White Harbor is a northern city in Westeros. It is the seat of House Manderly and contains many historic places like the Wolf’s Den. Southeast of Winterfell, White Harbor is one of the most populated settlements in the North and is the largest North of the Neck. However, it is among the smallest of the major cities in Westeros. White Harbor’s proximity to the sea makes it a crucial route for the North. It is the hub for all major trade between the North and South of Westeros and other parts of the world.
Though a northern settlement, most people in White Harbor are followers of the Faith of the Seven. However, there are also worshippers of the Old Gods of the Forest.
Geography
White Harbor is on the eastern shore of the White Knife, where the river empties into a firth of the Bite and is southeast of the seat of House Stark, Winterfell. The city is orderly and clean, with wide cobbled streets for easy navigation. There are city guardsmen present for defense and maintaining order.
There are varieties of seafood in White Harbor. The most prominent is crab and fish, sold by the Sistermen of the Three Sisters. The city sells hides, wool, and wood and receives goat cheese from the Sistermen. It is also known for its incredible beer. Silversmiths and shipwrights also stay in White Harbor.
Outskirts
There are many landmarks and constructions on the outskirts of White Harbor. They include:
Seal Rock is a gigantic stone standing fifty feet above the waters on the path into the Outer Harbor. There is a ringfort of weathered and abandoned stones dating to the era of the First Men surrounding the area. The Manderlys place many defense equipments on Seal Rock, including spitfires, scorpions, and crossbowmen to deter attackers.
The Harbor of White Harbor has two sections: the Outer and Inner Harbor. Though the Outer Harbor is larger, the Inner provides better anchorage and shelter to ships. A mile-long thirty-foot wall on the dock separates both harbor sections.
Between the Outer Harbor and the Seal Gate is a fish market with seafood, including lampreys, herring, cod, clams, crabs, eels, salmon, mussels, whitefish, and winkles.
The Wolf’s Den is also on the outskirts of White Harbor. It was once a fortress but has become a prison because of its age. Within its walls is the godswood of White Harbor.
Within the Walls
There are way more attractions inside the well-guarded walls of White Harbor. They include:
- The Fishfoot Yard is a cobbled square just outside the Seal Gate. It has a fountain at its center and an alley leading to a brothel.
- The Old Mint in the Fishfoot Yard.
- The Lazy Eel is a winesink with the worst service in White Harbor. It is renowned for serving the oldest whores to customers and giving food that is inedible on its best day and poisonous on its worst.
- Castle Stair is a stone street that connects the New Castle with the Wolf’s Den with its steps. It has marble mermaids.
- The Sept of the Snows is a massive sept with a domed roof and tall statues of the Seven.
Other notable places include an inn famous for its lamprey pies, a mummer’s hall, and an alehouse.
New Castle
New Castle is House Manderly’s seat of power. It is on a hill within White Harbor’s walls and connects with the Wolf’s Den through the Castle Stair. Within the Castle is a great hall used for feasts and political events. It is called the Merman’s Court.
History
The First Men built a ringfort on top of Seal Rock. Years later, King Jon Stark constructed the Wolf’s Den after he drove out the sea raiders who used the harbor to attack people inland. After the fortress’s construction, many Starks and their branches held the region to prevent raiders from making it their home. Some cadet branches that resided at the Wolf’s Den included the Greystarks, Longs, Slates, Lockes, Ashwoods, and Holts.
Foundation
Between 100BC and 600BC, Lord Lorimar Peake, under Perceon III Gardener, the King of the Reach, exiled the Manderlys from southern Westeros. The House traveled to the North, where the Starks welcomed and gave them the Wolf’s Den and surrounding lands. With their wealth from the Reach, the Manderlys constructed the New Castle using the architecture of the South and created the city of White Harbor.
Aegon the Conqueror
King Aegon I Targaryen held court in White Harbor three times during his reign. Ser Warrick Manderly successfully led a fleet of hired Braavosi galleys from White Harbor to destroy the Sistermen Rebellion.
