Sunday, April 8, 2012

AS SEEN ON TV: KING ROBERT BARATHEON


Had I not started April with the two characters from a JB Fletcher novel, I might have kicked off the month-long salute to 'Game Of Thrones' with King Robert as the Fool.
.....

KING ROBERT BARATHEON

AS CREATED BY:
George R.R. Martin

AS PLAYED BY:
Mark Addy

AS SEEN IN:
'Game of Thrones'

LOCATION:
Universe of Earth Prime-Time
(King's Landing, Westeros, Mondas)

From the "Game Of Thrones Wiki":
Robert Baratheon is a major character in 'Game of Thrones'. He is played by starring cast member Mark Addy and débuts in the first episode of the first season. He only appears in the first season.

Robert is the King of Westeros. He took the throne by conquest in a war known as Robert's Rebellion. He married Cersei Lannister to cement an alliance necessary to hold the kingdom but does not love her. She claims to have born him three children but they were all fathered by her twin brother Jaime Lannister. Robert is more concerned with drinking, hunting and whoring than with the minutiae of ruling. He prefers to leave running the kingdom to his small council.

He is a childhood friend of Eddard Stark and names him Hand of the King when the previous Hand dies in mysterious circumstances. Eddard launches an investigation and discovers that his predecessor was scrutinising the parentage of Cersei's children. Fearful of exposure Cersei has Robert's squire give him too much wine while hunting. He is wounded by a boar. Eddard cannot bring himself to tell Robert the truth about his children as he succumbs to his injuries. Robert names Eddard protector of the realm just before his death. Cersei ignores the proclamation, has Eddard arrested and seizes the throne for her son, Joffrey. The dispute leads to the War of the Four Kings.

Robert is the first son of Steffon Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End and head of House Baratheon one of the Great Houses of Westeros. He has two younger brothers, Stannis and Renly. His parents died in his youth and he inherited the lordship. He was fostered with Jon Arryn, the head of House Arryn, another Great House. Eddard Stark, the second son of House Stark, was also fostered with Jon Arryn, and Robert and Eddard became as close as brothers.

Robert served King Aerys II Targaryen (known as the Mad King) as the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Robert was betrothed to Lyanna Stark, Eddard's sister. Lyanna was kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. The mad king had Eddard's father and brother killed for protesting against the kidnapping. This sparked a massive uprising against the Mad King led by Robert, Eddard and Jon Arryn. Lyanna and Aerys died during the civil war that followed. Robert claimed the Iron Throne because he started the war and killed Prince Rhaegar personally. Robert also had the best claim to the throne as a result of being related to the Targaryens of old through his mother's side. The other leaders of the rebels both refused the throne. Robert was devastated by Lyanna's death but married Cersei of House Lannister in thanks for her father joining his cause late in the conflict and delivering the capital of King's Landing to him. He named Jon Arryn as his Hand while Eddard took his father's role as Warden of the North.

Robert has been the King on the Iron Throne and the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros since the end of the civil war. He is more concerned with drinking, whoring and hunting than with the minutiae of ruling his kingdom. He revels in the glory days of the rebellion. He leaves the running of the kingdom largely his small council, led by Jon Arryn. He apparently has three children with Cersei: Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen. Unbeknownst to Robert all three were actually fathered by Cersei's twin brother Jaime Lannister. Robert has also fathered several illegitimate bastards. He has an unacknowledged bastard son named Gendry fathered on a tavern wench. He has an unacknowledged bastard daughter named Barra fathered on the prostitute Mhaegen. He has at least four other unacknowledged bastards fathered on various women in the city of King's Landing alone.

Jon Arryn began to investigate the lineage of Cersei's children, comparing their appearance to Robert's bastard offspring. He died under mysterious circumstances shortly after beginning his investigation. Robert has decided to ride north to Eddard's keep Winterfell to name him as Jon Arryn's replacement.


BCnU!

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