Um, Actually…To The Um, Actually

Published April 28, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey Guys,

So, just to restate my email from two years ago (below)… which you read on the show (thank you for that). Jon does NOT have a better claim to the iron throne. If gender* and coronation** ceremonies are put aside, when Prince Rhaergar dies, all of his children are moved way down the line of succession. The Kings living children are in line ahead of his grandchildren by dead son. The mad Kings oldest child and HEIR at the time of his death was Viserys. The oldest child was Daenerys, the second in line. Third in line _could_ go a bunch of different ways, but the only one presented in the show is the oldest son’s oldest child… Jon Snow (even if he was bastard – given the rules taken from the books)

In other news just before episode 3 airs:
-Why is no one talking about well armed and armored wights after winterfell. -AND Everyone keeps talking about facing what’s left after the battle at Winterfell? NO – if the army of the dead wins it will get all the people they just defeated – it’s not “what’s left over” it’s the combined forces! -The poor Hound is supposed to be in another battle filled with FIRE? Blackwater Bay, Fire worshippers, and now this! -No way Sam Dies!

*Gender- obviously if gender is a thing Dany is out, but she clearly doesn’t see that as a factor.

**Coronation – not 100% clear what the rule would be if the king dies and the heir is not crowned before that uncrowned heir dies (our situation). This _could_ change the Dany/Jon preference.

From a Wiki of Ice and Fire:
Robert and Eddard faced Prince Rhaegar and the royal army at the Trident, where Robert slew Rhaegar in single combat and the rebels defeated the royal army.[3] A fortnight later, the Sack of King’s Landing officially ended the war,[38] though Lyanna still remained missing and the last opposition still had to be dealt with.

———- Forwarded message ———
From:Quincy Acklen > Date: Wed, Aug 23, 2017, 2:23 PM
Subject: UM, ACTUALLY…
To: >

If King Aerys II died before Prince Rhaegar, then John Snow would be next in line to King Rhaegar, without a doubt. But that didn’t happen. Prince Rhaegar dies before King Aerys II, so the successor is established directly from the living king (Aerys II) not his dead child (Rhaegar).

This is what happened in the lead up to the ?second? Blackfyre Rebellion (as told in “Tales of Dunk and Egg” ). Daeron II was King and Baelor was the crown prince with two sons. Baelor’s oldest son Valar was second in the line of succession behind his father Baelor. But when Baelor was killed, Valar did not become the crown prince. Instead King Daeron II next son, Maekar, became the crown prince skipping his older sister Rhaegel and his now dead brother’s children.

So it’s clear in the GoT world that children of the king come before grandchildren of the king. And it is also clear that male children come before female children. But It is not at all clear if male grandchildren come before female children of the King.

The easy GoT answer is just an incestual marriage (or death).

P.S. what is the of the drowned god to the white walkers/wights (or perhaps their creator – the children of the forest. The words “what is dead may never die” seem to fit a little too well – especially in the context of a the sea stone chair that was there before any of the iron men.

Quincy

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