King of the Trident

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King Benedict I Justman, by Magali Villeneuve, as depicted in The World of Ice & Fire

King of the Trident,[1] King of the Rivers and the Hills,[2][1] and River King[3][1] were titles used by various kings from the riverlands before Aegon's Conquest. The titles refer to the numerous rivers in the kingdom, such as the Trident with its three forks, and the Blackwater Rush. The hills between the riverlands and the westerlands were also historically contested by river kings and Kings of the Rock.[4]

History

Numerous houses ruled the riverlands as First Men river kings, including Houses Fisher, Blackwood, Bracken, and Mudd.[1][5] The Mudds ruled from the Trident to the Neck, and reigned as kings for a thousand years before the coming of the Andals.[2]

The coming of the Andals led to the downfall of the Mudds, and the division of the riverlands by the Andal conquerors. Petty lords fought each other for centuries as rival river kings. House Justman rose to power, and ruled all of the riverlands for nearly three centuries, but they were eventually extinguished by ironborn. Blackwoods, Brackens, Charltons, Mallisters, and Vances then fought each other as rival kings in the following century.[1] The Hooks were also river kings of old, although it is unknown if they ruled during the First Men or Andal eras.[6]

After another century of conflict, House Teague conquered the riverlands with the aid of sellswords from across the narrow sea.[1] According to a semi-canon source, the Teagues may not have had an uninterrupted rule, instead being contested by other river dynasties for generations.[7] The Teagues, the last of the native river kings, were eventually extinguished in the Battle of Six Kings, and the riverlands passed first to the Storm Kings from House Durrandon, and then the Kings of the Isles and the Rivers from House Hoare.[1]

During the Conquest, Aegon the Conqueror created the title of Lord Paramount of the Trident for the liege lord of the riverlands within the Seven Kingdoms.[6]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Robb Stark, King in the North and King of the Trident, by Antonio José Manzanedo © Fantasy Flight Games

In the Great Hall of Riverrun, the gathered river lords join the northern bannermen in declaring Robb Stark to be King in the North.[8]

A Storm of Swords

When Robb, the Young Wolf, gathers his bannermen in Riverrun's Great Hall after campaigning in the westerlands, the Greatjon calls out, "King in the North!", to which the river lords respond with "King of the Trident!"[9]

Robb is betrayed and murdered during the Red Wedding at the Twins by his bannermen, the Freys and Boltons,[10] with no known heir made public.

A Dance with Dragons

Lord Tytos Blackwood, the last resisting river lord, reluctantly agrees to swear fealty to the Iron Throne.[11] The title King of the Trident is left vacant.

Sworn Houses

Known Kings

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 11, Theon I.
  4. The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.
  5. So Spake Martin: Blackwood-Bracken Feud and Coinage (August 13, 2003).
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
  7. Ran at A Forum of Ice and Fire: Errors in the WOIAF, February 3, 2015
  8. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.
  9. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
  10. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
  11. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 48, Jaime I.
  12. Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  13. A Storm of Swords, Appendix.