The Role of the Night's Watch Throughout Westeros' History

In the vast, snow-covered wilderness of northern Westeros, the Night’s Watch stands as one of the oldest and most storied institutions in the realm. Formed thousands of years before the events of ‘Game of Thrones’, the Night’s Watch was established to protect the Seven Kingdoms from the dangers lurking beyond the colossal Wall—a 700-foot-high barrier of ice stretching across the continent’s northern border.

Originally, the Night’s Watch was a noble and revered brotherhood. In the aftermath of the Long Night, when the White Walkers first descended upon Westeros, the Watch played a pivotal role in driving them back with the help of the legendary Azor Ahai and the Children of the Forest. To ensure such a threat never returned, the Wall was built with ancient magic, and the Night’s Watch was created as a permanent military order to guard it.

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At its height, the Night’s Watch was a prestigious calling. Nobles and warriors from all corners of Westeros volunteered to join its ranks, swearing an oath to forsake land, family, and title in service of the realm. Divided into three main orders—rangers, builders, and stewards—the Watch maintained dozens of castles along the Wall, including the central Castle Black.

However, over the centuries, as the threat beyond the Wall faded into myth, the Night’s Watch fell into decline. Once a symbol of honour, it became a dumping ground for criminals, bastards, and outcasts. Recruitment dwindled, resources shrank, and only a few castles remained manned. The Watch’s warnings about danger beyond the Wall were ignored by southern rulers, who considered them relics of an irrelevant past.

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Yet the true threat returned. With the rise of the White Walkers and the Army of the Dead, the Night’s Watch found itself on the front lines of a war for humanity. Led by figures like Jeor Mormont, Jon Snow, and Samwell Tarly, the Night’s Watch played a critical role in rallying the realms and holding back the darkness, proving that their ancient purpose was not only relevant but essential.

By the end of the series, though politically diminished, the Night’s Watch symbolised resilience and duty. In a world torn by power struggles, the Watch reminded Westeros of the importance of unity against common threats—and the high cost of forgetting history.

–Farheen Ali