Difference between revisions of "Ashara Dayne"

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'''Ashara Dayne''' was a noblewoman of [[House Dayne]], a sister of the famous [[knight]] Ser [[Arthur Dayne]]. She committed suicide shortly after the end of [[Robert's Rebellion]].
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'''Ashara Dayne''' was a noblewoman of [[House Dayne]] and a sister of Ser [[Arthur Dayne]], the [[Sword of the Morning]]. She committed suicide shortly after the end of [[Robert's Rebellion]].
  
 
==Appearance==
 
==Appearance==
 
:''See also: [[:Category:Images of Ashara Dayne|Images of Ashara Dayne]]''
 
:''See also: [[:Category:Images of Ashara Dayne|Images of Ashara Dayne]]''
Ashara was tall, with long dark hair and haunting [[violet eyes]].{{Ref|aGoT|6}}{{Ref|aDwD|67}} She had a reputation for great beauty. Many men were infatuated with her, including [[Barristan Selmy]] and, according to rumor, [[Eddard Stark]].{{ref|aSoS|43}}
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Ashara was tall, with long dark hair and haunting [[violet eyes]].{{Ref|aGoT|6}}{{Ref|aDwD|67}} She had a reputation for great beauty. Many men were infatuated with her, including Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] and, according to rumor, [[Eddard Stark]].{{ref|aSoS|43}}
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
Ashara was a lady-in-waiting to Princess [[Elia Martell]]. She was present at the [[tourney at Harrenhal]], where she danced with several men, including [[Eddard Stark]] after his brother [[Brandon Stark|Brandon]] spoke with her.{{Ref|asos|24}}
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Ashara was a lady-in-waiting to Princess [[Elia Martell]], the wife of Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen]]. She was present at the [[tourney at Harrenhal]], where she danced with Ser [[Barristan Selmy]], Prince [[Oberyn Martell]], and Lord [[Jon Connington]]. Ashara then danced with [[Eddard Stark]] after his brother [[Brandon Stark|Brandon]] spoke with her.{{Ref|asos|24}} According to [[Allyria Dayne]], Ashara and Ned Stark fell in love at Harrenhal.{{ref|ASOS|43}} Barristan was also in love with Ashara, although he never told her so. Barristan believes that Ashara was dishonored by someone at Harrenhal.{{ref|ADWD|67}}
  
After the events of the [[Tower of Joy]], Ned Stark went to [[Starfall]] to inform House Dayne of Ser Arthur's death and return to them his greatsword, [[Dawn]]. Ashara jumped from the top of one of the towers of Starfall, called the Palestone Sword, on the cliff atop the sea. Her body was never recovered.{{Ref|aSoS|43}} After these events, Ned Stark returned to [[Winterfell]] with the infant [[Jon Snow]], whom he claimed as his bastard son, refusing to name the child's mother. This sparked rumors that Ashara had been the mother of Stark's bastard,{{ref|aCoK|45}} and that grief at learning that her lover had been responsible for her brother's death was the cause of her suicide.{{Ref|aGoT|6}}{{ref|aSoS|43}}
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After the [[combat at the tower of joy]], Ned went to [[Starfall]] to inform [[House Dayne]] of Ser [[Arthur Dayne]]'s death and return to them his greatsword, [[Dawn]]. Ashara jumped from the top of the Palestone Sword, one of the towers of Starfall, into the sea, but her body was never recovered.{{Ref|aSoS|43}} Ashara is said to have done so because of a broken heart,{{ref|ASOS|43}} with some blaming a stillborn child,{{ref|ADWD|67}} a stolen child,{{ref|AGOT|45}} or grief over Arthur's death.{{ref|ASOS|43}}
  
Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] believes that Ashara gave birth to a stillborn daughter. According to Selmy, a man dishonored her at [[Harrenhal]] during the tourney. Selmy's account is ambiguous. In his account, it was grief over the death of her child, and perhaps grief at the loss of the man who "dishonored" her or shame of the "dishonoring" that led to Ashara's suicide. Selmy also wonders whether Ashara would have looked to him, instead of "Stark", if she had known of his feelings for her.{{Ref|aDwD|67}}
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Eddard returned to [[Winterfell]] with the infant [[Jon Snow]]. This sparked rumors that Ashara had been the mother of Ned's [[bastard]],{{ref|aCoK|45}} and that grief at learning that her lover had been responsible for her brother's death was the cause of her suicide.{{Ref|aGoT|6}}{{ref|aSoS|43}} The stern Lord Stark halted all gossip at Winterfell that Ashara was Jon's mother.{{ref|AGOT|6}}
  
