Margaery Tyrell

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Margaery Tyrell
House Baratheon.svg
Sardag margaery.jpg
Margaery Tyrell by Sardag

Aliases
  • The Little Queen
  • The Little Rose
  • Maid Margaery
Title Queen of the Seven Kingdoms
Allegiance House Tyrell
Culture Reach
Born 283 AC[1]
Highgarden[2]
Spouses
Books

Played by Natalie Dormer
TV series Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 | Season 6

Margaery Tyrell is the only daughter of Lord Mace Tyrell and his wife, Lady Alerie Hightower. In the television adaptation Game of Thrones she is played by Natalie Dormer.[3][4]

Appearance and Character

Margaery has thick, softly curling brown hair, large brown eyes,[5][6][7] a pale, [8] smooth unblemished skin,[7] and a slender,[9] but womanly figure.[7] She is fair and lively,[7] with a shy and sweet smile.[5][10] She is regarded as beautiful[11][9][12][8][7] or pretty[13][7] by most. Tyrion Lannister considers her to be just as comely as Sansa Stark.[14] Both Sansa and Cersei Lannister note the similarities in appearance between Margaery and her youngest brother, Loras.[9][15] According to Cersei, Margaery and Loras look more alike than Cersei and her twin, Jaime.[7] According to Renly Baratheon, there are people who claim Margaery looks like Lyanna Stark.[6]

Margaery is intelligent[13] and shrewed,[16] and takes after her grandmother, the cunning Lady Olenna Tyrell.[12] Margaery is her grandmother's protégée, and as such, Olenna has made certain that Margaery is capable of protecting herself from those who might use or abuse her.[2] Varys describes Margaery as sweet and tractable.[11] Sansa considers Margaery to be sweet and gentle,[12] while Cersei considers her to be restless, as Margaery often goes for a ride, a trip by boat, or out hawking.[17] The generous Margaery is popular with smallfolk.[17][18]

Margaery follows the Faith of the Seven.[17]

History

Margaery was born at Highgarden[2] in 283 AC[1] to Lord Mace Tyrell and Lady Alerie Hightower. She has three older brothers, Willas, Garlan, and Loras. When she was a little girl, Willas used to read to her, and draw her pictures of the stars.[9] Margaery has been riding horses since she was old enough to walk.[17]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Lord Renly Baratheon shows Lord Eddard Stark an exquisite rose gold locket with a picture of Margaery inside, painted in the vivid Myrish style. Renly is anxious to know if Margaery reminds Eddard of anyone, and is disappointed when Eddard has no answer but a shrug. When Renly tells Eddard that there are people who say that Margaery looks like Lyanna Stark, Eddard's late sister, Eddard is bemused, believing that it is ironic that Renly, who looks like a young Robert I Baratheon, might be in love with a girl he fancies to be a Lyanna. Unfortunately for Renly, Eddard disagrees that Margaery looks like his late sister.[6] However, in contrast to Eddard's beliefs, Renly and Loras Tyrell actually hope to rid themselves of Queen Cersei Lannister, by getting Robert, who is still in love with Lyanna after fourteen years, to become infatuated with Margaery, as Varys informs Illyrio Mopatis. According to Varys, Loras writes his father, Mace Tyrell, urging him to send Margaery to court.[11] Later, during the Hand's tourney, Robert mentions to Eddard that Renly has been telling him about Loras's sister, a young girl as lovely as a dawn.[19]

Following Robert's death, Renly flees to Highgarden, where he marries Margaery and is crowned king.[20][21]

A Clash of Kings

Margaery accompanies Renly and his army on their slow march to King's Landing. When they are at Bitterbridge, word arrives that Stannis Baratheon has besieged Storm's End, Renly's seat. Renly departs with his cavalry, leaving Margaery at Bitterbridge with his infantry.[22]

After hearing Renly has been killed during the siege of Storm's End, the small council sends Petyr Baelish as an envoy to Bitterbridge. The Tyrells ally with the Lannisters by planning to wed Margaery to King Joffrey I.[23][24]

A Storm of Swords

Margaery Tyrell. Art by Amok ©

Now betrothed to King Joffrey I Baratheon, Margaery travels to King's Landing. She is accompanied by a train of ladies, most of whom are either relatives of her or the daughters of her father's bannermen, while others are to be her ladies-in-waiting. They include Alla, Elinor, and Megga Tyrell; Lady Alysanne Bulwer; Lady Alyce Graceford; Lady Taena Merryweather; Meredyth Crane; and Septa Nysterica.[25]

