Kingsguard

The Kingsguard are the royal bodyguards of Westeros in George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire".

History

The Kingsguard was founded by Aegon the Conqueror of House Targaryen as an elite bodyguard for those of royal blood. A poetic name often used for them is "the White Swords", or "the White Cloaks". Historically composed of seven knights sworn to a lifetime of service, members are to serve unto death despite age or any physical or mental ailments. During his time as a member of the Kingsguard a member is not allowed to hold lands, sire children, marry, or have any worldly allegiance except to his monarch. Some of the greatest warriors, battle commanders, swordsmen, and famous historical figures in the history of Westeros have served in the Kingsguard, including members of House Targaryen itself.

The knights of the guard wear all white capes, carry plain white shields and with some occasional exceptions wear little or no ornamentation or sigils on their white armor. This plain but striking attire leads credence to their role of being seen and not heard until their advice is asked. Discretion and wisdom are often as important skills as martial ability being as they are expected to be with their King or Queen at all times, privy to all their secrets, plans and every aspect of their personal lives.

The Kingsguard has continuously existed since the Conquest. Its uninterrupted history is recorded in "the White Book", a volume maintained by the head of the Kingsguard, known as the Lord Commander, and stored in the Round Room of the White Sword Tower, a four story tower built into one of the walls of the Red Keep of King's Landing. In "the White Book", officially known as "the Book of the Brothers", each member of the Kingsguard is given one page on which his personal history and a record of his deeds are written. Because of its status as the royal bodyguard and the many remarkable figures who have been members, the Kingsguard has been involved in many major historical events in Westeros.

After the War of the Usurper, Robert Baratheon, the new king, chose to continue the tradition of the Kingsguard. He went as far as to elevate a member of Aerys II's Kingsguard, Barristan Selmy, to the position of Lord Commander. Selmy held that position until dismissed in an unprecedented move by Robert's heir, Joffrey. After Selmy's dismissal the last of the remaining knights from Aerys II's Kingsguard, Joffrey's uncle Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, was appointed Lord Commander.

Historical Members

*Prince Aemon, known as the Dragonknight, later Lord Commander. Killed defending his brother King Aegon IV from an assassination attempt by two brothers of House Toyne.
*Ser Ryam Redwyne, later Lord Commander. Thought to be one of the best knights and worst King's Hands that Westeros had ever seen.
*Ser Criston Cole, later Lord Commander. Called the Kingmaker. His decision to crown Aegon II against the deceased king's wishes lead to the Targaryen civil war known as The Dance of Dragons.
*Ser Arryk. Died fighting his twin, Erryk, during the civil war known as The Dance of Dragons.
*Ser Erryk. Died fighting his twin, Arryk, during the civil war known as The Dance of Dragons.
*Ser Serwyn of the Mirror Shield. Legendary knight.
*Ser Lucamore Strong. Called Lucamore the Lusty after it became known he secretly took three wives and fathered numerous children. For this, he was gelded by the rest of the Kingsguard and sent to the Wall by King Jaehaerys I.
*Ser Terrence Toyne. Executed for having an affair with King Aegon IV's mistress. His execution led to a failed assassination attempt by his two brothers resulting in the death of Prince Aemon.
*Gyles Greycloak, remembered in the white book as a traitor.
*Orivel the open-handed remembered in the white book as a coward.
*Long Tom Costayne, was a kingsguard knight for 60 years
*Adison Hill, rose to become Lord commander of the kingsguard despite his bastard birth.
*Red Robert Flowers, rose to become Lord commander of the kingsguard despite his bastard birth.
*Michael Mertyns known as the White Owl.
*Jeffory Norcross known as Neveryield.
*Rolland Darklyn, one of the youngest men ever to join the Kingsguard, was given the white cloak on the battlefield & died within an hour of donning it (Darklyn died but his king survived).
*Alyn Connington, known as the Pale Griffon eventually became Lord Commander.
*Ser Clerence Crabb named after the Legendary "Clerence Crabb of Crackclaw point" known as the short despite being over six foot tall because he was shorter then the real Clerence Crabb who was over seven foot tall.
*Ser Rupert Crabb
*Ser Clement Crabb
*Ser Olyvar Oakheart known as the Green Oak. Member during the reign of King Daeron the Young Dragon.
*Ser Duncan the Tall. Famed knight and later Lord Commander. Companion to King Aegon V during the latter's childhood.
*Ser Gwayne Corbray. Member during the reign of King Daeron the Good. Battled Daemon Blackfyre for nearly an hour at the battle of Redgrass Field during the Blackfyre Rebellion before being defeated.
*Ser Donnel of Duskendale. Member during the reign of King Daeron the Good.
*Ser Willem Wylde. Member during the reign of King Daeron the Good.
*Ser Roland Crakehall. Member during the reign of King Daeron the Good.
*Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower, known as the White Bull. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Killed at the Tower of Joy.
*Ser Arthur Dayne, known as the Sword of the Morning. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Killed at the Tower of Joy.
*Ser Oswell Whent. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Known for his dark humor. Killed at the Tower of Joy.
*Prince Lewyn Martell. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Uncle of Princess Elia of Dorne. Killed by Lyn Corbray at the Battle of the Trident.
*Ser Jonothor Darry. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Killed at the Battle of the Trident.
*Ser Gwayne Gaunt. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Killed during the Defiance of Duskendale.
*Ser Harlan Grandison. Member during the reign of Aerys II. Died in his sleep prior to War of the Usurper, replaced by Ser Jaime Lannister.

