Tywin Lannister/Synopsis

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The story of Tywin Lannister in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series and its television adaptation Game of Thrones.

Early life

“	Tywin seems a hard man to you, but he’s no harder than he had to be. Our own father was gentle and amiable, but so weak his bannermen mocked him in their cups. Some saw fit to defy him openly. Other lords borrowed his gold and never troubled to repay it. At court they japed of toothless lions. Even his own mistress stole from him. A woman scarcely one step above a whore, and she helped herself to my mother's jewels! It fell to Tywin to restore House Lannister to its proper place.	„
	~ Kevan Lannister describes Tywin’s early life to Tyrion. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66.

Tywin Lannister was born to Lord Tytos Lannister of Casterly Rock and his lady wife, Jeyne Marbrand, in 242 AC (242 years after Aegon Targaryen's conquest of Westeros). He was the oldest of his parents' five children, making him the heir to his family's ancestral home and future Warden of the West. Tywin also had the fortune of being born into House Lannister of the Westerlands, one of the Seven Great Houses of Westeros and the richest family in the Seven Kingdoms. Thus, Tywin’s future was secure from a financial perspective. According to legend, shortly after birth, Tywin bit his grandfather, the mighty Lord Gerold Lannister’s finger, when the latter tried to ruffle his hair. If true, it served as a foreshadowing of Tywin’s attitude.

Very little is known about Tywin’s early life, but these years drastically shaped his character. When Lord Gerold Lannister died in 244 AC, Tywin’s father became the new Lord of the Westerlands. Although a kind and amiable man, Tytos, unlike the late Lord Gerold was a coward and ineffective ruler. He was a pacifist, with no military experience, and weak-willed, desiring to please everybody whilst avoiding unnecessary bloodshed. As his father had feared, Tytos’ rule of House Lannister was a complete disaster.

Tytos' vassals and merchants quickly learned to take advantage of their leader's generosity. For nigh on 16 years, the Warden of the West freely loaned out huge sums of gold to anybody who asked for it, which the greedy recipients never repaid. Tytos’ bannermen freely mocked their liege lord both privately and openly, whilst looking after their own selfish interests. Meanwhile, bandits, robber knights and other outlaws terrorized the Westerlands, which Tytos and his “followers” did nothing about. Throughout all of this, Tytos simply chortled alongside the lesser nobles, either not realizing or caring that these people were laughing at him, not with him. Soon enough, the citizens of Westeros mockingly said that the once mighty House Lannister was now ruled by "The Laughing/Toothless Lion".

This did not go unnoticed by Tywin. Perceptive, intelligent, and tutored on the historical deeds of his glorious ancestors, the young boy recognized his father's follies from an early age and swore that he would be nothing like his sire. People who knew Tywin in his youth say that, even as a boy, he was stern and uncompromising. Nobody ever saw Tywin laugh because, thanks to his father’s bannermen, Tywin hated the sound, and he rarely ever smiled either. Yet behind this seriousness, Tywin did care about his family, looking out for both his house and his loved ones.

The first demonstration of Tywin Lannister's temperament took place in 252 AC. When Tywin was 10 years old, his father hosted an elaborate feast attended by many of his bannermen and Westerland nobles. Also present was the universally loathed Lord Walder Frey of the Crossing and his second son Emmon. During the festivities, Tytos announced that following Lord Walder’s suggestion, his daughter Genna would be wedded to Emmon. Since House Frey is seen as upstarts by the higher nobility, a few guests stormed out of the room in disgust at this verification of just how far their liege lord had fallen. The rest either burst into laughter or struggled to hide their amusement. Even 7-year-old Genna did not approve of the marriage though she was too kind to say anything.

The same however could not be said for her older brother, who vehemently objected to the proposal. Ignoring the severity or potential consequences of his actions, Tywin called his father out stating that a sensible Lord would have refused this disgraceful, one-sided offer. Sharing the opinion of the masses, Tywin stated openly that House Frey was far beneath the Lannisters and that Emmon, who wasn’t even Walder’s heir, had no right to marry into one of the Nine Great Houses.

Genna (who loved her brother greatly from that day onwards) later recounted that although her wedding went ahead, the laughter and amusement died off immediately. The nobles stared at the 10-year-old boy in shocked silence. As Walder Frey quivered in his chair, Tytos Lannister, realising that he was being criticised and insulted for once, stood rooted to the spot, his face as white as milk. Genna’s husband, Emmon Frey, never forgot the events of that day and remained wary of his brother-in-law forever more.

