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Who was the best king?


Waylin Stark

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Who was the best king until now?



My pick - Jaehaerys the Conciliator. AKA the Old King.



  1. He quelled the Faith Militant Uprising after the previous king, Maegor the Cruel killed thousands of them and made the situation nearly impossible to settle.
  2. At the same time he took away their power and their ability to conduct trials.
  3. He abolished the First Night.
  4. Built the Kingsroad.
  5. Brokered peace between the Blackwoods and the Brackens for 50 years.
  6. Ruled for 50 prosperous years in which there were no rebellions.


I doubt any other king has done half as good.



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1) Jaeherys I

2) Daeron II

3) Viserys II (his own reign wasn't very impressive, but he ruled as Hand when his nephews Daeron I and Baelor I were indulging in their follies)

4) Aegon I

5) Aegon V

6) Maekar I

7) Aegon III

8) Jaeherys II

9) Aerys I

10) Baelor I

11) Daeron I

11) Viserys I

12) Aenys I

13) Aegon II

14) Maegor I

15) Aerys II

16) Aegon IV

That's how I would rank them. The Targs weren't lucky when it came to succesion. We know at least three crown princes who would have made great Kings, but died ffrey there time: Baelor Breakspear (the greatest Targaryen of them all), Jacerys Velarion (or was itbhis brother? I don't remember. Rhaenyra's eldest) and Rhaegar Targaryen. Then there are two Crownprince(ss) who would have been adequate but went nuts because of circumstances beyond their control (Viserys and Rhaenyra). And there are numerous cases where the second son proves to have more brains than the elder and would therefore make for a better King:Daemon Targaryen beats Viserys I, Aemon 'the dragonknight' Targaryen beats Aegon IV, Viserys II beats Aegon III

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Haha, sorry couldn't resist.

Agree with the Op & also think Torrhen The King who Knelt was a good king. He may have appeared weak, but saved thousands.

That's a good pick.

I always saw him as a man who put the safety of his men before his pride as a Northern King.

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That's a good pick.

I always saw him as a man who put the safety of his men before his pride as a Northern King.

Yeah, bending the knee must have been humiliating, especially if the Targs were their sleezy Valyrian selves and laughed when he kneeled.
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If we're adding none Targs into the mix I would throw Queen Nymeria in there as well. She managed to unite the remnants of her people, sail them across the narrow Sea out of Valyria's reach (logistical nightmare) and showed that she had a keen political mind by giving up her ships, marrying Mors Martell and conquering Dorne.

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1) Jaeherys I

2) Daeron II

3) Viserys II (his own reign wasn't very impressive, but he ruled as Hand when his nephews Daeron I and Baelor I were indulging in their follies)

4) Aegon I

5) Aegon V

6) Maekar I

7) Aegon III

8) Jaeherys II

9) Aerys I

10) Baelor I

11) Daeron I

11) Viserys I

12) Aenys I

13) Aegon II

14) Maegor I

15) Aerys II

16) Aegon IV

That's how I would rank them. The Targs weren't lucky when it came to succesion. We know at least three crown princes who would have made great Kings, but died ffrey there time: Baelor Breakspear (the greatest Targaryen of them all), Jacerys Velarion (or was itbhis brother? I don't remember. Rhaenyra's eldest) and Rhaegar Targaryen. Then there are two Crownprince(ss) who would have been adequate but went nuts because of circumstances beyond their control (Viserys and Rhaenyra). And there are numerous cases where the second son proves to have more brains than the elder and would therefore make for a better King:Daemon Targaryen beats Viserys I, Aemon 'the dragonknight' Targaryen beats Aegon IV, Viserys II beats Aegon III

Pretty much this. I might swap a few around (Viserys II would.be 2nd for me and Aegon II last - his entire reign was engulfed in War that he failed to bring an end to with decisive victory or negotiation) but I largely agree. The quiet reigns are the best.

Sidenote: we need a Greatest Queens/Noble Ladies thread next. Some of the women behind the men are equally as great

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Jaherys I, Aegon I, Daeron I, Viserys II, Aegon III, Aegon V, Maekar, Nymeria, Torrhen, Harwin Hoare, Loren Lannister, Sharra Arryn, Mariyah Martel. Take your pick.


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1) Jaeherys I

2) Daeron II

3) Viserys II

4) Aegon I

5) Maekar I

6) Jaeherys II

7) Aegon V (great king but married for love and let all three of his sons do the same making him loads of enemies as Barristan would have it and in the end his desire to bring dragons back got the better of him)

8) Aegon III

9) Aerys I

10) Robert I

11) Viserys I (both Robert and Viserys loved feasts and left the rule to their small council who turned out to be filled with snakes, but both had the realms best intentions at heart, I put Robert first cause while his personal vices were bigger, much bigger, he did put Ned and Barristan and Jon in the small council, Viserys' government enjoyed no equivalents)

12) Baelor I

13) Daeron I

14) Aenys I

15) Aegon II

16) Tommen I

17) Aegon IV (I'm putting Tommen and Aegon first because while clearly incompetent kings, at least they were funloving incompetent, rather then "kill, kill, kill" crazy, no one would prefer to have the below as kings)

18) Maegor I

19) Aerys II

20) Joffrey I

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Sidenote: we need a Greatest Queens/Noble Ladies thread next. Some of the women behind the men are equally as great

The problem with this is that we just don't know enough about most of them. Pretty much all would look .ike this:

1) Nymeria

2) Good Queen Alysanne

3) Elaene Targaryen

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the best king is a dead king,why? so we have a story, duh

no, but really, i throw my eggs in the Jaehaerys basket as well. His succesor wasnt that bad, iirc

By his negligence the guy caused the Dance of Dragons. Jaeherys' succesor was very bad indeed.

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