Spearwife

A spearwife with a mammoth, by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games

A spearwife is a free folk woman who is also a warrior.^[1]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

Ygritte by Steamey©

During the great ranging of the Night's Watch in the lands beyond the Wall, Jon Snow and Qhorin's rangers encounter the spearwife Ygritte and other raiders in the Skirling Pass.^[2]

A Storm of Swords

Ragwyle is part of Rattleshirt's band of raiders.^[3] Jon sees long-haired spearwives in the host of Mance Rayder during the battle beneath the Wall.^[4]

A Dance with Dragons

Varamyr Sixskins, a skinchanger, attempts to take over a spearwife, Thistle.^[5]

Lord Harwood Fell counts dozens of spearwives among the free folk who have surrendered to Stannis Baratheon.^[6] Jon, now Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, houses nineteen women and girls, including a dozen spearwives, in Hardin's Tower at Castle Black.^[7] Jon sends spearwives to garrison Long Barrow.^[8]

Melisandre has a vision of a grey girl on dying horse, whom Jon believes is his half sister, Arya Stark.^[9] Jon is convinced to release Mance and send him with six spearwives on a mission to rescue the girl.^[7] Disguised as the bard Abel, Mance infiltrates Winterfell with Frenya, Holly, Myrtle, Rowan, Squirrel, and Willow Witch-eye.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

Quotes

She wasn't wed and her weapon of choice was a short curved bow of horn and weirwood, but "spearwife" fit her all the same.^[15]

—Jon Snow's thoughts regarding Ygritte

References