Summary

• House Stark's lineage dates back to the Age of Heroes, with Bran the Builder credited for building Winterfell and the Wall.
• Torrhen Stark was the last King in the North, bending the knee to Aegon the Conqueror to prevent bloodshed.
• Cregan Stark, Lord of Winterfell, will play a significant role in the House of the Dragon, tracing lineage down to Eddard Stark.

House Stark is the main noble family followed in HBO's A Song of Ice & Fire book series, written by American author George R.R. Martin. Outside the five dense main series novels so far, Martin has expanded his fictional universe through books exploring its histories, such as Fire & Blood or The World of Ice & Fire. These texts help contextualize the Stark family lineage, though there are significant gaps.

Westeros, also referred to as the Seven Kingdoms, is a continent with thousands of years of history, developed into its modern society by three main ethnic groups. The First Men, which includes Stark ancestors, were the first to inhabit the continent, with modern influence most notable in the North. The Starks have ruled the North in some capacity from the castle Winterfell for millenniums. Subsequent groups, the Andals (House Lannister, for example), and Rhoynar (Dornish), began to inhabit Westeros years later, with the cultures mixing to form the society seen in Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones has expanded into various spinoff series, with the prequel House of the Dragon returning for season 2 on June 16. The first season mainly examined characters from the Targaryen dynasty, but House of the Dragon season 2 will see a return to the North, introducing Cregan Stark as the Lord of Winterfell, a new player in the growing political drama and war. Though the drama occurs nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, Cregan's lineage can easily be traced down to Eddard, Sansa, Jon Snow, and the iconic Stark characters of the original HBO epic.

Brandon The Builder

Brandon The Builder Is The Mythical Founder Of House Stark

• Relation To Ned Stark: Ancestor

Bran the Builder was mentioned multiple times throughout Game of Thrones, as he's the founder of House Stark, dating back to the Age of Heroes. Having existed thousands of years earlier, the existence of Bran the Builder is arguably more mythical than fact, though he's largely credited as the man who built Winterfell and the Wall, two of the continent's most legendary structures. The reality of his existence is beside the point, as his most important attributions to George R.R. Martin's world are the things he created: the structures and the Stark family.

Torrhen Stark

Torrhen Was The Last King In The North, Prior To Aegon's Conquest

• Relation To Ned Stark: Ancestor

For millenniums before Game of Thrones, the continent of Westeros was ruled by Seven Kingdoms, each ruled by an individual monarch. By the time the TV series begins, however, there is only one monarch in Westeros who rules from King's Landing, and the other regions of the continent are governed by Lords. In the North, which had seen a long line of Stark Kings, Torrhen Stark was the last, prior to Robb Stark's declaration as King in Game of Thrones season 1.

300 years before Game of Thrones, Aegon the Conqueror flew on dragonback to Westeros, claiming dominance, a pivotal event that will be shown in one of the Game of Thrones spinoffs. While Kingdoms like the Reach and the Rock attempted to resist Aegon in battle, Torrhen Stark famously bent the knee in an effort to avoid bloodshed. He was thereafter known as the King Who Knelt and is regarded for his wisdom and for the sacrifice of his personal pride to save thousands. Torrhen lived out his days as the first Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

Rickon Stark

Cregan Stark's Father Was Seen In House Of The Dragon Season 1

• Parents: Benjen Stark, Lysa Locke
• Children: Cregan Stark, Sara Snow
• Relation To Ned Stark: Great-great-great-great-great grandfather

Rickon is a common name in the Stark lineage, though this Rickon refers to the father of Cregan Stark. Rickon ruled during the reign of Viserys Targaryen and is notably seen bending the knee, swearing fealty to Rhaenyra as the rightful heir in House of the Dragon season 1. While he isn't a vital character, this brief moment will have relevance going forward as his son Cregan becomes important. In Fire & Blood, Rickon dies a much younger man than he's depicted as being in the show, leaving Cregan as Lord at the age of 13.

Cregan Stark

Cregan Stark Will Be A Prevalent Character In House Of The Dragon

• Parents: Rickon Stark & Gilliane Glover
• Children: Rickon Stark, Sarra Stark, Alys Stark, Raya Stark, Mariah Stark, Jonnel Stark, Edric Stark, Lyanna Stark, Barthogan Stark, Brandon Stark
• Relation To Ned Stark: Great-great-great-great grandfather

Actor Tom Taylor ed the House of the Dragon season 2 cast to play Cregan Stark, a young Lord of Winterfell in his early 20s who, like most nobles in Westeros, will be forced to pick sides in the Dance of the Dragons. At the end of House of the Dragon season 1, Rhaenyra's son, Jacaerys Velaryon, was sent on dragonback to the North to delegate with Cregan, hoping to bring him to their side. He should appear early in season 2 to show the resolution of this delegation, and he's already been shown in trailers for the show.