 
==Recent Events==
 
==Recent Events==
 
===''A Storm of Swords''===
 
===''A Storm of Swords''===
[[Meera Reed]] tells [[Bran Stark]] the story of the [[Knight of the Laughing Tree]], a tale of the Tourney at Harrenhal. She mentions that "[[Howland Reed|the crannogman]] saw a maid with laughing purple eyes dance with a [[Barristan Selmy|white sword]], a [[Oberyn Martell|red snake]], and [[Jon Connington|the lord of griffins]], and lastly with [[Eddard Stark|the quiet wolf]]... but only after [[Brandon Stark|the wild wolf]] spoke to her on behalf of a brother too shy to leave his bench."{{Ref|asos|24}}
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When [[Meera Reed]] tells [[Bran Stark]] the story of the [[Knight of the Laughing Tree]], she refers to Ashara as a maid with laughing [[purple eyes]].{{ref|ASOS|24}}
  
[[Edric Dayne]] tells [[Arya Stark]] about his aunt Ashara who died before he was born, having committed suicide because "her heart was broken". He is surprised that Arya has never heard of Ashara and that Arya's father Ned had never spoken of her. Edric tells Arya that his aunt [[Allyria Dayne|Allyria]] says that Ashara and Ned fell in love at Harrenhal. This upsets Arya, who insists that [[Catelyn Tully|her mother]] was the only one her father loved. [[Harwin]] confirms that he has heard the story as well, at [[Winterfell]] when he was young, but that he doubts there's any truth to it. He says that even if the story were true, it would not be a stain on Ned's honor as he was not betrothed at the time. Harwin believes that Ashara killed herself because she was grieving for her dead brother Arthur.{{ref|aSoS|43}}
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[[Edric Dayne]] tells an unknowing [[Arya Stark]] about his aunt Ashara, who died before he was born.{{ref|ASOS|43}}
  
 
===''A Dance with Dragons''===  
 
===''A Dance with Dragons''===  
In [[Meereen]], alone on [[Queen’s apartments (Great Pyramid)|the terrace of the Great Pyramid]], Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] remembers [[Tourney at Harrenhal|Old Lord Whent’s tourney]] at [[Harrenhal]] and thinks of whom he would have chosen as [[Queen of Love and Beauty]],
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Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] regrets losing to Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen]] during the [[tourney at Harrenhal]] and not being able to name Ashara the [[queen of love and beauty]]. The [[knight]] thinks that Queen [[Daenerys Targaryen]] sometimes resembles Ashara.{{ref|ADWD|67}}
{{Quote|[[Rhaegar]] had chosen [[Lyanna Stark]] of [[Winterfell]]. Barristan Selmy would have made a different choice. Not the queen, who was not present. Nor [[Elia Martell|Elia]] of [[Dorne]], though she was good and gentle; had she been chosen, much war and woe might have been avoided. His choice would have been a young maiden not long at court, one of Elia’s companions … though compared to Ashara Dayne, the Dornish princess was a kitchen drab.  
 
  
Even after all these years, Ser Barristan could still recall Ashara’s smile, the sound of her laughter. He had only to close his eyes to see her, with her long dark hair tumbling about her shoulders and those haunting [[purple eyes]]. '''[[Daenerys Targaryen|Daenerys]] has the same eyes'''. Sometimes when the queen looked at him, he felt as if he were looking at Ashara’s daughter ...
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==Quotes==
 +
{{quote|How dare you play the noble lord with me! What do you take me for? You've a [[Jon Snow|bastard of your own]], I've seen him. Who was the mother, I wonder? Some [[Dorne|Dornish]] peasant you raped while her holdfast burned? A [[Prostitution|whore]]? Or was it the grieving sister, the Lady Ashara? She threw herself into the sea, I'm told. Why was that? For [[Arthur Dayne|the brother]] you slew, or the child you stole?{{ref|AGOT|45}}}} - [[Cersei Lannister]] to [[Eddard Stark]]
  
But Ashara’s daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at [[Harrenhal]] as well. She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. '''How could she?''' He was a knight of the [[Kingsguard]], sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. '''No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed Rhaegar and crowned Ashara queen of love and beauty, might she have looked to me instead of Stark?'''
 
