From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
(Redirected from Regicide)
Kingslaying is the act of killing one's own king, breaking their vows of allegiance to him. In Westeros, kingslaying is condemned as an extremely vile act, especially when committed by someone sworn to protect them, as is the case with the Kingsguard.
It should not be confused with killing a king to which one has no allegiance, which is another form of regicide.
Known kingslayers
- Jaime Lannister killed his king, Aerys II, during the Sack of King's Landing in 283 AC, despite being a sworn brother of the Kingsguard at the time.[1] This earns him the name Kingslayer.
- Cersei Lannister is said to have killed her husband King Robert Baratheon in 298 AC; which indeed she did do by proxy, convincing her cousin Lancel Lannister to replace Robert's wine with strongwine, leading him to be fatally gored by a boar.[2] Regicide is one of the crimes she is accused of by the Faith and the High Sparrow.[3]
- Roose Bolton stabs his king, Robb Stark, through the heart during the Red Wedding in 299 AC. He plans the murder with Walder Frey, who violates guest right with the same act.[4] Tywin Lannister was also involved in the planning of the massacre.[5]
- Olenna Redwyne kills her king, Joffrey Baratheon, with the help of Petyr Baelish and some unnamed co-conspirators, at his own wedding feast in 300 AC. Olenna and Petyr both managed to escape suspicion, which instead fell to Tyrion and Sansa Stark.[6] Olenna uses The Strangler poison, which is disguised as amethysts adorning a silver hair net worn by the unwitting Sansa, given to her through Dontos Hollard.[7]
Known victims of kingslaying
Suspected kingslayers
- Visenya Targaryen is suspected of poisoning her nephew, King Aenys I Targaryen, to ensure her son Maegor would ascend to the Iron Throne in 42 AC.[8]
- Elinor Costayne is suspected of murdering her husband, King Maegor I Targaryen, by slashing his wrists on the barbs of the Iron Throne in 48 AC. However, there are other suspects, such as a knight of his Kingsguard or a builder who escaped the slaughter after the completion of the Red Keep, with others believing Maegor committed suicide or was killed by the throne itself due to being such an unfit king.[9]
- Gyles Belgrave was sentenced to death for having caused Aegon II Targaryen's demise in 131 AC, either poisoning the king's wine himself or failing in his duty to prevent it from happening. However, some insist Gyles was a loyal Kingsguard and that Ummet, Aegon's food taster, was to blame. In any case, it is believed that the murderer was following the instructions of Lord Larys Strong.[10][11]
- Viserys II Targaryen is suspected of poisoning his own nephew, King Baelor I Targaryen, in 171 AC. However, the evidence on this is dubious, and it appears most likely that Viserys was innocent of this charge and Baelor died of excessive fasting.[12][13]
- Aegon IV Targaryen is suspected of poisoning his father, Viserys II Targaryen, to gain the throne in 172 AC. None dared to speak their suspicions of this crime for more than a decade.[14]
- Brienne Tarth is suspected by some of King Renly Baratheon's murder in 299 AC.[15] She is innocent, however.[16]
- Euron Greyjoy is suspected of organizing the death of his brother and king Balon Greyjoy in 299 AC, which would also qualify as kinslaying.[17] If prophecy is to be trusted, then indeed Euron hired a Faceless Man to kill his brother.[18]
- Tyrion Lannister and his wife Sansa Stark are both accused of poisoning King Joffrey Baratheon in 300 AC, Tyrion's nephew and Sansa's one-time fiancé.[6] Cersei Lannister says she is certain Sansa helped Tyrion to murder her son. They are both innocent, however.
Suspected victims of kingslaying
Other responsibles of regicide
- Aegon II Targaryen kills his sister Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen by feeding to his dragon at Dragonstone in 130 AC, which also qualifies him as kinslayer. However, Aegon and Rhaenyra were at war against each other, since they did not acknowledge one another as the rightful sovereign of the Iron Throne.[19]
- Khal Drogo kills Viserys Targaryen by upending a pot of molten gold over his head in 298 AC. The gold is meant to signify the crown Viserys demanded of him.[20]
- King Stannis Baratheon conceives a shadow assassin with Melisandre that goes on to slay his brother King Renly Baratheon in 299 AC.[16] However, Stannis may not be consciously aware of his involvement; furthermore, Renly wasn't his King, and had also intended to kill Stannis in battle.
- Lord Stark (grandson of Brandon the Daughterless) slew Bael the Bard, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, not knowing he was his father.[21]
Other victims of regicide
Quotes about regicide
Eddard: When King’s Landing fell, Ser Jaime slew your king with a golden sword, and I wondered where you were. Gerold: Far away, or Aerys would yet sit the Iron Throne, and our false brother would burn in seven hells.[22]
—Eddard Stark and Ser Gerold Hightower right before fighting to the death.
The Kingslayer. The false knight who profaned his blade with the blood of the king he had sworn to defend.[23]
He thrust his longsword through her son's heart, and twisted.[4]
—Roose Bolton killing his king, Robb Stark
—Khal Drogo
Joffrey was cruel and stupid, but I did not kill him. Have my head of if you like, I had no hand in my nephew's death.[24]
—Tyrion Lannister, during his trial
References
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 11, Jaime II.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 3, Tyrion I.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 54, Cersei I.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 53, Tyrion VI.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 68, Sansa VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 65, Sansa VIII.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 59, Sansa IV.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Baelor I.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 62, Jaime VII.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 33, Catelyn IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 18, The Iron Captain.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 22, Arya IV.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 46, Daenerys V.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 51, Jon VI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 39, Eddard X.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66, Tyrion IX.