Hedge knight

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A hedge knight by Johneil Centeno © Fantasy Flight Games

A hedge knight is a wandering knight without a master. Hedge knights travel the length and breadth of the Seven Kingdoms looking for gainful employment.

Culture

Hedge knights are so named because most of their worldly wealth is in their arms and horses and they generally must sleep outdoors, often under a hedge.[1][2] Contrary to landed knights, hedge knights own no land.[3] Most hedge knights travel in search of employment and often attend tourneys to earn money and display their prowess in hopes of being hired and making a name for themselves.[1] Hedge knights often join the hosts of lords and the royal processions of kings.[4][5][6] Most hedge knights are younger men.[7][8]

Although many strive to be chivalrous true knights,[1][9] hedge knights are often mistrusted and considered disreputable. The term "hedge knight" is considered disparaging.[1] Some warriors can be described as upjumped hedge knights.[10] Less scrupulous hedge knights put their martial training to use by resorting to banditry, becoming robber knights.[1][9]

History

Ser Duncan the Tall astride Thunder, by Mike S. Miller

Ser Humfrey the Mummer, a hedge knight, was named by Queen Visenya Targaryen as one of the first members of the Kingsguard.[11]

During the Faith Militant uprising, Ser Horys Hill led Poor Fellows from the westerlands.[12] After the Warrior's Sons were outlawed, Ser Joffrey Doggett had some of them disguise themselves as hedge knights as they hunted "traitors to the Faith.[12]

Many hedge knights came to Harrenhal in hopes of finding employment at the Great Council of 101 AC.[13]

The disreputable Ser Perkin the Flea crowned Trystane Truefyre during the Dance of the Dragons.[14]

The hedge knight Ser Arlan of Pennytree never ventured to the north with his squire, Dunk, as he thought that there were no hedges there, and all the woods full of wolves.[15] Dunk, who became a hedge knight himself, took Prince Aegon Targaryen as his squire at the tourney at Ashford Meadow.[1] Daemon II Blackfyre disguised himself as the hedge knight John the Fiddler when he attended the wedding tourney at Whitewalls.[16] At the Great Council following the death of King Maekar I Targaryen, some lords considered Aegon "half a peasant" because of his travels with Duncan.[17]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Hedge knights from the Fingers, the Reach, and the Red Mountains attend the Hand's tourney.[18]

Hedge knights join the host of Robb Stark as he rides south of the Blue Fork toward the Whispering Wood.[4]

A Clash of Kings

Freeriders and hedge knights join the great host of Renly Baratheon.[5]

A Storm of Swords

Lord Roose Bolton includes freeriders and hedge knights among the six hundred men left behind to hold the ruby ford under the leadership of Ronnel Stout and Ser Kyle Condon.[19]

A Feast for Crows

The reconstituted Warrior's Sons include hedge knights and household knights.[20]

Known hedge knights

Quotes

A hedge knight is the truest kind of knight, Dunk. Other knights serve the lords who keep them, of from whom they hold their lands, but we serve where we will, for men whose causes we believe in.[1]

Gormon: Hedge knights. You have no place here. No true knight would be so discourteous as to turn up uninvited, but you creatures of the hedge—
Duncan: We are wanted nowhere and turn up everywhere, m'lord.[16]

Even a hedge knight has his honor.[16]

A hedge knight and a robber knight are two sides of the same sword.[9]

—thoughts of Brienne Tarth

Hedge knights, she thought, old and vain and plump and nearsighted, yet decent men for all that. It cheered her to know that there were still decent men in the world.[9]

—thoughts of Brienne Tarth

There are many fine hedges in the riverlands. The old ones are the best. There's nothing beats a hundred-year-old hedge. Inside one of those a man can sleep as snug as at an inn, and with less fear of fleas.[21]

Viserys told her tales of knights so poor that they had to sleep beneath the ancient hedges that grew along the byways of the Seven Kingdoms. Dany would have given much and more for a nice thick hedge. Preferably one without an anthill.[2]

—thoughts of Daenerys Targaryen

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 The Hedge Knight.
  2. 2.0 2.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 71, Daenerys X.
  3. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 17, Tyrion IV.
  4. 4.0 4.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63, Catelyn X.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 22, Catelyn II.
  6. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 7, Jon I.
  7. A Storm of Swords, Epilogue.
  8. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 4, Brienne I.
  10. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon IV.
  11. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon I.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  13. Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
  14. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
  15. The Sworn Sword.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 The Mystery Knight.
  17. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maekar I.
  18. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 29, Sansa II.
  19. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
  20. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
  21. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 25, Brienne V.