Westeros Notorious Rulers and Families

Roose Bolton

Lord Roose was also known as Lord of the Dreadfort, Warden of the North, Lord Leech, The Leech Lord, and Lord of Leeches. Lord Roose's second wife was Bethany Ryswell, they had one son Domeric Bolton. Lord Roose's second wife was Walda Frey.History: Roose practices the abolished tradition of the first night, but he is discreet with his activities and amusements in order to avoid the attention and possible ire of the Wardens of the North, House Stark. While hunting along the Weeping Water, Roose once raped a young miller's wife and hanged the miller for not gaining his approval for their marriage. When the woman later presented a baby to Roose, he spared the bastard boy Ramsay because he had the same pale eyes as Roose. Lord Bolton granted the mill to the woman, sent her annual supplies and funds, and had the tongue of the miller's brother cut out to prevent Lord Rickard Stark from learning what had happened. Roose fought at the Battle of the Trident during Robert's Rebellion. When Ser Barristan Selmy, seriously wounded, was brought before Lord Robert Baratheon, Roose counseled that they should kill him. Robert ignored Roose and spared Barristan's life, sending his own maester to tend to the Kingsguard's wounds. According to a semi-canon source, Roose helped to suppress Greyjoy's Rebellion. After the death of his first wife, Roose was married to Bethany Ryswell, with whom he had one son who survived the cradle, Domeric. Roose's children who did not survive the cradle have been buried below the Dreadfort. Roose had Domeric serve as a page to Bethany's sister, Lady Barbrey Dustin, in Barrowton and as a squire to Lord Horton Redfort at the Red Fort. Roose had Reek, a servant at the Dreadfort who always smelled terrible, whipped for stealing Bethany's perfume in an attempt to mask his stench. When the mother of his bastard son appeared at the Dreadfort demanding Roose provide her with a servant to help in raising her son, Roose sent her Reek, an act which he intended to be amusing. Roose eventually became a widower when his wife Bethany died of a fever.In 297 AC, Domeric died after visiting his half-brother, Ramsay. Maester Uthor blamed a bad belly, but Lord Bolton attributes his heir's death to poisoning by Ramsay. Having no other trueborn heirs, Roose brought Ramsay to the Dreadfort but is not believed to have acknowledged him.Recent Events: Roose answers his liege's call when Robb Stark summons his banners to Winterfell to aid his father, Lord Eddard, and his grandfather, Lord Hoster Tully. Roose brusquely demands command from Robb, who is unnerved by the Lord of the Dreadfort. At Moat Cailin, Robb devises a plan to split his army in two, with Robb leading one host to save Riverrun and the other distracting Lord Tywin Lannister. Instead of the Greatjon, Robb grants command of the second host to the more cautious Roose. At the Twins, Roose cautions Robb against House Frey. Robb agrees to a betrothal with one of Lord Walder Frey's daughters. Roose is given command of the northern and Frey foot and some of the horses when Robb splits his army at the Twins.Roose travels south along the east bank of the Trident to distract Lord Tywin Lannister. He marches through the night and launches a surprise attack in the early morning, but is defeated by Tywin in the battle on the Green Fork. However, Roose retreats in good order, reforming the battered remnants of his army on the causeway before Moat Cailin.Roose brings his army from the Causeway to the Twins, where he marries his third wife, Walda Frey, one of Lord Walder Frey's granddaughters.Arya Stark hears that Lord Bolton has occupied the ruby Ford. In an effort to limit Lord Tywin Lannister's options, who have marched from Harrenhal in an attempt to meet Robb in the westerlands, Ser Edmure Tully commands Roose to join Ser Helman Tallhart, who is coming south from the Twins, and to retake Harrenhal.Hoping to take Harrenhal without weakening his army, Roose makes a deal with Vargo Hoat, leader of the Brave Companions, unsavory sellswords in Tywin's employ. The Companions pretend to take prisoner a group of Northmen led by Robett Glover and Ser Aenys Frey. They then seize the castle, taking out Ser Amory Lorch's small Lannister garrison and opening the gates to the rest of Roose's men. The fall of Harrenhal is done with the aid of an incognito Arya and the assassin Jaqen H'ghar.While at Harrenhal, Roose takes Arya as his cupbearer, mistaking her for a commoner named Nan. Arya is in attendance when Roose holds a council with the Freys; Roose lies naked and drained by leeches during the meeting. Because of Stannis Baratheon's defeat in the Battle of the Blackwater, the Freys do not think that Robb can now defeat Tywin. Roose issues orders to have Ser Helman Tallhart burn Darry and then join with Robett Glover to attack Duskendale. After the council, Roose decides to hunt a pack of wolves near Harrenhal. Arya also learns from the Freys that they have been dishonored, but does not know why. Because Roose intends to leave her with the Brave Companions at Harrenhal, Arya steals a dagger and a map from Roose's solar and flees Harrenhal.In the meantime, Roose's bastard son, Ramsay Snow, has married and starved Lady Donella Hornwood and claimed her lands as the Lord of the Hornwood. When Ser Rodrik Cassel besieges the ironborn-occupied Winterfell, Ramsay has the Dreadfort's garrison betray the other Northmen and burn Winterfell. The destruction is attributed to Theon Greyjoy's ironborn, however.It is