The king's justice is a legal concept of royal justice devised by King Aegon I Targaryen for the subjects of the Iron Throne. It is related to the concept of the king's peace, as those who break it are expected to face the king's justice, usually in the form of execution.[1] As such, the term gives its name to the title held by the royal executioner, the King's Justice.
The concept was kept under the Baratheon dynasty.
The Hand of the King has the authority to sit the Iron Throne to dispense the king's justice whenever the king is absent, sick, or indisposed.[2] The lords of the constituent regions of Westeros have the authority to dispense the king's justice within their regions.[3][1]
History
[edit]Lord Eddard Stark made the journey to Bear Island to bring the king's justice to Lord Jorah Mormont for selling poachers into slavery, but Mormont had already fled beyond his reach.[4]
Recent events
[edit]A Game of Thrones
[edit]Bran Stark is considered old enough to join his brothers and witness his father enforcing the king's justice: the execution of a Night's Watch deserter, Gared.[3]
Maester Luwin counsels Lord Eddard to accept the title of Hand of the King, as it would grant him the power to investigate the truth about the death of Jon Arryn, and bring his killers to the king's justice.[5]
Catelyn Stark bids her father's bannermen to arrest Tyrion Lannister for the attempted murder of her son, Bran Stark, and help her take him to Winterfell to await the king's justice.[6]
At the Eyrie, Tyrion Lannister questions how the king's justice is carried out in the Vale after being thrown into the sky cells for defending his innocence and denying the crimes of which Lysa Arryn and Catelyn Stark accuse him.[7] Later, when Robert Arryn calls for Tyrion to fly out the Moon Door, Lysa has the door opened to intimidate the prisoner, calling it "the king's justice". In response, Tyrion publicly demands trial by combat.[7]
When Queen Cersei Lannister calls out Eddard for Tyrion's arrest, he reminds her that as Hand of the King, he has been charged by her husband to keep the king's peace and enforce the king's justice.[8]
Ser Gregor Clegane is accused of carrying out raids on the Riverlands and slaughtering the smallfolk of Sherrer, Wendish Town, and the Mummer's Ford. Grand Maester Pycelle disagrees that the accusations are the concern of the throne, and argues that the accusers should seek justice from Ser Gregor's liege lord, Tywin Lannister. Lord Stark counters that the king's justice is the concern of the entire realm, in the king's name regardless of the location. Pycelle then counsels to wait for Robert's return, but Lord Stark cuts him short, reminding him that he speaks with the King's voice. Afterward, as Eddard is unable to carry out his sentence personally due to his injuries, he charges Lord Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, Ser Gladden Wylde, and Lord Lothar Mallery to bring the king's justice to Ser Gregor and those that joined him in his crimes. Eddard sentences Ser Gregor to attainder and execution.[1] Later on, when Pycelle warns Ned that Tywin is wroth about the force sent to execute Ser Gregor, Ned counters that Tywin may write all the letters he wants to the Queen, but should he interfere with the king's justice, he will have to answer to Robert.[9]
A Storm of Swords
[edit]While stranded on the spears of the merling king, Ser Davos Seaworth spies a ship. He reaches for the pouch containing his fingerbones, but finds nothing. Recalling Stannis Baratheon asking him why he had kept the bones, Davos whispers that he keeps them to remind himself of Stannis' justice.[10]
After reuniting with Arya Stark, Harwin tells her that he heard Lord Beric Dondarrion state that the war began when the Hand of the King sent Beric to bring the king's justice to Ser Gregor, and that he means to carry out the task.[11]
Prior to their trial by combat, Beric Dondarrion tells Sandor Clegane that the brotherhood without banners was born from the six score men sent out to bring the king's justice to Sandor's brother.[12]
Quotes
[edit]In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I do sentence you to die.[3]
—Eddard Stark, to Gared
Cersei: By what right do you dare lay hands on my blood? Who do you think you are?
Eddard: The Hand of the King. Charged by your own lord husband to keep the king's peace and enforce the king's justice.[8]
Pycelle: These crimes are no concern of the throne. Let them seek Lord Tywin's justice.
Eddard: It is all the king's justice. North, south, east, or west, all we do we do in Robert's name.[1]—Pycelle and Eddard Stark
I've heard his lordship say this war began when the Hand sent him out to bring the king's justice to Gregor Clegane, and that's how he means for it to end.[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 43, Eddard XI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 4, Eddard I.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 1, Bran I.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 2, Catelyn I.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 6, Catelyn II.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 28, Catelyn V.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 38, Tyrion V.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 39, Eddard X.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 45, Eddard XII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 5, Davos I.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 22, Arya IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 34, Arya VI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 20, Eddard IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 27, Daenerys III.