The Curse of the Iron Throne

[smashedhalo]

Aegon made the Iron Throne from a thousand swords of those vanquished in combat. With dragon fire the blades fused together and were forged into the seat. No blacksmith is credited only Aegon so i infer that Aegon used magic as well as dragon fire to create it. Could it be possible that he also wove in spells that the IT could reject the unworthy. All those unworthy would be driven mad and cause their own demise.

Maegor the cruel-die from a wound received from the chair while his replacement Jaeheerys reigned for 50+ years. Baelor had someone else rule and became such a religious fanatic that he starved to death. Aegon the IV caused a civil war that tore the kingdoms apart for well over 100 years. The mad king needs no elaboration.

This is where my theory gets tricky. Robert Baratheon, while king, never or a least stated he wished he never sat the throne. Shown to be a strong man in his youth he was still drinking and whoring with no real ill affects other than bastards. Once king these vices consume him.

Ned Stark sat the throne but was widely known to be honorable. Tywien lannester sat the seat, while being a hardass was also a capable ruler.

Tommen-probably will have a short reign but good kid all around.

Joffery sat the throne and his already piss poor character magnifies to him being full on batshit crazy.

Cercie as regent, while never sitting in the chair, wielded the power of the chair. Her behavior gets more paranoid and erratic the longer she has power.

I posit that using the swords of those vanquished was a form of blood magic to have only those worthy rule. Those unworthy aren't able to have the support to keep their seat when a replacement rises.

Thoughts?

[King of Winter-ish Stuff]

It's a nice thought, but I don't really believe that there is a curse in the throne. The Iron Throne doesn't need a curse. As Lord John Dahlberg-Acton once said "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The King can do whatever they want. What they choose to do with that power is their curse. Plus.... Ned Stark didn't really sit the throne, nor Tywin Lannister... So they aren't really the best to use in an argument. Plus, nothing has really been said of the Iron Throne, and it wouldn't be accepted for something like this to just show up. We just had (f)Aegon show up and it's completely thrown us for a spin (Is he Rhaegar's son? Blackfyre? Brightflame Targ? Blackflame? None of the above?) This is interesting... But it seems like a cop-out for people being bad rulers.

[DaarioSweetSauce]

A good theory, definitely. But I'm not all for it. I still like it though.

Anyway, I'd heard something before about blood on the IT signifying that the King currently sitting is not the actual King. Or something like that.

In one of the Season 3 episodes, Baelish is looking at the Throne and there is blood on it. Thus, showing Joffrey is not the true king at the time. Well, that is obvious anyway.

I like your theory better than the above I've explained. It's fun to think about

[Lord_Rahl]

Good theory!

[Lord Damian]

Good theory as magic and curses are all throughout ASOFAI. Many observers noticed as Kings and one Queen who sat the throne got cut here and there and thought it to be of ill omen. Meagor is thought of killing his own brother to win the throne and that is kinslaying. The Dance of dragons, Rheanya cut herself on it and was cruel and semi - mad. The Mad King Aerys was nicknamed "the scab king". Joffrey cut himself all the time on it. Funny though, there are hardly any notes on Robert hurting himself with it.

[Rorey Targaryen]

Makes sense. Kind of funny when you think about it.

However, I'm not willing to buy it as more than a fun little theory.

[RumHam]

It is not a comfortable seat, ser. Aerys cut himself so often men took to calling him King Scab, and Maegor the Cruel was murdered in that chair. By that chair, to hear some tell it.

I hope the worldbook explains how exactly Maegor died.

[Crowford]

I see little evidence to support this. Besides, it adds another unnecessary magical component, and it would provide another gauge of "chosen kingship" people would get hung up on, and this fandom truly has enough.

Only four people since Aegon's conquest are said to have been wounded by the Iron Throne (I hope I forgot no one) - Maegor the Cruel, Rhaenyra, Aerys II and Joffrey. And only the last two are given in a reliable source.

In Maegor's case it was just a rumour - he was said to have died on the throne, and a further rumour states that the throne itself killed him. When I read that I actually immediately thought that Maegar was assassinated, because it very much sounds like a story later spread about a less-than-beloved king (the moniker "the Cruel" should be an indicator of that). It would also be a nice additional facet to his otherwise hailed as a political messiah successor Jaeharys.

For Rhaenyra the case is a bit more concrete, but it's still very much made clear that TPatQ should be regarded as an even more unreliable narrative than the PoV-chapters of the main series. It's clearly written from the perspective of a man who tries to keep scholarly neutrality (it helps that there was no clear winning faction in the long term, since Aegon II remained King, but was then suceeded by Rhaenyra's line, so it was less history written by the winners and more history written by the survives), but who had no first-hand knowledge of the events - and the narrative of the ultimately defeated claimant Rhaenyra cutting herself on the throne, the supposed sign of unworthiness, fits just a bit too well.

With Aerys II and Joffrey it's clear-cut, but then again, Aerys was described as wandering around and gesturing aimlessly, cackling to himself, so it's not exactly unlikely that he was also prone to erratic movements, which would of course result in a lot of cuts from his spiky throne. And Joffrey cut himself exactly once, while, if I remember correctly, also being enraged, so he is not really an indicator of anything.

[smashedhalo]

Good theory as magic and curses are all throughout ASOFAI. Many observers noticed as Kings and one Queen who sat the throne got cut here and there and thought it to be of ill omen. Meagor is thought of killing his own brother to win the throne and that is kinslaying. The Dance of dragons, Rheanya cut herself on it and was cruel and semi - mad. The Mad King Aerys was nicknamed "the scab king". Joffrey cut himself all the time on it. Funny though, there are hardly any notes on Robert hurting himself with it.

Robert liked to spend his time hunting, feasting, drinking and whoring. He left the rule to Jon Aryne to act as Hand and The Hand sits the throne when the King is indisposed. The last three hands(Jon Aryne, Eddard, Tywien) have all been decent/honourable/strong Hands.