Westeros is a rich world with its own religions, history, and superstitions, so it’s no surprise certain numbers hold significance. Notably, the number seven recurs throughout Westeros—there’s the , the common curse “Seven hells,” and, of course, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Or is there? The final moments of Season 1 suggest this basic assumption is totally wrong. It’s a funny closing gag for the show, but it also underscores how history often takes priority in a medieval world.
Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 Episode 6, “The Morrow,” ahead!
In the final scenes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Ser Duncan is getting ready to leave with his horses when young Egg chases after him, saying his father sent him to be Dunk’s squire. (This turns out to be a lie, though Dunk doesn’t know that.) Dunk tells Egg he can ride Chestnut, and they set off on their journey.
“Where are we going, ser?” Egg asks.
“Dunno,” Dunk replies. “I guess we could go anywhere in the Seven Kingdoms, though I’ve never been to D-”
“Nine,” Egg cuts in. “There are nine kingdoms.”
Dunk doesn’t believe him, but Egg lists them off: Crownlands, Westerlands, Stormlands, Riverlands, the Iron Islands, the North, the Reach, the Vale of Arryn, and Dorne. As they ride toward whatever Westeros has in store, a title card reads Knight of the Nine Kingdoms.
But how does this make sense? We’ve heard “the Seven Kingdoms” long before Dunk and Egg in House of the Dragon and long after in Game of Thrones. So why has everyone gotten this wrong for centuries? The answer lies in a key part of Westerosi history.
The Nine Kingdoms, Explained
The “Seven Kingdoms” actually refers to the seven realms conquered by Aegon the Conqueror, the first ruler to unite Westeros into a single kingdom. The true Seven Kingdoms were the Kingdom of the North, the Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers, the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Reach, the Kingdom of the Storm, and the Principality of Dorne.
The great houses we know from House of the Dragon and beyond came to be because the Targaryens gave parts of the realm to families that supported them. The Starks (North), Arryns (Vale), and Lannisters of Casterly Rock (Westerlands) all became wardens of their regions. Later, the Tullys were granted the Riverlands, the Tyrells the Reach, the Baratheons the Stormlands, and the Greyjoys the Iron Islands.
That’s seven, but some key areas are missing. First, the Crownlands—the region where the Targaryens settled and built King’s Landing. Then Dorne, which the Targaryens initially claimed but didn’t formally join Westeros until centuries later. This is why the Iron Islands were split from the Riverlands: Aegon knew how important the number seven was, so he ruled over seven kingdoms plus his own region until Dorne joined. So essentially, Westeros has seven kingdoms in the same way the U.S. has 50 states—there are other territories, but “50” is simpler, and the capital was an exception.
Seven is a lucky number in our world, appearing often in multiple religions: Catholicism’s seven sacraments, Hinduism’s seven heavens and hells, Islam’s seven circuits around the Kaaba, Judaism’s seven-branched menorah, etc. This correction just proves how vital the number is in Westeros too. We may still call the series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when it returns next year, but we’ll know what that really means.