Archmaesters
Archmaesters are maesters who have demonstrated mastery of their specific fields of knowledge.[1] Archmaesters are leaders of the Citadel.[2]
Contents
Duties
Archmaesters are maesters who have demonstrated mastery of a particular subject. They receive a mask, a ring, and a rod in the metal corresponding to the link of the maester's chain which signifies their expertise on the topic.[3]
Archmaesters teach the students at the Citadel in their subject of expertise, and they judge whether a novice or an acolyte has shown enough knowledge on their subject to receive a link for their chain.[3] While maesters are directly involved in a lord's household—teaching children, healing wounds, tending to ravens—archmaesters can dedicate themselves to research and study.[4]
Archmaesters have the right to sit on the Conclave, a council which elects the Grand Maester[5] and determines when the seasons change.[6][7] The meetings of the Conclave are conducted behind closed doors at the Citadel.[5]
The Seneschal of the Citadel is chosen by lot from the archmaesters, most of whom consider it a thankless job.[8]
Each archmaester is said to have a heavy, black iron key that will open every door in the Citadel. They keep them close on their person, or hide them well.[3]
History
Centuries of study have convinced the archmaesters that the world is a sphere, thought there is dispute about its size.[9]
Before the Doom of Valyria, archmaesters often traveled to Valyrian Freehold in their research of the Hightower's origins.[10]
Maesters and archmaesters attended King Aegon I Targaryen's coronation at Oldtown during Aegon's Conquest, lending legitimacy to his reign.[11] In 5 AC, Aegon created the office of Grand Maester when he requested the Conclave send him one of their own to advise him on matters of state.[1]
Some suspected the archmaesters of having killed the High Septon during the Faith Militant uprising.[12]
Archmaesters attended the coronation of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen in Oldtown in 48 AC.[13] Queen Alysanne Targaryen feasted with the archmaesters in their dining hall in 54 AC.[14]
A third of the archmaesters died from the Shivers in the winter of 59 AC.[9]
Some archmaesters question all histories written by septons about the Dawn Age, the Age of Heroes, and the Long Night.[15] Archmaesters also largely dismiss tales of the Night's King.[16]
Marwyn was the only archmaester interested in the theories of Maester Qyburn.[17] When Qyburn began experimenting on the living, the archmaesters cast him out into exile.[18]
Recent Events
A Storm of Swords
The archmaesters insist that Pycelle be restored to his position as Grand Maester.[5]
A Feast for Crows
The dying Maester Aemon tells Samwell Tarly he must inform the archmaesters about conditions at the Wall, including the threats of wights and the Others. After the elderly maester dies, Sam laments he was unable to get Aemon to the archmaesters of Oldtown for healing.[19]
Archmaester Marwyn is wary of his fellow archmaesters, whom he believes want to rid the world of magic. Before departing for Meereen, Marwyn warns Sam about confiding in his compatriots.[8]
Quotes
There is always more to know, more to see, more to learn. The world is vast and wondrous strange, and there are more things beneath the stars than even the archmaesters of the Citadel can dream.[20]
—writings of Yandel
But the wisest and most learned men in the Seven Kingdoms were the archmaesters of the Citadel, each of them the supreme authority in one of the great disciplines.[1]
—writings of Gyldayn
Vaegon is no maester ... but he could well have the makings of an archmaester in him. The Citadel is the greatest repository of knowledge in the known world. Send him there. Mayhaps he will find himself in the library. That, or he'll get so lost amongst the books that you never need to concern yourselves with him again.[21]
The world the Citadel is building has no place in it for sorcery or prophecy or glass candles, much less for dragons. Ask yourself why Aemon Targaryen was allowed to waste his life upon the Wall, when by rights he should have been raised to archmaester. His blood was why. He could not be trusted. No more than I can.[8]
—Marwyn to Samwell Tarly
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fire & Blood, Three Heads Had the Dragon - Governance Under King Aegon I.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Maesters.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 12, Tyrion II.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 7, Catelyn I.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Oldtown.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Aegon's Conquest.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Prince into King: The Ascension of Jaehaerys I.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Birth, Death and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 5, Samwell I.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 44, Jaime VI.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 7, Cersei II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Bones and Beyond: Asshai-by-the-Shadow.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.