Prior to her arrival, wagons of food have been send to the city for the starting population. As this is done in Margaery's name, she is greeted in King's Landing by cheering crowds.[N 1] Margaery invites Sansa Stark to supper. There, she and her grandmother Olenna Redwyne make inquiries about Joffrey's nature, until Sansa reveals how Joffrey and Cersei have been treating her. Although Sansa fears the revelation will cause Margaery to refuse the marriage, Margaery and Olenna confide in Sansa that Mace is determined to see Margaery become a queen, while simply calling Joffrey's nature "a pity".[9] Margaery and Olenna suggest to Sansa that she travel to Highgarden after Margaery's wedding, secretly plotting to marry Sansa to Margaery's eldest brother, Willas.[9] Margaery and her ladies take Sansa in, taking her hawking, doing needlework with her, and other such pastimes.[12]

However, when the Lannisters discover the plot to marry Sansa to Willas, Sansa is married off to Tyrion Lannister. Although Margaery and the Tyrells are not present for the wedding ceremony, they are present at the feast, where Margaery gives Sansa a sad look. When Tyrion refuses to participate in the first dance with Sansa, Margaery and Joffrey lead in their stead.[26]

Margaery marries Joffrey on the first day of 300 AC at the Great Sept of Baelor, with the High Septon officiating the ceremony.[27] Following the ceremony, a great feast is held in the Red Keep. There, however, Joffrey dies after drinking poisoned wine.[27] Margaery attends the trial of Tyrion Lannister, who is charged with the murder, dressed in mourning clothes.[8]

Sansa Stark is smuggled out of the city by Dontos Hollard, who brings her to Petyr Baelish. Baelish reveals that Olenna had poisoned Joffrey to prevent Joffrey from hurting Margaery and Loras from becoming a kingslayer in order to protect his sister. He reasons that, although Mace is insistent on making Margaery queen, Olenna realized that Joffrey was not needed for this. He predicts that Margaery will soon marry Joffrey's younger brother Tommen.[28]

Baelish's prediction proves to be correct. The Tyrells soon begin insisting that Tommen should be married to Margaery.[29] Lord Tywin Lannister suggests to his son Jaime that he, as heir to Casterly Rock, could leave the Kingsguard and marry Margaery, but Jaime is opposed to the idea.[29] Although Jaime sees no harm in the match between Margaery and Tommen, as Tommen, who had been lonely ever since his sister left for Dorne, likes having Margaery and her ladies around, his sister Cersei is opposed to it.[30]

A Feast for Crows

Margaery attends several of the services held in the Great Sept of Baelor for the wake of Lord Tywin Lannister.[15][13]

Margaery marries King Tommen I Baratheon in a small ceremony in the Red Keep's royal sept, followed by a much smaller feast than her previous wedding had.[7] During the feast, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister is approached by Taena of Myr, who claims that Margaery is paying Cersei's maid Senelle to spy on Cersei for her.[7] Following the feast, Margaery accompanies the guests outside to watch the pyromancers burning the Tower of the Hand down with wildfire.[7] As the Tyrells have insisted that Margaery and Tommen share a bed during their wedding night, despite the fact that Tommen is too young for consummation, Ser Jaime Lannister escorts them to Tommen's room and stays there all night on the orders of Cersei, to prevent the boy from being left alone with his new wife.[7]

When Cersei asks Margaery's leave to take Taena on as her own companion, Margaery reacts thrilled. Both Cersei and Jaime believe Taena to be a spy informing Margaery of Cersei's doings. Cersei gives Taena only the information she wants Margaery to know, with most of it being untrue. Additionally, Taena informs Cersei of everything Margaery does.[31] Cersei's hatred for Margaery and her family has been building for years, and after Taena informs Cersei that Horas and Hobber Redwyne are in love with Margaery, Cersei begins to plot Margaery's downfall.[32] Cersei does not believe that Margaery is still a maiden, as she claims to be.[33][7] She convinces Ser Osney Kettleblack to seduce Margaery, and plans to have Osney's brother Osmund catch them abed. She tells Taena to inform Margaery of a secret admirer.[32]

Margaery begins to instruct Tommen on his kingship, telling him he should sit on the Iron Throne, attend the small council meetings, which annoys Cersei, who plans to rule until Tommen comes of age.[34] Meanwhile, Cersei names Osney as Tommen's sworn sword, so he can spend more time in Margaery's presence, but soon grows impatient as Margaery does not respond to Osney's charms the way Cersei had hoped. Osney's brother Osmund insists it is because Osney and Margaery are never alone, because Margaery is always surrounded by her septa, her ladies, or other men. Mention of the latter inspires Cersei,[34] who further inquires about them with Taena.[17] Taena names Ser Lambert Turnberry, Bayard Norcross Courtenay Greenhill, and Portifer and Lucantine Woodwright as admirers of Margaery, and identifies Grand Maester Pycelle as a frequent visitor as well.[17] When Cersei inquires Taena's recollection of Margaery's wedding night with Renly, Taena claims that even though Margaery insists that Renly had drunk too much wine at the wedding feast to consummate the marriage, his manhood had been anything but weary when she had last seen it. Taena also admits that no bloody sheet was shown the next morning, which Cersei acknowledges means little, as highborn girls often break their maidenhead by horse riding.[17]