Not long afterwards, Tywin was summoned to Tytos’ solar where, following a second confrontation, he was effectively banished to the King’s Landing. In response to his son's insubordination, Tytos volunteered Tywin to serve as King Aegon Targaryen V’s page and cupbearer; both risky and demanding positions. This “punishment”, however, turned out to be one of the very few wise things Tytos Lannister ever did for his son. Throughout his 8-year service, Tywin earned his knighthood and learned how to become an effective leader. Watching from the sidelines, he studied the intricacies of court politics, the ways of the elite, and the importance of family. Two of the most important things Tywin learnt during this period were the power of fear and that not all battles were won with armies on the battlefield.

During these years Tywin also met the three most important people of his life: -

• The first was his cousin and future wife Joanna Lannister, a lady in waiting to Princess Rhaella Targreyan.
• The others were the only people Tywin ever considered friends: Steffon Baratheon, the future Lord of the Stormlands, and King Aegon’s grandson, Prince Aerys Targaryen of King's Landing.

Nobody knew it but the relationship between the four people, especially the Lion and the Dragon Prince would greatly shape the future of Westeros.

Lord of the Westerlands

“	The lion has awoken.	„
	~ Ser Harys Swyft, regarding Tywin’s return to the Westerlands. The World of Ice & Fire.

In 260 AC, Tywin participated in the War of the Ninepenny Kings alongside his brothers, Kevan and Tygett and his friend, Aerys Targaryen. The conflict saw the final defeat of House Blackfyre, thus securing the Targaryen throne (for the time being). During the conflict, Tywin was granted the esteemed honour of knighting Prince Aerys, although this privilege would soon be forgotten.

Having fought alongside the Westerland contingents, Tywin witnessed how far House Lannister's reputation had fallen during his absence. According to his younger siblings, following the death of his wife in 255 AC, Tytos Lannister effectively gave up on governing the Westerlands. He now spent most of his days in his bed chamber, accompanied by a lowborn mistress, the wet nurse to Tywin’s youngest brother Gerion Lannister. In his absence, Tytos’ subjects had turned to others for leadership, which did not sit well with Tywin.

Now freed from his duties at the royal court, Tywin informed his brothers of his intention to put everything he had learned into practice, stating that he would undo the damage their father had wrought and restore House Lannister to its former glory. Having grown tired of their Lord father’s ineptitude, the younger Lannisters immediately pledged their support to their older brother. The events that followed would turn Tywin Lannister into a legend. Although he would have to wait another 7 years for his father to keel over from a burst heart, many agree that on that day in 260 AC, Tywin became the true Lord of the Westerlands!

The Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion

“	Roose: The curse of Tywin Lannister. Our goat should have consulted the Tarbecks and the Reynes. They might have warned him how your Lord Father deals with betrayal. Jaime: There are no Tarbecks or Reynes. Roose: My point precisely.”	„
	~ Roose Bolton and Jaime Lannister discuss the event that changed House Lannister's reputation. A Storm of Swords. Chapter 37.

Hostility in the Westerlands

“	Yet now the rains, weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear. Yes now the rains, weep o'er his hall, and not a soul to hear.	„
	~ Extract from The Rains of Castamere

In the northern regions of the Westerlands, close to the Crag and the border with the Riverlands, sit two ruined castles: Tarbeck Hall and Castamere. Built millennia ago, during the Age of the First Men, these ancient dwellings were once the seats of the now-extinct noble houses of Tarbeck and Reyne respectively. To look upon their scorched shells, one could easily be forgiven for thinking that these crumbling halls, like Harrenhal, were destroyed centuries earlier by a Targaryen ruler and their dragons.

Yet, it was not so. 50 years before the events of Game of Thrones, during the rule of Lords Gerold and Tytos Lannister, House Tarbeck and House Reyne were the political rivals of House Lannister. The two houses owed their success to Lady Ellyn Tarbeck (nee Reyne), the woman who had laughed the loudest when Tytos announced Genna’s marriage to Emmon Frey.

