Bernard
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Title | Septon | |||
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Culture | Reach | |||
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Bernard was a septon during the reign of King Aegon III Targaryen.
Character
Bernard was regarded as a pious fool.[1] He was younger than Septon Eustace.[2]
History
When Lord Unwin Peake became Hand of the King in 133 AC, he decided to replace Septon Eustace with a younger man, his cousin Bernard. After Unwin resigned and left the Red Keep in 134 AC, Bernard remained behind.[2] When Larra Rogare, the wife of Prince Viserys Targaryen, gave birth to Prince Aegon, Septon Bernard anointed the child with the seven sacred oils in the royal sept.[1]
During the plot against House Rogare in 135 AC, Septon Bernard tried to persuade King Aegon III Targaryen to leave Maegor's Holdfast during the secret siege. Bernard wrote down Lord Thaddeus Rowan's confession as the man was being tortured. Bernard was later named as being an accomplice to the plot, and eventually confessed to his involvement, citing his hatred of the Lyseni and their foreign gods. He claimed that it had been intended for Larra to die, so Viserys could ascend the throne and take a "proper Westerosi queen."[1]
During the treason trials, the High Septon wrote asking that Bernard be spared execution so that he might repent. King Aegon obliged, and Bernard was gelded and sent to walk barefoot from King's Landing to Oldtown with his manhood hung around his neck. He spent the rest of his life as a scribe copying holy books at the Starry Sept, under a vow of silence.[1]
Writings
Septon Bernard left no records from his life at King Aegon III's court. He preferred to write and compose sacred music, which according to Archmaester Gyldayn was appallingly written.[1]
Quotes
The Lyseni and their queer foreign gods had no place in the Seven Kingdoms. It was always intended that Lady Larra should die together with her brothers, so Viserys would be free to take a proper Westerosi queen.[1]
—Bernard, as paraphrased by Gyldayn
Family
Septon Bernard was related to Lord Unwin Peake of Starpike, being a descendant of a younger sister of Lord Peake's great grandfather.[2]
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Unknown woman | Lord Peake | Unknown wife | Gedmund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mervyn Flowers | Unwin | Unknown three wives | Son | Bernard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Titus | Myrielle | Daughter | Unknown husband | Two daughters | Two sons | Amaury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||