Elections
- onefansasoiafnotes
- Nov 7, 2023
- 6 min read
Opening in A Feast for Crows around the Kingsmoot and the Night's Watch election of Jon as Lord Commander, focus on elections continues in A Dance With Dragons related to the election of Senechals of the Citadel and the Triarchs of Volantis. Focus shifts increasingly to the possibility of an election being overturned and declared invalid, as with Torgon Latecomer, and Sannis's threat to oppose Jon's fresh appointment to Lord Commander if he doesn't give him his way.
A subtheme of Lord's Take
34 AGOT Eddard VIII: When Ned opposes him about assassinating the Targaryens, Robert puts it to a vote.
69 AGOT Daenerys IX: When the khalasar is stopped too long by Drogo's fall, various kos pronounced themselves khals and left with whoever followed. Following is elective.
72 AGOT Catelyn XI: The Greatjon elects to secede. It's immediately most popular, since the lords assembled intend continued defiance of the Lannisters. Yet, no one stops to check if it's workable.
73 AGOT Daenerys X: Daenerys announces to the remaining Dothraki of Drogo's khalasar that they are free to join her or go where they please. Then, she holds Drogo's funeral and hatches the dragon eggs as a demonstration of her worthiness for leadership.
"Dany had only to look into their eyes to know that they were hers now, today, tomorrow, and forever, hers as they had never been Drogo's." Daenerys succeeds at being elected an unheard of female khal. -806
96 ACOK 23 Catelyn II: Renly treats his campaign on the throne like a popularity contest. He makes a compelling point with his numbers. Disregarding such conventions as birth order, Renly's might makes right philosophy will soon hilight the superior strength of sorcery. It's not an election if the worst man wins by virtue of what he will stoop to.
105 ACOK 32 Catelyn III: Renly's war council is run largely by the majority of lord's voices, though Renly reserves the right to make final decisions.
"Let the three of you call for a Great Council, such as the realm has not seen for a hundred years... Let the assembled lords of the Seven Kingdoms choose who shall rule them." Renly laughed.
"Tell me, my lady, do direwolves vote on who should lead the pack?" -501
116 ACOK 43 Davos II: Stannis does not run his war council to please his lords, like Robb and Renly. They are not electing how to proceed but counciling him, as councillors only. 615
ADD A STORM OF SWORDS NOTES
227 AFFC 2 The Prophet: Aeron Damphair calls for a kingsmoot on Old Wyk to undermine Euron's call to pay him homage on Pyke. Though an election, Aeron's move is designed to remove Euron from the Seastone Chair. he hopes to replace him with specifically Victarion, not female Asha or greenlander Theon.
237 AFFC 12 The Kraken's Daughter: The danger of an election is that it is a gathering of rivals. With his competition all in one place, a pirate might think to surround and slaughter everybody. Four thousand years ago, the last kingsmoot was stolen with axes by Urron Greyjoy. This makes some lords want to stay home, since Euron Greyjoy is the sort of pirate to repeat that history. Instead, it foreshadows the High Sparrow will take his election by axe.
243 AFFC 18 Cersei IV: The High Septon has died and an election is underway. Many names are still in the running. Cersei has heard it must be Torbert or Raynard. Pycelle says Ollidor (proving correct, but perhaps for condemning reasons in 250 AFFC 25). Qyburn says Luceon. -345
244 AFFC 19 The Iron Captain: Arriving at Old Wyk for the Kingsmoot and feasting with his men, Victarion parlays with Asha, who has offered to support him if he'll share rule and concede the northern castles. He sees things very differently than she does. She can't give him much more than Harlaw, which he'll have if he marries Hotho's daughter. Victarion thinks Asha has no chance and should support him, period.
245 AFFC 20 The Drowned Man: Euron wins the kingsmoot by making outlandish promises.
249 AFFC 24 Alayne I: As a result of inherited titles and the custom of marrying for allegiance, the person to rule the Vale through incompetent child Lord Robert Arryn would be elected by their romantic success with a widow not of the land. It's a preposterous way to elect an official. Littlefinger succeeds at gaining the office by preparing long in advance and murdering Jon Arryn, but his position would be taken from him by the collective will of the Vale lords were it not for his cunning treachery of paying Ser Lyn Corbray to bare steel. Sub-theme: Overturn Election
"Septon Ollidor was on the verge of being chosen, until some of those sparrows followed him to a brothel and dragged him naked out into the street. Luceon seems the likely choice now, though our friends on the other hill say he is still a few votes short of the required number." -510
Though it was sparrows who condemn Ollidor for corruption, the news brings to mind the possibility that Luceon or one of his proponents, perhaps even Qyburn, might have leaked the brothel visit. This reminds that the system the sparrows replace is problematically corrupt.
254 AFFC 29 Cersei VI: Cersei arms the Faith
"Qyburn's whisperers claimed that Septon Luceon had been nine votes from elevation when those doors had given way and the sparrows came pouring into the Great Sept with their leader on their shoulders and their axes in their hands" -597
While the Most Devout viewed the crown as inviolable, the High Sparrow insists kings and queens must bow to the gods. Allowing the election to stand meant Cersei gave up the throne even before removing Maegor's ban on armed faith. Sub-theme: Overturn Election
267 AFFC 42 Alayne II: Littlefinger knows he'd never win an election, so he orchestrates a marriage that could between young people he can influence. Or, at least this is how he explains her match to Sansa.
271 AFFC 46 Samwell V: Alleras explains how the Archmaesters choose a Seneschal.
"There is a new one every year. They fill the office by lot from amongst the archmaesters, most of whom regard it as a thankless task that takes them away from their true work. This year the black stone was drawn by Archmaester Walgrave, but walgrave's wits are prone to wander, so Theobald stepped up and said he'd serve his term. He's a gruff man, but a good one." -969
275 ADWD 4 Jon I: When Jon won't grant Stannis the abandoned castles, Stannis threatens to challenge Jon's appointment as Lord Commander. Afterall, the count was done by a blind man. And Jon does have enemies. Sub-theme: Overturn Election
"After a century of war, Volantis found herself broken, bankrupt, and depopulated. It was then that the elephants rose up. They have held sway ever since. Some years the tigers elect a triarch, and some years they do not, but never more than one, so the elephants have ruled the city for three hundred years." -206
The tigers are the Old Blood of Volantis who favor the sword. The elephants are merchants and money lenders who advocate trade.
287 ADWD 16 Davos II: Though lords may call their banners, the kings of Westeros are not decided by birth or law but by where individuals are eager to show support.
298 ADWD 27 The Wayward Bride: Tris Botley gives Asha the idea of getting Theon to protest that the kingsmoot was unjust because he wasn't notified, despite being heir. There's a historical precedent. Torgon the Latecomer made such a claim against the cruel winner of the kingsmoot he wasn't told of, despite being heir. Sub-theme: Overturn Election
299 ADWD 28 Tyrion VII: The triarch elections in Volantis are circuses where candidates throw wealth at the voters. "Food, drink, spectacle" -396 Only freeborn Volantenes of property may vote. Jorah thinks it's the superior system.
"Volantis has known her share of follies, but she's never suffered a boy triarch. Whenever a madman's been elected, his colleagues restrain him until his year has run its course. Think of the dead who might still live if Mad Aerys only had two fellow kings to share the rule." -397
At the moment, this reminds me of Jorah's proposal to be one of Dany's husbands and dragon riders.
339 ADWD 68 The Kingbreaker: Whent's tourney at Harrenhal was a pretex to gather great lords to depose Aerys. His madness troubed many. It seems Rhaegar would simply have risen to the throne early by a vote or military majority. Sub-theme: Overturn Election
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