Catelyn Stark was born into the House of Tully, but has married Eddard Stark to take his last name and become Lady of Winterfell. With him she has five children: Rickon, Robb, Sansa, Bran, and Arya. Catelyn is very beautiful, eschewing fancier clothing for simple garments in the colors of House Stark or House Tully. She is a strong and upright individual known for defending her children with a fierce passion. She’s motivated by both a strong sense of duty and a very advanced understanding of politics. Catelyn also strongly believes in and practices the Faith of the Seven.
Before she married Eddard, Catelyn was betrothed to Brandon Stark of Winterfell but he was killed by Aerys II Targaryen. Eddard and Catelyn knew each other very little before marriage, but they quickly fell in love and built a strong family. However, she’s very unhappy about the acceptance of Eddard’s bastard son Jon Snow into their family.
After the death of Jon Arryn, Catelyn suspects that King Robert Baratheon plans to name Eddard Hand of the King. Anticipating this, they invite the King and Queen to Winterfell. They learn that the Queen plans to marry their son Joffrey to Catelyn’s daughter Sansa, which is a union that Catelyn endorses. She believes that life at the capitol will be good for Sansa. However, Catelyn receives a letter later that night working that Jon Arryn was killed by orders of the Queen, and advising that Eddard take the position he has been offered to investigate. Eddard accepts.
When her son Bran is in a coma after taking a nasty fall, Catelyn neglects her own affairs and refuses to leave his side. While there, she is forced to fend off an assassin, which she suspects was sent by the Lannisters. Catelyn and Ser Rodrik embark on a journey to find the truth, where they discover that the assassin’s dagger belonged to Tyrion Lannister.
Catelyn is travelling and trying to build opposition to the Lannisters when she receives word that her husband Eddard has been executed. She and her son Robb express great grief, and she travels with her son Robb and advises him in his duties as King of the North. Catelyn and Robb take Jaime Lannister as their prisoner, and unsuccessfully attempt to use him to bargain for Catelyn’s other children. When Catelyn finds out that Robb is considering marrying Talisa Maegyr she warns him strongly against it.
Despite Catelyn’s advice, Robb marries Talisa. However, Talisa is killed at the ‘Red Wedding’ when Edmure Tully marries Roslin Frey. The wedding is disrupted by Black Walder Rivers and a group of men who use the wedding as an opportunity for mass slaughter. Catelyn is wounded in the battle and attempts to coerce Walders into surrendering by holding a knife to his wife’s throat. Roose Bolton kills her son Robb, which throws Catelyn into a frenzy and causes her to kill Walder’s wife. Black Walder then slits Catelyn’s throat.