Which houses could create their own banks ?

[Terrorthatflapsinthenight9]

During A Feast for Crows Cersei Lannister, in one of her rare moment of political intelligence and lucidity, thinks that the Iron Bank of Braavos has too much power and influence and that there should be a westerosi bank for the Iron Throne to thwart the Iron Bank's influence, imagining a Golden Bank of Lannisport though she never work out to make her idea come to fruition.  

This idea wasn't new with Cersei though, as it's revealed in Fire & Blood that Lady Samantha Hightower had come with the idea too and used House Hightower's immense fortune and the part of the Iron Throne treasury that was sent to Oldtown by Tyland Lannister during the Dance of the Dragons to found the Bank of Oldtown. This bank apparently was very successful and made House Hightower even rocher and more powerful.  

Though we don't hear about this bank in the main series, it's possible that GRRM hadn't come with the idea yet, and that Cersei was unwilling to come to rely on the Hightowers given her mad paranoïa toward the Tyrells and their bannermen, already seen with her construction of a new expansive royal fleet because of her not wanting to rely on the Redwynes and their fleet.

Other than the Hightowers which houses of Westeros do you think could follow the example of Oldtown and create their own bank, having enough wealth, ressources and expertise to found an efficient bank ? What could be the economic and political consequences for the Iron Throne, the great houses, Westeros, Essos and the relations between the two continents if this happened ?

[James Steller]

Tywin might have created a bank of his own if he wasn't so busy being Hand of the King, and if GRRM had thought of the concept earlier.

[astarkchoice]

1 hour ago, James Steller said:

Tywin might have created a bank of his own if he wasn't so busy being Hand of the King, and if GRRM had thought of the concept earlier.

Yep

Kevan (could be wrong here) if i recall  was literaly mulling the idea over and had brought it up with tywin ......then varys very rudely interupts him

Edited December 4, 2022 by astarkchoice

[astarkchoice]

Houses that could :

 

Lannisters : obviously and prob should as the gold has to run out eventualy!

manderlys: rich and at a trading port  to justify it, can mint their own silver coinage

consequences: stronger westeros economy

 

[hnv]

I think some small banks must exist in some the port cities. I find it hard to believe all traders and houses in Westeros have to across the narrow sea to get some credit line. And not a bank, but we know the Lannisters are in the facilities business, they lent over a million dragons to the crown. I'm sure the big houses, and some of their big bannermen are in the business of loaning money to lesser lords.

Though tbf George is really poor with finances and commerce (pun intended). It seems to be houses can't lien their non tangible property so accordingly I can't see how anyone will give them a facility in any reasonable terms. The interest rates must be diabolic.

[Tyrosh Lannister]

Doesn't oldtown have a bank ? Why didn't Cersei think of that ?

[Tyrosh Lannister]

Correct me if I'm wrong but each of the free cities has its own banks. Even an irrelevant place like Lorath. 

Kings Landing , White Harbour and Lannisport are way richer and powerful than Lorath. They could have their own banks.

[Floki of the Ironborn]

11 hours ago, astarkchoice said:

Houses that could :

 

Lannisters : obviously and prob should as the gold has to run out eventualy!

manderlys: rich and at a trading port  to justify it, can mint their own silver coinage

 

Agreed. House Manderly should have formed their own bank already, given how rich they are, how trade-focused their economy is, how strategically placed White Harbour is in relation to the rest of the North, etc.

[Terrorthatflapsinthenight9]

5 hours ago, Tyrosh Lannister said:

Doesn't oldtown have a bank ? Why didn't Cersei think of that ?

I have mentionned Oldtown's bank in the opening post. 

And even if Cersei thought of it she would most surely have avoided it to not rely on a Tyrell vassal, she's so paranoid, we have already seen it with how she feels about the Redwyne Fleet.

[astarkchoice]

10 hours ago, Floki of the Ironborn said:

Agreed. House Manderly should have formed their own bank already, given how rich they are, how trade-focused their economy is, how strategically placed White Harbour is in relation to the rest of the North, etc.

Plus they are across the sea from.bravos so ex iron bank employees wont be hard to find

[Canon Claude]

1 hour ago, astarkchoice said:

Plus they are across the sea from.bravos so ex iron bank employees wont be hard to find

That would more than likely deter the Manderlys from starting their own bank. I highly doubt that Braavos will abide competition so close to home.

[astarkchoice]

1 hour ago, Canon Claude said:

That would more than likely deter the Manderlys from starting their own bank. I highly doubt that Braavos will abide competition so close to home.

There supposedly multiple essos banks , the iron bank clearly isnt afraid of competion nor will they get faceless men for something  so  frivilous. 

Given their history and their very probable links to the faceles.men to enforce their loans  id guess they dont fear other banks the way huge multi billion int banking entites  arent afraid of your local credit union , or how coca cola isnt afraid of generic  brand cola

[James Arryn]

If Manderly, then Grafton, Lannister of Lannisport and historically, Darklyn. The first two are definitely bigger and more prosperous than WH, the latter probably was before Aegon. Redwynes could probably do it given how they are almost entirely trade and naval based, but the Hightowers might dampen that down.