What's your opinion about King Bob?

[House Cearl]

The wrong man came back from the Trident.

LOL.

As much as I hate Rhaegar, I agree with this post. Rhaegar looked like he was going to fix some things before he got wrecked by OG Robert.

IMO Bobby B. is just as responsible as Varys, Littlefinger, and Cersei in fucking up Westeros.

[Lady's Secret]

The wrong man came back from the Trident.

My thoughts exactly.

Also, I think he would have been just as unhappy with Lyanna as he was with Cersi. Probably worse because with Cersi is whoring was some what justicified but with Lyanna it would not of been. Making him feel guilty.

He was not suited to being king and had no preperation for it. So its no suprise that he was awful at it. He probably would have made an ok lord if he'd married someone smart enough to run is castle and lands for him.

He was a super crappy brother. And in the end, not a very good friend either.

I liked him despite all of this. But I wan't upset when he died either.

Still, he'd be a hell of a lot of fun at parties.

[DaveSnow House Stark]

He was a mostly good guy who was great militarily, but should not have been a King. He had no sights on being a King, his whole purpose for the "rebellion" was to get revenge and kill all Targs. Once they were all dead and the throne was empty I think he realized what he had gotten himself into and he sunk into depression. He drank and ate his feelings away, he snuck off and found women trying to forget Lyanna. All he really needed was a session with Dr. Phil after the rebellion had ended and he would have been a better King!

[Daena the Defiant]

While I can apprecaite the majestic, romantic grandeur of prosecuting a war to save the woman he loved and toppling a kingdom in the process, of course the truth is much more unsavory - he probably misread Lyanna's reaction to his betrothal being so infatuated with her (and to that extent, his own Aesomeness - "why wouldn't she love me back?") and then there is the decidely appalling behavior on the campaign - while he's busy fighting a war to save his beloved from an abduction and repeated raping, he couldn't help himself from visiting the local brothel.

[A Dance With Daario]

He seemed to have no idea how to deal with diplomacy and justice, which draws a parallel with the mad king.

Kinda ironic, he caused one of the largest wars in westerosi history gaining the throne, then caused another after his death due to his incompetence.

Edit: he was a glorified fratboy, not a king.

[BabyMeraxes]

Here's the thing about Robert, He wasn't an awesome person. He was probably way too selfish, short-sighted and depressed to rule Westeros. HOWEVER, he did bring his kingdom relative peace for over a decade. And as much as I love my girl, Daenerys ruled Meereen for a handful of weeks (arguably with the best of intentions), and look at the chaos that ensued.

[Lord Illidan Stormrage]

I like him. A lot.

[Winter's Knight]

Here's the thing about Robert, He wasn't an awesome person. He was probably way too selfish, short-sighted and depressed to rule Westeros. HOWEVER, he did bring his kingdom relative peace for over a decade. And as much as I love my girl, Daenerys ruled Meereen for a handful of weeks (arguably with the best of intentions), and look at the chaos that ensued.

Ehh, actually it was during Robert's reign that the Iron Isles rose in rebellion for the first time in two hundred years.

I also disagree with the idea that he wasn't trained for kingship-in the normal course of events, he'd hae been Lord of the Stormlands, head of one of the seven Great Houses-I'm sure he had more than adequate training in ruling.

[Lady Tippy Wolfsbane]

I loved him as a character. He was flawed like other characters, but he wasn't a "bad" guy.

"I was never so alive as when I was winning this throne. or so dead as now that I've won it." -Robert Baratheon

[Frey family reunion]

As a warrior, he was obviously one of the best. As he king he seemed pretty popular with the smallfolk, but apparently did a pretty terrible job running the kingdom.

[Dark Rider]

I think Robert had amazing diplomatic skills and military leadership skill, but he was clearly a poor administrator. Robert not only won the war, but he did win the peace. You have to appreciate his ability to turn enemies into allies and hold the realm together after the very divisive rebellion. Robert's military skill not only lead to his victory over the Targs, but being able to put down the Greyjoy Rebellion and clear most the pirate coves that were harming the flow of international commerce in and out of Westeros.

He failed domestically to accomplish any great public works program during his tenure, which was what? About 15 years. As far as I know he didn't build one major road, bridge, aqueduct, harbor, center for learning, or anything. I find that odd that he didn't want to leave more of a mark on the landscape for his legacy.

Economically he has severly harmed the realm. However, I have to wonder just how tournaments and whoring could really drive the realm into such debt. I have always suspected the Littlefinger in some way helped indebt Westeros to the Bank of Bravos and the Lannisters.

I don't think Robert would go down as one of the top bad kings, but he's certainly not going to be up on the list as one of the best. I think after Lyanna's death though he suffered from depression and was totally unconcerned with his legacy.

[Dark Rider]

While I can apprecaite the majestic, romantic grandeur of prosecuting a war to save the woman he loved and toppling a kingdom in the process, of course the truth is much more unsavory - he probably misread Lyanna's reaction to his betrothal being so infatuated with her (and to that extent, his own Aesomeness - "why wouldn't she love me back?") and then there is the decidely appalling behavior on the campaign - while he's busy fighting a war to save his beloved from an abduction and repeated raping, he couldn't help himself from visiting the local brothel.

I think Robert was always more in love with the idea of Lyanna and 'love' itself rather than the reality. He had this idealized view of Lyanna and her death preserved that fantasy of what would have been. Cersei really never had a chance with Robert and in that way I do feel a bit sad for her.

