Pycelle

Title	Grand Maester
Born	215 AC
Died	301 AC King's Landing
Books	A Game of Thrones A Clash of Kings A Storm of Swords A Feast for Crows A Dance with Dragons
Played by	Julian Glover
TV series	Season 1 | Season 2

Grand Maester Pycelle has served the realm for many years. He is the highest-ranking maester and answers only to the king.In the TV series he is played by Julian Glover.

History

Pycelle forged his maester's chain during the reign of Maekar I. He has been the Grand Maester of the Seven Kingdoms for forty years, serving the kings Aegon V, Jaehaerys II, Aerys II, Robert I, Joffrey I and lastly Tommen I. Despite his oath to serve the realm however Pycelle has more loyalty to House Lannister. He convincing King Aerys II to open his gates to Lord Tywin in the waning days of Robert's Rebellion in the hope that Tywin would take the throne, kept the poison from being purged from Lord Arryn to keep the secret of Queen Cersei's incest and kept lannister interest on the small council for years.

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Julian Glover as Pycelle (TV series)

Catelyn Tully reports to Eddard Stark that Maester Pycelle was helpless in saving the life of Lord Jon Arryn. Grand Maester Pycelle sits on the small council. When Eddard makes enquires about the death of Jon Arryn, Pycelle points the finger of suspicion on Varys.

After Eddard Stark is injured in a street fight with Ser Jaime Lannister, Pycelle tasks himself with maintaining Eddard's healing. When it was discovered Gregor Clegane had led raids into the riverlands burning several villages, Pycelle tries to delay any action taken against House Lannister. Eddard becomes more and more convinced that Pycelle is the Queens creature.

Pycelle under Cersei Lannisters direction visits the grief stricken Sansa Stark after her fathers death and examines her (touches her all over according to Sansa's POV) before giving her a potion to calm her.

A Clash of Kings

Tyrion tells Pycelle to send letters to Prince Doran Martell. He does, but reads them first. He shares the information with Cersei Lannister, who proceeds to use it against Tyrion. He is present when Tyrion gives his terms for peace with the North. Tyrion later confronts Pycelle in his chambers, where he is found naked in bed with a female servant girl. There and with the help of Shagga who shaves off Pycelles signature white beard, Tyrion finds out that Pycelle has betrayed the realm over and over in service to House Lannister. He failed to stop the poisoning of Jon Arryn, convinced Aerys II to open the gates to Lannister forces during Robert's Rebellion and let Robert I die instead of saving him. Tyrion has him thrown in one of the black cells.

A Storm of Swords

Pycelle is reinstated Grand Maestar by Tywin Lannister after Tywin learns that the Citadel was planning on naming a member of House Tyrell to the position of the new Grand maestar. Pycelle though with his beard shaved off and weakended from his time in the Black cells appears to many a broken man. He falls asleep during the wedding of Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell. When Joffrey begins choking Pycelle yells for someone to bring him to his tower to fetch his potions, but was powerless to save Joffreys life. During the trial of Tyrion Lannister for the death of King Joffrey, he is called as a witness for the prosecution to discuss poisons and how Tyrion might have killed the King.

A Feast for Crows

Pycelle opposes the naming of Qyburn to the small council. Queen Cersei blames him for the deplorable state of Lord Tywin Lannister's corpse. Taena of Myr cast suspicion on Pycelle when she reported to Queen Cersei that Pycelle is often in the company of Queen Margaery Tyrell.. Pycelle objects to many of Cersei edicts such as her refusing to honor the debts the crown owes the Iron Bank of Braavos and her decision to allow the High Faith to re-arm. After pressure from Cersei, Pycelle admits to giving Margaery moon tea, a herbal aid for menstruation. This discovery adds to the evidence that Cersei has created to get rid of Margaery once and for all and gives the Faith of the Seven further proof of Margaery's crimes.

Cersei considers getting him replaced and Pycelle future at court looked uncertain. When Cersei was arrested by the faith however, Pycelle despite his past failings in court intrigue successfully seized control of the council. He removed Osfryd Kettleblack as commander of the Gold cloaks (so Osfyrd would not use the city watch to try and free Cersei and his brother Osneys both of whom were prisoners of the Faith) and raised the commander of the Dragongate to command the watch. At the end of A Feast of Crows Qyburn stated to Cersei that the realm is effectively being ruled by Pycelle and Harys Swyft (The master of Coin and Kevan Lannisters father in law). Pycelle also dispatched a message to Ser Kevan Lannister offering him the regency of the king.

A Dance with Dragons

Pycelle continues his duty as Grandmaestar but is wary of Mace Tyrell who is wroth with Pycelle over revealing Maergarys requests for moon tea. Pycelle even request if Ser Kevan could lend him some guards. Pycelle is killed in his chambers by Lord Varys. Varys removed both Pycelle and Kevan Lannister (who accepted the Regency) so they could not undo the damage Cersei done to the Iron Thrones alliances.

Appearance

He has only sparse hair that runs around his bald, spotted head. His maester's chain is two dozen heavy chains wound together that stretches from neck to breast. He has a long, snowy beard that runs down to his chest.

References and Notes

See also the article on Pycella on the Game of Thrones wiki.