Well, you might want to read this series I wrote on the different city-states of Essos. But the short version is: the Free Cities are (mostly) republican city-states rather than monarchies or feudal aristocracies, their economies are based on finance, commerce, and advanced manufacturing rather than subsistence farming; in terms of technology, Myr is producing lenses, telescopes, and advanced crossbows; Braavos uses the assembly line and interchangeable parts in the manufacture of ships and uses double-entry bookkeeping in its finance; Qohor has advanced metallurgy. Culturally, Braavos has Elizabethan theater for crying out loud!
Category: Uncategorized
Why is Jamie Lannister the recipient of apparently special opprobrium compared to others who deserted/betrayed the Targaryens? Is it that the Kingsguard’s oath is special (and if so, why does Barry evade similar scorn – built up credibility)? Is kingslaying a sufficiently special crime that whoever did the deed would be stained by it, no matter how disliked Aerys might have been? Or is it just that his desertion looked more opportunistic than others? Or something else entirely?
Two things:
- Yes, the oath is special. A feudal society is constructed by oaths – breaking those oaths threatens the foundation of the social contract, which is the trust that people will keep their vows. Jaime’s oath in particular is special because the Kingsguard are armed men whose job it is to protect the life of the king – if the king can’t trust them, not only are the Kingsguard pointless, but you start to edge to a scenario where “what could anyone do but spend all day in a small room with a loaded crossbow pointed at the door?” because anyone could be an assassin.
- Barristan Selmy didn’t betray his oath – he fought with distinction at the Trident, was wounded and captured, and then the new king pardoned him.
Had Balon a modicum of sense, would Asha have made a better dynastic match for Robb that one of Walder Frey’s offspring(i’m assuming Roslin)?
Absolutely. For Robb, 15,000 men and the Iron Fleet sailing into the harbor at Lannisport as Robb’s army hit the walls would be far more advantageous than Walder Frey’s 4,000 men. Moreover, with the Iron Islands joining Robb’s northern alliance, his western borders become safe and he can begin establishing commercial and naval connections between the North, the Iron Islands, and the Riverlands so that he can move men and materiel between his various domains.
And as for the Iron Islands, they could gain Asha’s land deal (the Stony Shore at least) as a bridegift and negotiated alliance much more easily than in the aftermath of an unprovoked invasion and failed conquest. And given Robb’s success in the Westerlands, it could have been quite possible for them to grab Fair Isle, Kayce, and Lannisport, which are wealthy, fertile, and more defensible from the sea than Moat Cailin and Winterfell.
What do you think of the theory that Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella really are Robert’s children, but due to the medieval misunderstanding of genetics and general Stannis/Jon Arryn/Ned distrust of Lannisters they all jump the gun and believe they’re Jaime’s kids? Does that sound like an ironic twist that GRRM would do?
I think that theory is as wrong as it is possible to be.
Cersei is quite explicit about this:
Ned said. “How is it that you have had no children by the king?”
She lifted her head, defiant. “Your Robert got me with child once,” she said, her voice thick with contempt. “My brother found a woman to cleanse me. He never knew. If truth be told, I can scarcely bear for him to touch me, and I have not let him inside me for years. I know other ways to pleasure him, when he leaves his whores long enough to stagger up to my bedchamber. Whatever we do, the king is usually so drunk that he’s forgotten it all by the next morning.”
…Ten thousand of your children perished in my palm, Your Grace, she thought, slipping a third finger into Myr. Whilst you snored, I would lick your sons off my face and fingers one by one, all those pale sticky princes. You claimed your rights, my lord, but in the darkness I would eat your heirs.
Cersei avoided having sex with Robert, when she had to she would do so in “other ways” that would not result in children, and when that failed she would have an abortion. There was no black-haired baby, Gendry is not her baby, none of those theories made any political sense whatsoever.
And while we’re at it, while GRRM is not a geneticist, the fact that each and every one of Robert’s bastards – Barra, Bella, Gendry, Mya, etc. – have black hair regardless of the hair color of the mother is meant to be a sign that Robert Baratheon was homozygous for black hair.