An ambitious and greedy woman, Lady Ellyn had once been Tywin’s aunt through marriage. She was originally engaged to Tywin’s uncle Tywald Lannister, but when he fell in battle, she seduced his twin, Ser Tion Lannister. Following their marriage, Ellyn abused her position as the new Lady of Casterly Rock, appointing many of her kinsmen to highly esteemed positions within Gerold’s court, whilst freely squandering the resources of the golden lions. Her “reign” only ended when her husband died in 236 AC during the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion. Since Tion died without an heir, Ellyn, in a bid to retain her power attempted to seduce the already-married Tytos. This was the final straw for Tywin’s mother and grandfather, who expelled Ellyn’s kinsman from the court and forced Ellyn to marry the twice-widowed Lord Walderan of House Tarbeck.

Unfortunately, Walderan Tarbeck turned out to be just as greedy and power-hungry as his new wife. During the lacklustre rule of Tytos Lannister, the Tarbecks, along with Ellyn's brothers, Lord Roger, and Ser Reynard Reyne of Castamere became Tytos' most disloyal vassals. Taking full advantage of their liege-lord, the Reynes and the Tarbecks "borrowed" extortionate amounts of money which, like the rest of Tytos' vassals, they "failed" to repay. Instead, they used the stolen coins to fill their treasuries and rebuild their citadels.

Additionally, Lord Roger Reyne was considered the greatest swordsman of the Westerlands. When Jason Lannister, the original leader of the West's forces fell during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, Roger had assumed the command leading the Westermen to many victories. Winning great renown amongst his fellow countrymen, Roger returned from the war as a hero. Back in the Westerlands, Lord Walderan Tarbeck was a politically shrewd and capable man, who knew how to win favour.

By the time Tytos Lannister withdrew from the concerns of politics, House Tarbeck and House Reyne had gone from terminally declining nobility to the most venerated and prestigious houses in the Westerlands, with Lord Walderan serving as Warden in all but name.

The Tarbeck and Reyne’s dominance would only be challenged with the return of Tywin Lannister. Like a male lion protecting his pride, Tywin, ignoring his father’s feeble protests, moved to re-establish control over his territory. He immediately appointed his brother Kevan the commander of 500 veteran knights who had proven their loyalty to House Lannister, ordering them to purge the Westerlands of its bandits and outlaws.

Whilst his brother was stomping out crime and freeing up the trade routes, Tywin made a firm but peaceful attempt to bring the disloyal vassals to heel. In due course, a flock of ravens departed from Casterly Rock bearing letters carrying the golden lion seal. The recipients were confronted with a simple message; the Lannisters were calling in their debts. By the decree of Ser Tywin Lannister, every coin Tytos handed out was to be repaid back to the Rock immediately. If the house/merchant in question could not pay when the collectors arrived, they were to hand over a member of their family, who would serve at Casterly Rock as a hostage until the debt was settled.

Needless to say, the people who had taken advantage of Tytos for so long were shocked by this change in attitude. Shaken, a handful of the Lannisters' bannermen did as instructed, handing over either coin or hostages to Tywin’s collectors. Hindsight would call these people the wise ones.

At the time, however, most of the Lannister’s vassals chose to remain defiant, including the Tarbecks and the Reynes. Once he had stopped laughing, Lord Roger Reyne told his followers to ignore Tywin's instructions, whereupon, many a Lord or Lady either denied Tywin’s collectors entry to their citadels or simply turned them away. Lord Walderan Tarbeck meanwhile decided to take things a step further. Since the order had come from Casterly Rock’s heir rather than its Lord, Walderan, who also had no intention of repaying his loan, rode to Casterly Rock to “convince” Tytos to rescind the edict.

Tywin anticipated this move, however, and in response, did something that no one was expecting. When the Lord of Tarbeck Hall and his escort passed through the gates, they were confronted by Tywin and a group of armed guards. Declaring that the Lord of the Silver and Blue Star Banner had betrayed his father, Tywin arrested Lord Walderan and imprisoned him. Tywin intended to keep Walderan as the Tarbecks hostage and use him as an example to the rest of the Westerlands traitorous nobility.

