Samantha Cass on who should rule Westeros…
By now we know that there have been several “self-styled” kings, and many that have claimed the rights to Westeros. Whether you have read all the books to date, or are only a fan of the television series, we have been subjected to a parade of aspiring leaders that all feel they have a claim to the Iron Throne.
But of these wannabes, which of these actually would make a good ruler? Which of them actually has a true and valid claim? And which of these as avid readers/watchers would we actually like to see sitting atop the Iron Throne?
This article will take look at not only those that have already expressed a desire to rule, but also those that might be interesting choices, based on assumed rights (as in conspiracy theories) or just that they might be what Westeros needs to bring peace back to the land.
Please note that there may be spoilers in some of these choices, so if you are not up to date, you may want to proceed with caution.
10. Viserys
Origin of Claim:
Viserys is the first character we are introduced to that stakes his claim on the Iron Throne. He even refers to himself as the “Last Dragon”, since he appears to be the last male in the Targaryen line.
Validity of Claim:
He is the son of “Mad King Aerys”, the last to sit the throne before Robert Baratheon. Should Aerys had lived, he was next in line.
Should They Rule:
Despite having a really valid claim, he has certainly demonstrated that he would have made a terrible King. Not only is he selfish and egotistical, he is unnaturally cruel. He shows time and again that he has little regard for others, and considers himself above all, including his own sister. He uses fear and intimidation to try and get his own way, which does not actually appear to really work out for him. He would in no way be putting the welfare of the realm first, and also appears to be a terrible leader and have literally no concept of warfare. Had he attempted to take King’s Landing, even with a horde of Dothraki screamers, he would have perished long before his polished boots hit the shores of Blackwater Bay. Having been murdered early on is a clear indication he didn’t have what it takes to rule.
9. Joffrey Baratheon
Origin of Claim:
When we are first introduced to the land of Westeros, Joffrey is the eldest son of the current reigning King, Robert Baratheon. In this land, the rules of succession dictate that the eldest son would be next in line to rule.
Validity of Claim:
That’s a sticky one. As far as Robert is concerned, Joffrey is his eldest pure born son, and would be the next King. As readers and watchers, we know that Joffrey is not Robert’s son, but the product of the incestuous relationship between Robert’s Queen, Cersei, and her twin brother Jaime Lannister. This is the secret that both Jon Arryn and Ned Stark died for, and the truth that Stannis clings to, to claim his right…but more on him later.
Should They Rule:
Gods be good, no! If there was ever any man more ill-suited to sit in a seat of power, it is this monster. Not only does he prove over and over again that he is immature, cruel and selfish, he knows nothing of war and must rely on others to help him keep his crown. If it weren’t for his Grandfather and his uncle, he would have either been cut down on the Blackwater, or ripped apart by an angry mob, fed up with his tyrannical ways. We can only thank the Gods that someone else also realized how unfit he was and removed him altogether from the equation. Who knew how lethal pigeon pie could be?
8. Balon Greyjoy
Origin of Claim:
Here is a character that is not actually claiming the Iron Throne, but instead has named himself King of the Iron Islands. He had attempted this once before, but was defeated and instead chose to bend the knee.
Validity of Claim:
As there had been Kings of the Iron Islands and Balon Greyjoy is the apparent heir, there appears to be no reason he cannot claim himself as King, but this does not sit well with those ruling from King’s Landing. As far as they are concerned, there is only one Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and it is certainly not Balon Greyjoy. Would he have rebelled again if not for the letter from Robb Stark inviting him to claim the Iron Islands and join forces with Robb and the North to help defeat the Lannisters? Perhaps if Rob had gone in Theon’s place to make the offer, he might have agreed, and not decided to reap and reave along the coast and begin claiming the North, whilst Robb and his army were busy in the Riverlands.
Should They Rule:
This man definitely does not seem just or fair, and does not appear to make a good King of anything. We see how he treats Theon so badly and seems to care little when he hears that he has been captured and is literally being flayed alive. If the small folk are looking for a King that will be protecting them and trying to better their way of living, it would appear that they need to look elsewhere. Fortunately for all, as he ends up being swept off of a bridge in his own lands, the people of the Iron Islands, or Westeros for that matter, will never have to find out.
7. Quentyn Martell
*SPOILER ALERT*
Here is a character that has not been yet introduced in the television series. If you have not read the books and want to avoid spoilers, you may want to skip this entry.
Origin of Claim:
Quentyn Martell is son to Prince Doran, Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear. We learn in the books that Prince Doran had made a secret pact; that his daughter Arianne Martell was promised to Prince Viserys in return for Dorne’s support in helping him regain his Iron Throne. However, upon the death of Viserys, Doran now instead wants Quentyn to wed Daenerys, since she is now claiming rights to the Iron Throne.
Validity of Claim:
Sounds like a great plan, but will it work? We have seen a Princess of Dorne wed to the dragon before, so it seems like a natural match to make. But nobody from Dorne has ever spoken with Dany to see if she is even interested. Quentyn makes the dangerous voyage to seek out his intended Queen, but things do not go as planned.
Should They Rule:
A Prince of Dorne should be a good match for Dany as someone to rule beside her in Westeros. The Martells are not close with the Lannisters and would like to see Targaryens back on the throne. However, the lad is young and seems an unlikely ruler, based on what we learn from him in the books. Also, he arrives too late, as the Queen is just about to wed Hizdahr zo Loraq, a noble from Meereen. Dany seems to take pity on Quentyn and invites him to visit her dragons. Despite being dismissed and urged to return to Dorne, he does not wish to go empty handed. He hatches a plot to attempt to tame one of the dragons, and gets his companions to agree to assist. Whilst in the dragon pit, he turns his back on one dragon while trying to deal with the other and is burned alive. He wounds are so devastating that he dies a few days later.
6. Renly Baratheon
Origin of Claim:
Renly is Robert’s younger brother. He also believes that Robert left no true heirs, but since he doesn’t think Stannis will make a good King, he throws his hat into the ring.
Validity of Claim:
Renly is Robert’s brother, but the younger sibling. As long as Stannis still lives and breathes, the crown should pass to the older brother, no matter what the younger brother declares. He is by far more popular than Stannis, but that does not make the claim valid. Renly realizes that he will have to take the throne by force, since he is on shaky ground as far as his claim goes.
Should They Rule:
There is no doubt that Renly knows how to dress and act the part, and he has the strength of Highgarden behind him, but is that enough to grant him the throne? He has no experience in battle, and although his little friend Loras will stand by his side, he is really only good at “knocking men off of horses with sticks”. How well that will play out in a war? He may have had all the banners run to his side, but did they really do so because they thought he had the best claim, or just following suit and thinking that the larger army had the better chance? A popular King may sit the throne, but can he keep it without having any real experience at warfare? This remains unknown since Stannis murders him before the battle even begins.
Originally published March 10, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
