minor thing but, do you know how Lady Stoneheart got Robb’s crown? if i recall, Ryman Frey had the crown at Riverrun, which he gave to his ‘Queen of Whores’ but Jaime told him something like, “You can take your whore, but not that crown of hers.” so that implies that Jaime took the crown, thus Ryman didn’t have it when the Brotherhood killed him… am i missing something?

Two possibilities:

Jaime ordered him to leave the crown, but Ryman petulantly refuses and takes it anyway, and LSH takes it from his cold dead hands.
Tom o’ Sevenstreams stole it.

Is the Reach less defensible than the Riverlands? It’s larger and has two disconnected river systems, they border five other provinces, and have (what seems to be) a largely unwatched maritime border. It seems like nearly all of their naval assets are concentrated in the Redwyne Straits, and that if anything happens to the shield islands there’s nothing left to secure the Mander, and it doesn’t seem like they have an actual riverine navy to compliment the Arbor fleet

No, it’s actually significantly more defensible. It’s got the Red Mountains guarding its southern border (and to some extent eastern) and some big beefy castles guarding the passes, rivers which narrow approaches on its eastern borders, and the hills of the west funnel the Lannisters down to the coast road or the gold road, which mean getting past the Oakhearts or the Rowans, and giving the Tyrells time to mobilize.

We shouldn’t let Euron’s raids blind us to the true naval defenses of the Reach – the Shield Isles are substantially stronger than Seagard, just ask Quellon Greyjoy, and the Hightowers also have a substantial navy (see the Sea Lion).

Say that Aerys II dies during the Defiance of Duskendale in 277 AC, either because Barristan’s rescue failed or Denys Darklyn killed him outright after Tywin put the town under siege. Does Tywin try to marry Rhaegar to Cersei right away? If not, to whom is he betrothed (I’d suspect some urgency to the matter)? Are Rhaella and Rhaegar wary enough of Tywin’s (potentially) deliberate botching of the affair that they bring in Steffon as Hand? Is there still the potential for a Southron alliance?

Oh, absolutely Tywin marries Rhaegar to Cersei. In fact, if Rhaegar doesn’t, I think he suddenly cuts his head off while shaving, Cersei is betrothed to Viserys, and All Hail Regent and Lord Protector Hand of the King Tywin Lannister.

And at that point, I think the Southron Alliance changes targets to deal with the Kingslayer Tyrant (in either scenario, really, although the propaganda works better if Rhaegar had died), and picks up the Tyrells to boot, because I think with that much power the crab-bucket nature of feudal politics really begin to kick in.

When Robert’s Rebellion was over house Baratheon was the new royal family, but in a much weaker position than the Targaryens, whose authority ultimately came from the dragons they initially controlled. How could Robert and Jon Arryn have prevented the overlarge Lannister influence? Focusing on house Baratheon and the Stormlands or giving all the great houses some input into the matters of the state?

Basically, by playing dynastic politics better. To begin with, Stannis and Renly should have been raised to Princely status, to make it very clear that House Baratheon was here to stay. From a purely dynastic perspective, I think I would have made Stannis Prince of Summerhall as the new heir apparent title, since the name is associated with the destruction of House Targaryen and the glorious victory of the new King over his disloyal vassal, and given him Storm’s End to make sure that the adult brother has some real weight he can throw around. Put Ser Courtney Penrose in as castellan of Dragonstone, he’ll hold it until Renly can come of age. Might also want to bring in Estermont kin too, see if we can’t get some younger sons to form a cadet branch or something.

Next, dynastic balance. Both Stannis and Renly should have been betrothed and married at earliest possible moments, to highest possible houses (Florents nowhere near good enough!), so that the Lannisters are primus among many pares. My first priority would have been to bring the Tyrells into the fold; they’re way too powerful and loyalist to be safely left out of it. So try for Mina or Janna Tyrell if their marriages hadn’t happened yet, failing that a future betrothal with Margaery is a good idea. Failing that, Malora Hightower or Desmera Redwyne would be good fallbacks.

Now, it’s true that in 283, the ranks of unmarried daughters seem to have been a bit thin, but that’s where engaging newborn and/or hypothetical children can be quite handy. If the Baratheon monarchy is going to remain, it’s going to need to keep the Southron Alliance going – so make sure that the Starks, Arryns, Tullys, and Baratheons’ kids are all engaged to one another.

Finally, begin building a king’s party at the court. Having Stannis and Renly on the Small Council is a great idea, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t have given Hoster Tully a seat and had Edmure as a page/squire, maybe bring the Blackfish into the Kingsguard. Reach out to the more powerful lesser Houses, give them some patronage too – the Royces/Waynwoods/Hunters/Redforts, Penroses/Carons/Swanns/Estermonts, Whents/Blackwoods or Brackens, maybe some Manderlys?

Do you think that the Starks claimed the title “King of Winter” because they broke the power of the Others at Winterfell? It seems very similar to the story of Durran Godsgrief breaking the power of the gods at Storm’s End (another castle where legend says Bran the Builder was involved) and claiming the title “Storm King.”

Quite possible. Although King of Winter seems less commonly used than King in the North (probably because that was a historical title in our world).

Re: Stannis’ marriage: While I agree on the explanation for why he married a Florent, is there any reason given he married Selyse instead of, say, Delena?

Nope.

What if Aegon II had just killed Aegon III? Any ideas why he didn’t?

Well, possibly Viserys becomes king much earlier, but in the meantime, it’s possible the Seven Kingdoms would have divided.

Aegon III probably didn’t because his sons were dead and he needed a male heir.

Regarding Daemon Blackfyre and the first Blackfyre Rebellion: you give Daemon and his inner circle a lot of credit; if Daemon had won the Rebellion, what kind of King would he have been? Could he appease his supporters? What happens to Dorne?

Definitely a more warlike King, to be certain, and he’d probably be kept busy quelling rebellions and bringing the whole of the realm under his reign.

As I’ve said, I think his main way of appeasing his supporters would have been to redistribute titles and the land that came with them – the Reynes would have been given Casterly Rock, if the Lothstons had stayed loyal he’d probably give them the Lord Paramouncy, maybe the Carons get Storm’s End, there’s any number of candidates for Highgarden (including the Tyrells), etc.

Depending on his level of success at capturing the royal family, war with Dorne probably would have followed. However, the major difference probably would have been that Daemon I would have had the support of House Yronwood and its vassals, which means an quick sweep down the Boneway and a quick march along the coast (Richard Lionheart-style) to Sunspear. Secondly, I think Daemon would have made the Yronwoods Princes of Dorne, as a way to divide and rule.

Where were the Northern Nobility when King Robert brought court to Winterfell? It didn’t seem like many of them came out for what is probably a once in a lifetime event. If they had been there would/should anyone then have gone with Ned to KL?

It’s quite possible that they were there, but not remarked on. If I recall correctly, our POV of the actual event was Jon Snow, who wasn’t really paying attention.

How or when do you imagine Euron Greyjoy hired the Faceless Men to off his brother? Everyone seems to imagine it was in A Storm of Swords, but did he have the time?

Most likely, he gave them the egg before he left for the Iron Islands, then sailed, and the Faceless Man in question took the inside route against Euron’s long way around.

Alternatively, he picked up the FM on his ship, sailed around, anchored a day’s sail or so away from Pyke, and then sent the FM in a ship’s boat to Pyke.