Editing Barth (section)

===Hand of the King===
After Lord [[Myles Smallwood]] resigned as [[Hand of the King]] in {{Date|57}}, King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]] appointed Barth to the office.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} He would hold the office for forty-one years,{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}} during which time he proved himself worthy of the position.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}

Barth's first task as the King's Hand was a diplomatic journey to [[Braavos]], to treat with the [[Sealord]] over the three [[dragon eggs]] stolen by [[Elissa Farman]]. It was suspected that Elissa had sold them to the Sealord to pay for the construction of her ship, ''[[Sun Chaser]]'', but when Barth confronted the Sealord, the man denied having the eggs. Barth returned to King's Landing without the eggs, causing some lords to claim that he had failed at his first task. However, Barth instead struck a deal with the Sealord, removing the Crown's loans to the [[Iron Bank of Braavos]], and thereby reducing the Iron Throne's debt by half.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}

Thanks to the reduction in debt, King Jaehaerys began making improvements to the living conditions of [[King's Landing]]. Barth argued in favor of constructing wells, both within the city and without, pipes and tunnels to bring the water within the city's walls, and four cisterns to store the water in. This way, the drinking water available for the [[smallfolk]] of the city would be improved. Barth's proposals were supported by Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen]], and eventually King Jaehaerys and his [[master of coin]], [[Rego Draz]], approved the plan, after Alysanne presented them each with a tankard of foul water from the [[Blackwater Rush]] and dared them to drink it.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}

In {{Date|58}}, Barth supported Queen Alysanne when she assembled the small council to request them to outlaw the right to the [[first night]]. Following a short speech by Barth, in which he explained how the first night collided with the views of the [[Faith of the Seven|Faith]], insisting that the [[High Septon]] would no doubt support the plan, Jaehaerys agreed to outlaw the ancient [[custom]].{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}

In {{Date|60}}, Barth suggested Lord [[Martyn Tyrell]] for the office of master of coin, a position which had been empty since the murder of Rego the year before. Although Barth could not praise Martyn's wits, he mentioned that Martyn's wife, Lady [[Florence Fossoway]], had been keeping the accounts at [[Highgarden]] for years and had increased the incomes by a third. Insisting that Barth had never let him wrong, Jaehaerys appointed Martyn as his new master of coin.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}

In {{Date|84}}, Barth stood as one of the witnesses when King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne confronted their daughter [[Saera Targaryen|Saera]] with recent events involving her favorites. When Alysanne, following the death of Princess [[Viserra Targaryen]] in {{Date|87}}, pleaded with Jaehaerys to allow the exiled Saera to return home, she brought Barth with her for support. They could not convince Jaehaerys, however, to bring Saera home.{{Ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}}

In {{Date|98}},<ref group="N" name=death/> Barth died peacefully in his sleep. He was succeeded as Hand by Ser [[Ryam Redwyne]].{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}{{Ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}}
<!--Barth was sent to [[Oldtown]] to forge a lasting agreement between the [[Iron Throne]] and the [[Faith of the Seven]]. This agreement took away the right of the Faith to conduct criminal trials while at the same time Jaehaerys pledged upon the Iron Throne that the crown would always defend the Faith. The great schism between crown and faith were healed by this accord.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}
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