Introduction
House Lannister is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, one of richest and most powerful families and oldest dynasties. Following extinction of House Baratheon makes it the current royal house of the Seven Kingdoms.
Their seat is Casterly Rock, a castle built on rocky ground overlooking the Sunset Sea. It seats atop the most productive gold mine in the Westerlands.
Their house sigil consists of a golden lion on a crimson background. Their official House words are "Hear me roar!", although their unofficial motto: "A Lannister always pays his debts" is more commonly known.
They are also Lords Paramound of the Westerlands and Wardens of the West. Because of this and their wealth, they have a great military strength, being able to raise approximately 60,000 men in a short amount of time. Their armies are well known for being well-provisioned and well-equipped, excellent grade armor being something common in this army.
House Sigil
Their sigil is a golden lion on a crimson background. Given that they are currently one of the most powerful and richest Great Houses (and a royal house), their identity is closely linked to the sigil lion, which represents strength, leadership and ruthlessness.
History
First Men Kings
The Lannisters suddenly appear as First Men in historical records of the Age of Heroes, ruling large portions of the westerlands from Casterly Rock just as the Casterlys vanished from the chronicles. They claim descent from Lann the Clever, the legendary figure who tricked the Casterlys from their seat, Casterly Rock.
Andal Kings
During the Andal invasion of Westeros, House Lannister initially fought the invading Andal warlords and adventurers that ventured into the westerlands but then took a policy of arranging marriages between them and the daughters of the local First Men houses.
The gold of Casterly Rock, Castamere, the Pendric Hills and the Golden Tooth has made them the wealthiest of the Great House.
Targaryan Era
When the Wars of Conquest began and Aegon the Conqueror swept through the land, Loren I, King of the Rock, sided with Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach, against the Targaryens.
The Lannisters were also involved in the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons.
Several decades later, during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, Lord Damon Lannister remained loyal to the Targaryens. The great rebel general Ser Quentyn Ball defeated him outside the gates of Lannisport. Damon and his heir Ser Tybolt participated in the tourney at Ashford Meadow.
Lord Tywin Lannister
In more recent times, during the lordship of Tytos Lannister, the house fell on hard times. Tytos' weakness allowed him to be bullied by his vassals. Eventually his son Tywin brought the wayward bannermen to heel and restored the house to its former glory.
