# Has there ever been a book/movie about someone REFUSING a throne? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373 "2013-05-15T03:34:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/21 "2013-10-01T19:17:44Z")
**The Beastmaster** was the rightful heir, but never bothered to assert his claim even while helping the next-in-line get the throne. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/22 "2013-10-01T19:20:55Z")
In _A Game of Thrones_ by George R.R. Martin, Aemon Targaryen, who was entitled to the throne of Westeros, became a maester (kind of like a scholarly monk) of the Night’s Watch to remove himself from the line of succession; after refusing the throne, he let his younger brother Aegon rule instead. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/23 "2013-10-01T19:22:51Z")
> [@Marc Anthony](#): > > You all did see that on the Lupercal > I thrice presented him a kingly crown, > Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? So there’s Julius Caesar. He refused the throne, not once, not twice but three times! ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/24 "2013-10-01T19:23:08Z")
She is a Japanese citizen, so she doesn’t exactly fit the question posed by the OP, but in [The Twelve Kingdoms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Kingdoms) a protagonist Yoko Nakajima considers not accepting the position of king of the fictional kingdom Kei. She does accept the position in the end, however. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/25 "2013-10-01T19:46:51Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > In Raymond Feist’s first “Magician” (Riftwar) books, there are three brothers inheriting the throne and two abdicating in favor of the third. That’s not what the tales are about, though. It’s just an interesting point in the story’s development. > > G! > > Milamber for President - 2016 Same thing happens in Black Trillium. King and queen killed by invaders, triplet princesses on the run and eventually win the day. The first two refuse the crown in favor of the youngest. Although they both ended up with rather powerful positions of their own. The oldest quite arguably in a stronger position than being queen. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/26 "2013-10-01T19:51:46Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > At the end of _ **Conan the Destroyer** _, Arnold Schwarzenegger was given the chance to marry the princess (Olivia D’Abo) and rule her land with her. > > But he walked out on her, saying “I will have my OWN kingdom, and my own queen.” Once again, proving, Conan is an idiot! [![](http://www.oliviadabo.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/olivia-dabo-bio-2.jpg) ](http://www.oliviadabo.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/olivia-dabo-bio-2.jpg) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/27 "2013-10-01T21:44:47Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > Once again, proving, Conan is an idiot! > > [http://www.oliviadabo.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/olivia-dabo-bio-2.jpg](http://www.oliviadabo.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/olivia-dabo-bio-2.jpg) > > :smack: It’s worse than you think- Olivia was like 19 at the time, and wearing a bikini (as all queeens do in the royal court, right?). She kissed him and asked, “Wilt thou rule with me?” And he left! Well, you know what they say about bodybuilders… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/28 "2013-10-01T21:49:57Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > **Miller** - IMHO, Miles never had a chance to take the throne of Barrayar, even if he wanted it, which he didn’t. He was perceived as a mutie and someone would’ve taken him out, even with Sgt. Bothari guarding him. I dunno about that. If Miles set his mind to it, ascending the throne of Barrayar would only be about the third most impossible thing he achieved in his life. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/29 "2013-10-01T22:51:16Z")
In The Short Reign of Pippin IV: A Fabrication , Pippin doesn’t want the throne, but… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373/30 "2013-10-02T01:30:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > In The Short Reign of Pippin IV: A Fabrication , Pippin doesn’t want the throne, but… Yes…? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-book-movie-about-someone-refusing-a-throne/658373.md?page=1)