Recent Members

Prior to the War of the Usurper

*Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower, 'The White Bull'
*Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning
*Prince Lewyn Martell
*Ser Barristan Selmy
*Ser Oswell Whent
*Ser Jaime Lannister.
*Ser Jonothor Darry

Under Robert Baratheon

It should be noted that after the War, King Robert was left in the awkward position of having to fill not one but five vacancies in the Kingsguard. This, along with the blatantly political appointments made by his wife, Queen Cersei Lannister, led many to regard this as a low point in the Kingsguard's history. The continued inclusion of Jaime Lannister despite his betrayal of Aerys II was poorly received by many outside of the Lannister inner circle.

*Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander. Served under Aerys II. Pardoned by King Robert after the War of the Usurper and promoted to Lord Commander. At this point Ser Barristan was thought by many to be the only member of Roberts Kingsguard that is 'true steel'.
*Ser Arys Oakheart
*Ser Boros Blount
*Ser Jaime Lannister. Served under Aerys II, who he later slew. Survived the War of the Usurper and retained in his position in the Kingsguard under King Robert.
*Ser Mandon Moore
*Ser Meryn Trant
*Ser Preston Greenfield

Under Joffrey Baratheon

The Kingsguard entered an even more controversial time after the death of King Robert. His heir, King Joffrey, dismissed Lord Commander Selmy, something never before done in the history of the Kingsguard. This time period also saw the appointment of an unanointed and brutal House Lannister retainer, Sandor Clegane. These changes in the Kingsguard including the appointment of Lannister loyalists and Loras Tyrell of House Tyrell, Lannister allies in the War of the Five Kings, can be viewed as attempts to make political appointments in order to solidify Lannister power on the throne.

*Lord Commander Barristan Selmy, dismissed in an unprecedented move by King Joffrey after Robert's death. Joins Daenerys Targaryen in the far east as her advisor and head of her Queensguard.
*Lord Commander Jaime Lannister, elevated after Selmy's dismissal. His right hand was amputated by the Brave Companions at Vargo Hoat's order after his capture. Returned to King's Landing by Brienne of Tarth.
*Sandor Clegane, raised to the Kingsguard when Joffrey dismissed Barristan Selmy, and later deserted the Kingsguard during the Battle of the Blackwater. Controversially, Sandor was raised to the white cloak by King Joffrey in spite of his not being an anointed knight.
*Ser Arys Oakheart, killed by Areo Hotah in Dorne during a failed coup. His position remains unfilled in the series as of the fourth book, as his death has been kept secret by the Dornish.
*Ser Meryn Trant, an elderly but capable fighter. Trant participated in the Battle of Blackwater. He defeated, and possibly killed, Arya's dancing master, Syrio Forel, also a skilled fighter. He is loyal to Cersei.
*Ser Preston Greenfield, killed by rioters in King's Landing.
*Ser Mandon Moore, killed by Tyrion Lannister's squire, Podrick Payne at the Battle of the Blackwater after Moore tried to murder Tyrion. When Moore was slain, his place was given to Ser Loras Tyrell as part of Joffrey's wedding contract to Margaery Tyrell.
*Ser Boros Blount, removed for surrendering his ward, Prince Tommen to Tommen's uncle, Tyrion Lannister. Despite this, no harm came to Tommen and Blount was later reinstated by Tywin Lannister after Sandor Clegane deserted the Kingsguard. Blount is regarded by many as fat and cowardly.
*Ser Balon Swann. Balon Swann is regarded by many to be one of the very few knights that truly deserves the white cloak of the Kingsguard. Ser Balon was raised to the Kingsguard after Preston Greenfield was slain by the riots in Kings Landing. Ser Balon is honest, loyal and an extremely capable fighter, having fought bravely at the battle of the Blackwater. At Tyrion's trial, Ser Balon Swann tried to defend Tyrion, telling the judges that he believed the dwarf not guilty of the murder of King Joffrey. In A Feast for Crows, Ser Balon Swann was sent to Dorne to deliver Gregor Clegane's head to Prince Doran Martell. It was also revealed in one of Cersei's POV chapters that Swann has been ordered to do another task as well, possibly to retrieve Myrcella from the Martells' hands, as Cersei mistrusts the Dornish.
*Ser Loras Tyrell, known as the Knight of Flowers and former member of Renly Baratheon's Rainbow Guard, as well as Renly's former lover. [ [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1316/ Author commentary] ]
*Ser Osmund Kettleblack, former sellsword. Was raised to the Kingsguard after Boros Blount was stripped of his white cloak by Cersei Lannister. While superficially Ser Osmund and his two brothers are sworn swords of Cersei Lannister, in truth they are agents of Petyr Baelish.

