House Frey

House Frey is a noble House of the Riverlands in A Song of Ice and Fire and ''Game of Thrones. ''Though the franchise is famous for having mostly morally ambiguous characters and factions most of House Frey is villainous, having been the main perpetrators of the Red Wedding, one of the greatest atrocities in the series. However, there are some likable Freys.

History
The Freys were founded about 600 years before the series began, when a petty Lord built a bridge over the Green Fork. Eventually the crossing was expanded into twin castles, one on either side of the river, hence the Frey's seat of power is known as the Twins. The Freys also use the title Lord of the Crossing.

The current Head of House Frey is Walder Frey who at the beginning of the series is 89, and has been married seven times. He has over a hundred descendants, trueborn and bastard-born. For his 90th nameday Walder Frey takes his eighth wife, Joyeuse Erenford, who is over 70 years younger then him. Many of the Freys share the weaselly appearance of their common ancestor Walder Frey.

War of the Five Kings
When Tywin Lannister attacks the Riverlands Walder Frey doesn't answer his liege lord Hoster Tully's calling the banners. After the death of Robert Baratheon the Lannisters usurp the throne through Joffrey Baratheon. When Robb Stark marches south Walder Frey refuses to let his army across. He claims he would be breaking oaths to the crown by fighting the Lannisters, even though when the Tullys first called him Robert wasn't dead so Walder wouldn't have been breaking his oaths. Robb is forced to make terms with him, agreeing to marry a Frey and betrothing his younger sister Arya Stark to one of Walder Frey's sons, Elmar. Two of Walder Frey's grandsons, Big Walder Frey and Little Walder Frey, are sent to be fostered at Winterfell, and Walder Frey's 18th son Olyvar Frey becomes Robb's squire. The Freys join Robb Stark and later proclaim him King in the North with the other Northern and Riverlands nobility.

When Robb attacks the Westerlands Ser Stevron Frey, Walder Frey's eldest child and heir to the Twins, is wounded and later dies in his tent. This means Stevron's eldest son, Ryman Frey, becomes heir.

When Stannis Baratheon is defeated at the Blackwater by Tywin Lannister and Mace Tyrell, the Freys at Harrenhal with Roose Bolton fear Robb will lose the war and try to find a way out. Later they receive news that Robb has broken the marriage pact, marrying Jeyne Westerling to protect her honor after taking her virginity. The Freys leave Robb's cause. Olyvar Frey wishes to remain with Robb, but is forced to leave by his kin.

The Red Wedding
The Freys agree to join Robb again if his uncle Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, marries Roslin Frey, Walder Frey's daughter by his sixth wife. However the wedding is a trap. At what becomes known as the Red Wedding, Robb Stark, his mother Catelyn Stark, and most of their army are murdered by the Freys and the Boltons. Edmure Tully and many other nobles are taken captive.

For this Walder Frey's second son Emmon Frey is made Lord of Riverrun, one of his granddaughters Amerei Frey is to marry Lancel Lannister who has been made Lord of Darry (Amerei's mother was a member of the now extinct House Darry), and another Frey girl marry Ser Daven Lannister. Roose Bolton, who has been made Warden of the North for his part in the Red Wedding, personally murdering Robb Stark, has married another of Walder Frey's granddaughters, "Fat" Walda Frey, one of Amerei's sisters, after Walder offered him the weight in silver of a Frey girl as their dowry. Roose takes a Frey force under two of Walder Frey's sons, Aenys Frey and Hosteen Frey, north to help him take control.

However the Frey's treachery, especially as they broke guest right, one of Westeros' most sacred institutions, has won them the enmity of most of the Seven Kingdoms, especially in the Riverlands and North, as the nobles there lost men and relatives at the Red Wedding.

Ryman's second son Black Walder Frey besiges Seagard, forcing Lord Jason Mallister to surrender by threatening to hang their heir Patrek.

Catelyn Stark was murdered at the Red Wedding when one of Walder Frey's sons, Raymund Frey, cut her throat. She was stripped and thrown into the river in a mockery of Tully funeral customs. However she is found by the Brotherhood without Banners, and resurrected by its leader Beric Dondarrion at the cost of his life. Catelyn rises again as Lady Stoneheart, a different figure from Catelyn. She takes control of the Brotherhood and determines to take vengeance on all those she holds responsible for the loss of her family. The Brotherhood begin by capturing one of Walder Frey's great-grandsons Petyr Frey, and demanding a hundred dragons for him. When Walder's ninth son Merrett Frey delivers the ransom, hoping to win the favor of the main Frey branch as Petyr is the youngest son of the current heir to the Twins, he finds Petyr has already been hanged. Merrett tries to justify the Red Wedding and excuse his role. However Stoneheart judges him guilty and he is hanged.

Second Siege of Riverrun
Ryman Frey besieges Riverrun aided by the reluctant Riverlands nobility and the Lannisters under Ser Daven Lannister, who has been made Warden of the West by his cousin Cersei Lannister. It is poorly handled. Ryman spends most of his time drinking and whoring, and each day places Edmure on a gallows, trying to make their uncle Ser Brynden Tully, "the Blackfish", Castellan of Riverrun, surrender the castle. However each day Brynden refuses and Ryman doesn't hang Edmure, not wanting to lose a hostage. Roslin truly loves Edmure. She is pregnant by him and prays for a girl, fearing if she produces a male heir to House Tully her family will kill Edmure. Men from their force frequently go missing, possibly hanged by the Brotherhood.

Jaime Lannister arrives to lift the siege. Seeing Ryman's incompetence he sends him back to the Twins, giving command to Ryman's eldest son Edwyn Frey. He then persuades Edmure to make Brynden surrender Riverrun, threatening to destroy the castle and Edmure's unborn child. However Brynden escapes by swimming under a gate, infuriating Emmon, the new Lord of Riverrun. Jaime then hears from Edwyn that Ryman was hanged within a day's ride of the Twins along with the three Knights and 12 men-at-arms accompanying him. Edwyn suspects his brother to be responsible, though his bastard uncle Walder Rivers says Black Walder is at Seagard Edwyn says they have spies on the camp.

The North
In the North Roose Bolton faces problems due to Stannis Baratheon entering the North. The Northmen despise the Freys for the Red Wedding. Jared Frey, Symond Frey, and Rhaegar Frey take the bones of Ser Wendel Manderly, who was murdered at the Red Wedding, to his father Wyman Manderly, Lord of White Harbor and richest man in the North. Wyman agrees to marry his grandaughters to Rhaegar Frey and another of Walder Frey's grandsons, Little Walder Frey. When Davos Seaworth comes to White Harbor to try and gain support for Stannis Wyman apparently has him executed. However he really executed a criminal with a similar appearance in their place. His other son Ser Wylis Manderly is returned to him and at the feast celebrating their return Wyman reveals to Davos he plans to restore the Starks. Wyman says he will give guest gifts to the Freys, which under the rules of guest right means they will no longer be under his protection. The Freys disappear en route to Winterfell. Wyman brings three huge pies containing meat to the feast at Winterfell, serving pieces to the Freys and Boltons, and eating some himself.

Little Walder Frey is found murdered. Their uncle Hosteen attacks Wyman, leading to a confrontation in which Frey and White Harbor men are killed. Roose sends the Frey and Manderly men out to meet Stannis. When the Freys ride out of Winterfell Aenys falls into a pit trap dug by Mors Umber's boys, breaking his neck. Command falls to his half-brother Hosteen, a fierce fighter but not particularly clever.