Tarellen Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Okay so the stark are the rulers of the north but there not the richest family that honor going to the mandrelys. They have a big castle but it has a derelict tower. There personal land holdings seem to be small with there not being many outright Stark men. They have only one known castle. There land is concentrated around winter fell. So how rich are the Starks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOVMO Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 If I had to guess I would say they are phenomenally wealthy by any reasonable standard but on a list of the 5-8 wealthiest families in Westeros they are probably at the bottom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destiel's Child Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 They were probably pretty wealthy to start with... Like Bush wealthy but not like Bates wealthy. They have since squandered all their wealth in paying off people they have wronged and in unsuccessful series of attempts at the throne. Edit: Nevermind what I was saying here.... I was talking about the Lannisters. I have my dunce cap ready Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Northman Reborn Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 So if you can order a vassal to build 50 warships in a year, which you can then use as you see fit, does that mean you are rich enough to build 50 warships? If you can give 50,000 square miles of land to a vassal - the Karstarks - does that mean you are rich enough to give 50,000 square miles away with a handwave? If a Merchant Prince from Qarth has enough gold to hire an army of 20,000 sellswords, while at a command you can raise a host of 30,000 soldiers does that mean you have more means than the rich Merchant prince? Wealth is merely representative of means. Means to do stuff. If a command can achieve the same as a million gold dragons, are you not worth a million gold dragons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daena the Defiant Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 22 hours ago, Tarellen said: Okay so the stark are the rulers of the north but there not the richest family that honor going to the mandrelys. They have a big castle but it has a derelict tower. There personal land holdings seem to be small with there not being many outright Stark men. They have only one known castle. There land is concentrated around winter fell. So how rich are the Starks? They actually have other castles; it's referenced early on aGoT when Ned talks about Bran and Rickon holding lands and holdfasts in Robb's name. They are, as the lords paramount that sit atop the entire feudal structure, the recipients of all the taxes and tithes from the entire North, but it does seem like the North is not much of an agricultural powerhouse and slightly populated so the tax base is quite thin. However, the Manderlys are wealthy due to all the commerce that they can tax but as the Manderly overlords, the Starks should be getting a cut of that. I think the Starks are pretty affluent, but just that their court is very rustic and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Blue Eyes Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 One of the five richest Houses in the entire world. But somewhat short on cash. In Westeros, hard currency is a decidedly secondary measure of wealth, that's especially true for the North. They've got produce, labor force, armed forces, whatever you want, but the gold and silver is mostly in Essos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelittledragonthatcould Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Their net value would be incredibly high. Just outside the top 5 of the Houses of Westeros. All the Overlords of Westeros are going to be in the top 10 when it comes to Net worth. When it comes to being cash rich they would certainly rank outside of the top 10 in Westeros, maybe just scraping in the top 20. Looking at their vassals once you get passed the Manderlys, Dustins it is hard to see where they would be gathering much taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuardstheRealmsofMen Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I think it's also worth noting that the North is the largest of the seven kingdoms. That's massive amounts stores going into the granaries every year, many lords offering fealty, both in times of peace and war. In terms of medieval history, wealth was often measured in terms of land controlled -- making the Starks quite rich. I think the reason that we don't always view the Starks as wealthy in the series is because they are following an older system (that land-owning, resources holding, people following you system) and the South is operating on a more modern system of money and debt. Often when someone in King's Landing is talking about spending money, that money really belongs to the Iron Bank or the Lannisters (so how rich is the crown, really?) I think it would be difficult to say how much gold the Starks have, because they care more about land, holdfasts, and the loyalty of bannermen, because they can use those things to generate gold if need be. In the South they care more about gold, because they can use it to buy land, holdfasts, and loyalty... I think the Starks are extremely wealthy, but to measure them fairly against another house, you would have to find a way to value their assets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan I Targaryen Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Winterfell seems kind of dumpy for a Lord Paramount's keep compared to what we've seen of The Vale, Riverrun, Dragonstone, and heck even Horn Hill for that matter. Yes I know that Winterfell is essentially in the Alaska of Westeros but I'd still expect something a bit nicer for the capital of one of the 7 kingdoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dariopatke Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 