Does it seem to you that most of the Targaryen loyalist houses were gutted in the WotFK? Darry, Mooton, and others seemed to have been devastated or annihilated. And when Tyrion summoned support for King’s Landing in ACOK I recall only around 300 knights and men-at-arms from the Crownlands arrived. Were the old Targ supporters utterly laid low in Robert’s Rebellion? Is this part of Dany’s own Hero’s Journey, that she won’t have her family’s old supporters to call on?

Or…they deliberately held back their resources from the hated Lannisters.

Given his own nature, why is Tywin so upset at Joffrey’s impulsive sadism?

Because it reminds him of Aerys, and look what happened to Aerys.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe you once concluded that while the smallfolk of Westeros may have been serfs in the past their status is not so any longer. What process do you think led to serfdom’s decline in Westeros and how does thralldom tie into this (which we know the early First Men practiced but only the Ironborn retain it to this day)?

Discussed here.

Kevan describes Tywin as a “just man” who gave the realm “20 years of peace”. Do you think this is how Tywin sees/justifies his actions, or is he apathetic about their morality?

I think that’s how he’d like to be seen, but not so much because he believes justice and peace are morally good in and of themselves, but because it would add glory to his personal image.

Maester Steven, I remembered you expressing concern over the new WONDER WOMAN movie using the First World War instead of the Second World War; having just seen the film may I please reassure you that the use of the conflict is not merely tasteful, it is genuinely thoughtful? (and makes considerable sense to boot).

Yeah, that’s what I’m hearing from the reviews. I think the issue is that the trailers made the use of WWI look quite different than it was in the film, which is not an uncommon problem with trailers.

Good news!

Would you wager the strength of the Reach is really 100,000 men? In the books I always took it to be only that high with the addition of the stormlords. And do you think the Reach would have the highest horse-to-foot ratio of Westerosi armies?

Yes and yes.

What is the problem with twoiaf section of the stormlands a lot of people speak about ? Thank you

You’ll find out on Monay when Part I of my essay on the Stormlands goes live.

RFTIT Tumblr Weekly Roundup!

Hey folks! So Part I of the Politics of the Stormlands is ready to go for Monday (this is looking like a three-parter at the most), but in the mean-time we’ve got some good stuff on the Tumblrs. ASOIAF: Bloodraven and Euron. Could knights armor themselves without a squire? What is a Sub-Treasury Plan? (Economic Development series-related) Why would vassals prefer to pay scutage? On the Dosh…

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In ASOIAF, one of the explicit purposes of a chevauchee appears to be killing civilians. Is this historically analogous?

Yes.

In AGoT Robb and Catelyn talk of who will command the northern foot, and Theon is brought up as a possibility. Am I missing some aspect of feudal society and this was a serious option? Would it be because he’s Eddard’s ward? How might the other northerners have reacted to this?

Not really, Catelyn was grasping at straws there. Theon might be Eddard’s ward and thus his foster-son, but he’s a completely inexperienced teenager (and not their liege lord’s heir), plus he’s an Ironborn and the proud lords of the North are not about to take his orders.