However, Tywin’s attempt to restore House Lannister’s reputation peacefully would be undone by the subsequent actions of Lady Ellyn Tarbeck and his father, Tytos. In response to Walderan’s arrest, Tarbeck soldiers, acting upon the order of Lady Ellyn, captured Stafford Lannister and two Lannisters of Lannisport. Now with hostages of her own, Ellyn wrote to Tytos, telling him to release her husband immediately, without charge or she would have the prisoners tortured and killed. Recognising that Ellyn was trying to undermine the Lannister’s authority, Tywin offered counsel to his father, stating that this blatant treason could not go unpunished, lest the Lannisters look weak again. He therefore proposed that they make an example of the Tarbecks; by cutting Lord Walderan into three separate pieces, as punishment for their insolence.

Once again, however, the inept and ever-peaceful Tytos ignored him. Choosing the cowardly way out, Tytos bowed to his vassal's wishes with Walderan being released from imprisonment and peacefully exchanged at Castamere. The capitulation was bad enough but then Tytos did something that Tywin could never forgive; he apologised for his son’s actions and as a gesture of goodwill erased the Tarbeck debt. In response to these proclamations, the Reynes hosted a magnificent feast. During the festivities Lannister, Tarbeck, Reyne, and many other nobles laughed, joked, supped, drank, and kissed; all the while proclaiming that the Lannisters and the Tarbecks would now be friends for all of eternity.

In reality of course, the Tarbecks and the Reynes were openly mocking the Lannisters and publicly celebrating their victory. Tytos either ignored or did not recognise this ridicule but Tywin did. Furious at his father's actions, Tywin withdrew for the moment, beaten but not defeated. However, like the animal upon his sigil, the heir to Casterly Rock was patient and cunning and that would be his enemy’s undoing. Nobody knew it yet but on that day in 260 AC, Ellyn Tarbeck and Tytos Lannister signed the death warrants of House Tarbeck and House Reyne!

Rebellion

“	To celebrate the end of hostilities, Lord Roger feasted Tytos at Castamere, and the two lords proclaimed their friendship for eternity. My father allowed eternity to last a year.	„
	~ Jaime Lannister on how the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion began. Game of Thrones, Histories & Lore, The Rains of Castamere.

Following the exchange, the Westerlands returned to the status quo. Tytos Lannister went back to his mistress, there were no further notifications of repayment and the Westerland nobility foolishly believed that Tywin had been corralled. For nearly a year, the peace Tytos had promised ruled over the land.

Then, in the late summer of 261 AC, messenger ravens landed at Tarbeck Hall and Castamere carrying letters from Casterly Rock. This time, however, Tywin’s mandate had nothing to do with money. To the shock of the Westerland nobility, Tywin branded Walderan Tarbeck, his lady wife and the Reyne brothers as criminals. Declaring that they had only been spared imprisonment/execution due to their noble status, the young knight commanded the now disgraced quartet to present themselves at Casterly Rock for questioning. It is not known if the letter contained a list of charges but, in all likelihood, Tywin probably accused the group of the following indictments: -

• The theft of Lord Tytos Lannister’s property, specifically his money.
• Lord Walderan Tarbeck and Lord Roger Reyne were undoubtedly accused of acting outside of their jurisdiction as vassals of House Lannister in violation of their ancestors' ancient oaths.
• Lady Ellyn Tarbeck was almost certainly charged with treason for kidnapping and threatening to harm her liege lord's kinsman.
• By extension, Lord Roger and Ser Reynard were probably suspected of aiding and abetting a criminal, given that they had hosted the exchange, instead of trying to talk Ellyn down or rescue the captured Lannister's as loyal vassals would have done.

Angered by these declarations, it did not take the insulted Lords long to decide upon their next course of action. Following a quick meeting, they sent a response stating that they would come to the seat of the golden lions with their armies behind them. Thus, after years of fake subservience, the Tarbecks and the Reynes finally renounced their fealty and openly rebelled against the Lannisters. Returning to their respective strongholds, the traitors began to strategize, call their followers to arms and tried to persuade the Westerland nobility to join them in overthrowing Tytos.

It was here, however, that the renegades made their first miscalculation. “The Laughing Lion" would play no part in this conflict. In fact, the Lord of the Westerlands never even realised what was happening within his territory, until it was too late.

The rebellion would be commanded by Ser Tywin Lannister, i.e. a true lion of the Rock. Battle-hardened and strategically gifted, Tywin was pleased with Walderan and Roger’s actions. Like a lion directing its prey into an ambush, Tywin sent those ravens on purpose, hoping to provoke the ignorant Lords into hostility. When the pair announced their intentions, they gave Tywin the excuse he needed to take up arms against them.

