A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin - Questions?

Started reading this book recently, but I have a few questions on the terminology. What is a bannerman? What is Theon Greyjoy's relation to Eddard Stark? I know that Greyjoy is Stark's ward, but what is a ward in the sense of this book?A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin - Questions?
I've read the series multiple times and I'm glad to help you get terms straight, as others helped me.



A bannerman is literally a loyal soldier to whom is entrusted the carrying of the house's banner in battle (and during travel). He tends to be long-serving and utterly trusted.



A ward is like a foster child. (Robin was Bruce Wayne/Batman's ward, remember?) The parents may be living or dead, but the child is being raised by another family for the benefits it might bring to him or her, from playmates to education to moral standards to military training, whatever the home environment may be lacking. Yet they stop short of adoption, even if the child is orphaned, so there are often issues of the ward feeling like s/he's a second-class citizen compared to the biological children.



So Eddard Stark is no blood relation to Theon Greyjoy, but has raised him for a period of years alongside his own son about the same age, Robb Stark.



I'm happy to answer further questions as they arise--and they will--but you should also know there's a first-rate website which untangles a lot, and well. Keeping straight who is who is maddening, and http://www.towerofthehand.com/ can vastly improve your understanding.
My understanding of a bannerman is not someone who literally carries a banner, but a vassal lord who is sworn to an overlord (the greatjon is robb starks bannerman). I think the "banner" reference has more to do with the fact that these vassal lords have their own house banner.

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A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin - Questions?
What akaMaryn is describing would more likely be called a standard bearer or banner bearer and would most likely be a soldier. Using the greatjon as an example, he wouldn't carry a banner into battle himself but would choose a soldier to carry his own banner on a pole beneath the direwolf of stark.

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And akaMaryn's description of a ward is correct but Theon's situation is slightly more complicated. Theon's father Balon Greyjoy rose in rebellion against the Iron Throne in order to reclaim independence for the Iron Islands from the Seven Kingdoms. When the rebellion was quelled and the ironmen

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A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin - Questions?
defeated, Balon Greyjoy's only remaining son was taken as a "ward" to live at Winterfell but in actual fact he was really more of a prisoner, kept as insurance to disuade Balon Greyjoy from trying to rebel against the Iron Throne again.

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The events in A Game of Thrones take place approximately ten years after Greyjoy's Rebellion so Theon has lived with the Starks for ten years and has become friendly with some of the Stark children, Robb in particular.



Hopefully that clears it up for you.

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