Lord's Take / Kings as Slavers

A group of themes around one man's right to call men to die for his rule. This major theme opens in A Game of Thrones with Robert's bringing too many mouths to Winterfell and taking entitlements at Darry castle. We see Joffrey order peasants to serve him and Sansa wine after Robert's example. It is understood the king has the right to take what he likes yet, as is brought up in Robert's guilt, is his lesser evil better enough than Aerys to justify their rebellion. Or is the idea of a king's entitlement fundamentally problematic?

Even Peace Is War: Powers position in peace time, especially family members with rivalries

Elections:

Worse Man: If might makes right, it's not brutality that rules, but treachery

Treachery Pays Short Term: causing more frequent regime change and instability

1 AGOT Prologue: "And then there was nothing to be done for it. The order had been given and honor bound them to obey." 5 Kings as Slavers

7 AGOT Catelyn II: "he is a king now, and kings are not like other men. If you refuse to serve him, he will wonder why, and sooner or later he will begin to suspect you oppose him." 59 Kings as Slavers, Aerys Come Again

12 AGOT Daenerys II: Drogo is a king and a slaver. Though Pentos is one of the Free Cities, Drogo paid Illyrio a finder's fee that included slaves. Kings as Slavers

13 AGOT Eddard II: Robert has Ned woken before dawn to go on a surprise long ride without telling him where they're going. Kings as Slavers

34 AGOT Eddard VIII: Robert commands Ned to serve in the matter of Daenerys's assassination.  Kings as Slavers

37 AGOT Daenerys IV: Viserys sees himself as Dany's king and so threatens to have her handmaid's head for having "commanded" him. Kings as Slavers, Aerys Come Again

40 AGOT Eddard X: Robert commands Ned to stay and be Hand. Kings as Slavers

41 AGOT Catelyn VII: Lysa commands Catelyn to ascend to the Eyrie at once, though not truly her lord. Though this makes the journey far more dangerous and unpleasant, Lysa thinks only of her own position as higher.  Kings as Slavers

54 AGOT Bran VI: Robb has called his banners and now the lords challenge him for command. We see why a king must be able to be brutally authoritative when the Greatjon is impressed by Grey Wind's taking two fingers. Might Makes Lord

55 AGOT Daenerys VI: "I, Drogo, Khal, will do this thing." 593 When Drogo speaks of taking Westeros, he does not reference the thousands who will serve him in his effort. Kings as Slavers, Lord's Take

68 AGOT Sansa VI: Joffrey thinks he can have Sansa's head cut off for the crime bearing him stupid children, as his queen. Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

72 AGOT Catelyn XI: "I told him...commanded him. Marry! I was his lord. He knows. My right to make his match. A good match. " 789 Hoster is angry the Blackfish never wed Kings as Slavers

A Clash of Kings

74 ACOK 1 Prologue: Since Stannis is king by his reasoning, Renly and Robb are traitors to his crown, not just to Joffrey's. They could all be sentenced to death for treason. Kings as Slavers

78 ACOK 5 Bran I: In the Frey game Lord of the Crossing, a lot of talk and listening for "mayhaps" disguise that the game teaches that the lord is defeated by shoving or not at all. Might Makes Lord

83 ACOK 10 Arya III: Since there's no king to come down on him, Tywin burns and sacks the riverlands. Might Makes Lord

84 ACOK 11 Davos I: Despite its historic significance and beauty, Stannis assumed the right to destroy Aegon's sept on Dragonstone. Might Makes Lord

85 ACOK 12 Theon I: "I will take my crown, as Urron Redhand did five thousands years ago." 186 Balon Might Makes Lord, Kings as Slavers amnd Pirates

86 ACOK 13 Daenerys I: Though they might decide better themselves, Dany appoints each of her bloodriders a direction. Kings as Slavers

88 ACOK 15 Arya IV: Yoren tells which man where to go to do what. Kings as Slavers

90 ACOK 17 Bran II: Any of the Hornwood neighbors would wed the widow for the land grab, but it must fall to Robb to weigh in. To legitimize the Hornwood bastard does a favor to Glover just as it benefits Tallhart to have his younger, half-Hornwood son taken to ward and heir. Robb must consider how a liege lord should determine the heir. It is not generally assumed Lady Hornwood has the right to behave as Lysa Arryn and wed for love. Yet, even were her wishes viewed as primary, the question of how the region's military math changes under different potential lords would always interest those most effected. Might Makes Lord

93 ACOK 20 Arya V: "Knights and lordlings, they take each other captive and pay ransoms, but they don't care if the likes of you yield or not." 294  Kings as Slavers

96 ACOK 23 Catelyn II: Renly's massive host and slow pace imposes much on land and lords. Might Makes Lord, Lord's Take

97 ACOK 24 Jon III: When Mormont offers Craster sanctuary at the Wall, Craster says "And what would we do there, serve you at supper? We're free folk here. Craster serves no man." 361 Yet, when Craster grabs a passing wife, who is serving him, to tell Mormont how content they are, it seems Craster's wives are slaves to him. "This is our place. Craster keeps us safe. Better to die free than live a slave." 361 Kings as Slavers

