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House Lannister is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. Their lands are in the far west of the continent. Their seat is Casterly Rock, a castle on a rocky promontory overlooking the Sunset Sea. It overlooks the thriving city of Lannisport and sits atop the most productive gold mine in the Westerlands. They are the wealthiest family in the realm. House Lannister was established many thousands of years prior to the books' opening by a trickster-hero called Lann the Clever, who tricked the powerful Casterly family into abandoning their stronghold of Casterly Rock, which the Lannisters took for their own. The Lannisters have ruled the region known as the Westerlands ever since, getting rich off the many gold and silver mines in the western hills and mountains.
Fair-haired, tall and handsome, the modern Lannisters are the blood of Andal adventurers who carved out a mighty kingdom in the western hills and valleys. Through the female line, they boast of descent from Lann the Clever, the legendary trickster of the Age of Heroes who swindled Casterly Rock from its previous rulers. They used to rule the Westerlands as the Kings of the Rock before swearing allegiance to the Targaryen family. The last King of the Rock, Loren Lannister, and the last King of the Reach, Mern Gardener, joined forces and fielded 60,000 men against Aegon the Conqueror. They were defeated by his dragons in a battle that came to be known as the 'Field of Fire' and lost 4,000 men. They have since served the Targaryens and now King Robert Baratheon as the Lords Paramount of the Westerlands and Wardens of the West. The gold of Casterly Rock and the Golden Tooth has made them the wealthiest of the Great Houses.
Tywin Lannister is the current head of the family. His father Tytos Lannister presided over a period of decline for the house. He frittered away much of their fortune on poor investments and allowed himself to be mocked at court creating a perception of weakness. Their vassals House Reyne of Castamere rebelled against Lord Tytos. Tywin put down the rebellion personally, extinguishing their house and re-establishing the fearsome reputation of House Lannister. His ruthlessness gave darker meaning to the common phrase "A Lannister always pays his debts" and was immortalized in the song "The Rains of Castamere".
Tywin has three children Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion by his wife Joanna Lannister. Joanna died after giving birth to Tyrion. Tyrion is a dwarf and has a troubled relationship with Tywin. Cersei and Jaime are fraternal twins. Cersei is Queen of Westeros since Tywin arranged for her marriage to King Robert Baratheon in exchange for his support in Robert's Rebellion. She has a longstanding incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime. The two conspire to conceal their love and have passed their children (Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen) off as being the product of Cersei's marriage.
During Robert's Rebellion, the Lannisters sat out most of the war, refusing to heed the calls of King Aerys II Targaryen to aid him in crushing the rebellion. After the rebel victory at the Battle of the Trident, the Lannister army marched to the relief of King's Landing but, instead of helping defend the city, they brutally sacked it, killing King Aerys and his grandchildren. Robert Baratheon publicly forgave the Lannisters their actions and accepted their allegiance, marrying Cersei Lannister in thanks for Tywin's assistance. However, Eddard Stark saw the Lannister action as betrayal and murder, and has not trusted them ever since.