Margaery's frequent invitations to Tommen to accompany her on trips near the city, and Cersei's frequent refusal to allow him to go, make Tommen sullen with Cersei. Cersei believes that Margaery is attempting to steal Tommen from her.[17] Margaery tells Tommen that he should attend court, to listen to the petitioners, and starts to openly object to Cersei's hatred for Margaery.[35] Meanwhile Margaery does much to gain favor with the residents of King's Landing by visiting local markets to buy fresh fruits, bread, and fish, ordering dresses from local seamstresses, and making great public shows of charity.[17]

After the ironborn attack the Reach, Margaery has her messengers wake up the small council to discuss how to answer the attack. She recognizes the military threat and insists that her father and his forces be allowed to return to the Reach, abandoning the siege of Storm's End. She is shocked when Cersei refers to the Shield Islands as "rocks" and seems to lack understanding for the threat posed by the ironborn. She is shocked even more when Loras asks permission to take Dragonstone, so the Redwyne fleet is no longer needed at the island and return to the Reach to face the ironborn.[36] Although Loras is successful in taking Dragonstone, he is severely injured. Margaery is tearful when Cersei informs her of Loras's injuries, and when Cersei implies Loras's impending death, Margaery orders her to leave.[35]

When Cersei visits Margaery after her arrest, Margaery accuses Cersei of involvement in her troubles. Art by Cabepfir©

Margaery remains distraught about Loras and brings Tommen to the sept every day to pray for her brother. Cersei questions Pycelle about his frequent visits to Margaery, and has him confess to providing Margaery with moon tea. She next invites the Blue Bard over, and questions him about his sexual history with Margaery. Although the Blue Bard denies the claims, Cersei has him arrested and brought to Qyburn. Qyburn tortures the bard until the man claims to have had sex with Margaery's cousins and played music for Margaery while she entertained lovers herself. He names several men, including Horas and Hobber Redwyne, and Loras Tyrell, but Cersei insists they are not to be charged.[16]

On Maiden's Day, Margaery fasts and purifies herself, as is required of all maidens. This inspires Cersei, who orders Ser Osney Kettleblack to confess sleeping with Margaery, and her cousins Elinor and Megga Tyrell to the High Septon.[16] Osney goes to confess, and Margaery and her cousins are arrested by the Faith.[18] Her clothes are taken, and she is given a roughspun shift to wear. She is separated from her cousins, and visited every hour by a septa, even during the night, who asks Margaery to confess her fornications.[18] Margaery is accused of lewdness, fornication, adultery, and high treason. At the behest of the High Septon, Septa Moelle examinates Margaery, and finds that her maidenhead has been broken. Septa Moelle reports this at court, where Pycelle adds how he provided moon tea for Margaery on several occasions. Cersei has Ser Tallad the Tall, Jalabhar Xho, Hamish the Harper, Hugh Clifton, Mark Mullendore, Bayard Norcross, Lambert Turnberry, Horas and Hobber Redwyne, and the Blue Bard arrested for having been involved in Margaery's treason. Before the day is over, a mob of smallfolk has formed before the Great Sept to protest Margaery's arrest. Cersei goes to visit Margaery the next day, and tells her there is going to be a trial. She suggests that Margaery can chose for a trial by battle if she wants, in which case a knight of the Kingsguard is to defend her. Margaery is quick to understand that it would come down to either Meryn Trant or Boros Blount,[N 2] neither of whom are able to defeat Osney Kettleblack. She scolds Cersei for wanting Tommen all for herself, acknowledging that she knows Cersei wants her dead. Cersei then visits the High Septon, who agrees that the Faith is to trial Margaery. However, he next refuses to allow Cersei to take custody of Ser Osney, and reveals that, after further questioning (involving torture), Osney to having slept with Cersei, not Margaery. Cersei is subsequently arrested as well. The mob remains in front of the Great Sept, calling out Margaery's name.[18]

When news of his daughter's arrest reaches him, Lord Mace Tyrell abandons his siege of Storm's End to march his army back to King's Landing. His bannerman, Lord Randyll Tarly, leaves Maidenpool with his own army to give Margaery his aid.[18]

