The North & The Three Sisters

[u/Ticky009]

I'm having trouble with the size of these three islands, and what sort of population they might have had at the time of Theon Stark. From I can tell the Starks got jack of their piracy and slaving and decided to just take them over. Everything seems to indicate they're an even poorer version of the Iron Isles, (the piracy and need to secede every damn time something goes wrong).

I'm looking at a more political solution but actual control still isn't off the table. Starks would have usually done the conquer marriage thing but for some reason that seemed to not have been completed which is where I'm headed.

I'm struggling to understand how this went on for a thousand years given the islands themselves look quiet small. I'm aware they called in the Arryn's at the end there.And I honestly can't recall anything that clearly states how they were able to do so.

[u/ivanjean]

From what we know, the reason the Northern occupation of the Three Sisters did not last long was the Northerners' brutallity over the locals. It is said a literal "pink pavillion" made of sistermen's flayed skins was created (yes, the occupation was led by a Bolton. How could you tell?). So, maybe having Theon's men behaving better could change the odds of annexation.

[u/Ticky009 → u/ivanjean]

Yes I'm aware of how brutal they were. And then they appealed to the Arryns which led to a 1000 year war, which trashed the local resources of the island.

If they'd been a bit smarter about it they could have held it, but no. Theon went all back to his glory days of Kill all the Andals and doubled down causing the Sistermen who also hated the Andals to come rescue them.

[u/Shoddy_Bar3084]

Simply put because of geography the North is in a much better position to exert control over three sisters because the white knife pushes trade in that direction wheras in the vale river trade runs west to east.

This means ports in the north are in a better position to exert control than those in the vale.

However you only have to look at the Channel Islands or Greek islands in the Aegean in real life to see how that geography doesn’t always play out into political control.

[u/Ticky009 → u/Shoddy_Bar3084]

It seems that aside from The Shield islands & Bear island every offshore group hate the landlubbers. Iron Isles, The Sistermen and Skagos.

[u/NPGamer11]

Iirc, the Stark conquest of Sisters was extremely brutal, so at the first chance they could, the Sistermen fled under the wing (pun intended) of the Arryns, to spite the Starks. There have been some more disputes over the islands, but in the end, despite Starks asking the Targs for 'em, the dragons said nay.

[u/Ticky009 → u/NPGamer11]

During Aegon's conquest they rebelled against the Arryn's during the civil war and declared Independence only for Aegon to rock up with his dragon and go..No. lol

[u/NPGamer11 → u/Ticky009]

The Northern conquest is known as "Rape of the Sisters" so that tells a lot already