Firebat
Well-known member
Well, that's an interesting question. Let's take your example of gold and Westerlands.Honestly, by the end of the day, I don’t think the Targaryens did much
What we know from pre-Targaryen era we know through a Maester's book. He can (in typical medieval fashion a la Privilegium Maius) allow his "modern views" to color his perception of the past. Hence reader's impression that nothing in Westeros has ever changed.
For example, the Maester lives in an epoch when the gold and Weterlands are synonyms. So when he reads pieces of old chronicles, he assumes it was ever thus. It's not like he has yearly statistics of mining from four centuries before. So the chronicles tells him of Lannister kings and he subconsciously equates them with "modern" Lannisters flush with gold.
But how much sense would it really make for Westerlands to have mined vast quantities of gold since the dawn of time?
First, as you say, they would have to have ridiculous amount of gold and tunnels to the planet's core. Second, and perhaps much more importantly, if you take a look at whatever glimpses of pre-Targaryen history are known to us... Westerlands do not behave like a kingdom flush with gold. For the most of history they are poor cousins to the Gardeners, mostly on the defense, mostly unable to expand much beyond their hills. They are basically struggling as much as forever exposed Durrandons. Only Durrandons have no men and no gold. If Westerlands had these vast gold mines since forever, why would the only pre-Conquest golden coin mentioned in the books be the Gardener coin? Why didn't Western kings hire hosts of mercs or buy up neighboring lords? Why are Westerlands left sitting in their little corner for the most of it?
So in this particular example I posit to you that large-scale mining of gold in Westerlands is a relatively recent development. Probably from before the Conquest, but not by much. Because that's when Lannisters begin to behave like guys with big stacks of cash - towards the end of pre-Targaryen period. They get big fleets of their own and they suddenly have a proper road to Highgarden and they inexplicably have this equal partnership with Gardeners.