A Dance with Dragons

Randyll Tarly is the first to reach King's Landing. As all the men who stand accused &ndash with the exception of the Blue Bard, who appears to be half-mad &ndash have denied the charges or recanted, the evidence against Margaery and her cousins is weak. As such, the High Septon agrees to hand them over to Lord Tarly's custody, who swears that he will return them for the trial.[37] Although the stormlands are under attack by the Golden Company, Mace Tyrell refuses to leave with his army until Margaery's trial is over and she is declared innocent.[37] Margaery plans to let the Faith sit in judgement of her.[38] Mace Tyrell wishes for King Tommen to declare Margaery innocent, but Lord Regent Kevan Lannister argues against the idea, knowing it would mean that the whispers of accusation would follow Margaery forever. Kevan quietly wonders why Mace insists on having his army present when Margaery faces her accusers, if she is as innocent as Mace would have them all believe.[39]

Quotes by Margaery

I know what a burden you bear. You should let me share the load. There must be some things I could do to help you. It would put to rest all this talk that you and I are rivals for the the king.[17]

– Margaery, to Cersei Lannister


Your Grace, this must be answered fiercely![36]

– Margaery, to Cersei Lannister

Quotes about Margaery

Natalie Dormer as Margaery as depicted in Game of Thrones.

Ned was not sure what to make of Renly, with all his friendly ways and easy smiles. A few days past, he had taken Ned aside to show him an exquisite rose gold locklet. Inside was a miniature painted in the vivid Myrish style, of a lovely young girl with doe's eyes and a cascade of soft brown hair.[40]

- thoughts of Eddard Stark


The girl is a maid of fourteen, sweet and beautiful and tractable, and Lord Renly and Ser Loras intend that Robert should bed her, wed her, and make a new queen.[41]

- Varys


Stannis: We both know your wedding was a mummer’s farce. A year ago you were scheming to make the girl one of Robert's whores.
Renly: A year ago I was scheming to make the girl Robert’s queen.[22]

- Renly Baratheon and Stannis Baratheon


Margaery was different, though. Sweet and gentle, yet there was a little of her grandmother in her, too.[12]

– thoughts of Sansa Stark


So the girl is as clever as she is pretty. Tommen could do a deal worse for a queen.[13]

– thoughts of Jaime Lannister


Wherever she went, the smallfolk fawned on her, and Lady Margaery did all she could to fan their ardor. She was forever giving alms to beggars, buying hot pies off bakers' carts, and reining up to speak to common tradesmen.[17]

– thoughts of Cersei Lannister

Family

Template:Tyrell tree 2

Notes

  1. Despite the fact that House Tyrell had played a large role in the starvation by closing the Roseroad off when the war started.
  2. Jaime Lannister is considered unfit to fight in a trial by battle due to the loss of his sword hand. Loras Tyrell is still mortally injured on Dragonstone. Balon Swann has been sent to Dorne, where Arys Oakheart is believed to be, as his death is still unknown to those at court. Osmund Kettleblack is not considered an option, as it is his brother who is the accuser.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 See the Margaery Tyrell calculation.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Margaery Tyrell.
  3. Natalie - filmography game-of-thrones-2012
  4. About season 2. Slideshow with photo's of characters and the name of the actor on HBO.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 22, Catelyn II.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 27, Eddard VI.
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 12, Cersei III.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66, Tyrion IX.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa I.
  10. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 32, Arya III.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 16, Sansa II.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 8, Jaime I.
  14. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 63, Davos VI.
  15. 15.0 15.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 7, Cersei II.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 39, Cersei IX.
  17. 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 28, Cersei VI.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 43, Cersei X.
  19. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 30, Eddard VII.
  20. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 69, Tyrion IX.
  21. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.
  22. 22.0 22.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 31, Catelyn III.
  23. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 36, Tyrion VIII.
  24. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 65, Sansa VIII.
  25. A Storm of Swords, Appendix.
  26. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 28, Sansa III.
  27. 27.0 27.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 60, Tyrion VIII.
  28. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 68, Sansa VI.
  29. 29.0 29.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 62, Jaime VII.
  30. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 72, Jaime IX.
  31. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 16, Jaime II.
  32. 32.0 32.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
  33. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 3, Cersei I.
  34. 34.0 34.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 24, Cersei V.
  35. 35.0 35.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
  36. 36.0 36.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 32, Cersei VII.
  37. 37.0 37.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 54, Cersei I.
  38. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 65, Cersei II.
  39. A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
  40. A Game of Thrones, Bad parameter 2: "277" is not a recognized chapter.
  41. A Game of Thrones, Bad parameter 2: "344" is not a recognized chapter.