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Revision as of 17:11, 15 August 2014

Barth
Titles
Books

Barth was a septon who served as Hand of the King for Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

History

Barth was the son of a blacksmith. He was found by Jaehaerys I in the Red Keep's library. He was appointed the Hand of the King by Jaehaerys and sat in that position for forty years. It seems he excelled at this function. The forty years he was acting as Hand are generally referred to as synonym for prosperity, much like the reign of Jaehaerys I.[1]

Writings

Barth wrote an important corpus about dragons, Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History. When the Old King was dying, his caregiver Alicent Hightower read to him; among the books were the writings of Barth.[2] His enemies always claimed he was more sorcerer than septon.[3] Barth's writings were ordered to be destroyed by Baelor I when he came to the Iron Throne, although some fragments have survived. However, it is unlikely that any of Barth's work found its way across the narrow sea.[3]

Barth claimed that dragons were neither male nor female.[4] He ruled out that dragons are vulnerable through their mouths. Barth, Munkun and Thomax hold markedly divergent views on the mating habits of dragons.[3]

Quotes

Death comes out of the dragon’s mouth, but death does not go in that way.[5]

– Septon Barth in Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History


What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise! The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame. The language misled us all for a thousand years.[4]

– Maester Aemon, talking of the prince that was promised

References and Notes