Queen Alyssane
During King Jaehaerys I Targaryen’s reign, the Seven Kingdoms, including White Harbor, flourished. King Jaehaerys and his wife, Queen Alyssane, planned on making royal progress to the North. They took three ships to stop at White Harbor before traveling to Winterfell.
Because King Jaehaerys remained in King’s Landing for some work, Alyssane left before him. She arrived at White Harbor, and tens of thousands of smallfolk rushed to see her and her dragon, Silverwing. Lord Theomore Manderly was shocked to see so many people as he thought his city did not have a high population.
Lord Theomore hosted a small tourney for the Queen as the Manderlys had a South origin. Later, Alysanne convened a women’s court that saw more than two hundred girls attend to state their concerns and grievances with the Iron Throne.
The Dance of the Dragons
During the Targaryen Civil War, Prince Jacaerys Targaryentravels on his dragon, Vermax, to convince the Manderlys and Starks to join the Blacks. He succeeded, and after the fall of King’s Landing, Lord Desmon Manderly’s sons, Medrick and Torrhen, urged Rhaenyra to follow them back. However, she refused. They later took a hundred White Harbor knights to Aegon III Targaryen’s wedding to Jaehaera Targaryen.
During the Winter Fever in 132 AC, thousands died in White Harbor and Westeros. The disease, combined with winter, forced many into abject poverty. It got so bad that people willingly sold themselves into slavery to eat. Lord Thaddeus Rowan, the Hand of the King, sent food to White Harbor, but it dampened the problems for a short time.
Recent History
Arya Stark followed her father, Lord Eddard Stark, to White Harbor twice. The city also stopped getting attacked by wildlings and the ironborn.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Game of Thrones
Lady Catelyn Stark hires a ship from White Harbor to King’s Landing after the attempted assassination of her son, Bran Stark. Her husband, Lord Ned Stark, tells her to instruct Lord Wyman Manderly to repair and strengthen White Harbor’s defenses.
When Catelyn returns to the North from the Vale of Arryn, she and her uncle, Ser Brynden Tully, reach White Harbor and later leave with Ser Wylis Manderly and his levies of about 1500 men to meet Robb Stark.
A Clash of Kings
King Stannis Baratheon tasked Ser Davos Seaworth with spreading the word of King Joffrey Baratheon’s illegitimacy. Davos sails to White Harbor and other harbors along the Narrow Sea, and the news spreads like wildfire. Meanwhile, Lord Wyman Manderly meets Bran Stark, Ser Rodrik Cassel, and maester Luwin at the Harvest Feast. He appoints new customs officers as the previously held money back from King Robb Stark. He also proposes to mint a new coin for the King.
When Luwin learns of an ironborn threat to Torrhen’s Square, he sends ravens to White Harbor, the wolfswood, and the barrowlands. Eventually, Theon captures Winterfell. However, during the capture, Luwin sends a message to White Harbor. Lord Manderly sends out men to restore order. However, his men are betrayed and killed by House Bolton soldiers.
A Dance with Dragons
Lord Davos Seaworth arrives at White Harbor to ally with the Manderlys. However, he meets some members of House Frey. They insult Davos and tell Lord Manderly that Robb Stark, who died at the Red Wedding, was a dog who wanted to create chaos.
Davos tries speaking against them but is interrupted by Lord Manderly, who orders he be arrested and beheaded. However, unknown to the Freys, a common criminal gets killed, and his head is dipped in tar to look like Davos. Upon hearing what Lord Wyman did, Queen Cersei Lannister released his remaining son and heir.
Lord Wyman Manderly secretly meets Davos and tells him he will join Stannis if he travels to Skagos and retrieves Rickon Stark. Lord Wyman then gives his Frey guests palfreys as they leave to signify the end of guest rights. He trails behind them on the journey to Arya’s wedding, and they go missing. When Lord Wyman reaches Winterfell for the wedding, he tells the Freys that he trailed behind the envoy they sent and did not know what happened to them.
White Harbor: The Northern City
Though it was the smallest of the major cities of Westeros, White Harbor’s leaders were the most loyal. They stood by the Starks through everything as they valued loyalty above everything. Even after the Starks lost power, the Manderlys were still willing to make them rise to the top again.
