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| Alias | Old Lord Whent | |||
| Title | Lord of Harrenhal | |||
| Allegiance | House Whent | |||
| Culture | Rivermen | |||
| Died | 281–298 AC | |||
| Spouse | Lady Shella Whent | |||
| Issue |
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| Books |
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Walter Whent was the Lord of Harrenhal and the head of House Whent during the reign of King Aerys II Targaryen.[1][2]
Character
[edit]According to Ser Barristan Selmy, Walter was as open-handed as he was rich.[3]
History
[edit]According to a semi-canon response from George R. R. Martin, Walter was married to Shella Whent,[N 1] whose father and grandfather held Harrenhal before her.[4][5][N 2]
In 281 AC, the year of the false spring, Lord Whent hosted the great tourney at Harrenhal to honor his maiden daughter.[6][2] Ser Barristan Selmy recalls that the tourney was announced by Walter shortly after he was visited by his brother, Ser Oswell Whent of the Kingsguard.[7]
The rewards offered by Walter were three times greater than those offered by Lord Tywin Lannister in the tourney in honor of Prince Viserys's birth at Lannisport in 276 AC,[2][N 3] which brought hundreds of challengers to the tourney.[3] Some believed the Whents lacked the funding for the extravagant prizes and were instead supported by a "shadow host", possibly Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.[2] King Aerys II Targaryen, Rhaegar's father, unexpectedly attended the tourney and was suspicious of Walter.[2]
Lord Whent's daughter reigned as queen of love and beauty when the tourney began. Her four brothers and her uncle, Oswell, swore to defend her crown, but Prince Rhaegar won the joust and named Lyanna Stark the new queen of love and beauty.[8][3]
Ser Jorah Mormont defeated a Lord Whent in the tourney at Lannisport in 289 AC; it is unknown if it was Walter or one of his descendants.[9]
Recent Events
[edit]A Dance with Dragons
[edit]Ser Barristan Selmy remembers Walter as "Old Lord Whent".[7]
Quotes
[edit]Most took this simply as an attempt by Whent to outdo the former Hand and demonstrate the wealth and splendor of his house. There were those, however, who believed this no more than a ruse, and Lord Whent no more than a catspaw. His lordship lacked the funds to pay such munificent prizes, they argued; someone else must surely have stood behind him, someone who did not lack for gold but preferred to remain in the shadows whilst allowing the Lord of Harrenhal to claim the glory for hosting this magnificent event.[2]
—writings of Yandel
Lord Whent was as open handed as he was rich. The lavish purses he proclaimed drew hundreds of challengers.[3]
Family
[edit]With all the semi-canon and canon information taken into account, this is the current tree for House Whent as described in the main series.[N 1] Both Shella[N 4] and her husband, Walter,[1][2][N 1] appear to have been Whents by birth. Their relation to each other, besides their marriage, is as of yet unknown. Until any confirmation is given, a clearer family tree showing all relations of the Whents cannot be depicted.
| Lord Whent | Unknown wife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lord Whent | Unknown wife | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shella | Walter | Oswell | Minisa | Hoster Tully | Sarya | Walder Frey | Amarei Crakehall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Four sons | Daughter |  | Wynafrei | Danwell Frey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shella Whent was the mother of the "fair maid" at the tourney at Harrenhal (So Spake Martin: Shella Whent (September 5, 2000)), making her the spouse of Lord Whent.
- ↑ This means Shella would have inherited the castle from her father. As a marriage might lead to House Whent losing Harrenhal (by name at least), it is possible that Shella married Walter Whent, most likely her cousin, to make sure Harrenhal would remain in the House. Upon Shella inheriting Harrenhal, her husband became Lord Whent.
- ↑ Erroneously stated to have been the "Lannisport tourney of 272 AC, hosted by Tywin in celebration of Aerys II's tenth year upon the Iron Throne" in The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring (the Anniversary Tourney was actually held in King's Landing).
- ↑ "He came here as a boy. Smithed for Lady Whent and her father before her and his father before him, and even for Lord Lothston who held Harrenhal before the Whents." (A Clash of Kings, Arya IX)
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 42, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 28, Catelyn V.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 47, Arya IX.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 31, Jaime IV.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 67, The Kingbreaker.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 24, Bran II.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.