Editing Incest (section)

===Incest in the Seven Kingdoms===
[[File:Tywin and joanna lannister by berghots.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[Tywin Lannister|Tywin]] and [[Joanna Lannister]] were wedded first cousins, which is not considered to be incest in Westeros. Art by Bella Bergolts ©]]
The two main religions practiced in the Seven Kingdoms, the [[Faith of the Seven]] and the [[old gods]], consider incest to be a vile sin.{{Ref|ACOK|33}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} In Westeros, incest is defined as if father lays with daughter, mother lays with son, brother lays with sister, or aunt/uncle with nephew/niece. The children of such unions are considered abominations.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} 

Beyond the immediate family, however, it is acceptable and in fact quite common among the nobility for first cousins to [[Marriage|marry]] in Westeros. Examples include [[Tywin Lannister|Tywin]] and [[Joanna Lannister]] (first cousins),{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Lannister Lineage}} [[Paxter Redwyne]] and [[Mina Tyrell]] (first cousins),{{Ref|AFFC|16}} [[Viserys I Targaryen]] and [[Aemma Arryn]] (first cousins),{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Targaryen Lineage}} and [[Rickard Stark|Rickard]] and [[Lyarra Stark]] (first cousins once removed).{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Stark Lineage}} The exact degree of relations are unknown in the marriages of [[Jon Arryn|Jon]] and [[Rowena Arryn]], [[Shella Whent|Shella]] and [[Walter Whent]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring}} [[Benfrey Frey|Benfrey]] and [[Jyanna Frey]],{{Ref|ACOK|Appendix}} and [[Alys Frey|Alys]] and [[Jared Frey]].{{Ref|ACOK|Appendix}} Further, a marriage has been proposed between [[Robert Arryn]] and [[Sansa Stark]] (first cousins),{{Ref|ASOS|68}} to which the degree of common ancestry was not an objection.

Incest is also disliked in the [[Iron Islands]], where worship of the [[Drowned God]] is common. The women of [[House Codd]] are looked down upon for allegedly sleeping with their brothers and fathers.{{ref|ADWD|20}}

The views regarding marriages between an uncle and a niece (or an aunt to a nephew) might differ between the Faith and the old gods. Although the High Septon protested against a possible marriage between Prince Maegor Targaryen and his niece Rhaena,{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}} in the [[north]], [[Sansa Stark (daughter of Rickon)|Sansa Stark]] had been wed to her half-uncle, [[Jonnel Stark]], while her sister [[Serena Stark]] had been wed to her half-uncle [[Edric Stark (son of Cregan)|Edric]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Stark Lineage}}<ref group="N">According to ancient Greek historians, in [[w:Sparta|Sparta]] marriage between a full uncle and niece was considered to be incest, but marriage between a half-uncle and niece was explicitly defined to not be incest. It is possible that the same distinction is made in Westeros, or at least in the North. Further, a half-uncle is [https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212170668-Average-percent-DNA-shared-between-relatives genetically equivalent] to a first cousin (with about 12.5% shared DNA), and Westeros doesn't consider first cousin marriage to be incest.</ref>

The marriage of step-relations is a contentious issue in Westeros. When [[Lyonel Hightower]] announced his intention to marry his stepmother, [[Samantha Hightower]], the [[High Septon]] forbade the union and deemed it a form of incest.{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} However, Lord Hightower kept Lady Sam as his paramour for thirteen years, fathering six children on her, until the subsequent High Septon reversed his predecessor's decision and allowed the couple to marry.{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}

The only exception to condemnation of incest in Westeros is when it occurs in [[House Targaryen]].{{Ref|ACOK|33}} The Westerosi accepted the rule of [[Aegon I Targaryen]] following his [[Aegon's Conquest|Conquest]], despite the fact that he was in an incestuous, [[polygamy|polygamous]] marriage with both his sisters, [[Visenya Targaryen|Visenya]] and [[Rhaenys Targaryen|Rhaenys]]. The [[High Septon (Aegon's Conquest)|High Septon]] personally anointed the new king,{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest}} and Aegon remained closely allied with the Faith during his reign, but the Faith neither denounced nor endorsed Aegon's marriages.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} When his son [[Aenys I Targaryen|Aenys]] was wed in {{Date|22}} to his cousin [[Alyssa Velaryon]], no objections were raised. However, when a marriage was proposed between Aenys's brother, [[Maegor I Targaryen|Maegor]], and Aenys's daughter, [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena]], the [[High Septon (Aegon I)|High Septon]] protested, preventing the marriage from taking place.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}}

