet and the power to defy the Lannisters and the Baratheons till the end of time.
2. House Lannister
The Lannisters’ House motto is -“Hear Me Roar”. After their entire presence in King’ Landing has been down to just Cersei Lannister at the helm, many would consider that Cersei is just a few steps away from her eventual downfall.
This might also work in the favour of Cersei since she does not have anyone to hold her back this time, not even Jaime. With the Iron Bank in her pocket and the support of the force of both the Westerlands and the Crownlands, the House Lady of the Lannisters has amassed just enough power for her house to occupy the second position on this list.
1. House Targaryen
This House has freaking dragons!! Need we say more? Apart from that House Targaryen is now in possession of the Stormlands and has an entire army of the Unsullied, soldiers of legendary status that are bred and trained to fight from childhood, at their command. House Targaryen’s Lady, Daenerys Targaryen, went from a fleeting refugee to becoming the most powerful person in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. Their House Motto is “Fire and Blood”. Any House with a motto as deadly as that is a house the other houses of Westeros need to stay away from.