[Light a wight tonight]

Think what a disaster it would have been if Bob had in fact married Lyanna. It was a match she didn't want and she would have wanted out of it from the get-go, even moreso after she confirmed her worst fears about his character. And it would have eventually penetrated his alcohol-dulled consciousness that she had no desire to be with him.

Does this mean that there is no revolt, that either Aerys is still king or that Rhaegar deposes him somehow? Rhaegar takes Cersei as his second wife/paramour to breed a third head for the dragon? Whole new story, without a King Bob to be judged for fitness.

On topic, he's a mediocre king served fairly well by his Hand but otherwise surrounded by vipers.

[Dark Rider]

Think what a disaster it would have been if Bob had in fact married Lyanna. It was a match she didn't want and she would have wanted out of it from the get-go, even moreso after she confirmed her worst fears about his character. And it would have eventually penetrated his alcohol-dulled consciousness that she had no desire to be with him.

Does this mean that there is no revolt, that either Aerys is still king or that Rhaegar deposes him somehow? Rhaegar takes Cersei as his second wife/paramour to breed a third head for the dragon? Whole new story, without a King Bob to be judged for fitness.

On topic, he's a mediocre king served fairly well by his Hand but otherwise surrounded by vipers.

Yeah, you have to give a lot of credit to Jon Arryn. Sure, he was eventually killed, but to have survived that long as Hand with all those sharks swimming around him is pretty damn impressive. Ned Stark comes down and he doesn't last a year.

[LuisDantas]

Was King Bob a good king besides the debts of the crown?

Largely an open question. I expect some insight into what his Small Council reunions were like before Jon Arryn's death to be shown at some point, probably in the very last book.

It really depends on how influential and armed his councilors were - Stannis, Tywin, Renly, Pycelle, Varys could all be dangerous and manipulative in their own ways, as could Cersei. Who knows which kind of choices Robert actually had?

And remember, we have only the vaguest of notions of what Jon Arryn was like. For all we know he was the true power behind the throne and deserves more credit or reprieval than we usually grant him.

Do you think he deserved to live more?

Sure. Not necessarily as King, though.

Do you think if he had married Lyanna (if she lived) he would stop being a cheater?

I doubt it. He seems to cherish infidelity a bit too much.

Do you think the Lannisters intended to turn him in some kind of a lazy king so they could spread in KL?

They did, and they succeeded at that, too.

was he at least a funny man?

Very much so.

[V Targaryen]

I like all three Baratheon brothers, but Robert is by far my least favorite. I highly doubt if he had managed to keep Lyanna he'd stop whoring. Even she said he would not stick to one bed. As a king, he's a major failure. Not the worst, but being sandwiched between Aerys and Joff probably makes him look at least like a likeable king, a little better than he was.

[StannisBamfatheon]

Bob Baratheon is a pretty divisive character, violence against women, even women as uhh...how do I put this diplomatically, unpleasant as Cersei is still frowned upon. But I still find him a very interesting character. His trajectory simply made him peak too soon. Defeating the great Rhaegar Targaryen at perhaps the most important battle in Westerosi history, given his character as a warrior/adventurer this was pretty much the Apex of Robert's life. Smashed him with a hammer, god's I was strong then! It's not like fate dictates he was never meant to rule or something, his character just doesn't fit into the mold of a king who could rule day to day affairs. And say what you will about his whoring/reveling but from the text it's clearly he deeply loved Lyanna(or atleast the idea of her). But she was taken from him and in return he was given Cersei Lannister and all the deception, wickedness, and duplicity that comes with all the Lannisters.

So in my mind he won a great victory in his rebellion, fighting for the deposition of the mad king which was absolutely justified. But afterwards misfortune came to him and he sadly morphed from the charismatic warrior who could get any one to ally/fight with him,(remember this is the same man that was advised to kill Barristan, yet let his own maester heal his wounds) into a sullen partier only finding respite in drinks and whores. Temporary diversions from a life that was otherwise suffocating him.

[Daena the Defiant]

I think Robert was always more in love with the idea of Lyanna and 'love' itself rather than the reality. He had this idealized view of Lyanna and her death preserved that fantasy of what would have been. Cersei really never had a chance with Robert and in that way I do feel a bit sad for her.

I would feel sorry for Cersei for the same reason except she never intended on giving Robert a chance either, as she was constantly screwing Jaime (on the morning of her wedding, even) and --- CONTROVERSIAL POSITION ALERT -- there is a weird, defensible position to be taken about two consenting adults choosing to love one another in defiance of custom and law even if you are siblings. I mean, Jaime's intense fidelity and passion for Cersei is actually quite tragic (he foreswore a wife and family of his own when he was a teenager all so he can be closer to his lover, Cersei) but Cersei didn't even return that loyalty (I mean, yes, she would be obligated to share Robert's bed, but she could still LOVE Jaime) - the whole she was with Jaime, she was often fantasizing about Rhaegar. She wasn't even faithful in her heart of hearts.

She and Robert deserve each other.

[Breastplate Stretcha]

The man was a great warrior, a good friend, and a shit king.

[~Shiera Seastar~]

Great man, great friend, great warrior, but not a great husband, not a great father, not a great king.

If Bobby had refused the crown in the beginning, Stanny should had been the King (he's next in line). Would Cersay still be the Queen? Can't imagine a fantastic marriage between the two, but the realm would be better me thinks.