THE RISE OF THE NORTH.

ROBERT's REBELLION & GREYJOY REBELLION

In 250 AC, Lord Rickard Stark, son of Lord Edwyle Stark and Lady Marna Locke, took the title of Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North at the age of 20, after his father passed away.

Lord Rickard was famously known in the North as the Southern Wolf, because of his grand southern ambitions. The North was always wary of the southern games and in seeing their own lord playing with politics, that are best suited in the south, cause some animosity among the Northern Lords.

Lord Rickard's dream was to open the North from their self imposed isolation and take a more active approach in the politics that run the Seven Kingdoms.

He knows that while the North is the Second richest kingdom in Westeros it would still be crushed under the weight the weight of the south if they decided to unite against him, and though the extinction of Dragons in the aftermath of The Dance of Dragons severely weakened the Targaryen hold in the Seven kingdoms, they are still the ruling family of Westeros and one of the most powerful with their riches and alliances through marriages (As any House will give anything to be married within House Targaryen).

No, Rickard knows that if he wants to strengthen the North he will have to make alliances.

So with that in mind, around 271 AC Rickard Stark send his 8 year old son Eddard 'Ned' Stark, to foster with Jon Arryn in the Vale along with Robert Baratheon the Heir to Strom's End.

Rickard hoped that fostering his son with Jon Arryn will result in good relation with the Vale.

Rickard under the advice of Maester Walys, the maester of Winterfell at that time, proposed several marriage alliances with other great houses in westeros. To prevent talks of southern ambitions Richard sends His eldest son and Heir Brandon to foster with the Ryswells and his Daughter Lyanna to Bear Island to foster with the Mormonts.

In 281 Ac, a grand tourney was held by Lord Walter Whent at Harrenhal. While many across the seven Kingdoms thought that Lord Whent is hosting the tourney for his ten year old daughter's nameday, while in reality it was a ruse.

The main reason of the Tourney was to held a Big Council, composed of Lords of the Great Houses from all of Westeros so they can quietly dispose The Mad King Aerys, whose madness and paranoia had grown since the Defiance of Duskendale, and install his Son Rhaegar Tatgaryen as the new king of the Seven Kingdoms.

But the plan is all ruined when Rhaegar, after winning the Jousting competition, crowned Lyanna Stark as his queen of love and Beauty not only insulting House Stark and Baratheon, as Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, but also insulting his wife Elia Martell of Dorne.

At the coming of the new year, Lyanna Stark was abducted by prince Rhaegar near Harrenhal. Her brother Brandon who was on his way to Riverrun to wed Catelyn Tully, when the news reached. Brandon and his companions rode to King's Landing. He rode for the Red Keep and outsides it's gates he foolishly shouted for Rhaegar to come out and die, unaware that the prince was not present.

King Aerys had them all arrested for supposed treason and summoned Lord Rickard to answer for his son's crime.

Lord Rickard arrived at the Capitol with 50 Grey Cloaks of Winter City's city watch as an escort. After being denied justice for falsely arresting his son and supposed abduction of his daughter by the crown prince, Lord Richard demanded a trial by combat.

Aerys agreed to Lord Stark's demand, but in a move that will horrify the whole realm, choose Fire as his champion.

Lord Rickard, who had thought that he will fight against one of Aerys's Kingsguard, was suspended from the rafters in the throne room, where his pyromancers kindled a blaze beneath the hulking lord of Winterfell. Brandon Stark was brought in the throne room as well and was placed in a Tyroshi strangling device while a sword was placed just out of his reach.