Viserys II. the man in the shadow

[Robert I. of Hetherspoon]

Hello, I am now to this, but like most of you, I just finished F&B. I stumbled on something near the end of the book and I think it’s for the best, to let you know my conclusion first: Prince Viserys (later king Viserys II.) is the one behind Gaemon Palehairs poisoning – which is only one of many steps of later becoming Hand of the King und ultimately the King himself! This made him the ruler of Westeros for over 30 years, only surpassed by Jaehaerys I. und Aegon I.

 

But lets start at the beginning. What made me first suspicious were the last two paragraphs at page 674. Aegon III. and Viserys argue over the dragon egg of the prince. This caused one month of silence between the two brothers. And the next thing Archmaester Gyldayn (GRRM) writes is the assassination attempt on Gaemon, Daenaera and Aegon III. in which Gaemon dies. Who was the real target? The only victim, or all three of them, I cannot say. It is possible that Viserys was jealous about the close relationship of his brother to this former Bastard-”King”, but it is also possible that all three of them was meant to die…

The fact that the poison used for it were the Tears of Lys, let me suspicion that Larra Rogare had her hands in it too. Most likely she made her young husband do it for her in a kind of Lady-Macbeth-style. (The two of them had even made just a new heir to the throne, Aegon IV.) We don’t know what he may have learned of the “political” customs in Lys in some of his most formative years in captivity after all.

"Amongst the Lyseni, it is truly said, wars are fought with plots and poisons rather than with armies. F&B p679/680)"

 

I can’t say if he really meant to take the throne at time by killing his newly reunited brother. Maybe. But it was a clumsy attempt. He learned from it and made it more subtle in future… Ultimately the poisoning of Gaemon made the brothers grow closer again

 

Larra and Viserys had manoeuvred themselves in a difficult situation by this. But they somehow made it. There is the thing with Lord Rowans confession during the standoff in Maegors holdfast. Yes he was tortured and we shall assume, that he says whatever they wants him to say. He says, he plotted the killing of King Aegon and the queen with the Rogares, to place Viserys on the Iron Throne, with Larra as his queen. This confession left King Aegon bereft of speech. And here comes Viserys! He asks Thaddeus Rowan, if he himself and the queen were part of the plot. And Lord Rowan say: “Aye, you as well”. As I said, we are supposed to think, he confesses because of his torture. But what if that is exactly what has happened? That’s what I think. The last thing Rowan says, that Geamon poisoned the tart, is much less clearly answered: “If it please my prince”.

So, in the end everyone thinks Viserys was not involved. But he was and Rowan said as much.

 

What did young Viserys learn from this? He grew subtler in his political methods. Larra left him some years after it (send away?) No one pushed him anymore to the throne. But he had no need for the throne itself – not for right now. Aegon III. was not interested in govern the country anyways, so he made his brother Viserys his Hand. And the Hand he should stay during the reigns of Daeron I. and Baelor I. for supposedly over 30 years (ca. 140-171). He let Daeron I. make a folly war for Dorne. Kept him busy with that, but assured he kept unmarried and without heir until he died in this war. Than came Bealor the Blessed. One thing he was not blessed with were children. And his Hand Viserys allowed this to happen. Baelor locked his sisters away – but Viserys son Aegon IV. got his cousin Daela impregnated anyhow. Maester Yandel implies in TWOIAF that he may have poisoned Bealor. This may have happened, but he didn’t have to do it. Baelor starved himself to death anyways. Should his Hand not prevent such thing to happen at least? In the end, after decades of govern the realm for kings uninterested in most of its political affairs, he got king after all. He was not even 50. With more luck he could have be King for even some decades. He was a smart politician, had plans and made some improvements in the law. But he had a short reign (maybe shortened by his son Aegon IV. who has learned too much of his farther). Ultimately he made sure, that his descents would continue the Targaryen line until the end.

 

What do you think of Viserys?

 

P.S. I am from Germany and therefore no native English writer. Please account this, if my language is not the very best.