Editing Kingsguard (section)

==Customs==
===Duties===
The Kingsguard is composed of seven men,{{Ref|AGOT|8}} all of them sworn [[knight]]s.{{Ref|AGOT|57}} A Kingsguard knight serves for life,{{Ref|ASOS|12}}{{Ref|ASOS|44}} regardless of age or any physical or mental ailments.{{Ref|ASOS|62}} When an invalid Kingsguard knight is incapable of performing his duties, they are taken up by his sworn brothers.<ref name=kingsguard>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1027 The Kingsguard (May 22, 1999)]</ref> The knights of the Kingsguard are forbidden to [[Marriage|marry]], father children, and to hold land.{{Ref|ASOS|4}} Regardless, the White Swords may retain or be granted certain titles. [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Viserys II)|Aemon Targaryen]] and [[Lewyn Martell]] continued to use the style of "prince",{{Ref|AGOT|8}}{{Ref|AGOT|57}} while Lords Commander [[Ryam Redwyne]], [[Criston Cole]], and [[Marston Waters]] also acted as [[Hand of the King]],{{Ref|ASOS|54}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II}}{{Ref|TPATQ}}{{Ref|FAB|The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency}} and Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] was named [[Warden of the East]].{{Ref|AGOT|4}}

The first duty of the Kingsguard is defending the king from harm. They are sworn to obey the king's commands, to keep his secrets, to counsel him when requested and to keep silent when not, and to defend his name and honor.{{Ref|ADWD|55}} The king can decide to extend the protection offered by the Kingsguard to others. Some kings have chosen to extend this protection to their wives, children, and other relatives, and some have even chosen to grant this protection to their lovers, mistresses, and [[Bastardy|bastards]].{{Ref|ADWD|55}} The Kingsguard are sworn to protect the queen, though not from anything the king might do.{{Ref|AFFC|16}} They are also sworn not to harm any member of the royal family.{{Ref|THK}}

In order to protect the king and the royal family night and day, the seven-man Kingsguard must rely to some degree on others.{{Ref|FAB|Birth, Death and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I}} Prince [[Joffrey Baratheon]] has [[Sandor Clegane]] as his [[sworn shield]],{{Ref|AGOT|33}} and other knights are trusted with the king's security when the entire Kingsguard meets in [[White Sword Tower]].{{Ref|ASOS|67}} The queen may be guarded by her own sworn shield, such as [[Jonquil Darke]] for [[Alysanne Targaryen]],{{Ref|FAB|Birth, Death and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I}} or [[household knight]]s, such as [[Vylarr]] and his [[House Lannister guards|red cloaks]] for [[Cersei Lannister]].{{Ref|ACOK|25}}

The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard serves on the king's [[small council]].{{Ref|ASOS|8}} When the small council is in session, one of the Kingsguard always stands guard outside the council chambers, while another is usually posted at the end of the bridge into [[Maegor's Holdfast]].{{Ref|ACOK|3}}{{Ref|AFFC|17}}

===Equipment===
The Kingsguard wear all white cloaks and intricate suits of white enameled scales, their fastenings for breastplate and other pieces made of [[silver]].{{Ref|AGOT|15}}{{Ref|AGOT|57}} They alone bear the right to carry a pure white unemblazoned shield.{{Ref|AGOT|30}} Their white [[armor]] has little decoration, although some members wear decorative brooches or gaudy helms.{{Ref|AGOT|39}}{{Ref|AGOT|51}}{{Ref|AGOT|67}} According to a semi-canon source, the Kingsguard's [[Heraldry|standard]] depicts seven silver swords encircling a [[Gold|golden]] [[crown]].<ref name=TWOW/>

===Appointments===
The rite for making a new member of the White Swords can vary. It can be a solemn and formal event in which the knight kneels as he makes his vows before the king, and he then receives the white cloak of the Kingsguard from the Hand of the King or the Lord Commander himself.{{Ref|AGOT|58}}{{Ref|ACOK|49}} The new Kingsguard might then be anointed by the [[High Septon]] in the names of [[Faith of the Seven|the Seven]].{{Ref|ACOK|49}}

The Lord Commander is always chosen by the king, with seniority and ability playing parts in the decision.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Archon_Meeting_October_5_73/ Archon Meeting (October 5, 2001)]</ref> Also, the Lord Commander is generally chosen from the existing pool of the Kingsguard.<ref group="N">The following characters have been elevated to the position of Lord Commander after already being part of the Kingsguard: [[Addison Hill]], [[Ryam Redwyne]], [[Criston Cole]], [[Willis Fell]], [[Marston Waters]], [[Raynard Ruskyn]], [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Viserys II)|Aemon Targaryen]], [[Gerold Hightower]], [[Barristan Selmy]], and [[Jaime Lannister]].</ref>

===White Book===
The white cloaks' uninterrupted history since its creation during the reign of King [[Aegon I Targaryen]] is recorded in the [[White Book]], formally named ''The Book of the Brothers''. The White Book is kept in the [[White Sword Tower]], the tower of the [[Red Keep]] in [[King's Landing]] which is home to the Kingsguard. Every knight who has ever served in the Kingsguard has a page in the book, on which his deeds are recorded. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is tasked with keeping the entries up to date, while [[septon]]s come three times a year from the [[Great Sept of Baelor]] to add heraldic drawings and illuminations.{{Ref|ASOS|67}}