What is the Rhaegar Ruby Theory?

[Direwolf of the Starks]

Can someone please explain this to me

[Ser Greg of House House]

All I know is that the brothers at the Quiet Island say they found 6 rubies, there is one missing. When Robert slayed Rhaegar he smashed his armor and 7 rubies came off.

Some people speculate that Melisandre of Ashaii has this ruby now and uses it to either glamour herself or will use it to glamour somebody else in the future.

From there you can come up with all sorts of crazy theories. The most crackpot theory I've seen about it is that she will use the ruby to make Jon Snow look like Rhaegar Targaryen and claim the Iron Throne. That's basically insane since he probably has a good claim without the looks, but with the looks people wouldn't know who this new guy is. But well, they're called crackpot for a reason.

edit: months later, I realize I was probably wrong about the 7 rubies... There were probably much more rubies.

[J. Stargaryen]

ACoK, Daenerys IV (HotU):

Then phantoms shivered through the murk, images in indigo. Viserys screamed as the molten gold ran down his cheeks and filled his mouth. A tall lord with copper skin and silver-gold hair stood beneath the banner of a fiery stallion, a burning city behind him. Rubies flew like drops of blood from the chest of a dying prince, and he sank to his knees in the water and with his last
breath murmured a woman’s name....

Rubies = Rhaegar's blood. A person's family is often referred to as their "blood".

AFfC, Brienne VI:

We have found silver cups and iron pots, sacks of wool and bolts of silk, rusted helms and shining swords... aye, and rubies.”
That interested Ser Hyle. “Rhaegar’s rubies?”
“It may be. Who can say? The battle was long leagues from here, but the river is tireless and patient. Six have been found. We are all waiting for the seventh.”

If you recall the woods witch prophecy about the PtwP, she claimed it would come from the line of Aerys II and Rhaella. Well, it turns out that there have been six products of that union that are known in-story:

• Rhaegar
• Viserys
• Daenerys
• Rhaenys
• Aegon
• Rhaego

The seventh is Jon Snow.

---

ETA: A little late here, but the above was originally posted by a one time user named MarinaC, following a discussion between a few of us in one of the earlier R+L=J threads. I didn't credit her initially because the search function wasn't working at the time and it hadn't occurred to me to use Google. :dunce:

[JonSnowisthebeesknees]

^ First time hearing this, blew my mind.

[IRON BANK]

awesome explanation(great post)

[mindchap]

But to be fair there is nothing in the book saying that just seven rubies were knocked off, because when he was defeated the people fighting threw down their weapons and started grabbing the rubies that were falling off.

[Grip]

But to be fair there is nothing in the book saying that just seven rubies were knocked off, because when he was defeated the people fighting threw down their weapons and started grabbing the rubies that were falling off.

Yeah. The brothers on the Quiet Isle emphasise the number seven because of their faith, IE seven rubies for seven gods. That doesn't mean that there were only seven rubies, but that to the brothers the number seven is special.

[Tumnas the Torpid]

Please tell me that this "waiting for the seventh" line isn't the only "proof" that seven is the precise number of rubies knocked loose from Rhaegar's armor.

What reason do we have to believe that their preoccupation with a seventh ruby isn't simply a result of their habitual preoccupation with the number seven?

[mindchap]

Please tell me that this "waiting for the seventh" line isn't the only "proof" that seven is the precise number of rubies knocked loose from Rhaegar's armor.

What reason do we have to believe that their preoccupation with a seventh ruby isn't simply a result of their habitual preoccupation with the number seven?

I think that's what Grip was referring to.

[MasterJack]

Yeah. The brothers on the Quiet Isle emphasise the number seven because of their faith, IE seven rubies for seven gods. That doesn't mean that there were only seven rubies, but that to the brothers the number seven is special.

Or he said that only because he has 6 and another one would be the seventh? Then when it happens he will say: "Seven have been found. We are all waiting for the eigth.”

:o

[mindchap]

They had come together at the ford of the Trident while the battle crashed around them, Robert with his warhammer and his great antlered helm, the Targaryen prince armored all in black. On his breastplate was the three-headed dragon of his House, wrought all in rubies that flashed like fire in the sunlight. The waters of the Trident ran red around the hooves of their destriers as they circled and clashed, again and again, until at last a crushing blow from Robert’s hammer stove in the dragon and the chest beneath it. When Ned had finally come on the scene, Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, while men of both armies scrabbled in the swirling waters for rubies knocked free of his armor.

Definitely sounds like more than seven.

[J. Stargaryen]

But to be fair there is nothing in the book saying that just seven rubies were knocked off, because when he was defeated the people fighting threw down their weapons and started grabbing the rubies that were falling off.

Yeah. The brothers on the Quiet Isle emphasise the number seven because of their faith, IE seven rubies for seven gods. That doesn't mean that there were only seven rubies, but that to the brothers the number seven is special.