4 minutes ago, Duncan I Targaryen said: Winterfell seems kind of dumpy for a Lord Paramount's keep compared to what we've seen of The Vale, Riverrun, Dragonstone, and heck even Horn Hill for that matter. Yes I know that Winterfell is essentially in the Alaska of Westeros but I'd still expect something a bit nicer for the capital of one of the 7 kingdoms. You are talking about WF in show. In books WF is awesome with massive double walls, hot springs and town around it. Like many people said, they are really rich but their wealth is in different form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrhex Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Bottom of the top 10 in Westeros (or of top ~20 if you split some branches). Bottom of top 100 if we add wealthy merchant families from the near east. We lack enough info to tell about the far east. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaak Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Why did Eddard need to ask Littlefinger, who deserved his distrust, for a bribe of just 6000 dragons for Gold Cloaks? He was the Lord of Winterfell. Could he have got that sum from Vayon Poole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarsbane Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 6 minutes ago, Jaak said: Why did Eddard need to ask Littlefinger, who deserved his distrust, for a bribe of just 6000 dragons for Gold Cloaks? He was the Lord of Winterfell. Could he have got that sum from Vayon Poole? Because the honorable lord Stark would never bribe someone personally I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtree Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Great-ish net but low liquid, i think. I'm using the 1% standard here so when i said low doesn't mean they are poor, just below the par of the top 10 house in Westeros. Their networth are mostly in land but IMO i don't see the point of having massive but not very cultivable land and sparse population with the bonus of harsh winter every few years and the possiblity of snow during summer which mean your crops will freeze and well, hunger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Doe Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 2 hours ago, Bright Blue Eyes said: One of the five richest Houses in the entire world. But somewhat short on cash. In Westeros, hard currency is a decidedly secondary measure of wealth, that's especially true for the North. They've got produce, labor force, armed forces, whatever you want, but the gold and silver is mostly in Essos. Five? RIcher houses should include the Manderlys, Lannisters, Hightowers, Redwynes, Graftons, Baratheons, Tullys, Leffords, Tyrells, maybe Freys, so the Starks are at best at the bottom of the top ten houses of Westeros alone. Across the Narrow Sea I'm sure you'll find richer families, Mopatis for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Ancalagon Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 12 minutes ago, Jaak said: Why did Eddard need to ask Littlefinger, who deserved his distrust, for a bribe of just 6000 dragons for Gold Cloaks? He was the Lord of Winterfell. Could he have got that sum from Vayon Poole? Man, Thats a lot of money. Remember that Lord Tarth tried to ransom his heir for 300 gold dragons. So i think he had the money but was easier to ask to Littlefinger. The Starks rule their domain for longer that any other Great House. They were never conquerd and they did not have to spend they wealth on war, or the game of thrones. So i would say they are freaking rich. Not Lannister, or Hightower rich, but they did not lack the coins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyrhex Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Just now, Boarsbane said: Because the honorable lord Stark would never bribe someone personally I guess Could also be because he does not have that kind of money on hand? 210 silver Stags per gold Dragon. 6,000 x 210 = 1,260,000 silver Stags worth of bribes. A "plain yet complete set of good steel armor with greaves, gorget and greathelm to cost 800 stags". 1,260,000 divided by 800 = the bribe is worth 1,575 sets of good steel armor. That is probably more sets of armor than in the entire Stark levy. Why on earth would Ned carry around so much gold? He is Hand of the king and has most expenses covered already. I doubt he felt the need to bring such a massive sum with him. This is small change for Robert's treasury, not for Ned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Doe Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 1 minute ago, Bright Ancalagon said: The Starks rule their domain for longer that any other Great House. They were never conquerd and they did not have to spend they wealth on war, or the game of thrones. So i would say they are freaking rich. Not Lannister, or Hightower rich, but they did not lack the coins. Since when? The Starks had to fight civil wars, Ironborn, Andal invasions, and Kings-Beyond-The-Wall. Winterfell was sacked more than once. And I'm sure they had to spend their money in other ways too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughing Storm Reborn Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Aside from the Lannisters and Tyrells\Hightowers i can't see a house having better resources an terrain control put together in westeros at agot time (i'm counting the baratheon houses separately) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Doe Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Just now, Laughing Storm Reborn said: Aside from the Lannisters and Tyrells\Hightowers i can't see a house having better resources an terrain control put together in westeros at agot time If land mass equaled wealth Putin would be the richest guy on earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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