100 ACOK 27 Arya VI & 104 ACOK 31 Arya VII:: The villagers are called traitors so they can be taken as slaves called servants. The only sense in which they can be called traitors is that they were robbed by Dondarrion and given promisary notes as payment. Kings as Slavers, Lord's Take

105 ACOK 32 Catelyn III: The king is seen to own everything, by right of Aegon's conquest. So, when Renly offers Stannis Storm's End as a gift in exchange for allegiance, Stannis offers it right back. Since both wear crowns, both own everything, already, in theory. Lord's Take

108 ACOK 35 Jon IV: Mormont does not seem aware of how much harder verything is for his men than for himself and his officers. When Jon points out the Fist of the First Men lacks water, Mormont solves the problem by assigning a lot of pointless, backbreaking labor instead of realizing they should not stay. Kings as Slavers, Lord's Take

111ACOK 38 Theon III: Theon's raid on the fishing village took salt wives and thralls. Kings as Slavers and Pirates

114 ACOK 41 Daenerys III: Daenerys asks the Pureborn of Qarth for the Civic Guard. She wants their fleet. However, it is naive of her to think she could conquer a continent with a city-state's National Guard and then return it. Lord's Take

117 ACOK 44 Jon V: When Mormont concedes to Qhorin's plan to range into the Frost Fangs, he says "May the gods forgive me. Choose your men." 633 It seems Mormont sees this ranging as a likely death sentence. Yet, this example of a leader assembling a task force feels much more wholesome than Dany's assigning directions to her bloodriders. Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

118 ACOK 45 Tyrion X: When Tyrion sends instructions to Bywater through Bronn, Bronn's questions about why he might not take on the task himself reveal that Bronn thinks Tyrion means to have Bywater take Rosby castle and name himself lord. That would be piracy, Bronn. Might Makes Lord, Kings as Slavers and Pirates

123 ACOK 50 Tyrion XI: Tyrion has seized all the ships in the harbor, intending to blow them up. Tyrion must sign Varys's list of Antler Men: a list of citizens accused of conspiring for Stannis. They will be rounded up for execution. Lord's Take, Right to Life

124 ACOK 51 Theon IV: "I might have killed every man of you nd given your women to my soldiers for their pleasure, but instead I protected you. Is this the thanks you offer?" 726 Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

125 ACOK 52 Jon VI: Jon takes Ygritte captive to spare her. Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

129 ACOK 56 Catelyn VII: Aerys's brutality towards Brandon & Rickard Stark suggests impunity. Might Makes Lord, Right to Life

132 ACOK 59 Davos III: A commander assigns his captains positions, some more dangerous than others. We saw Tywin command from the reserves to route once the battle was decided. Now, Ser Imry puts Davos in the same position of danger Tyrion found himself assigned to on the Green Fork, one Tywin saw as sacrificial. Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

133 ACOK 60 Tyrion XIII: Men ordered into battle are treated as slaves. Their lives are seen as disposable, entirely dependent on and bound to rulers who are actually replacable. Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

138 ACOK 65 Arya X: When Roose Bolton takes Harrenhal, he also takes the heads of several middle managers, pretending it's for serving Lannisters. Roose does much he may not in Robb's name, framing his king.

139 ACOK 66 Sansa VIII: Knights are awarded lands and castles of lords slain on the battlefield. The winning side doles out the spoils, like pirates, though they pretend to be much more highly civilized. The finest clothes and jewels are worn as the most brutal are elevated. Might Makes Lord

141 ACOK 68 Tyrion XV: Lords take credit for the achivements of their men. Much as Tyrion will want full credit for his chain, though he did not lift a hammer, Tywin and Tyrell claim credit for saving King's Landing from Stannis. Kings as Slavers

A Storm of Swords

144 ASOS 1 Prologue: The highborn officers decide they are too well-positioned not to attack Mance's caravan, though outnumbered a hundred to one. Meanhile, a conspiracy of lowborn mutineers prepares to desert to avoid this suicide. Kings as Slavers, Right to Life

152 ASOS 9 Daenerys I: Becalmed, the great cog Balerion could be left to wait for wind but because Dany chose it as her flagship, it must be towed by oarsmen on the two other vessels, making them work harder. Kings as Slavers

153 ASOS 10 Bran I: Whoever makes decision for the group subjects the others to their will, but Jojen's decisions so protect and guide the group in the most intelligent way that it's obvious his is the only way. When all want what is best for all and all choose for themselves, the group operates in a state of freedom, not a state of slavery. Group Effort

154 ASOS 11 Davos II: Unable to pay Salladhor Saan the promised gold, Stannis names him Lord of Blackwater Bay and makes him a legal pirate, so long as what's taken are described as customs. Kings as Slavers and Pirates

157 ASOS 14 Arya II: The kingsmen take in Arya's group...and their horses. Kings as Slavers and Pirates

The Winds of Winter Sample Chapters

Theon 14: "Your place is where I say it is" Stannis says to Justin Massey Kings as Slavers

Aeron 3: "Your place is where I want you. I am your king," says Euron to Aeron. Euron also sells slaves. Kings as Slavers

Victarion 5: "If it made the three feel braver to believe they had a choice, let them cling to that. Victarion cared little what they believed, they were only thralls." Kings as Slavers