Moat Cailin

[Narkalui]

Does anyone have any theories why Moat Cailin was allowed to fall into disrepair and why it has no noble house with a hereditary mandate to guard the North's southern border?

 

[zmorgas]

I think the Reeds control the Neck, Moat Cailin included, they just do it from Greywater Watch. Maybe there aren't enough men to garrison both strongholds, maybe they only do it at war time.

 

[Narkalui]

But surely,during the centuries of the Septarchy, maintaining Moat Cailin would have been critical for Northern defense..?

 

[Coast]

I'm thinking after the surrounding countryside got turned to marsh, it couldn't support the population to keep it maintained. So it was used strategically rather than having a house based out of it.

Also, as far as recent history, I'd assume the Targs wouldn't want it to be too heavily garrisoned. After all, there was no need to defend their southern boundary until the Five Kings.

 

[Narkalui]

Even though the surrounding countryside couldn't afford the resources or manpower to maintain it, surely Winterfell could. It would have made more sense if the Kings of the North had run an annual Moat Cailin Maintenance tax and also said that each noble house needed to supply X amount of men each year for its garrison, perhaps on a Rota. That would make more sense.

Under Targaryen rule, yes, I agree it would make sense that Kingslanding wouldn't want it garrisoned.

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

Because there was no need for it to be kept. It was the same kingdom.

 

[Werthead]

Yup. The southern border of the Kingdom of the North was actually in the marshes and during those centuries and millennia it may well have been manned. But after the Targaryen Conquest there was zero reason for a permanent garrison to be assigned.

 

[Koopa]

North is such a strange mix. House Stark reminds of House York. The North itself mostly makes me think of Scotland. But then their seem to be Norse, Canadian, Alaskan influence as well. Moat Cailin seems to be Irish. With Cailin aparrantly meaning Girl.

So basically we have a Girl Moat that's considered impregnable (from the South). Quite a conundrum. Is that George mind that has some weird thoughts or is it my mind that's gone fubar... . Considering some other stuff found in the books I'd like to pin it on GRRM....