  
He would never know. But of all his failures, none haunted Barristan Selmy so much as that.{{Ref|aDwD|67}}}}
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{{quote|If [[Jon Snow|Jon]] had been born of Ashara Dayne of [[Starfall]], as some whispered, the lady was long dead; if not, Catelyn had no clue who or where his mother might be.{{ref|ACOK|45}}}} - thoughts of [[Catelyn Stark]]
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 +
 
 +
{{quote|[[Howland Reed|The crannogman]] saw a maid with laughing purple eyes dance with [[Barristan Selmy|a white sword]], [[Oberyn Martell|a red snake]], and [[Jon Connington|the lord of griffins]], and lastly with [[Eddard Stark|the quiet wolf]]... but only after [[Brandon Stark|the wild wolf]] spoke to her on behalf of a brother too shy to leave his bench.{{Ref|asos|24}}}} - [[Meera Reed]] to [[Bran Stark]]
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 +
 
 +
{{quote|Lady Ashara Dayne. It's an old tale, that one. I heard it once at [[Winterfell]], when I was no older than you are now. I doubt there's any truth to it. But if there is, what of it? When [[Eddard Stark|Ned]] met this Dornish lady, his brother [[Brandon Stark|Brandon]] was still alive, and it was him betrothed to Lady [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]], so there's no stain on your father's honor. There's nought like [[tourney at Harrenhal|a tourney]] to make the blood run hot, so maybe some words were whispered in a tent of a night, who can say? Words or kisses, maybe more, but where's the harm in that? [[Year of the false spring|Spring had come]], or so they thought, and neither one of them was pledged.{{ref|ASOS|43}}}} - [[Harwin]] to [[Arya Stark]]
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{{quote|His choice would have been a young maiden not long at court, one of [[Elia Martell|Elia's]] companions ... though compared to Ashara Dayne, the [[Dorne|Dornish]] princess was a kitchen drab.{{ref|ADWD|67}}}} - thoughts of [[Barristan Selmy]]
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{{quote|She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. How could she? He was a knight of the [[Kingsguard]], sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed [[Rhaegar Targaryen|Rhaegar]] and crowned Ashara [[queen of love and beauty]], might she have looked to me instead of [[House Stark|Stark]]?{{ref|ADWD|67}}}} - thoughts of [[Barristan Selmy]]
  
 
==Family==
 
==Family==
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[[Category:House Dayne]]
 
[[Category:House Dayne]]
[[Category:Noblewomen|Dayne, Ashara]]
 
 
[[Category:Characters from Dorne|Dayne, Ashara]]
 
[[Category:Characters from Dorne|Dayne, Ashara]]
 
[[Category:House Martell retainers|Dayne, Ashara]]
 
[[Category:House Martell retainers|Dayne, Ashara]]
 
[[Category:Members of Aerys II Targaryen's court|Dayne, Ashara]]
 
[[Category:Members of Aerys II Targaryen's court|Dayne, Ashara]]
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[[Category:Noblewomen|Dayne, Ashara]]
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[[es:Ashara Dayne]]
 
[[es:Ashara Dayne]]

Revision as of 20:26, 29 March 2017

DayneCoA.png
Ashara Dayne
DayneCoA.png
Elena-maria-vacas-ashara-dayne.jpg
Ashara Dayne, by Elena María Vacas

Allegiance House Dayne
Culture Dornishmen
Born or between 260 AC and 269 AC[1]
Died 283 AC
Starfall
Books

Ashara Dayne was a noblewoman of House Dayne and a sister of Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. She committed suicide shortly after the end of Robert's Rebellion.

