TARGARYEN NOVEMBER 2021

TARGARYEN NOVEMBER 2021

↳ Day 22: Targaryen laws and reforms

The King's Peace is a concept and law devised by Aegon I Targaryen for of all subjects of the Iron Throne, including nobles, prohibiting violence and war for the settling of disputes. Under the King's Peace, liege lords are to adjudicate disputes of their vassal petty lords or landed knight, while those between the great houses of the realm are to be settled by the Iron Throne. Those nobles who go to war without the leave of the King are to be considered rebels and traitors to the Crown. The concept remained under use during the Targaryen and Baratheon dynasties, referring to the protection all loyal subjects enjoyed for their loyalty to the monarchy.

The rule of thumb is a law enacted by Queen Rhaenys Targaryen during the reign of Aegon I Targaryen. The ruling states that if a husband chastises an adulterous wife, that it is against the law to strike her with any rod or implement bigger than the husband's thumb. A further ruling, the rule of six, established that the husband was only allowed to strike no more than six times for the seventh blow represented the Stranger, who was death.

The Widow's Law was implemented in the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen on the advice of his wife, Queen Alysanne Targaryen. It later became known as part of Queen Alysanne's laws. In times of peace, it was not uncommon for a man to outlive the wife of his youth, as women die in the birthing bed, and in times of war, the men may perish in the fight, leaving behind widows. Due to this, men would often take a new wife, whose presence was resented by the children of the first wife. Upon the man's death, his heir could and would often expel the newly widowed wife, reducing her to no more than an impoverished boarder. To rectify these ills, the Widow's Law was implemented in 52 AC, reaffirming the right of the eldest son (or daughter, where there was no son) to inherit, but requiring said heirs to maintain surviving widows in the same conditions they enjoyed before their husband's death. The same law also forbade a man to disinherit the children by a first wife in order to bestow their lands, seat or property on a later wife or her children.

After Queen Alysanne heard numerous horror stories by women involving the archaic custom of First Night, she persuaded the small council to Abolish the First Night in 58 AC, and that henceforth a bride's maidenhead would only belong to her husband, whether joined before a septon or a heart tree, and any man, be they lord or peasant, who would forcibly take her on her wedding night or any other night would be guilty of rape.

Alysanne supported Septon Barth's plan of constructing wells, pipes, tunnels, and cisterns to provide King's Landing with fresh, clean water. Barth pointed out to Jaehaerys that the defouled river water was the only source of water for the smallfolk, suggesting his plans would provide the smallfolk with clean drinking water instead. When the king and his master of coin, Rego Draz, balked at the costs, Alysanne served them a tankard of river water and challenged them to drink it. Instead of drinking the water, the king and his master of coin approved the construction of the fountains, which would become known as "the queen's fountains".

The Doctrine of Exceptionalism, is the precept that King Jaehaerys I Targaryen worked out with the Faith of the Seven in order for them to tolerate the continued practice of incestuous marriages by House Targaryen. It was developed by King Jaehaerys, with help from Septon Oswyck and Septon Barth. The Doctrine of Exceptionalism's basic tenet was simple: the Faith of the Seven had been born in Andalos of old, where the laws laid down by the Seven in the holy texts decreed that incest was an abomination. The Doctrine of Exceptionalism confirmed this, but with one caveat: the Targaryens were not like other men as they rode dragons and were the only ones in the world since the Doom of Valyria. In addition, they did not have their roots in Andalos, but in Valyria, where different laws and traditions held sway. The Targaryens wed brother to sister as the Valyrians had always done, and as the gods had made them this way, it was not for men to judge. The Seven Speakers preached the doctrine throughout Westeros and the supporters of this doctrine are called exceptionalists.

game of thromes meme | seven (stories) quotes (2c/7) “a hundred days and a hundred nights he labored on the third blade, and as it glowed white-hot in the sacred fires, he summoned his wife.“ 

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King Aegon V and Queen Betha by @chillyravenart

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→  The great houses of Westeros during the Dance of the Dragons (129-131 AC) : House Tully

Myranda gave her a shrewd little smile. “Yes, she was the very soul of wisdom, that good lady.” She shifted her seat. “Why must mules be so bony and ill-tempered? Mya does not feed them enough. A nice fat mule would be more comfortable to ride. There’s a new High Septon, did you know? Oh, and the Night’s Watch has a boy commander, some bastard son of Eddard Stark’s.“ 

"Jon Snow?” she blurted out, surprised.

“Snow? Yes, it would be Snow, I suppose.”

She had not thought of Jon in ages. He was only her half brother, but still …

I am a bastard too now, just like him.

— Alayne II, A Feast for Crows

TARGARYEN NOVEMBER 2021 || 21: Friendships and alliances || Rhaena Targaryen and her friends, favorites, and companions