Please tell me that this "waiting for the seventh" line isn't the only "proof" that seven is the precise number of rubies knocked loose from Rhaegar's armor.

What reason do we have to believe that their preoccupation with a seventh ruby isn't simply a result of their habitual preoccupation with the number seven?

No one said there were only seven rubies that fell from Rhaegar's plate. In fact, Septon Meribald isn't even sure that the rubies they found belonged to Rhaegar. However, that's not the point.

ETA: What's really funny about this post is that I didn't realize people were talking about the second post. :dunce:

[Flig]

Please tell me that this "waiting for the seventh" line isn't the only "proof" that seven is the precise number of rubies knocked loose from Rhaegar's armor.

What reason do we have to believe that their preoccupation with a seventh ruby isn't simply a result of their habitual preoccupation with the number seven?

As explained above, there were numerous rubies that flew off his armor; however, the Brothers have found 6 themselves. Being pious men of the Faith of the Seven, they believe a seventh is inevitably on it's way to them, as a sign from the gods.

Again, as explained above, the 6 rubies refer to the known line of Aerys II and Rhaella. The seventh, currently undiscovered, refers to Jon Snow.

[Grip]

Or he said that only because he has 6 and another one would be the seventh? Then when it happens he will say: "Seven have been found. We are all waiting for the eigth.”

:o

Heh, that too! In any case I dont think the rubies have any greater significance, other then tempting fools like Ser Hyle Hunt.

[J. Stargaryen]

As explained above, there were numerous rubies that flew off his armor; however, the Brothers have found 6 themselves. Being pious men of the Faith of the Seven, they believe a seventh is inevitably on it's way to them, as a sign from the gods.

Again, as explained above, the 6 rubies refer to the known line of Aerys II and Rhaella. The seventh, currently undiscovered, refers to Jon Snow.

:thumbsup:

[Tumnas the Torpid]

As explained above, there were numerous rubies that flew off his armor; however, the Brothers have found 6 themselves. Being pious men of the Faith of the Seven, they believe a seventh is inevitably on it's way to them, as a sign from the gods.

Again, as explained above, the 6 rubies refer to the known line of Aerys II and Rhaella. The seventh, currently undiscovered, refers to Jon Snow.

"Could refer," "may refer," "might refer,"; these would all be accurate. I know I'm being a bit of a dick here, but I feel that, generally speaking, there are way too many instances of people posting their theories as if they were already proven facts.

Poster "Dany the Mad Queen", the first to answer the op's query, specifically said "...7 rubies came off," referring to Rhaegar's death at Robert's hands. The only justification for this figure seems to be the passage from the Quiet Isle, which is obviously problematic, in terms of establishing an accurate fallen-ruby figure.

In a similar vein, "J. Stargaryen" stated, "The seventh (product of Aerys and Rhaella's union) is Jon Snow." I added the paranthetical clause for clarity. Although I happen to subscribe to the same theory regarding Jon's parentage, I still preface relevant statements with a phrase along the lines of, "If R+L=J is true..."

[J. Stargaryen]

"Could refer," "may refer," "might refer,"; these would all be accurate. I know I'm being a bit of a dick here, but I feel that, generally speaking, there are way too many instances of people posting their theories as if they were already proven facts.

Poster "Dany the Mad Queen", the first to answer the op's query, specifically said "...7 rubies came off," referring to Rhaegar's death at Robert's hands. The only justification for this figure seems to be the passage from the Quiet Isle, which is obviously problematic, in terms of establishing an accurate fallen-ruby figure.

In a similar vein, "J. Stargaryen" stated, "The seventh (product of Aerys and Rhaella's union) is Jon Snow." I added the paranthetical clause for clarity. Although I happen to subscribe to the same theory regarding Jon's parentage, I still preface relevant statements with a phrase along the lines of, "If R+L=J is true..."

That's so awesomely OCD of you. Thanks for sharing.

[Tumnas the Torpid]

That's so awesomely OCD of you. Thanks for sharing.

Hahahahaha...

I couldn't help but laugh at that. Very funny.

In case it isn't clear, I'm not being sarcastic. That's actually pretty accurate.

[mindchap]

Hahahahaha...

I couldn't help but laugh at that. Very funny.

In case it isn't clear, I'm not being sarcastic. That's actually pretty accurate.

If only more people were actually that thorough half of these theories wouldn't exist. Especially the ones that start on a slight possibility and then people layer on actual facts to make it seem all the more likely.

[J. Stargaryen]

If only more people were actually that thorough half of these theories wouldn't exist. Especially the ones that start on a slight possibility and then people layer on actual facts to make it seem all the more likely.

So, adding "actual facts" to a theory is a bad thing? God forbid anyone dare to try and make a theory "seem all the more likely". Heavens no!