Under Tommen Baratheon

*Lord Commander Jaime Lannister
*Ser Boros Blount
*Ser Meryn Trant
*Ser Osmund Kettleblack
*Ser Balon Swann
*Ser Loras Tyrell

Derivative organizations

Rainbow Guard

During the War of the Five Kings, Renly Baratheon declared himself king of the Seven Kingdoms after the death of his brother King Robert. To reflect his status, he created the Rainbow Guard, a fanciful version of the Kingsguard. Each of the seven members were given a color of the rainbow.

Members:
*Ser Loras Tyrell, Lord Commander
*Brienne of Tarth, the Blue
*Ser Bryce Caron, the Orange
*Ser Emmon Cuy, the Yellow
*Ser Guyard Morrigen, the Green
*Ser Parmen Crane, the Purple
*Ser Robar Royce, the Red

Following the death of Renly, the Rainbow Guard disintegrated. Brienne fled, having been witness to the death and being blamed for it. Loras went mad from grief and slew Royce and Cuy, whom he blamed for allowing the murder. Guyard Morrigen, Parmen Crane and Bryce Caron joined the forces of Stannis Baratheon. Guyard and Bryce were slain during the siege at King's Landing, while Parmen was arrested at Highgarden. When House Tyrell joined House Lannister against the forces of Stannis Baratheon, Loras fought under the banner of House Tyrell. He later joined the Kingsguard as part of the marriage agreement between Houses Tyrell and Lannister.

Queensguard

Following the death of Khal Drogo, Daenerys Targaryen created a cadre of sworn protectors. Based on the Kingsguard, the group is called the Queensguard in deference to her gender. As Westerosi-style knights are rare in the eastern continent, being a formal knight is not required for members. The current Lord Commander is Barristan Selmy.

Members:
*Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander
*Ser Jorah Mormount ("Later removed")
*Aggo, "ko" and bloodrider to Daenerys
*Jhogo, "ko" and bloodrider to Daenerys
*Rakharo, "ko" and bloodrider to Daenerys

The Queensguard was created by Daenerys following the death of Khal Drogo, when she declared herself queen and her surviving followers her "khalasar". Jorah Mormont took an oath to serve and protect her, similar to that of the Kingsguard, thereby establishing her Queensguard. Three of Drogo's riders who remained with her became her "kos" and bloodriders after witnessing the birth of the dragons, Viserion, Rhaegal, and Drogon. By serving as her sworn protectors, they became members of the Queensguard.

Prior to Daenerys Targaryen's campaign against the slavers, Barristan Selmy joined her retinue under a ruse. Upon the revelation of his identity, and for his long service to King Robert the Usurper, he was nearly banished, but was instead sent on a suicide mission alongside Jorah Mormont, who had also betrayed Daenerys. After the successful conclusion of the mission, Barristan proved his loyalty by submitting his fate to Daenerys' will. For failing to submit to Daenerys, Jorah was removed from the Queensguard and banished. Barristan Selmy was readmitted to the service of the Queen and made Lord Commander of the Queensguard.

References