By the time Walderan and Roger raised their banners, Tywin’s army was already assembled. Having spent the last year quietly gathering a host of (at least) three thousand levies, sellswords, crossbowmen and cavalry from his family's militia and the Lannister’s few loyal followers, Tywin now led his men to war. With Kevan and Tygett at his side, the future Lord of the Westerlands prepared to show the citizens of Westeros what it meant to defy the Lannisters.

The Extermination of House Tarbeck

“	When Tarbeck Hall came crashing down on Lady Ellyn, that scheming bitch, Tyg claimed he smiled then ...	„
	~ Genna Lannister recounts Tywin's reaction to the fall of House Tarbeck. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33.

Within a few days of the rebellion's instigation, a Tarbeck scout reported to his lords that an army carrying the golden lion banner was bearing down upon Tarbeck Hall. The Tarbeck’s, no doubt realising that Tywin was coming to avenge the insult inflicted upon his family the previous year, were caught completely off guard by this development. They had not anticipated such a swift response from their enemy, and with their own forces still mustering, the Tarbeck host consisted of little more than a few hundred men from the castle's garrison and a contingent of 500 household knights.

Realising that his allies would never reach him in time, Walderan Tarbeck decided upon a bold but risky manoeuvre. Refusing to surrender without a fight, the men of the Tarbeck family kitted themselves up and rode out with the hastily assembled knights to give battle. Details of the engagement are not recorded but in the end, the Tarbeck host was slaughtered. Most of their warriors, including Lord Walderan’s oldest son, were slain in the battle. The survivors meanwhile, were all captured and presented to Tywin. Amongst them were Lord Walderan and many of his kin.

Defeated and humiliated, the prisoners assumed that Tywin intended to take them back to Tarbeck Hall and exchange them for a hefty ransom; namely the money that Walderan had previously pilfered. Unfortunately for them, the Tarbeck's had grossly misjudged Tywin’s character. The heir to Casterly Rock cared about power, prestige and influence, not money. Having learned from his mistakes, Tywin, refusing to give Lord Walderan another opportunity to cause trouble, ordered that all of the horrified prisoners be put to death. When the Lannister host resumed its march a few hours later, a set of pikes at the head of the formation carried the severed heads of their defeated adversaries back to their castle. Thus, the first blood went to the Lannister's, with Tywin simultaneously exterminating the majority of the Tarbeck family’s male population.

With Walderan and the adult men dead, Lady Ellyn Tarbeck became the new Lady of Tarbeck Hall. Despite their loss, the Tarbeck women and children had little time to grieve. Tywin was closing in, and no doubt intended to make an example of them as well.

Fortunately for the Tarbeck’s, before Tywin’s return to the Westerlands, Ellyn had the foresight to update Tarbeck Hall’s perimeter defences. The castle's walls were thick and reinforced. Also, unlike Tywin’s army, which was feeding off the land, the Tarbeck larders were well-stocked thanks to a good harvest from the previous year. Believing that she had Tywin’s strategy figured out, Ellyn, knowing that she could not give battle, called her garrison back into the city and closed the gates to await the upcoming siege. Despite her confidence, she also sent a messenger raven to her brothers at Castamere, telling them to come quickly whilst she kept the enemy distracted and entrenched.

When Tywin’s army arrived, Kevan Lannister gave Ellyn an opportunity to surrender and spare her people from a pointless slaughter. After she had stopped laughing, the woman whose greed and insolence had made this conflict possible, spoke the most famous quote of the rebellion (which was later misattributed to her brother, Roger) before retreating to the perceived safety of her castle: –

“	You are not the only lions in the West, Ser. My brothers are coming, and their claws are just as long and sharp as yours.	„
	~ Ellyn Tarbeck.

Unfortunately for Ellyn, she too had grossly underestimated Tywin. Within less than a day of her rebuttal, the Lannister army had its trebuchets assembled. During the subsequent bombardment, a giant boulder bypassed the Tarbeck defences and struck the main keep. The building, which had merely been refurnished with Lannister’s gold, came crashing down on top of the screaming Ellyn and her son Tion the Red, burying them beneath several hundred tons of rock and timber. Tygett later told his sister, Genna, that when Tywin learnt of Ellyn Tarbeck’s fate, he grinned gleefully.