[[File:Jaehaerys%26Alysanne.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[Jaehaerys I Targaryen|Jaehaerys]] and [[Alysanne Targaryen]] were a brother-sister marriage allowed under the [[Doctrine of Exceptionalism]]. Art by Magali Villeneuve for ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'']]
In {{Date|41}}, when Aenys had his daughter [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena]] and son [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Aegon]] marry, the [[Faith Militant uprising]] began. The High Septon sent Aenys a denunciation, addressing him as "King Abomination"; pious lords and [[smallfolk]], who had once loved Aenys, turned against him.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} The uprising lasted the remainder of Aenys's reign{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} and continued throughout the reign of King [[Maegor I Targaryen]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}} Peace between the Faith and the Crown was eventually reached during the reign of [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]] with the [[Doctrine of Exceptionalism]], which permitted incestuous marriages for Targaryens, as the Gods had made [[Valyria]]ns differently from the [[Andals]]. It was made an official tenet of the faith by [[High Septon]] [[Alfyn (Septon)|Alfyn]] and [[High Septon (brother of Donnel Hightower)|his successor]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}{{Ref|FAB|A Time of Testing - The Realm Remade}}{{Ref|FAB|Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I}}

The Targaryens continued their incestuous marriages from the reign of King Jaehaerys I onwards. King Jaehaerys I married his younger sister [[Alysanne Targaryen|Alysanne]], although both their [[Alyssa Velaryon|mother]] and [[Rogar Baratheon|stepfather]] tried to stop the relationship, as they feared the reaction of the pious of the realm.{{Ref|FAB|The Year of the Three Brides - 49 AC}} Jaehaerys planned to marry his eldest son [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Aemon]] to his daughter [[Daenerys Targaryen (daughter of Jaehaerys I)|Daenerys]],{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne – Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} but after Daenerys died at a young age, Aemon was married to his half-aunt [[Jocelyn Baratheon]] instead. Jaehaerys further married his children [[Baelon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Baelon]] and [[Alyssa Targaryen|Alyssa]] to one another, and considered marrying his children [[Vaegon Targaryen|Vaegon]] and [[Daella Targaryen (daughter of Jaehaerys I)|Daella]] to one another. Once it became clear that Vaegon and Daella were far from an ideal match, Jaehaerys briefly considered his younger daughters [[Saera Targaryen|Saera]] and [[Viserra Targaryen|Viserra]] as a bride for Vaegon.{{Ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}} King [[Aegon II Targaryen]] was wed to his sister [[Helaena Targaryen]], King [[Baelor I Targaryen]] had been wed to his sister [[Daena Targaryen|Daena]] (although the marriage was never consummated and Baelor had the marriage annulled upon ascending the throne), King [[Aegon IV Targaryen|Aegon IV]] was wed to his sister [[Naerys Targaryen|Naerys]], Prince [[Aelor Targaryen|Aelor]] to his twin-sister [[Aelora Targaryen|Aelora]], King [[Jaehaerys II Targaryen]] to his sister [[Shaera Targaryen|Shaera]], and their son [[Aerys II Targaryen]] to his sister [[Rhaella Targaryen|Rhaella]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Targaryen Lineage}}

King [[Aegon V Targaryen]], once betrothed to his own sister [[Daella Targaryen (daughter of Maekar I)|Daella]],{{Ref|tss}} became convinced that the incestuous marriage customs of House Targaryen were harmful. As such, Aegon and Queen [[Betha Blackwood]] betrothed four of their five children in {{Date|237}} to sons and daughters of some of the [[Great Houses]] of the [[Seven Kingdoms]]. When his son [[Jaehaerys II Targaryen|Jaehaerys]] and daughter [[Shaera Targaryen|Shaera]] married in secret, Aegon was forced to accept the marriage.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V}} Years later, based on the [[prince that was promised|prophecy]] made by a  [[Ghost of High Heart|woods witch]], Jaehaerys commanded his son [[Aerys II Targaryen|Aerys]] and daughter [[Rhaella Targaryen|Rhaella]] to marry one another.{{Ref|ADWD|23}} Whilst King Aegon V was frustrated by Jaehaerys's decision, he let his son have his way.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V}}

Westerosi society tolerated incest only among the Targaryens. When the Targaryens were overthrown during [[Robert's Rebellion]], their incest did not play a role. However, people would not have criticized King [[Robert I Baratheon]] executing his wife, [[Cersei Lannister]], had he known that Cersei's brother [[Jaime Lannister]] was the father of Cersei's three children, not Robert.{{Ref|ACOK|33}} During the [[War of the Five Kings]] Jaime considered that he could publicly marry Cersei, and Joffrey could marry his sister and Jaime's daughter [[Myrcella Baratheon|Myrcella]]. He believed that, using military force, [[House Lannister]] could retain the Iron Throne despite the incest and prove to the realm that Lannisters were, like Targaryens, different from other people.{{Ref|ASOS|21}}