A lot of houses are going extinct quickly

[Floki of the Ironborn]

Seems strange that houses which have survived for hundreds or thousands of years and innumerable wars are now dropping like flies. Caron, Dondarrion, Penrose, Darry, Hornwood, and many other houses are teetering on the edge with only a few members left alive: Baratheon, Bolton, Tallhart, Umber, Stark, Arryn, Tully, Targaryen, Tarth, Florent, Velaryon, Serry, Greyjoy, and who knows how many others.

Maybe we just don't hear about all the houses that die out over the years, but most of the ones I've mentioned have been listed as old houses. It just seems odd that their family members are so few in number after all these years. Especially when houses like the Freys, Blackwoods, Lannisters, and Tyrells are so plentiful.

[Valyrian Blade]

I guess it's meant to happen in a war torn world.

[Lord Ravenstark]

I guess it's meant to happen in a war torn world.

Yes, but is is incredibly suspicious that it is happening now but never in thousands of year. Either things used to be very different or Targaryen rule was the worst thing to ever happen in Westeros (Targaryen invasion marks the beginning of extinction of millennia old houses)… which is not really hard to believe, since Targaryens are pretty bad kings and people in average.

[Queen Alienor]

Well, there were quite a few noble families that died out in the historical War of Roses, too, which is one of the inspirations for ASOIAF.

Also, I'm pretty sure that there were houses who died out in the Blackfyre rebellions and maybe even some in Robert's Rebellion, too.

[Daendrew]

1 hour ago, Lord Ravenstark said:

Yes, but is is incredibly suspicious that it is happening now but never in thousands of year. Either things used to be very different or Targaryen rule was the worst thing to ever happen in Westeros (Targaryen invasion marks the beginning of extinction of millennia old houses)… which is not really hard to believe, since Targaryens are pretty bad kings and people in average.

History forgets the forgotten. He has put in that we lost House Mudd in the Riverlands and the Reins in Westerlands etc. This is cyclical. Every region has one. Greystarks are one in the North for example.

It happens in our own medieval histories as well. When you lose a war, your house and all it's members are often lost and killed. 

Spikes. Heads. 

[thelittledragonthatcould]

5 hours ago, King Floki of the Ironborn said:

5 hours ago, King Floki of the Ironborn said:

Seems strange that houses which have survived for hundreds or thousands of years and innumerable wars are now dropping like flies. Caron, Dondarrion, Penrose, Darry, Hornwood, and many other houses are teetering on the edge with only a few members left alive: Baratheon, Bolton, Tallhart, Umber, Stark, Arryn, Tully, Targaryen, Tarth, Florent, Velaryon, Serry, Greyjoy, and who knows how many others.

Maybe we just don't hear about all the houses that die out over the years, but most of the ones I've mentioned have been listed as old houses. It just seems odd that their family members are so few in number after all these years. Especially when houses like the Freys, Blackwoods, Lannisters, and Tyrells are so plentiful.

 

They are not really going extinct, just the current branches in control are in danger, not the House itself.

Caron: Mylenda, the wife of Petyr Frey is still alive as well as her daughter. There may be other Carons yet it does not matter as they were stripped of their lands.

Dondarrion: We truly do not have enough information about this House. Beric may well have brothers, uncles, aunts and cousins.

Penrose: There was no indication that Cortnay was the only son, that he was notmarried or even that he was the heir of Parchments.

Darry: Like the Carons they were stripped of their lands but there are Darrys's alive, notably the wives and children of Cleos and Merret Frey.

Hornwood: There are Hornwoods alive the problem is that the closest relations alive are all female and married to other Houses. Any remaining male Hornwoods comes after these women. It is a similar position to the Starks as we know that Artos Stark had sons who booth had issue (who should still be alive in the series) bit they come after the descendants of Jocelyn Stark

Bolton, Baratheon and Tallhart: We really don't know enough about their Houses to say this

Umber: Does not actually belong on this list at all, We know that the Greatjon has other sons and daughters still alive, that he has at least two brothers and that one of his two names uncles has two sons. Umbers are very, very safe.

Arryn: We are told that there are multiple branches around, Arryns are fine for heirs. Just because the main heir and his brothers/sons/grandsons are wiped out does not mean the House cease to exist. Something similar happened to Ronnel Arryn as he and his children (possibly grandchildren) were killed by his brother who was also killed for his crimes. The Lordship simply went to a cousin instead.