Appearance

See also: Images of Ashara Dayne

Ashara was tall, with long dark hair and haunting violet eyes.[2][3] She had a reputation for great beauty. Many men were infatuated with her, including Ser Barristan Selmy and, according to rumor, Eddard Stark.[4]

History

Ashara was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Elia Martell, the wife of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. She was present at the tourney at Harrenhal, where she danced with Ser Barristan Selmy, Prince Oberyn Martell, and Lord Jon Connington. Ashara then danced with Eddard Stark after his brother Brandon spoke with her.[5] According to Allyria Dayne, Ashara and Ned Stark fell in love at Harrenhal.[4] Barristan was also in love with Ashara, although he never told her so. Barristan believes that Ashara was dishonored by someone at Harrenhal.[3]

After the combat at the tower of joy, Ned went to Starfall to inform House Dayne of Ser Arthur Dayne's death and return to them his greatsword, Dawn. Ashara jumped from the top of the Palestone Sword, one of the towers of Starfall, into the sea, but her body was never recovered.[4] Ashara is said to have done so because of a broken heart,[4] with some blaming a stillborn child,[3] a stolen child,[6] or grief over Arthur's death.[4]

Eddard returned to Winterfell with the infant Jon Snow. This sparked rumors that Ashara had been the mother of Ned's bastard,[7] and that grief at learning that her lover had been responsible for her brother's death was the cause of her suicide.[2][4] The stern Lord Stark halted all gossip at Winterfell that Ashara was Jon's mother.[2]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

When Meera Reed tells Bran Stark the story of the Knight of the Laughing Tree, she refers to Ashara as a maid with laughing purple eyes.[5]

Edric Dayne tells an unknowing Arya Stark about his aunt Ashara, who died before he was born.[4]

A Dance with Dragons

Ser Barristan Selmy regrets losing to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen during the tourney at Harrenhal and not being able to name Ashara the queen of love and beauty. The knight thinks that Queen Daenerys Targaryen sometimes resembles Ashara.[3]

Quotes

How dare you play the noble lord with me! What do you take me for? You've a bastard of your own, I've seen him. Who was the mother, I wonder? Some Dornish peasant you raped while her holdfast burned? A whore? Or was it the grieving sister, the Lady Ashara? She threw herself into the sea, I'm told. Why was that? For the brother you slew, or the child you stole?[6]

- Cersei Lannister to Eddard Stark


If Jon had been born of Ashara Dayne of Starfall, as some whispered, the lady was long dead; if not, Catelyn had no clue who or where his mother might be.[7]

- thoughts of Catelyn Stark


The crannogman saw a maid with laughing purple eyes dance with a white sword, a red snake, and the lord of griffins, and lastly with the quiet wolf... but only after the wild wolf spoke to her on behalf of a brother too shy to leave his bench.[5]

- Meera Reed to Bran Stark


Lady Ashara Dayne. It's an old tale, that one. I heard it once at Winterfell, when I was no older than you are now. I doubt there's any truth to it. But if there is, what of it? When Ned met this Dornish lady, his brother Brandon was still alive, and it was him betrothed to Lady Catelyn, so there's no stain on your father's honor. There's nought like a tourney to make the blood run hot, so maybe some words were whispered in a tent of a night, who can say? Words or kisses, maybe more, but where's the harm in that? Spring had come, or so they thought, and neither one of them was pledged.[4]

- Harwin to Arya Stark


His choice would have been a young maiden not long at court, one of Elia's companions ... though compared to Ashara Dayne, the Dornish princess was a kitchen drab.[3]

- thoughts of Barristan Selmy


She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. How could she? He was a knight of the Kingsguard, sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed Rhaegar and crowned Ashara queen of love and beauty, might she have looked to me instead of Stark?[3]

- thoughts of Barristan Selmy

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lord Dayne
 
Unknown
wife
 
Arthur
 
Ashara
 
Allyria
 
 
Gerold
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edric
 


References and Notes

  1. See the Ashara Dayne calculation
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 6, Catelyn II.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 67, The Kingbreaker.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 43, Arya VIII.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 24, Bran II.
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 45, Eddard XII.
  7. 7.0 7.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 45, Catelyn VI.