Seven Kingdoms

The Seven Kingdoms is the name given to the realm which controls the continent of Westeros south of the Wall, and it's numerous offshore islands, ruled by House Baratheon of King's Landing from the Red Keep in the city of King's Landing.

The name of the realm dates back to the time prior to the War of Conquest, during which seven independent kingdoms existed on the continent. The realm actually consists of nine distinct regions, the remaining two being formally established after the Targaryen conquest, and thus they are not actually considered to be "kingdoms." Regardless, all nine provinces have since been subject to the rule of King's Landing.

The realm has several times become fractured from years of civil warfare, including the Dance of the Dragons, Robert's Rebellion and the War of the Five Kings. Robert's Rebellion saw the ruling House Targaryen overthrown and supplanted by House Baratheon. The War of the Five Kings and the subsequent Great War not only saw House Baratheon briefly replaced by House Lannister and House Targaryen once more, but also saw the North and the Iron Islands attempt to secede from the Iron Throne's authority, although by the conclusion of the Great War, House Baratheon had been returned to power, and the prior independence movements had been either crushed or abandoned.