Do we know if the Kings and major lords own castles other than their seats?

[Terilien]

Historically, major feudal Lords, let alone Kings, did not own just a single castle. They relied on a network of castles managed by Castellans and sheriffs throughout their realms, rather than just castles held in fief by nobles. The kings of England owned the tower of London, Colchester, Dover, Cambridge, Windsor, York, Nottingham, Corfe etc... Just to name a few. The Kings of France, especially after Phillip Augustus, owned a fair amount as well, and the same applies to pretty much every monarch in medieval Europe. France was about the size of the Stormlands, and England smaller than any of the seven kingdoms. Do we have any info on this? Do you think we might get some?

[Mrs.Grumpy]

The Targaryens had three seats; Red Keep, Dragonstone and Summerhall.

The Arryns have the Eyrie and the Gates of Moon.

The Starks had Karhold but it became House Karstark all together.

The Martells have Sunspear and Water Gardens.

Maybe we will learn more castles of great houses in TWOIAF?

[Terilien]

I really really hope so, as I am a stickler for verisimilitude and can't bear the thought of the Starks ruling the north through Winterfell alone ;_;.

[Silver Prince]

Lannisters basically own both Casterly Rock and Lannisport.

[Colonel Green]

The Peakes originally had three castles, but lost two of them after the first Blackfyre Rebellion -- though the fact that the Peakes went so far as to put their three castles on their sigil suggests that it's unusual for a noble house to have that many.

[Fire Eater]

To add, the Osgreys once had four castles.

[Elkrider]

The Starks also held Wolf's Den, historically. Currently the Tyrells hold Highgarden and Brightwater Keep. I think that in TWOIAF and the upcoming books we'll find out more, though likely not all.

[Colonel Green]

Currently the Tyrells hold Highgarden and Brightwater Keep.

That's not really the same thing, as that's two separate branches of the same family, rather than one lord with multiple castles (if Willas died without heirs and Highgarden fell to Garlan, then that would count).

[Rodrik of Dorne]

Can't remember who said Brandon and Rickon should someday hold castles as Robb's bannermen. Guess that, historically, the Starks needed younger brothers as local enforcers.

[The Wolves]

Can't remember who said Brandon and Rickon should someday hold castles as Robb's bannermen. Guess that, historically, the Starks needed younger brothers as local enforcers.

It was Ned in Bran's first chapter who said it.

[Terilien]

Can't remember who said Brandon and Rickon should someday hold castles as Robb's bannermen. Guess that, historically, the Starks needed younger brothers as local enforcers.

Gonna have to look this up!!!!

[Free Northman Reborn]

It is likely that the Starks once held Deepwood Motte, Torhenn Square, the Wolfsden, Karhold, Moat Cailin, Bear Island and a whole bunch of other keeps in the North.

Over time, they gave these to their vassals to rule on their behalf.

In the case of Bear Island, Rodrik Stark won it from the Ironborn and gave it to the Mormonts. White Harbor was given to the Manderlys. Torhenn Square was likely given to the Tallharts within the last 300 years - assuming that it is named after Torhenn Stark.

The Glovers are a Masterly House, so the presumption is that they were given Deepwood Motte to rule on the Starks behalf.

The major Northern Houses that appear to have ruled their lands since the Age of Heroes, appear to be limited to:

House Umber

House Bolton

House Hornwood (although there is a lack of information in their case)

House Ryswell

House Dustin

House Marsh

House Flint

And the Clansmen from the Mountains and Skagos.

All of the above were probably petty kings in their own right, in the Age of Heroes, before being conquered by the Starks.

All of the other Northern Houses appear to have been given their lands by the Starks within the last 1000 years or so.

[The Poster Who Was Promisd]

Historically, major feudal Lords, let alone Kings, did not own just a single castle. They relied on a network of castles managed by Castellans and sheriffs throughout their realms, rather than just castles held in fief by nobles. The kings of England owned the tower of London, Colchester, Dover, Cambridge, Windsor, York, Nottingham, Corfe etc... Just to name a few. The Kings of France, especially after Phillip Augustus, owned a fair amount as well, and the same applies to pretty much every monarch in medieval Europe. France was about the size of the Stormlands, and England smaller than any of the seven kingdoms. Do we have any info on this? Do you think we might get some?

The westerosi seem to farm out their junior titles instead of hanging on to them as was common in the later medieval period in Europe: Stannis gives Storm's End to Renly, for example. My guess would be that it is considered bad form to be your own vassal.

[Mrs.Grumpy]

Oh and Ran once said High Tide is/was one of the castles of House Velaryon, so I think they had more castles.

[Winterfell is Burning]

I think GRRM just doesn't want to have the readers confused when he came up with "every Lord has only one castle" thing.

[Tyrus Martell]

Wyman Manderly tells Davos in ADWD that he has influence over the lands close to the White Knife and east of White Harbour, including Ramsgate and Oldcastle.

[LordBloodraven]

Maybe the Starks still hold Moat Cailin. We don't know who held the castle or if it was unoccupied before Robb marched down south.

I agree with OP, I find it hard to see Houses ruling so long withouth holding strategic castles. The Wolf's Den was definitely held by the Starks until they gave it to the Manderlys. Same with the Moat. On the north, they have the Night's Watch. The only weak link in the North is the western coast.

House Arryn controls the Eyrie, the Gates of the Moon and the Bloody Gate. I suspect the Moat in the North is managed the same way as the Bloody Gate: the Warden names a knight/sheriff to defend it.

House Tully controls only Riverrun, same with Tyrells and Highgarden (until the WOT5K).

House Baratheon has its seat in Storm's End but we know that the border with Dorne is held by many hereditary marcher lords (Caron, Swann, Dondarrion).

House Lannister only has the Rock. But since the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion, they control also Castamere and what remains of Tarbeck Hall. The strategic Golden Tooth is the seat of House Lefford.

Targaryens used to have Summerhall and Dragonstone. But I guess they could raise any castle wherever they want in the Seven Kingdoms.

House Martell has the Water Gardens beside Sunspear.

Conclusion: only Arryns and Martells are confirmed to have other castles besides their seats

[Nittanian]

House Hornwood (although there is a lack of information in their case)

Ramsay claims to be Lord of the Hornwood, so there probably is an ancient forest of the same name which the Hornwoods have ruled for some time.

Wyman Manderly tells Davos in ADWD that he has influence over the lands close to the White Knife and east of White Harbour, including Ramsgate and Oldcastle.

Oldcastle is ruled by the Lockes and Ramsgate is probably ruled by the Woolfields. The ADWD appendix states Ondrew Locke is a bannerman of Winterfell, but doesn't mention the Woolfields' status. I think it's likely that the Lockes simply follow the lead of the more powerful Manderlys. The Woolfields, on the other hand, might be sworn directly to the Manderlys, like the Coldwaters are to the Royces or the Costaynes are to the Hightowers.