 

tldr: Individual branches are in danger, not so much the actual House. The only ones who are really in danger are Houses who lose their lands as they then have no means of supporting themselves and will then fall into obscurity.

 

 

[Drogonthedread]

1 hour ago, Lord Ravenstark said:

Yes, but is is incredibly suspicious that it is happening now but never in thousands of year. Either things used to be very different or Targaryen rule was the worst thing to ever happen in Westeros (Targaryen invasion marks the beginning of extinction of millennia old houses)… which is not really hard to believe, since Targaryens are pretty bad kings and people in average.

 

 

I wonder what other things targaryens caused to the noble and saints of houses present in the westeros.

[Lord Ravenstark]

Yes, but is is incredibly suspicious that it is happening now but never in thousands of year. Either things used to be very different or Targaryen rule was the worst thing to ever happen in Westeros (Targaryen invasion marks the beginning of extinction of millennia old houses)… which is not really hard to believe, since Targaryens are pretty bad kings and people in average.

History forgets the forgotten. He has put in that we lost House Mudd in the Riverlands and the Reins in Westerlands etc. This is cyclical. Every region has one. Greystarks are one in the North for example.

It happens in our own medieval histories as well. When you lose a war, your house and all it's members are often lost and killed. 

Spikes. Heads. 

If in that long run things happened at the same rate as the events of the novels, there wouldn't be any millennia old houses.

[Lord Ravenstark]

Yes, but is is incredibly suspicious that it is happening now but never in thousands of year. Either things used to be very different or Targaryen rule was the worst thing to ever happen in Westeros (Targaryen invasion marks the beginning of extinction of millennia old houses)… which is not really hard to believe, since Targaryens are pretty bad kings and people in average.

 

 

I wonder what other things targaryens caused to the noble and saints of houses present in the westeros.

Nothing, Targaryens were saints and definitively the best thing to happen to Westeros. Everyone lives in a progressive utopia where all their rulers were wise and good. There was no civil war, no conquest, no bad kings, no use of WMD…

[Drogonthedread]

4 minutes ago, Lord Ravenstark said:

 

 

I wonder what other things targaryens caused to the noble and saints of houses present in the westeros.

 

Nothing, Targaryens were saints and definitively the best thing to happen to Westeros. Everyone lives in a progressive utopia where all their rulers were wise and good. There was no civil war, no conquest, no bad kings, no use of WMD…

Yeah ofcourse they are lilke any other house in the westeros ..surprising righy.  

Iam not the one who claimed all of those houses that are on the verge of extinct is beacuse of targs ..

Maybe one can say how Jon Arryn's inability to produce a strong and healthy son is because of targs.

[Lord Ravenstark]

Yeah ofcourse they are lilke any other house in the westeros ..surprising righy.  

Iam not the one who claimed all of those houses that are on the verge of extinct is beacuse of targs ..

Maybe one can say how Jon Arryn's inability to produce a strong and healthy son is because of targs.

It was a joke. Remarking the fact that most old noble houses died after the union of Westeros than anytime in possible Westerosi history.

[dariopatke]

A lot of houses were extincting in every war, the fact that we dont know them is because they are extinct and mainly unimportant. During Aegons conquest Durrandons, Gardners and Hoares died, they are 3 great houses and who knows how many smaller ones have gone exting during Field of Fire.

From past decades Reynes, Tarbecks, Hollards, Darklyns,... have gone extinct.

Bold prediction: Hornwoods are still active because ner King will legitimise that bastard, Darrys are very suspicious and I believe at least one Darry is out there. Baratheons are goners for sure, only hope is little Edric or other bastard to be legitimised, but I dont find this very likely. Boltons are goners. Tallharts may live. Umber are in tricky situation, there are 3 of them but all are old and in danger, I wouldnt be surprised if they are extinct. Starks are far from that, you have Jon, Bran, Rickon, Arya and Sansa and maybe even Benjen.

Arryns may be, but if Harry lives I guess he will take last name Arryn. Tullys are far from that, you have BFish and Edmure with pregnant wife with no indications anything bad will happen to him. Targs depend on Aegon, Tarth are goners, Florents too, Velaryons not, they have a young lord. Greyjoys would live trough Asha or maybe some bastard of Theon.

So to sum everything, couple of houses will, some will be very damaged but will live.

[Kaibaman]

As some have already pointed out major catastrophic wars can lead to many houses getting destroyed as they did in real life. But also huge changes in the power dynamics such as bloody conquest would put even some of the strongest and most ancient houses out of business like Aegon's Conquest did. The Starks also in their centuries of conquest to unite the North were also known to have wiped out many ancient and illustrious dynasties.

