Kingship

Kingship is the position and power of a king in the known world.

Traditions

In Westeros, kings traditionally inherit the title through male-preference primogeniture, although the Iron Islands once had the elective kingsmoot.^[1] Dorne started using the title "Prince of Dorne" after Lord Mors Martell married Queen Nymeria, and the new rulers chose to abandon the Andal customs in favor of those of the Rhoynar.^[2] The Seven Kingdoms are now ruled by the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men who rules from the Iron Throne.^[3]

The city of Meereen on Slaver's Bay once had a king.^[4] Instead of kings, the Free Cities have rulers chosen through democratic and oligarchic systems, such as the triarchs of Volantis, the Prince of Pentos, the Archon of Tyrosh, and the Sealord of Braavos.

A high king is a "king of kings," who claims seniority over other kings. Notable kingdoms with such a system include the Iron Islands,^[5] Dorne,^[6] the Reach,^[7] and Sarnor, though the High King of Sarnor was typically more of a figurehead than a true ruler.^[8]

Queens

The feminine form of king is a queen. Most commonly, it refers to the wife of a king.^[9] It may also refer to women who rule or make claim to rule in their own right such as Storm Queen Argella Durrandon, Queen Marla Sunderland of the Three Sisters,^[10] and the Targaryen Queens Rhaenyra^[11] and Daenerys Targaryen.^[12] The husband of a reigning queen may bear the title prince consort^[13] or be dubbed her king and consort.^[14]

Most kingships in Westeros have had no known female rulers or claimants. In the north, there has never been a ruling Queen of Winter.^[15] One woman ruled over the Reach from the Oakenseat throne of the Kings of the Reach during the centuries after the Andals.^[16] Although King Argilac Durrandon, is called "last of the Durrandon," his daughter Argella Durrandon declared herself Storm Queen after his death. However, the garrison at Storm's End soon delivered her into the hands of Orys Baratheon rather than die like her father. She is the only known Storm Queen.^[10] On Cape Wrath, a woods witch known as the "Green Queen" once rose up against the Storm Kings and held the rainwood for most a generation.^[17] In the riverlands, the Storm King Arlan III Durrandon, who conquered the region, briefly considered crowning Shiera Blackwood, his good-daughter and the eldest child of Lord Roderick Blackwood, with Arlan III's son to rule beside her. However, the riverlords spoke out against a woman as their ruler, and he instead added the riverlands to his own kingdom. In the centuries that followed, many riverlords rose up and declared themselves River King or King of the Trident, only to be overthrown and executed by Stormlander forces within a year. Among these pretenders was Lady Jeyne Nutt, a woman.^[18] In the westerlands, when King Gerold III Lannister died without male issue, rather than his only daughter succeeding him, a council named her husband, Ser Joffrey Lydden, his successor and he took the Lannister name.^[19] On the Three Sisters off the coast of the Vale, the Sistermen rose up against Ronnel Arryn, last of the Kings of Mountain and Vale, and declared Marla Sunderland their queen. However, faced with the threat of the Targaryen dragons, the Sistermen later deposed her in favor of her younger brother, Steffon Sunderland, and swore fealty.^[20]

History

Westeros was ruled by a multitude of kings during the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms.^[10]

House Targaryen ruled the Seven Kingdoms as Kings of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men after Aegon's Conquest.^[10] House Baratheon succeeded the Targaryens through Robert's Rebellion.^[21]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Robert I Baratheon, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, is mortally wounded by a boar,^[22] and he is succeeded by his son, King Joffrey I Baratheon.^[23] Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End is crowned king at Highgarden in opposition to his nephew.^[24] Following the Battle of the Camps, Robb Stark is declared King in the North at Riverrun.^[25]

The exiled Viserys Targaryen dies at Vaes Dothrak,^[26] and his younger sister, Daenerys Targaryen, acknowledges herself as queen and the last of House Targaryen.^[27]

A Clash of Kings

Rejecting the claims of Joffrey and Renly, Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone, declares himself king.^[28] Renly is assassinated near Storm's End.^[29] Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, secedes from the Seven Kingdoms and declares himself King of the Isles and the North.^[30]

A Storm of Swords

Amid the War of the Five Kings, Balon falls to his death at Pyke^[31] and Robb is killed in the Red Wedding.^[32] Joffrey dies at his wedding feast and is succeeded by his younger brother, Tommen I Baratheon.^[33]

A Feast for Crows

Since Euron Greyjoy claimed the Seastone Chair after Balon's death, Aeron Greyjoy calls for a kingsmoot on Old Wyk to decide succession in the Iron Islands.^[1] Despite the efforts of Aeron, Victarion, and Asha Greyjoy, Euron is chosen king after announcing he intends to conquer all of Westeros.^[34]

A new corsair king has risen in the Basilisk Isles.^[35]

Princess Arianne Martell fails in an attempt to crown Tommen's older sister, Princess Myrcella Baratheon, according to Dornish customs.^[35]^[36]

The Winds of Winter

Warning
This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change.