So to those who would propound this theory, I would say:
Are there any RL examples of monarchs abdicating of their own volition to make way for their heirs to rule (like Jeor Mormont did for Jorah)? Would this be a smart course of action for certain monarchs in Westeros ‘ history to follow if the succession is a bit murky (for example if Viserys I abdicated as his health was declining, cementing Rhaenyra’s place on the throne while still alive, or had Maekar survived the Peake Uprising, he himself eventually abdicating, making way for Aegon V)? TY
Sure, there are historical cases of abdications. Probably the most famous of them is Charles V, who stepped down as Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Romans and Italy, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, and Duke of Burgundy, between 1554-1556.
The Killing Joke: How the Adaptation Made it More Problematic and Less Fave
I saw the animated movie of the Killing Joke and had some thoughts.
The Killing Joke: How the Adaptation Made it More Problematic and Less Fave
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Tyrion I, ASOS
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Tyrion I, ASOS
“While Tyrion lay drugged and dreaming, his own blood had pulled his claws out, one-by-one.”
Synopsis: All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
(more…)
I was thinking about Westeros and laws of the Forest. IIRC, in The Sworn Sword Egg reads part of a document while visiting Coldmoat that grants House Webber some rights to fell timber and hunt in an Osgrey forest. Besides this I can’t remember any specific mentioning of agreements or, more broadly, laws regarding the forest. Are there laws of the forest in Westeros? If so, has there been any rebelling against it and subsequent reform like the Charter of the Forest in 13th century England.
There’s actually quite a bit about forestry rights scattered throughout ASOIAF. From the Prologue of AGOT, we learn that Will was sent to the Night’s Watch for poaching, which suggests restricted hunting rights, from Bran V we learn that Winterfell employs foresters (as well as Forresters), and from Bran VI we learn that Lord Hornwood is petitioning Robb for “hunting rights north of a certain ridge.”
In terms of rebellions against it, there is something of a history of Westerosi forest outlaws: the Kingswood Brotherhood, the Brotherhood Without Banners, and so on.
Do you listen to or recommend any history related podcasts? I am a big fan of Mike Duncan’s ‘The History of Rome’ and ‘Revolutions’ podcasts and am looking for another in that vein. Have you, Maester Steven, ever thought of creating your own podcast either ASOIAF related or maybe one on history or politics? I’ve enjoyed your appearances on the BLAH and on other forums!
I listen to way too many podcasts, history ones included. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History is quite good, there’s Jaime Jeffers’ British History Podcast, Karina Longworth’s You Must Remember this about the history of Hollywood, and Robin Pierson’s History of Byzantium podcast was invaluable when prepping for the Battle of Blackwater.
In terms of my own podcast, I do podcast with Lawyers, Guns, and Money, although we’re a bit infrequent. I have plans to do a labor history podcast down the road, but I’m way too busy at the moment.
How skilled of a fighter was Ser Duncan the Tall? How much did his lack of formal training affect his abilities?
Initially, Ser Duncan was only so-so, as basically a half-trained kid whose size gave him reach and weight but not much accuracy. And through the events of Hedge Knight, Sworn Sword, and Mystery Knight, he’s definitely learning through the school of hard knocks, although he seems to be much better with the sword than with the lance as of Mystery Knight.
But we know from the WOIAF and the TV show that Dunk got much better at both with time:
“King Aegon V himself rode out to meet them, with his three sons by his side. In the Battle of Wendwater Bridge, the Blackfyres suffered a shattering defeat, and Daemon III was slain by the Kingsguard knight Ser Duncan the Tall, the hedge knight for whom “Egg” had served as a squire…Peace was restored only after the Kingsguard knight Ser Duncan the Tall faced Lord Lyonel in a trial by battle…Ser Duncan of the Kingsguard defeated Lord Lyonel in single combat.”
“…Raised to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard by King Aegon V, his former squire. Led the honor guard that escorted Maester Aemon, formerly of House Targaryen and the Kings uncle, to the Wall. Defeated all challengers at the tourney of Pennytree, which Aegon V held in his honor and named a commoner as the Queen of Love and Beauty. Rescued the daughter of Lord Damon Lannister from Pyke, after her ship was taken by Greyjoy raiders…”
We also know that Dunk was defeated at a tourney by a 16-year old Barristan Selmy, so if you have to get beat, get beat by the best.
RFTIT Tumblr Backup 