But I think the reason many of the known houses stayed in power for centuries and millenniums before Aegon's Conquest was because many of the regions were fairly united behind the houses that were in power, and they all had the same degree of strength as their neighbors and the wars back then weren't as large in scale compared to the continent scale civil wars under the Iron Throne. Of course the exception to this both because it was in the middle of everything and very defenseless, and the Riverlords were and still are very fractious. Which I suppose is why prior to Aegon's Conquest no single dynasty was able to hold it for long.  

[Veloknight]

There's a saying about writing, that I wish I could remember where it was from: "is this the most interesting time in your character's life? If not, why aren't you writing about that?".

In fantastical genres where the setting is in many ways as much a part of the story as any character, it usually holds the same. I do  think we're looking at a large-scale dying, and GRRM has supposedly stated that multiple Great Houses will be extinct by the end. But what else should we expect? We start up in a civil war just 14 years after another civil war, and after that war was won by the Lannisters a new war is brewing immediately, right before a potentially disastrous winter (of which the food to survive is probably diminished due to war) and an invasion of zombies and ice elves. Of course there's peril for the mainline branches of many houses, and likely the entirety of some houses.

[Lord Varys]

It seems that only very few houses are actually threatened to become completely extinct in this series. Even the Heddles are still around, as common innkeeps, but still...

In peace time, the succession is mostly settled peacefully. Harry the Heir is unquestionably the heir presumptive of Lord Robert Arryn despite the fact that is pretty far removed from the main branch. If there is no civil war in the Vale confusing things Harrold should easily succeed to the lordship if Robert suddenly dies.

Childless lords and king also have usually enough time to settle their succession one way or the other by choosing an heir out of there more distant relatives. But if an lord/king dies alongside his family/immediate heirs things can get tricky. There would have been a major succession crisis if all of Aegon V's descendants had died with him at Summerhall, and assuming that Lord Rickard and Lady Lyarra Stark had died without issue/or with all their children at sea, the succession of the North wouldn't have been clear.

But it seems that whoever had become king/lord thereafter would most likely have taken/granted the name of the old family for continuity reasons. A Tarth or Martell cousin ascending the Iron Throne might have named himself Targaryen just as a Waynwood or Corbray Stark cousin taking Winterfell would have taken the Stark name.

In that sense there are hardly unbroken lines in Westeros. 

[Maester Egg]

First, Westeros must be utterly devastated and in chaos.  Then the Others will come.

 

[Lord Ravenstark]

A lot of houses were extincting in every war, the fact that we dont know them is because they are extinct and mainly unimportant. During Aegons conquest Durrandons, Gardners and Hoares died, they are 3 great houses and who knows how many smaller ones have gone exting during Field of Fire.

From past decades Reynes, Tarbecks, Hollards, Darklyns,... have gone extinct.

Bold prediction: Hornwoods are still active because ner King will legitimise that bastard, Darrys are very suspicious and I believe at least one Darry is out there. Baratheons are goners for sure, only hope is little Edric or other bastard to be legitimised, but I dont find this very likely. Boltons are goners. Tallharts may live. Umber are in tricky situation, there are 3 of them but all are old and in danger, I wouldnt be surprised if they are extinct. Starks are far from that, you have Jon, Bran, Rickon, Arya and Sansa and maybe even Benjen.

Arryns may be, but if Harry lives I guess he will take last name Arryn. Tullys are far from that, you have BFish and Edmure with pregnant wife with no indications anything bad will happen to him. Targs depend on Aegon, Tarth are goners, Florents too, Velaryons not, they have a young lord. Greyjoys would live trough Asha or maybe some bastard of Theon.

So to sum everything, couple of houses will, some will be very damaged but will live.

I doubt "a lot of houses". Every other house in Westeros has thousands of years. It only happens with extreme dynastic preservation. If a lot of houses died in Westeros during wars, either it means most houses lie about their ancient history… or Westeros was way more peaceful than the last three hundred years we know about.

[dariopatke]

I doubt "a lot of houses". Every other house in Westeros has thousands of years. It only happens with extreme dynastic preservation. If a lot of houses died in Westeros during wars, either it means most houses lie about their ancient history… or Westeros was way more peaceful than the last three hundred years we know about.

It was not more peaceful, but wars were less bloody and destructive. Only after conquest thing gor really bad, but still we had a lot of extinct houses. Some of them are lying for sure about their heritage.