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 Lyonel Strong by TheMarkyGallery © | ||||
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| Titles | ||||
| Allegiance | House Strong | |||
| Culture | Rivermen | |||
| Born | In or before 78 AC[1] | |||
| Died |
120 AC Harrenhal[2] | |||
| Spouses |
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| Played by | Gavin Spokes | |||
| TV series | House of the Dragon: Season 1 | |||
Lyonel Strong was the Lord of Harrenhal and the head of House Strong during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen. He served as both master of laws and Hand of the King for Viserys.[2]
In the television adaptation House of the Dragon, Lyonel is portrayed by Gavin Spokes.[3]
Appearance and Character
Lyonel was a large, burly man, with balding hair. He was a formidable man.[2]
Lyonel was a man of great natural gifts.[4] As he was slow of speech and a taciturn man, he was often mistaken for an unintelligent brute. However, having studied at the Citadel, he was extremely literate and well learned. As a result of his time at the Citadel, Lyonel had an exhaustive knowledge of the laws of the Seven Kingdoms.[2]
Lyonel was a renowned warrior,[5] with a reputation as a formidable battler.[2]
History
As a youth, Lyonel studied at the Citadel, where he earned six links on his chain before deciding that the maester's life was not for him.[2] Lyonel became the Lord of Harrenhal during the later reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen.[4]
In late 105 AC, Lord Lyonel was invited to court at King's Landing to serve as master of laws for King Viserys I Targaryen, on account of his exhaustive knowledge of laws within the Seven Kingdoms. Lyonel brought his four children to court with him; his maiden daughters became handmaids to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, his elder son Ser Harwin was made a captain in the City Watch, and his second son Larys joined the king's confessors.[2] Lyonel served ably in his office.[6]
In 109 AC, after Ser Otto Hightower overreached himself by pushing Viserys to name Otto's grandson Prince Aegon as his heir over Princess Rhaenyra, Viserys stripped him of his office as Hand of the King and appointed Lyonel in his place, favoring Lyonel's stoic nature.[2][6] In 111 AC, when the allegation that Prince Daemon Targaryen had taken Princess Rhaenyra's maidenhead came before the small council, Lord Lyonel's counsel to Viserys was that Daemon should be executed for treason. Septon Eustace, however, reminded the council about the taint of kinslaying, and Daemon was exiled instead. As the council discussed a consort for Rhaenyra, Viserys confided to Lyonel that Queen Alicent Hightower was pushing for a marriage between their son Aegon and Rhaenyra to ensure her son would succeed to the throne. Ultimately, the council selected Ser Laenor Velaryon as Rhaenyra's husband. After the wedding, the couple moved to Dragonstone accompanied by Lyonel's daughters, as well as Harwin, Rhaenyra's sworn shield.[2]
When the exiled Prince Daemon had twin daughters with his wife Lady Laena Velaryon in 116 AC, Daemon wrote to Viserys asking leave to present his daughters to court. While Lyonel and the council argued heatedly against it, Viserys consented and reconciled with his brother. Meanwhile, as Rhaenyra's sworn shield and constant companion, Harwin was rumored to be the father of the princess' three sons, for the boys lacked the Valyrian traits that Rhaenyra and Laenor shared.[2]
In 120 AC, over mounting rumors of his grandsons' parentage, Viserys removed Ser Harwin as Princess Rhaenyra's sworn shield. Lyonel left the court to accompany Harwin on his return to Harrenhal. Shortly after their arrival, a fire broke out in the tower they were sleeping in, and killed both Lyonel and Harwin, along with three retainers and a dozen servants. The fire was considered an accident, and blamed on the curse of Harrenhal. However, some records of the time suggested it was a murder, and listed various suspects. The court fool Mushroom's Testimony claimed that Lord Corlys Velaryon was the man behind the deaths, stating that the Sea Snake sought vengeance against the man who cuckolded his son. Septon Eustace's writings suggested it was Prince Daemon, seeking to eliminate a rival for Rhaenyra's affections. Others suspected Lyonel's younger son Larys, who stood to inherit Harrenhal with his father and elder brother dead, or King Viserys, who only sought to have Harwin killed, with Lyonel's death being an unfortunate accident.[2]
Quotes
—Viserys I Targaryen about Lyonel
Family
Thrice married and thrice widowed by 105 AC, Lyonel had four children from his marriages: Ser Harwin, Larys, and two daughters.[2] His uncle, Ser Simon Strong, served as castellan of Harrenhal.[7] According to Grand Maester Munkun and Septon Eustace, Lyonel also sired a bastard daughter, Alys Rivers, in his callow youth.[7]
Behind the Scenes
In an early draft of the Targaryen family tree, with details given in the A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying game (2009), Lyonel Strong was the husband of Rhaenyra Targaryen, with whom he had three unnamed sons. The RPG further states that House Strong was among Rhaenyra's greatest supporters during the Dance of the Dragons, and her three sons by Lyonel all died in the war. This was all revealed prior to Lyonel Strong's first canonical mention in The Rogue Prince (2014).[8]
References
- ↑ See the Lyonel Strong calculation.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
- ↑ HBO.com: House of the Dragon Cast & Characters
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Seven Kingdoms: The Riverlands (House Tully).
- ↑ The Rise of the Dragon, The Reign of Viserys I: Apex of Power.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys I.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son.
- ↑ A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying