The Starks and the Targaryens - what's the deal?

Originally I was thinking of making a thread on the possible clues to the deal Torrhen struck with Aegon before he bent the knee. But when writing my thoughts down here, I managed to derail myself ( ), so I decided to start again. If this thread ends up with this main question, or if it will be more general on the Starks and the Targaryens, will as I start be open to interpretation.

First I wanted to start with an overview of the dealings between the two houses. As I haven't pinned down all quotes yet, and quite possibly might miss some things here, all additions are very welcome! Just shout out!

Also, I don't have all the quotes lined up nicely right now; I will go back an augment this as I pin them down. So prepare yourself for a quoteless post.

Aegon I spent half the year traveling the realm on his progressions, but only on his last one did he visit Winterfell. Interestingly the point is made that he did this in part to quell any budding rebellion, which might have played a part in where he decided to go. This makes it even more interesting that he went a few times to Barrowton, but not Winterfell!

We don't hear much of them during the reigns of Aenys and Maegor, but most of their reigns were embroiled in quarrels with the Faith - as mainly followers of the old gods it's natural that they stayed out of this. The Vale had a direct uprising where parts of the ruling class wanted their freedom back, and we don't get any of that from the North.

The only mention is when Aegon the Uncrowned makes his play for the throne. Denys Snow, the Bastard of Barrowton, goes south to join Aegon. As Tyanna claims the Starks were ready to support Aegon, they might have had a hand in Denys going south, but nothing is proved. It is interesting that Barrowton makes a show again, however, and this time - if indeed Barrowton was a gathering place for rebels during Aegon I's reign - on the side of a Targaryen.

Lord Brandon Stark travels south to the Golden Wedding, and seems to get on well with Jaehaerys. Also it is indicated that he was on good terms with Aegon I, so he probably met Aegon during the last progress.

Jaehaerys dealt well with the Poor Fellows, but this had an unfortunate effect on the North and the Watch. Many more mouths to feed is hard, and the rebellion that followed cost the Starks their lord and many men. As we learn when Alysanne and Jaehaerys goes north, Lord Alaric has a very hard time forgiving this, and keeps holding it against Jaehaerys. Their progress is the first time in over 20 years the Starks gets a visit from the Targaryens, and the notable different welcome they got there from other places is interesting! Also that Alaric warms to Alysanne (or seemingly so...) but not Jaehaerys. We hear that Jaehaerys was a master of veiled threats (though he might not have mastered it so well during his reconciliation with Rogar...), but we hear nothing of this with Alysanne. But I wonder if she took on that role during her wait for Jaehaerys; giving Alaric an "opportunity" to keep his grudge with Jaehaerys, but not angering him by following the suggestions of his wife. Clearly they worked as a team, and everybody knew it. So with both of them there, Alaric could opt to follow Alysanne rather than Jaehaerys. It is really interesting that Alaric went along with the New Gift so easily, while in the World Book we learned that the Starks were not happy about it and tried to undo it through legal means. Did Martin change his mind, or was it Alaric sons who took up this cause? The latter might very well be the case!

The Starks attended the Great Council of 101, as most other lords. I do find it interesting that they supported Laenor, which makes me wonder if they had any objections to Jaehaerys taking the throne in stead of his older sister or her daughters. Not a big deal in the large picture, just a question that came to mind.

At the start of the Dance, Jace flew to Winterfell and made a deal with Cregan. The famed Pact of Fire and Ice! In this Jace promised to send his first born daughter to Winterfell for fostering and then marriage to Cregan's heir. Which is an interesting deal, as it basis is laid firmly in the future. Jace is practically selling something he does not have, and may never get! The Starks are not said to show any previous interest in marrying into the royal family, nor show any interest in tying themselves closer to court in King's Landing. You could say the Manderlys got the better deal with a marriage pact between two existing persons; though the black faction of the Targaryens didn't have a daughter available at the time, nor did Cregan.

In any case, Cregan upholds his end of the deal, even after Jace died not so long after it was made, and Rhaenyra some time after that. Cregan still went south, and did not return north until he had settled things to his satisfaction in King's Landing. He was not interested in a place in the small council, nor stay on as Hand to Aegon III. (We can only speculate how this time would have turned out if Cregan had stayed in the south!)

Then the Starks seems to keep to themselves again, though we might learn something new in Fire and Blood 2. The exception seems to be Cregan's son (I think it was him) who fought beside Daeron I in Dorne and died there. But that might be more of a personal connection than a political one. They are not said to take part in the Blackfyre Rebellions, with the exception with the War of the Ninepenny Kings. This might be explained by their own inheritance problems early in the century, where the lords kept dying with only children to inherit the lordships. But when this stabilizes, and we get to Rickard, he did answer the call to quell the last Blackfyre Rebellion, and is then said to develop "southron ambitions". But what were they exactly? That we haven't learned yet, but it might be a point in the last two books.

I have to say that my main impression before and after reading Fire and Blood is that the Starks mainly kept to themselves, and this is mostly confirmed here. One part is that they showed little interest in partaking in court life, like other regions did. The other part is that I wonder ... did the Starks maintain some sort of sovereign power over the North? Robert Baratheon phrases himself as if Ned is the King in the North when he comes to visit in Game, refering to the smallfolk as "your people" and the like. Renly is fine with giving Robb a large part of independence, even calling himself king, as long as he in the end bends the knee to the Iron Throne. Did Torrhen manage something similar? Perhaps not officially, but in practice? And related to this, was Rickard more interested in withdrawing the North from the Seven Kingdoms than any southron ambitions?

I definitely found it interesting that the Manderlys seems to have had southron ambitions of their own for a long time. Not really surprising with their origins in the south, but definitely interesting! Of all the northern houses, they are the only one interested in playing the courtly game in King's Landing, even so far as securing themselves a Targaryen bride!

So, a little messy thread here... But if the question of what deal was between the Starks and the Targaryens are a bit vague - not to mention little information to go on - at least we have a place to put all related question to this in before any more centered threads are made! Feel free to jump in with anything that comes to mind!