He actually was a fairly good king, not because of anything he did but because he let a very capable hand do all the work which led to many years of peace and prosperity for the common people.
I believe so, yes.
What’s with all the celibacy requirements? The Night Watch, the Kingsguard, … anyone else?
The Maesters? the silent sisters? Not sure about either but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Well sure, but after that Han:pd quit there was nobody to keep him under control. Kind of like Robert - if he has no hand, or a weak one, the Seven Kingdoms would turn into a huge brothel where the leading causes of death would be syphilis, alcohol poisoning, and drowning in one’s own pease.
-Joe
The Maesters of the Citadel (Lewen, the little bald advisor guy at Winterfell, is one) and the Septons/Septas (priests) All seven+ orders of them.
Have they really mentioned Jamie’s Kingsguard status enough that a non-reader would have picked up on it? I barely noticed it. Pity if so, as that’s kind of important.
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The Maesters are a non-religious monk-like order dedicated to knowledge. They’re the best doctors, as well as the best educated on history, astronomy, ravens (THEY CONTROL THE MAIL) and pretty much everything else. They use this power only to advise and serve, of course. Ah, advise and serve the nobles, of course.
Maesters and Septons are required to be celibate also. Why? A few reasons, I think. First, the plain out of book reason is that Martin based the whole societal structure on the middle ages and the Septons and Maesters on medieval Christian priests and monks, most of whom were supposed to be celibate. But also, when someone joins one of these groups, they’re supposed to give their loyalty entirely to it, and not have divided loyalties. As we see in the books, this is more true in theory than in practice, but having a lover or wife and raising a family goes counter to that, because you’ll be tempted to put their well being ahead of the group’s.
Yeah, I wish all the Kingsguard wore their white cloaks, as in the books. It would visually set them apart, and lend further irony to their situation (since they don’t wear white hats).
Yeah, but as the son of the former King’s hand, he also wasn’t supposed to *kill *the King, but that didn’t stop him. So it’s not surprising that he’d overlook any piddling celibacy rules.
As a member of the Kingsguard he really wasn’t supposed to kill the king.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s written down in the rules or something.
So the guys who go “serve on the wall” in the great white north, like the two we saw die in the first episode, wear all black and ride black horses? Not big on camouflage, I guess. I suppose it would help them spot each other in the wilds.
I don’t think their horses have to be black, but they wear all black, yes.
And nobody else does. Makes it easier to catch deserters.
-Joe
Initially they tried to make the white armor, but it didn’t film well.
Well first they changed this from the book. But at this point no one is thinking seriously of a war with the Targaryen’s. I know Robert talks about it but really it is a distant possibility at the time and certainly not an important consideration for either Cat or Eddard. Cat is probably just worried that Eddard will get caught up in dangerous court intrigues and obviously she doesn’t want to be separated from him.
The whole ‘cloak as a uniform’ thing seems to have been toned down a lot. The faceless Lannister guys did wear red cloaks, but no one else seems to have gotten the memo.
Pity, I always liked that bit.
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On the other hand, we’ve never seen Jamie on duty, have we? He, and most of the other Kingsguard, mostly wore their house colors when off duty . . .
We’ll see if the yellowcloaks still patrol the streets of King’s Landing…
They do have cream colored cloaks, though - at least I think I saw Jaime wearing his in one of the shots. I might be mistaken.
Gold. Lem’s is yellow.
The hound has the correct helmet. Wonder if all the other ’ themed’ knights will have have the armor they’re supposed to.
-Joe