Editing Ceryse Hightower

{{Infobox character
| firstname = Ceryse
| lastname = Hightower
| arms = Hightower
| arms2 = Targaryen
| title = Queen
| image = [[File:Ceryse Hightower.jpg|300px]]
| image_caption = Ceryse Hightower, as depicted<br>by Magali Villeneuve in ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]''.
| Alias =
| Title = Lady{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}<br>Queen{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}
| Allegiance = [[House Hightower]]<br>[[House Targaryen]]
| Race =
| Culture = [[Reach]]
| Father = [[Manfred Hightower (son of Addam)|Manfred Hightower]]
| Mother = 
| Spouse = King [[Maegor I Targaryen]]{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}
| Place_of_Birth =
| Date_of_Birth = {{Date|2}}<ref>''See the [[Years after Aegon's Conquest/Calculations Ages#Ceryse Hightower|Ceryse Hightower]] calculation.''</ref>
| Place_of_Death = [[King's Landing]]{{Ref|FAB|Prince into King - The Ascension of Jaehaerys I}}
| Date_of_Death = {{Date|45}}{{Ref|FAB|Prince into King - The Ascension of Jaehaerys I}}
| Books = ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[Fire & Blood]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Rise of the Dragon]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Sons of the Dragon]]'' (mentioned)
| coat-of-arms =
}}

Queen '''Ceryse Hightower''' was a noblewoman from [[House Hightower]] and was the daughter of Lord [[Manfred Hightower (son of Addam)|Manfred Hightower]] of [[Oldtown]]. Her maternal uncle was one of the [[High Septon (Aegon I)|High Septons]] during the reign of King [[Aegon I Targaryen]]. She eventually married Prince [[Maegor I Targaryen|Maegor Targaryen]], becoming his first (of many) wives.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

==History==
[[File:Ceryse Hightower by Laura Avellino.jpg|thumb|300px|Ceryse by Laura Avellino.]]
Ceryse's uncle, the [[High Septon (Aegon I)|High Septon]], protested strongly when Queen [[Visenya Targaryen]] suggested that her son Prince [[Maegor I Targaryen|Maegor]] should be wed to Princess [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena Targaryen]], and instead suggesting his own niece. Ceryse and Maegor were wed in {{Date|25}}.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}} The [[Customs#Wedding ceremony|ceremony]] was held at the [[Starry Sept]] of [[Oldtown]], with Ceryse's uncle, the High Septon, performing the rites.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} Ceryse was twenty-three, whereas Maegor was thirteen years old.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}}{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} Maegor boasted to having consummated the marriage a dozen times the night of the wedding,{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}}{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} and those who had seen the [[bedding]] agreed that Maegor was a lusty husband.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

While the marriage of Ceryse and Maegor remained childless, Maegor's half-brother [[Aenys I Targaryen|Aenys]] had five healthy children. After the birth of Aenys's sixth child, [[Vaella Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Vaella]], in {{Date|39}}, Maegor decided that Ceryse was barren,{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} and he took [[Alys Harroway]] to wife, entering a [[Polygamy|polygamous]] marriage.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}} The [[High Septon (Aenys I)|High Septon]] demanded that Maegor should leave the "whore of Harroway" and return to Ceryse.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} When Maegor was presented with choosing between setting Alys aside, or being exiled for five years, he chose exile and left for [[Pentos]], leaving Ceryse behind in Westeros.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} Septon [[Murmison]] was tasked with making Ceryse fertile, but failed. Ceryse eventually returned to her father in Oldtown.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

Maegor returned to [[Westeros]] to claim the [[Iron Throne]] after the death of his brother, King Aenys I, in {{Date|42}}. Later in the same year, Maegor I announced his intent to marry again, taking [[Tyanna of the Tower]] as his third wife, who had become his [[paramour]] while in exile in Pentos. Grand Maester [[Myros]] spoke against the proposed wedding, stating that Maegor's "one true wife" awaited him at the [[Hightower]]. Ceryse, still at Oldtown, continued to insist that she was Maegor's only lawful queen.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

In {{Date|43}} King Maegor and Dowager Queen [[Visenya Targaryen]] moved towards Oldtown, threatening to incinerate the Starry Sept in response to the High Septon's continued condemnation of his polygamous marriages. The High Septon instead died suddenly shortly before they arrived, however. Maegor remained at Oldtown for half a year while presiding over the trials of the [[Warrior's Sons]] chapter at Oldtown, and in that time Ceryse reconciled with Maegor. Ceryse agreed to accept Maegor's other two wives, with Maegor in turn swearing to restore Ceryse to all the rights, incomes, and privileges due her as lawful queen. They celebrated their reunion with a great feast and had a second consummation. She later returned to court at [[King's Landing]].{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

Shortly after the completion of the [[Red Keep]] in {{Date|45}}, Ceryse died of a sudden [[illness]]. It was rumored she had said something to offend Maegor and he ordered Ser [[Owen Bush]] of the [[Kingsguard]] to [[Tongue mutilation|remove her tongue]]. While Ser [[Maladon Moore]] held her, Ceryse allegedly struggled so much that Owen's knife slipped and he accidentally slashed her throat. Though never proven, this story was widely believed at the time. Most historians believe it was a slander concocted by the king's enemies to further blacken Maegor's repute. Maladon denied the story and stated that Ceryse died of "shrewishness".{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}{{Ref|FAB|Prince into King - The Ascension of Jaehaerys I}}

==Family==
{{Hightower tree Aegon I‎}}

==See Also==
*[[:Category:Images of Ceryse Hightower|Images of Ceryse Hightower]]

==References==
{{References}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Alyssa Velaryon]]}}
{{S-ttl|order=4th/5th|title=queen consort of the [[Seven Kingdoms]]|years={{Date|42|45}}|with=[[Alys Harroway]]|with2=[[Tyanna of the Tower]]}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Elinor Costayne]]|after2=[[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena Targaryen]]|after3=[[Jeyne Westerling (wife of Maegor I)|Jeyne Westerling]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Royal consorts of Westeros}}

[[Category:House Hightower]]
[[Category:House Targaryen]]
[[Category:2 AC births|Hightower, Ceryse]]
[[Category:45 AC deaths|Hightower, Ceryse]]
[[Category:Characters from the Reach|Hightower, Ceryse]]
[[Category:Members of Aenys I Targaryen's court|Hightower, Ceryse]]
[[Category:Noblewomen|Hightower, Ceryse]]
[[Category:Royal consorts|Hightower, Ceryse]]
[[Category:Wives of Maegor I Targaryen|Hightower, Ceryse]]

[[es:Ceryse Hightower]]
[[fr:Ceryse Hightower]]
[[pt:Ceryse Hightower]]