Is a king like Aerys I realistic historically-speaking, in the sense of someone so eccentric or preoccupied with non-political affairs that he simply refuses to participate in the dynastic mandate of siring a heir? Are there any notable historical parallels to Bloodraven or his police state-approach to ruling in the early modern period, especially a relative of the monarch who effectively ruled in his place due to the monarch’s weakness, mental instability, or something similar?

Is a mad king realistic? Well, we could ask King Henry VI of England who suffered repeated mental breakdowns resulting in catatonia for upwards of a year. Or we could ask his maternal grandfather, Charles VI of France, who had repeated psychotic breaks in which he could be murderously violent, completely disassociative to the point of not knowing his own name or remembering his wife, believing himself to be made completely of glass, etc. Yeah, there’s plenty of cases of mentally ill kings and queens.

Parallels to Bloodraven? The tricky thing here is that having lots of spies and arresting people wasn’t hugely unusual, but the question is how widespread and effective the network is. Are we talking Sir Francis Walsingham or Cardinal Richelieu, or something closer to the oprichniks of Tsar Ivan?

You don’t think Lemore is Ashara Dayne? I re-read A Dance with Dragons, and Martin very noticeably avoids describing Lemore’s eyes in the Tyrion chapters – even though Tyrion thinks about the eyes of just about everyone he meets in that book. Given the stretch marks and Ashara Dayne supposedly having striking eyes, it seems a little conspicuous in its absence (not that it will necessarily amount to much other than an easter egg).

Well, they’ve got different hair color, for one thing. Brown vs. black.

And I think the striking eyes would count against it being the case – wouldn’t Tyrion notice the violet eyes, given that they’d be quite similar to Young Griff’s?

Do you think septa Lemore is just septa Lemore or do you think she could have a secret identity?

She might well, but I think most people are wrong about what that identity is. Ashara Dayne is dead.

The Tyrell’s have the largest standing army in Westeros, and are taking it onto themselves with feeding an extra million mouths in King’s Landing. Add the Iron Born reaving through the Reach, how do you think they’ll fare with Winter?

Half-million.

I think they’ll be mostly ok. Keep in mind the Ironborn can only raid along the coasts and rivers and the Reach has a lot of interior.

Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Theon IV, ACOK

“Mercy was for the morning,” said Theon. It is better to be feared than laughed at. “Before they made me angry.”
Synopsis: Everything goes wrong for Theon all at once. Luckily, Reek is there to provide some sage advice.
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…)

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I know Robert was “open handed and generous” but why did he leave Balon Greyjoy as Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands after the latter’s rebellion? It doesn’t seem like taking a hostage was a sufficient punishment/deterrent for rebellion.

It worked for 9+ years, and only broke down when the realm fell into civil war. So I’d call it a successful policy.

By contrast, if Balon’s dead, what hold does he have on whoever takes over after?

Do you consider it even remotely possible that Stannis becomes the Night’s King?

I’d put the chances at pretty low. For one thing, from everything we’ve seen, you need to be in a place to be affected by its spirit, and Stannis hasn’t set foot in the Nightfort nor does he look likely to. Rather, Stannis is probably going to set up his HQ in Winterfell itself.

For another, it just seems to run counter to Stannis’ whole story arc. For him to be suddenly seduced by the power of the Others when everything else has been pointing to Stannis burning away his soul in service to R’hllor seems out of nowhere and rendering a lot of previous chapters moot.

Finally, to the extent that the show has any correspondence to the books, the Night King and Stannis are two different people with different agendas.

The Stormlands don’t appear to have much of a navy or naval tradition. So how did Stannis learn to become such a skilled admiral? Maybe the Tarths have some naval skill that they passed to him in his youth?

Years of experience from the time that he took Dragonstone through to the Greyjoy Rebellion?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SYbwv1jkdwU

Guest Appearance on History of Westeros: The Battle of Redgrass Field

Aziz, SomethingLikeaLawyer, and I are back with another installment of the History of Westeros Podcast’s series on the Blackfyre Rebellions.

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

Considering the military damage already done to the Seven Kingdoms do you anticipate Dany taking much time in conquering Westeros? It seems to me once she lands she will steam roll what’s left of the other contenders barring unforeseen magical players

I don’t think Dany’s going to wage an extended campaign in the South. I think she touches down in King’s Landing and then goes North after.