Hand of the King

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Hand of the king brooch, from the TV Series

The Hand of the King is the king's chief advisor and executor of his command in the Seven Kingdoms. Duties of the Hand include commanding the king's armies, drafting laws, dispensing justice, and generally managing the day-to-day running of the kingdom. The Hand may act on the king's behalf when he is indisposed, and sit on the Iron Throne while doing so. The Hand also sits on the small council and will run the council if the king is not present.

The office typically makes the Hand the second most powerful man in the kingdom next to the king, though some Hands had the reputation of ruling their kings. It is considered by some to be a difficult and unglamorous job of great responsibility. A popular saying goes, "What the king dreams, the Hand builds," but the lowborn say, "The king eats, and the Hand takes the shit."[1] Many able men have failed in the office throughout history.

The Hand resides in a tower of the Red Keep called the Tower of the Hand. His badge of office always includes a hand, though each Hand can design his own. A necklace of hands linked into a chain is one possible badge. Servants of the Hand wear the emblem of a hand.

After the War of Conquest Orys Baratheon served as the first ever Hand of the King to Aegon I.[2]

List of Known Hands

During the reign of King Hand of the King Period and Notes
Tommen Baratheon Mace Tyrell 300 AL
Orton Merryweather 300 AL - 300 AL
Harys Swyft 300 AL - 300 AL
Tywin Lannister 2nd term 300 AL - 300 AL
Joffrey Baratheon Tywin Lannister 2nd term 298 AL - 300 AL
Tyrion Lannister Was acting hand during his father's Tywin Lannister 2nd term, while he was campaigning in the north.
Robert Baratheon Eddard Stark 298 AL
Jon Arryn 283 AL - 298 AL
Aerys II Targaryen
The Mad King
Lord Rossart 283 AL
Qarlton Chelsted 283 AL, He resigned his position over Aerys Decision to burn King's Landing and was subsequently burned for it.
Jon Connington 283 AL
Owen Merryweather 282 AL (?) - 283 AL
Tywin Lannister +/- 262 AL - 282 AL (?)
Jaehaerys II Targaryen
Aegon V Targaryen
Unknown 233AL - 259AL - 262AL
Aerys I Targaryen Brynden Rivers 209 AL - 221 AL (?) - In the end he was stripped from office and sent to the wall, by King Aegon V.
Daeron II Targaryen Baelor Breakspear 196 AL - 208 AL
Lord Hayford 196 AL
Ambrose Butterwell ? - 196 AL
Aegon IV Lord Butterwell ?
Baelor I

Daeron I

Prince Viserys 157 AL - 171 AL
Jaehaerys I Septon Barth Served as Hand for over Forty years
Aenys I Prince Maegor 37 AL - 42 AL
Aegon I Orys Baratheon First ever Hand of the King

Time unknown

A list of some of the worst Hands, Whose names are remembered as a warning to future generations.

Hands of Claimants to the Iron Throne

References and Notes

  1. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 4, Eddard
  2. Bubonicon Report, August 25, 2012 So Spake Martin