revealed that the Freys have been dishonored because King Robb Stark married Jeyne Westerling instead of a Frey. After the Brave Companions take Jaime Lannister prisoner, Vargo Hoat has Jaime's sword hand cut off before bringing him to Roose at Harrenhal. Roose tells Jaime that Vargo acted independently to curry favor and refuge with Lord Rickard Karstark, as well as drive a wedge between Roose and Tywin Lannister. The ploy does not work, however, as Roose receives Jaime's assurance that he will not be held responsible for Jaime's injury. Before leaving Harrenhal in the hands of Vargo, Roose releases Jaime and asks him to give his regards to Lord Tywin; Jaime responds that Roose should give his regards to Robb Stark.Robb summons Roose to aid in retaking Moat Cailin and the north from the ironborn. On the march north to the Twins, Roose takes his time when crossing the Trident, and his rearguard is attacked by Ser Gregor Clegane. On the other side, he leaves Stark loyalists to guard the river, taking only Dreadfort and Karhold men with him, the latter incensed by Robb Stark's execution of Lord Rickard. After arriving at the Twins for Lord Edmure Tully's wedding with Roslin Frey, Roose discusses with Robb the disastrous battle at Duskendale, in which Lannister and Tyrell's forces shattered the force of Ser Helman Tallhart, Robett Glover, and Harrion Karstark. Roose attributes the loss of a third of Robb's infantry to Robett's initiative, not admitting that he gave Helman and Robett the order to attack Duskendale. Roose convinces Robb that Theon Greyjoy should be kept captive at the Dreadfort.During the reception after Edmure's wedding at the Twins, Roose toasts Lord Walder Frey's grandsons, mentioning that Big Walder and Little Walder are now in the care of Ramsay after the battle at Winterfell. Roose later mumbles an excuse to use the privy and leaves the hall. Edmure's bedding and the subsequent playing of "The Rains of Castamere" is the signal for the Freys to betray and attack their guests. When Roose returns to the hall he is dressed in mail armor. Roose approaches Robb, who has already been wounded by Frey's arrows, and kills him while saying, "Jaime Lannister sends his regards."Outside the castle, the Frey, Bolton, and possibly Karstark soldiers attack their fellow Northmen and rivermen and annihilate them. It is revealed that Roose had planned the Red Wedding in detail with Lothar Frey, including the choice of songs. For this service, Tywin gives Roose the title of Warden of the North. Roose also receives a royal decree of legitimization for his bastard son and heir, Ramsay, as well as a girl masquerading as Arya Stark for Ramsay to marry.Lord Roose marches north with his own forces from the Twins, augmented by two thousand Freys under the command of Ser Aenys Frey and Ser Hosteen Frey.Despite being named Warden of the North, Roose's support among some northern lords is grudging. The first to declare for him are the Dustins and Ryswells, to whom he is related through his second wife, Bethany. The faction of House Umber led by Hother Whoresbane declares for him that the Greatjon is in Frey's captivity, and the Cerwyns, Lockes, and Manderlys send men as well. Robett Glover and Lord Wyman Manderly distrust the Boltons, however. Arnolf Karstark, the castellan of Karhold who publicly declared for Stannis Baratheon, is secretly in league with Roose and awaits the moment to turn his cloak. The Boltons and Karstarks plan to defeat Stannis by drawing him against the Dreadfort.After Moat Cailin surrenders to Ramsay thanks to a browbeaten Theon Greyjoy, Roose meets his son and introduces him to his fiancee, "Arya Stark" (actually Jeyne Poole). Roose is greatly displeased by his son's actions, stating as much to Theon at Barrowton, where the northern lords are to gather for Ramsay and Jeyne's wedding. Roose is disgusted by the mistreatment of Theon, whom Ramsay calls Reek. After he hears that Stannis has retaken Deepwood Motte, Roose decides to have the wedding moved from Barrowton to Winterfell in order to bait Stannis. He is accompanied by his new wife, Walda.Upon arriving at Winterfell, Roose finds the ruined castle now a refuge of more than two dozen squatters. When Roose tells them he will be merciful if they serve well, they are used as a labor force in rebuilding Winterfell. After the work is completed, Roose has them hanged instead of flayed, which Theon considers merciful.At Ramsay's wedding feast, Roose does not eat any food or drink unless he sees Lord Wyman Manderly, who brought the food, first eat the same dish. Lady Dustin tells Theon that Roose hopes to become King in the North, not just Warden because the Lannisters are weakened after the death of Tywin, the maiming of Jaime, and the disappearance of Tyrion. Roose, Ramsay, and the Bolton army remain at Winterfell awaiting Stannis's host, who is slowed by a blizzard during their march on Winterfell. Several Bolton men are murdered during the wait, and suspicion is cast on several of the bannermen. In truth, however, most of the murders are committed by the singer Abel and his women, who are actually Mance Rayder and several free folk spear wives on a mission to free "Arya Stark". The murders raise tensions within the castle. Tempers flare when Lord Manderly insults the murdered Little Walder Frey; a clash ensues that leads to the deaths of several men-at-arms. Having learned that Stannis's army is three days from Winterfell, Roose orders the Freys and Manderlys to leave Winterfell by separate gates and march on Stannis's position.