A new pirate king has set up on Torturer's Deep.^[37]

Known Titles

Westeros

Reach

Riverlands

King of the Trident (King of the Rivers and the Hills): House Fisher, House Bracken, House Blackwood, House Hook, House Mudd, House Justman, House Teague, House Nutt, House Vance, House Mallister, House Stark
Storm King: House Durrandon
King of the Isles and the Rivers: House Hoare

Stormlands

Vale

Westerlands

Wall and Beyond

King-Beyond-the-Wall
King of the Wildlings: House Redbeard (titular)
Night's King

Essos

King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea: House Targaryen
High King of Sarnor, King of Sarnor
God-King of Ib
King of the Ifequevron
King of Astapor
King of Meereen: House Targaryen, House of Loraq

Quotes

One king means peace.^[38]
—Davos Seaworth to Stannis Baratheon

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 1, The Prophet.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Queer Customs of the South.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 1, Bran I.
↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 55, The Queensguard.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Driftwood Crowns.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Kingdoms of the First Men.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: The Gardener Kings.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Grasslands.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 4, Eddard I.
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 48, Daenerys IV.
↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold.
↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 52, Daenerys IX.
↑ So Spake Martin: Various questions concerning Tywin, Oberyn, Gregor, the North, and Sansa (April 15, 2008).
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Andals in the Reach.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: House Durrandon.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.
↑ Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: Robert's Rebellion.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 47, Eddard XIII.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 69, Tyrion IX.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 46, Daenerys V.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 72, Daenerys X.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 33, Catelyn IV.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 49, Tyrion XI.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.
↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 19, The Drowned Man.
↑ ^35.0 ^35.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 40, Princess In The Tower.
↑ The Winds of Winter, Arianne I
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 36, Davos IV.

External Links

King on Wikipedia
King on the Wiki of Westeros

[Raffc1{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-1] 1.0 ^1.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 1, The Prophet.

[Rtwoiafdorne:_queer_customs_of_the_south{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-2] The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Queer Customs of the South.

[Ragot1{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-3] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 1, Bran I.

[Radwd55{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-4] A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 55, The Queensguard.

[Rtwoiafdriftwood_crowns{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-5] The World of Ice & Fire, Driftwood Crowns.

[Rtwoiafkingdoms_of_the_first_men{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-6] The World of Ice & Fire, Kingdoms of the First Men.

[Rtwoiafthe_reach:_the_gardener_kings{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-7] The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: The Gardener Kings.

[Rtwoiafthe_grasslands{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-8] The World of Ice & Fire, The Grasslands.

[Ragot4{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-9] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 4, Eddard I.

[Rtwoiafthe_reign_of_the_dragons:_the_conquest{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-10] 10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.

[Rfabthe_dying_of_the_dragons_-_the_blacks_and_the_greens{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-11] Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens.

[Racok48{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-12] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 48, Daenerys IV.

[Rfabthe_dying_of_the_dragons_-_the_red_dragon_and_the_gold{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-13] Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold.

[Radwd52{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-14] A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 52, Daenerys IX.

[Rssm2763{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-15] So Spake Martin: Various questions concerning Tywin, Oberyn, Gregor, the North, and Sansa (April 15, 2008).

[Rtwoiafthe_reach:_andals_in_the_reach{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-16] The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Andals in the Reach.

[Rtwoiafthe_stormlands:_house_durrandon{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-17] The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: House Durrandon.

[Rtwoiafthe_riverlands{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-18] The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.

[Rtwoiafthe_westerlands{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-19] The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.

[Rfabreign_of_the_dragon_-_the_wars_of_king_aegon_i{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-20] Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.

[Rtwoiafthe_fall_of_the_dragons:_robert's_rebellion{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-21] The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: Robert's Rebellion.

[Ragot47{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-22] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 47, Eddard XIII.

[Ragot57{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-23] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 57, Sansa V.

[Ragot69{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-24] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 69, Tyrion IX.

[Ragot71{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-25] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.

[Ragot46{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-26] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 46, Daenerys V.

[Ragot72{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-27] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 72, Daenerys X.

[Racokprologue{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-28] A Clash of Kings, Prologue.

[Racok33{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-29] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 33, Catelyn IV.

[Racok49{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-30] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 49, Tyrion XI.

[Rasos45{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-31] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.

[Rasos51{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-32] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.

[Rasos72{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-33] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.

[Raffc19{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-34] A Feast for Crows, Chapter 19, The Drowned Man.

[Raffc21{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-35] 35.0 ^35.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.

[Raffc40{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-36] A Feast for Crows, Chapter 40, Princess In The Tower.

[37] The Winds of Winter, Arianne I

[Rasos36{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-38] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 36, Davos IV.

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