10 Facts About Westeros Game Of Thrones Won't Tell You
5. The Andals Imposed Their Religion On Most Of Westeros
If you thought the First Men were bad when they came to Westeros you should’ve seen what the Andals did. Originating from a part of Essos called Andalos, the Andals were a group of people that saw seven gods appear on a hill and decided to start the Faith Of The Seven. Then, as has often been the case in history when a new religion emerges, they hopped over the narrow sea to Westeros and began slaughtering anyone who wouldn’t convert.
While the First Men conquered Westeros with weapons of brass, the Andals (yes, as in Jorah the Andal) had steel weapons. They quickly stole lands and killed any of the First Men or Children Of The Forest that got in their way. But whereas the First Men simply wanted dominion over the land, the Andals wanted control of everything, so they burned down weirwoods, killed almost all of the remaining Children, and converted most of Westeros to the Faith. The notable exception, of course, is the North, which time and time again thwarted attacks from the Andals.
When we first meet the Starks in Game Of Thrones, we know they follow the Old Gods, but we don’t know why. This is the answer that the show hasn’t bothered with; partly because it’s not cinematic and partly because it’s too far removed from our main story.
The Old Gods, with their faces carved into trees, were another name for the gods that the First Men shared with the Children back when they coexisted. And as a result of the North being strong enough to resist the Andals, they didn’t convert, and the few remaining Children of Westeros pushed further North beyond the wall to safety.