House Hightower

House Hightower of Oldtown is one of the principle houses sworn to House Gardener of Highgarden. They are the most powerful vassal in the Kingdom of the Reach, controlling Westeros' greatest city and one of the biggest trade ports on the continent, Oldtown.

Ancient Times
In legend, the contemporary House Hightower is born of the union of Uthor of the High Tower, who ruled the mouth of the Honeywine as a petty king, and Maris the Maid. Maris was a renowned beauty and a daughter of Garth Greenhand, the legendary King of the Reach in the Age of Heroes. Maris' spurned lover spent the rest of his life raging beyond the gates of what would one day become Oldtown.

Regardless of the truth of the legend of Maris the Maid, the Hightowers began as petty kings ruling the mouth of the Honeywine and surrounding houses. As their lands grew, so did their power, and with that grew Oldtown into a great town, among the largest in the Reach. Oldtown weathered many successive attacks-- from the Dornish, the Ironborn, the Gardener Kings to their east, and other smaller foes-- and each time the Hightowers built their walls stronger and taller. Oldtown became a great fortress, guarded by the great black stone castle on Battle Island.

In legend the Hightowers of old built four successive wooden towers atop the black stone fortress, and each was destroyed by raiders or weather. At last, the fifth tower was built solidly of stone and has stood ever since with its beacon burning bright, guiding trade ships into harbor.

Gardener Kings
In time, Oldtown and Highgarden developed a less adversarial relationship. By the time of the Andal Invasion, the two houses agreed to ally with the Andals to preserve their wealth and power, and in short time King Lymond Hightower, known as the Sea Lion, wed the daughter of King Garland II Gardener. King Garland in turn wed King Lymond's daughter. These twin marriages brought Oldtown peacefully into the realm of the Gardener Kings. With the protection of Highgarden the Hightowers turned their attention more fully to trade and grew ever more prosperous.

Recent History
The Hightowers have maintained their good relationship with their liege lords of Gardener, paying their taxes and playing host to their Kings when they occasioned to visit Oldtown. As for centuries before the Hightowers have marshalled wealth and political power, becoming the richest and most powerful of Highgarden's vassals.