House Tully

Lords of the Riverlands from their fortress of Riverrun. Unlike many of the other Great Houses, they were never Kings of their own realm, but were granted lordship under Aegon the Conqueror. Their current head, Hoster Tully, has three children: the two daughters Catelyn and Lysa, who married Eddard Stark and Jon Arryn, and the son Edmure, who will succeed him when he dies. They ally with the North during the War of the Five Kings. Their words are "Family, Duty, Honor" Their members tend to have fiery red hair and their sigil is a leaping silver trout.

History

Andal Invasion and Wardens of the Riverlands

An old nobility with First Men roots, the Tullys were never kings but vassals to other houses that ruled the Riverlands like House Mudd, until the invasion of the Andals, to which they peacefully submitted, receiving land, and thus influence, which they used to create their stronghold of Riverrun. They would often fight with the Lannister Kings of the Rock and the Kings of the Iron Islands of House Hoare, in defense of the Riverlands.

Targaryen Dynasty

House Tully rose to prominence during Aegon's Conquest, where they rebelled against their despotic ruler, House Hoare and supported House Targaryen under Edmyn Tully, who became the first Lord Paramount of the Trident and his family gaining dominion over the Riverlands, despite having smaller armies and less prestige. Lord Edmyn Tully served as Aegon the Conqueror's Hand of the King for two years during his kingship. Both Aenys and Maegor Targaryen had the support of the Tullys against Harren the Red, a rebel descendant of Harren the Black and against Aenys' son Aegon.

Knights of House Tully charge, by Martina Pilcerova © Fantasy Flight Games

Lord Hoster Tully has took a ward, Petyr Baelish, then an obscure lordling from the Fingers. Petyr fell in love with Lord Tully's eldest daughter Catelyn, but was rebuffed. When Hoster finally accepted an offer from Lord Rickard Stark that Catelyn be betrothed to Brandon Stark, heir to Winterfell. Petyr Baelish dueled Brandon for Catelyn's favor, resulting in his exile from Riverrun. Brandon and Rickard's however were executed by the Mad King and the Tullys joined the the ensuing rebellion against him, arranging for Catelyn to wed Brandon's brother Lord Eddard and for her sister Lysa to marry Lord Jon Arryn. The Riverlands was a major theater of the war, and Lord Hoster fought in the Battle of the Bells and crushed the royalist houses of Goodbrook, Darry, Mooton, and Ryger. His control over his bannermen was not complete; aside from these recalcitrant houses, House Frey delayed their contribution until after the decisive Battle of the Trident, itself fought in the Riverlands. After the war, the Tully girls rode off to their husbands' seats.

Recent Events

Due to their geographic position, their central, flat location ensures that the Tullys will be drawn into the fight whenever there is a war between the other houses, whether they like it or not. As such, the Riverlands serve as main battleground during the War of the Five Kings and is the region that's hit most hard during the conflict.