Rickard Stark

Ned Stark's Father Was Burnt Alive By The Mad King

• Parents: Edwyle Stark & Marna Locke
• Children: Brandon Stark, Lyanna Stark, Eddard Stark, Benjen Stark
• Relation To Ned Stark: Father

Rickard Stark is Ned's father and ruled prior to the events of Robert's Rebellion. His most notable acts were arranging marriages between his eldest son, Brandon, to Catelyn Tully, and his daughter Lyanna to Robert Baratheon. Following Lyanna's alleged abduction by Rhaegar Targaryen, Brandon Stark was arrested by Aerys II, the Mad King, and Rickard Stark arrived in King's Landing to demand trial by combat for his son. He was instead burnt alive in the throne room of the Red Keep for all to watch.

Brandon Stark

Ned's Oldest Brother Was Betrothed To Catelyn Tully

• Parents: Rickard Stark & Lyarra Stark
• Siblings: Lyanna Stark, Eddard Stark, Benjen Stark
• Relation To Ned Stark: Brother

While Rickard Stark was burnt alive, Ned's eldest brother, Brandon, was hung from a noose and forced to watch, leading to death by strangulation. Aside from his brutal death, however, Brandon was notably the heir to Winterfell and was taller, considered to be more handsome, more confident, and a better warrior than Ned. When betrothed to Catelyn, Littlefinger challenged him to a duel out of jealousy, with Catelyn having to beg Brandon to spare his life.

Lyanna Stark

Lyanna Stark's Alleged Abduction Started Robert's Rebellion

• Parents: Rickard Stark & Lyarra Stark
• Siblings: Brandon Stark, Eddard Stark, Benjen Stark
• Children: Jon Snow
• Relation To Ned Stark: Sister

Lyanna Stark died before the events of Game of Thrones, but she became a well-known character throughout the show's run due to her place in the most common fan theory: R+L=J. The theory, which considered Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark to be Jon Snow's biological parents, was proven true by Bran's visions in season 6. While originally betrothed to Robert Baratheon, Lyanna ran off with Rhaegar Targaryen, where they wed in secret. Her final act was giving birth to Jon in the Tower of Joy, where Ned found her and promised to keep the baby safe.

Benjen Stark

Benjen Is First Ranger Of The Night's Watch

• Parents: Rickard Stark & Lyarra Stark
• Siblings: Brandon Stark, Lyanna Stark, Eddard Stark
• Relation To Ned Stark: Brother

Benjen Stark has a minor role in Game of Thrones season 1 before disappearing for the majority of the show. He's Ned Stark's younger brother, who ed the Night's Watch and became First Ranger and is a well-respected member of the organization's ranks. In season 1, he ventures beyond the Wall to investigate the mysterious occurrences surrounding wildlings and White Walkers but never returns from the journey. In season 6, he returns to protect Bran and Meera Reed, then does the same in season 7, protecting Jon Snow before dying to the army of the dead.

Eddard Stark

Ned Stark Is The First Protagonist In Game Of Thrones

• Parents: Rickard Stark & Lyarra Stark
• Siblings: Brandon Stark, Lyanna Stark, Benjen Stark
• Children: Robb Stark, Jon Snow (officially), Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Rickon Stark

Eddard "Ned" Stark is the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North in the first season of Game of Thrones. He's imperfect, but he's often the show's protagonist and moral com among far more morally ambiguous characters. He shares a loving marriage with Catelyn Tully, has strong bonds with his children, and is respected by the people of Winterfell and the North. Ned was a childhood friend of Robert Baratheon, and the two fought together to overthrow the Mad King, planting Robert on the Iron Throne. Years later, Robert requests Ned to be the next Hand of the King.

His death set the precedent for Game of Thrones to be a series where no one was safe

Ned's time in King's Landing as Robert's Hand is the catalyst for the show's main stage of events, as Robert's death causes a war of succession and civil wars across Westeros. Ned attempts to do the noble thing at every turn, misunderstanding the political game in King's Landing, resulting in his execution by Joffrey Baratheon. It can't be understated how iconic Eddard Stark is as a culturally impactful TV character. His death set the precedent for Game of Thrones to be a series where no one was safe; a risky move that changed the television landscape for years following.

Catelyn Tully

Catelyn Tully Is The Matriarch Of House Stark

• Parents: Hoster Tully & Minisa Whent
• Siblings: Edmure Tully, Lysa Arryn
• Children: Robb Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Rickon Stark
• Relation To Ned Stark: Wife

Catelyn Tully is the mother of the Stark family, who fights fiercely for her husband and children throughout the early seasons of Game of Thrones. After Eddard Stark's death, Catelyn plays an instrumental role in ing Robb Stark in the War of Five Kings. Catelyn was born a Tully, the noble house of the Riverlands, which brings a significant force to Robb's side in the war against the Lannisters. She's tragically killed at the Red Wedding along with Robb, though in the books she's brought back to life by Thoros of Myr, becoming known as Lady Stoneheart.