Could Stannis bend the knee to a Targaryen?

[Ser TargFinger]

I am new and this is my first post. This has probably been brought up loads of times but I figured I would anyway.

Is there any chance that Stannis could bend the knee to a Targaryen i.e. Dany or Aegon (if he's legit)? I wonder this given his tendency towards strictly following the law etc.

[AegonTargaryen]

Nah I doubt it. For Stannis the Targs were deposed and the Baratheons installed as the new royal family, making him the legal King.

[The Drunkard]

Doubt it. He's the king, in his opinion, and he won't stop until Westeros recognises or until he's dead.

[Lady Wylla Manderly]

I think there'd be too much bad blood between Targs and Baratheons for one of them to bend the knee to the other. We don't know much about Aegon's attitude towards the Houses that rebelled against him, (or even if he is legit at all, for that matter), but Daenerys seems obsessed with "Usurper's dogs" to the point of not taking any good comments about them (ie, Ser Barristan's comments about Eddard), so I don't think she would even allow them to bend the knee anyway.

[Rune Targaryen]

And also he (kind of) believes that he is the chosen one of Rhlor (or whatever is spelled) to be the King.

[Jaime4Lyfe]

I think Stannis wants the crown more than anything else in life. I doubt he would bend the knee to a Targ.

[TalalOfDorne]

Unlikely. He is the king so why should he bend the knee to anyone. I think the way he sees it is he would rather die a king than live to give up the throne that is rightfully his.

[danm_999]

I wonder this given his tendency towards strictly following the law etc.

The law says the Targaryens have no standing.

The Targaryen claim to Westeros was established by the sword (Aegon the First), and it died by the sword (Aerys the Second).

[Independent George]

He'll bend the knew right after someone breaks it with a hammer.

[Rouge et Bleu]

Could and would are two different questions. Yes, he could bend the knee to a Targaryen claimant. The better question when it comes to Stannis is would he bend the knee. I think what Donal Noye said about the Baratheon brothers is important to remember when answering this question. Stannis is iron who would break before bending. I think that this characterization is one of the more accurate ones we have of Stannis. I think, even if a Targaryen claimant were to present themselves (either Dany, Aegon / FAegon), Stannis would break before bending the knee.

[Know Face Man]

The hardest choice Stannis ever made was to pick his brother Robert over his King, Aerys. I think if a real Targaryen such as Dany came with her Dragons Stannis would indeed bend the king.

If you read the interactions between Stannis and Jon in ADWD its seems like Jon is just giving Stannis council in matters such as the Mountain Clans and which castle to attack first. But if you read between the lines Jon is pretty much acting like the King. Where Stannis is more the Kings Hand commanding Jon's force's. And then you read later where Jon clearly tells the Karstark girl that marriage pacts are for the King to deal with. Then he takes it upon himself to marry her to a Thenn.

Seems like Stannis has already bent his knee, he just doesn't know it yet. Remember Mel said Stannis was gunna lead the army's of AA. She thought it meant Stannis was AA but if Jon is then it works out perfect because Stannis is already leading Jon's forces

[Summer's Whelp]

The hardest choice Stannis ever made was to pick his brother Robert over his King, Aerys. I think if a real Targaryen such as Dany came with her Dragons Stannis would indeed bend the king.

If you read the interactions between Stannis and Jon in ADWD its seems like Jon is just giving Stannis council in matters such as the Mountain Clans and which castle to attack first. But if you read between the lines Jon is pretty much acting like the King. Where Stannis is more the Kings Hand commanding Jon's force's. And then you read later where Jon clearly tells the Karstark girl that marriage pacts are for the King to deal with. Then he takes it upon himself to marry her to a Thenn.

Seems like Stannis has already bent his knee, he just doesn't know it yet. Remember Mel said Stannis was gunna lead the army's of AA. She thought it meant Stannis was AA but if Jon is then it works out perfect because Stannis is already leading Jon's forces

:agree:

I was going to quote to Stannis' admission to Davos about supporting Robert over the Targaryens as well.

Stannis is first and basically entirely about justice. He does not bend in his enforcement of justice as he sees it. He might bend his knee if he thought that somebody else had a better more just claim to the throne. I don't think we know how Stannis views a current Targ claim to the throne. As far as Stannis knows, he has the best claim, and as such, he must rule Westeros. He is just following the law. Those that defy the law must be punished accordingly.

[maximilian]

After Robert's Rebellion the Targaryan were exiled and House Baratheon anointed as the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms.

Viserys, Dany, Jon (if he's a trueborn Targ) and Aegon (if he's a trueborn Targ) have no claim to anything, whereas Stannis

is the rightful king.

That is law and Stannis is nothing if not lawful.

Suggesting anything otherwise is treason.

[Fat Mac]

After Robert's Rebellion the Targaryan were exiled and House Baratheon anointed as the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms.

Viserys, Dany, Jon (if he's a trueborn Targ) and Aegon (if he's a trueborn Targ) have no claim to anything, whereas Stannis

is the rightful king.

That is law and Stannis is nothing if not lawful.

Suggesting anything otherwise is treason.

This. Stannis is the lawful heir.

[Summer's Whelp]

I don't know about that. The Baratheon claim to the throne was based on Robert's grandmother's marrying into the Targ line. This legitimized Robert's claim to the throne over the other lords allowing him to be king. It was not as though the Targ line was entirely disregared. (at least to my understanding)

I still think it's an open question because we don't know how Stannis would respond to a Targ claim. IMHO he would do some mental gymnastics to make his claim the most lawful and would not support anybody else.

[The Lord's Kiss]

The only person Stannis will bend the knee to is Jon.

[Fat Mac]

I don't know about that. The Baratheon claim to the throne was based on Robert's grandmother's marrying into the Targ line. This legitimized Robert's claim to the throne over the other lords allowing him to be king. It was not as though the Targ line was entirely disregared. (at least to my understanding)

The Targ grandmother claim was just a formality. It's easier to install Robert instead of Ned or Jon Arryn or anyone else because at least he had the Targaryen blood, and other lords might be willing to accept him when they won the war. But it has played a very small role and is hardly ever mentioned. Robert was king because of his hammer, not because of his blood.

[maximilian]

The Targ grandmother claim was just a formality. It's easier to install Robert instead of Ned or Jon Arryn or anyone else because at least he had the Targaryen blood, and other lords might be willing to accept him when they won the war. But it has played a very small role and is hardly ever mentioned. Robert was king because of his hammer, not because of his blood.

This, Robert was made king instead of e.g. Jon in order to please the loyalists, but his claim comes from the Rebellion i.e. conquest.

If his claim only came through his grandmother Viserys would have been king.

[mcb]

Considering how much Stannis "doesn't want" the throne... Sure. As soon as pigs learn to fly. Ass backwards.

[Lion of Judah]

Stannis? Bend the knee? No.