Ned's Mother

[Edd The Tall]

I think she was a Velaryon.I know it's crackpot.But i think it's the only explanation for Ned's claim to the throne and Lyanna being a half-horse.

[Mladen]

Ned had no claim to the throne, and Lyanna was called half-horse due to her excellency in riding.

[Corvo Attano]

What claim to the throne?

[Swan Targ]

Yeah, Ned never claimed the throne

and the half-horse thing, that was also applied to Brandon, is because they were excellent riders

[Corvo Attano]

Anyway, Just because they're of Valyrian descent, it doesn't mean the Velaryons (or Celtigars for that matter) have a claim to the throne..

[jon stark I]

Ned had a claim with Robert they claimed the throne by the right of conquest.

[Morienthar]

Ned had a claim with Robert they claimed the throne by the right of conquest.

His claim was better than Jon or Ned because he was 1/4 targ.

[Edd The Tall]

There is paragraph from the first book.King Bob said you should be king and Ned answered:you had a BETTER claim.And Velena Velaryon married a Targ(Aegon's father).Alyn "Oakenfist" Velaryon, had two bastard children with his cousin Elaena Targaryen

I think maybe one of the Targ females married a Velaryon male.It is possible But it is not known:))

[Ydiot]

'better claim' because they both were main players in the rebellion, Ned could have declared himself but he didnt because he thought Robert had more of a claim due to his Targ blood.

its the claiming by right of conquest thing. Thats why Ned was annoyed with Jaime when he was sat on the throne, Ned thought Jaime had claimed it for himself. Jaime has no 'blood' claim

[lostinwesteros]

'better claim' because they both were main players in the rebellion, Ned could have declared himself but he didnt because he thought Robert had more of a claim due to his Targ blood.

I've always wondered what Ned meant by "better claim".

[Ydiot]

He meant that really anyone could have claimed the throne for themselves after the rebellion, they deposed the ruling Targ dynasty so Roberts targ heritage could have been a bit irrelevant. Ned got to KL before Robert, he could have claimed the throne for himself. But whoever claims the throne obviously needs support to back him up. Ned considered Robert to have a better claim than anyone else because of his Targ blood, almost like it would be easier for everyone to swallow Robert as being the next rightful King

[mrunderhill]

He meant that really anyone could have claimed the throne for themselves after the rebellion, they deposed the ruling Targ dynasty so Roberts targ heritage could have been a bit irrelevant. Ned got to KL before Robert, he could have claimed the throne for himself. But whoever claims the throne obviously needs support to back him up. Ned considered Robert to have a better claim than anyone else because of his Targ blood, almost like it would be easier for everyone to swallow Robert as being the next rightful King

That is an assumption and we don't know what Ned meant since he did not explain himself. He might have meant that Robert's Targaryen blood was more recent and from a princess compared to his or he may have just meant that as a leader in the rebellion he had a claim. Until more it is revealed I don't think we should dismiss the other possibility.

[messem]

That is an assumption and we don't know what Ned meant since he did not explain himself. He might have meant that Robert's Targaryen blood was more recent and from a princess compared to his or he may have just meant that as a leader in the rebellion he had a claim. Until more it is revealed I don't think we should dismiss the other possibility.

I always took it as "I did not want this thing. Thank the old gods and the new that you have dragon blood."

[James Arryn]

And Velena Velaryon married a Targ(Aegon's father).Alyn "Oakenfist" Velaryon, had two bastard children with his cousin Elaena Targaryen

Royal line doesn't revert back up the marital one. If you marry a royal house, your children will have royal blood, but only from your spouse's side. Your ancestral house doesn't suddenly become royal.

[PeterPaulGualtieri]

According to pp. 231 of ASoS (electronic version), Chapter 24-Bran, Ned's mother's mother was a Flint of the mountains up North. I think she's a Northern girl; and the passages likening Lyanna to half-horse are about her being a great equestrian (and hints that she's KoTL).

[JonisHenryTudor]

His claim was better than Jon or Ned because he was 1/4 targ.

Your claim is as good as your military might. You claim your home I presume? If someone walks in with 20 men and kills you, your "legal" claim is rendered useless. A bit harsh I know. The point is Ned's claim would have been solid at the head of 80k men. This is a feudal monarchical system, not democratic or republican.

In fact, most good historians avoid the use of usurper, right to throne, etc unless the context is fitting. The terms simply are anachronistic. Obama has more right to the US presidency than any Targ or Baratheon ever did. The same goes for the British PM, Italian PM, etc.

But to your point. Strictly speaking the right is maintained by heirs and closest relatives. So yes in this context Robert would have a better claim than Ned. This idea, however, crumbles at the first sign of discord, which is evident in the war of 5 kings.

[Death By Fire]

His claim was better than Jon or Ned because he was 1/4 targ.

Do you think Robert not being part Targaryen would stop him? And going with that logic, he is a kinslayer then.

[mrunderhill]

Do you think Robert not being part Targaryen would stop him? And going with that logic, he is a kinslayer then.

Stop him? No, but it would cause all sorts of problems trying to justify his rule. Look at the Carolingians and the Merovingians. Hundreds of years later, the Carolingians try and justify stealing the throne. I mean in random court orders, in letters, in everything. Claiming the Merovingians were corrupt etc, claiming that the Pope cemented the change. If you cannot appease the people for why you should rule over them whether it be: democratically elected, child of a god, divine right, legal inheritance, etc, they will rebel.

[Michael Bolton]

There is also no mystery to Ned's mother, she is never mentioned, but not in secret whispers. Likely just a regular noblewoman from the North.

[intheswamp]

She is probably a Skagosi. Besides, if all you need is Valyrian blood to claim the throne, then half the population of Essos has a claim.

Ned could have claimed it by conquest, perhaps pointing out that the Starks ruled half of the continent for thousands of years before the Targs showed up, but they decided Robert having Targ blood made him more acceptable to the other Lords and populous. The northeners don't really interact with the south and would be seen as outsiders. Plus, Eddard doesn't seem like the power hungry type; he wasn't even supposed to be Lord of the North.