The Vale

The Vale, historically known as the Vale of Arryn, is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. It was once a sovereign nation ruled by the Kings of Mountain and Vale, but since Aegon's Conquest is a mere province under the Iron Throne. The name comes from a large valley surrounded by the Mountains of the Moon, transferred to the entire realm.

Geography
The Vale is surrounded by the Bite in the North, the Bay of Crabs in the South, the Mountains of the Moon in the West and the Narrow Sea in the East. Smaller regions within the Vale include the Vale Proper, the Snakewood, the Fingers, as well as various islands off its coast, the largest being the Three Sisters in the Bite.

The Vale is located on the eastern shore of Westeros, a land of fertile soil, rivers, and lakes, protected by its largely impassable Mountains of the Moon, making it isolated from the rest of Westeros. Its harsh winters make travel only possible through the mountains during warmer years, while the High Road provides a permanent connection to the Riverlands.

The fertile lands within the Vale Proper include Ironoaks, Old Anchor, Redfort, Gulltown, and Runestone, as well as Longbow Hall and the Bloody Gate at its borders. Wheat, corn, and barley are grown in the Vale, while Wickenden on the shore of the Bay of Crabs is known for its scented candles.

People and Economy
The Valemen, the people of the Vale, are known as reliable warriors steeped in honor and the worship of the Faith of the Seven. The knights of the Vale consider themselves the finest in the Seven Kingdoms, and the Valemen consider the Eyrie to be the most beautiful castle of the realm. The island people of the Three Sisters are known as Sistermen.

Some of the people living in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon have rejected the authority of the Eyrie and live by their own rules. These mountain clans, such as the Black Ears and the Burned Men, are descendants of the First Men who raid unwary travelers and skirmish with the knights of the Vale.

Wheat, corn, and barley is grown in the Vale. Not even in Highgarden do the pumpkins grow any larger nor is the fruit any sweeter. House Waxley is known for producing scented candles in Wickenden. The candles can be scented with nutmeg and other costly spices.

Military Strength
The strength of the Vale is comparable to the North and Dorne, according to George R. R. Martin. The houses Royce of Runestone, Waynwood, Hunter, Redfort, Belmore and Templeton together are able to raise twenty thousand men, while House Royce of the Gates of the Moon can field only three hundred.

Early History
Originally, the Vale was ruled by Petty Kings of the First Men. When the Andal Invasion began, the Andals first arrived in the Vale, with House Arryn claiming the entirety of the region after winning the Battle of the Seven Stars against the First Men under House Royce. The Arryns continued to rule as Kings of Mountain and Vale, while the First Men that did not submit to their rule fled into the Mountains of the Moon, becoming the Mountain Clans.

The Arryn Kings warred with the North over the Three Sisters, which eventually swore their allegiance to the Vale, although their loyalty remains tenuous. The Ironborn Kings of Isles and Rivers tried to attack the Vale three times, but were repelled at the Bloody Gate.

Targaryen Dynasty
The Arryns bent the knee to Aegon I Targaryen, bringing the Vale under the rule of the Iron Throne. House Arryn married into House Targaryen several times over the decades. During the First Blackfyre Rebellion, there were battles in the Vale, although most houses remained loyal to the Targaryens alongside House Arryn. Due to restricted access, the Vale was largely unaffected by the Great Spring Sickness of 209 AC.

The Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion
During the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion House Grafton and Sunderland were tasked with sending a fleet south to cut of the invaders retreat. Due to squabbles between them they were delayed and the Golden Company was able to flee to Essos. Following this embarrassment the two naval powers began to blame each other, beginning a decade long rivalry that would climax in the skirmish before Witch Isle.

The Black Rot
While the region was isolated from the following two rebellions, it had its own share of death when a disease called the Black Rot began to appear in Gulltown. The fever quickly spread through the Vale, killing smallfolk and nobles alike. Most maesters agree that the sickness was imported by Essosi traders.

The Clansmen
Another plague on the Vale came in form of the Clansmen, who formed a coalition in 270 AC and attacked multiple larger villages, even defeating a force of the famed Knights of the Vale, until they were defeated in battle by Lord Arryn. In the aftermath of the battle, the coalition broke and the clansmen continued to fight between themselves. Twenty years of relative safety followed, until the clan of the Burned Men, who had recently captured a group of Red Priests, began burning down multiple settlements and calling themselves prophets of R'hllor. In hopes of combating the threat a group of famed Vale knights came together and founded the Swords of the Stranger, which managed to score victories against the savages.

Recent History
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Houses
The Principal Bannermen of the Vale and vassals of House Arryn of the Eyrie are:


 * House Arryn, of the Eyrie
 * House Belmore, of Strongsong
 * House Corbray, of Heart's Home
 * House Egen, of Mooncrest
 * House Grafton, of Gulltown
 * House Hersy, of Newkeep
 * House Hunter, of Longbow Hall
 * House Melcolm, of Old Anchor
 * House Redfort, of Redfort
 * House Royce, of Runestone
 * House Sunderland, of Sisterton, Lords of the Three Sisters
 * House Waynwood, of Ironoaks