History of Westeros

The Life of Joanna Lannister

When considering his mother Joanna Lannister, Tyrion thinks, “It all goes back and back, Tyrion thought, to our mothers and fathers and theirs before them. We are puppets dancing on the strings of those who came before us.”

That’s true, Tyrion! Which is a big part of why we made an episode on your mother. Our latest contains a look at the political setting during her life, which included Tywin’s rise as Hand, Aerys’ crowning, Summerhall, the Rains of Castamere, the War of Ninepenny Kings (her father led the Westerlands army) and more. We also take a look at her personality and relationships with other powerful people. Finally, we of course consider “interactions” with the Mad King, and certain parentage theories. So join us for this episode about Joanna!

Credits

Our introduction and the Westeros and Essos maps were created by Michael Klarfeld (Klaradox). The cyvasse pieces were created by dutchmogul. Check out the episode on YouTube below to see those images.

In those days, his father had been Aerys’s Hand, and many people said that Lord Tywin Lannister ruled the Seven Kingdoms, but Lady Joanna ruled Lord Tywin.

– ASOS, Tyrion V

In 263 AC, after a year as the King’s Hand, Ser Tywin married his beautiful young cousin Joanna Lannister, who had come to King’s Landing in 259 AC for the coronation of King Jaehaerys II and remained thereafter as a lady in-waiting to Princess (later Queen) Rhaella. The bride and groom had known each other since they were children together at Casterly Rock. – TWOIAF

Though Tywin Lannister was not a man given to public display, it is said that his love for his lady wife was deep and long-abiding. “Only Lady Joanna truly knows the man beneath the armor,” Grand Maester Pycelle wrote the Citadel, “and all his smiles belong to her and her alone. I do avow that I have even observed her make him laugh, not once, but upon three separate occasions!” – TWOIAF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwNc6NvVLYM

“…though she turned a blind eye to most of the king’s infidelities, the queen did not approve of his “turning my ladies into his whores.” (Joanna Lannister was not the first lady to be dismissed abruptly from Her Grace’s service, nor was she the last).” – TWOIAF

The Shadow of Summerhall: Aerys & Rhaegar (spoilers)

This episode delves deep into Aerys, Rhaella, and Rhaegar Targaryen, and we also discuss other characters impacted by Summerhall. There’s talk of how the Mad King could wreak havoc on the Seven Kingdoms even now. Of course, our main focus is the Aftermath of Summerhall. Why didn’t it work? Who tried to capitalize on the instability? What impact did the event have on the survivors? What impact does it have on the current ASOIAF storyline? You can listen to the previous episode in this series here. Stay tuned past the credits for a short after episode chat. We’ll talk a bit more about dragon eggs, pyromancers, Summerhall art, toss out a few random facts. 

Anyway, here’s Summerhall.

“Summerhall.” The word was fraught with doom.

Credits

Thank you to yolkboy of Radio Westeros, Nina Friel, and Rhaenys_Targaryen for their contributions.

The primary topics in this episode are:

  1. The Day After.
  2. Jaehaerys Ascends, Blackfyres Descend.
  3. Aerys Ascends, Madness Descends.
  4. Dragons in the Shadow.
  5. Rhaegar.
  6. The Mad King’s Revenge.

“Once it takes fire, the substance will burn fiercely until it is no more.”

Drawing on his father’s plans, His Grace put aside his grief, called his lords bannermen, and resolved to meet the Ninepenny Kings upon the Stepstones, choosing to take the war to them rather than awaiting their landing on the shores of the Seven Kingdoms.

“…many of the accounts written of Harrenhal speak of his hysterical laughter, long silences, bouts of weeping, and sudden rages.”

Rhaegar

He would go there from time to time, with only his harp for company. Even the knights of the Kingsguard did not attend him there. He liked to sleep in the ruined hall, beneath the moon and stars, and whenever he came back he would bring a song. When you heard him play his high harp with the silver strings and sing of twilights and tears and the death of kings, you could not but feel that he was singing of himself and those he loved.

Who is the Prince that was Promised?

“He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire.”

“Your grandsire commanded it. A woods witch had told him that the prince that was promised would be born of their line.”

“It was a prince that was promised, not a princess. Rhaegar, I thought… the smoke was from the fire that devoured Summerhall on the day of his birth, the salt from the tears shed for those who died. He shared my belief when he was young, but later he became persuaded that it was his own son who fulfilled the prophecy, for a comet had been seen above King’s Landing on the night Aegon was conceived, and Rhaegar was certain the bleeding star had to be a comet. What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbgMl0LgNn0

Book Discussion: World of Ice and Fire Overview

In this episode, we give our first impressions of The World of Ice and Fire. We discuss all of the immediate revelations. The latter half of the episode contains discoveries more related to the ‘current events’ of the series.

Special attention is paid to the Kingdom of Sarnor, other ancient cultures, and the mysterious oily black stone that keeps popping up. There is, of course, a lot of discussion on House Targaryen. We also talk at length about the sections on Dorne. The mystery of Asshai’s children is also debated. Who is Hyrkoon the Hero? What’s the deal with Bonetown? Join us on a journey through the world of ice and fire. It is also a journey back to 2014 now!

On the Isle of Toads can be found an ancient idol. A greasy black stone crudely carved into the semblance of a gigantic toad of malignant aspect, some forty feet high. The people of this isle are believed by some to be descended from those who carved the Toad Stone, for there is an unpleasant fishlike aspect to their faces, and many have webbed hands and feet. If so, they are the sole surviving remnant of this forgotten race.

Such questions abound even to this day. Before the Doom of Valyria, maesters and archmaesters oft traveled to the Freehold in search of answers, but none were ever found. Septon Barth’s claim that the Valyrians came to Westeros because their priests prophesied that the Doom of Man would come out of the land beyond the narrow sea can safely be dismissed as nonsense, as can many of Barth’s queerer beliefs and suppositions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq4DBiY-ej0

NOOOOO, SALLOSH!

For scholars and students of history, the fall of Sallosh by the Silver Shore was especially tragic. For when that City of Scholars burned, its great library was not spared, and most of the history of the Tall Men and the peoples who had gone before them were lost for all time.

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