With Ellyn dead, the leadership of House Tarbeck immediately passed to her daughter Rohanne. However, the new Lady of Tarbeck Hall’s rule would prove to be even shorter than her mother's. Upon seeing the keep fall, the survivors of the Tarbeck garrison, realising that they had no way to counter the trebuchets lost their will to fight. In a bid to preserve what little they had left, the men threw down their weapons enmasse and opened the gates, allowing Tywin, to deal the final blow to House Tarbeck: -

• Rohanne Tarbeck’s three-year-old son disappeared during the occupation. His fate is uncertain but legend claims that the child was smuggled away to Essos and now serves as a travelling musician. Most, however, believe that the boy was tossed down a well by Tywin’s attack dog Ser Amory Lorch, taking both the Tarbeck name and blood with him.
• Rohanne herself was either captured or handed over to Tywin, along with her sister Cyrelle. The young lion spared their lives but that was as far as his generosity extended. As punishment for their parents' actions, Rohanne and Cyrelle Tarbeck lost their tongues before being escorted to the Great Sept of Baehlor in King's Landing. There, they were forced to join The Order of the Silent Sisters, swearing holy oaths that stripped them of their nobility and forbade them from ever remarrying or bearing children again.
• Having extinguished Walderan and Ellyn Tarbeck’s bloodline, Tywin turned his attention to Tarbeck Hall itself. Although he could have installed a new, loyal custodian, Tywin, (after presumably taking everything of value), ordered the castle to be burnt. Witnesses claim that the once magnificent structure burnt for a full day and night.

Having destroyed the noble house that dared to believe they could usurp the Lannisters, Tywin’s soldiers set up camp in the fields outside of the still-burning castle. Having ensured that none of his men would ever forget what they had witnessed that day, Tywin allowed them to rest, before they would turn their attention to their remaining adversaries: House Reyne.

The Destruction of the Red Lions

“	Cersei: Do you know where House Reyne is now? Margery: Gone. Cersei: Gone. A gentle word. Why not say “slaughtered”?	„
	~ Cersei Lannister and Margery Tyrell discuss the ultimate fate of House Reyne. Game of Thrones. Season 3, episode 8.

Ellyn Tarbeck’s warning turned out to be well-founded. The day after the ransack, Lord Roger Reyne of Castamere finally reached Tarbeck Hall with a relief force of 2000 hastily assembled men. Unfortunately for the Lord of Castamere, he arrived too late. When Tarbeck Hall came into view, the helpless Reyne army saw the castle still burning brightly against the night sky.

Realising that his kinsmen were dead, Roger’s eye turned vengefully towards the Lannister camp, still situated outside the smouldering ruins. Overcome with grief and anger, the Red Lion ordered his men to attack, immediately. Using the darkness to their advantage, the Castamere host crept towards the Lannister position and fell upon the golden lion’s army with vengeful war cries.

Initially, the element of surprise gave Roger’s host the advantage. They cut down many enemies and the Red Lion himself fought his way towards Tywin’s pavilion at the centre of the encampment. For a brief moment, it looked as though Tywin’s end was in sight and that the hero from the War of the Nine Penny Kings would have his vengeance.

Unfortunately for Lord Roger, he had overlooked three crucial factors:-

1. Although he possessed greater numbers than the late Lord Walderan, the Reyne army was still outnumbered by a minimum of at least 3 to 1.
2. His soldiers were exhausted from the long march, whereas Tywin's men were fresh and well-rested.
3. Since speed was of urgency, the Castamere host was comprised entirely of lightly armed/armoured infantry and cavalry. In contrast, the Lannister army was supplemented with missile troops and heavy foot/horse.

This allowed the Lannister soldiers not committed to the fight to arm themselves in good order, form a second line and launch a devastating counter charge. In no time, the tide of the battle turned in the Lannister’s favour.

With his army now on the defensive, Roger Reyne tried in vain to recover the situation but as Tywin's cavalry smashed into his army's flanks, the Lord of Castamere knew that all hope was lost. Conceding the battle, the Red Lion sounded the retreat. As the Reyne host turned to flee, however, Tywin’s soldiers pulled back, giving the waiting archers and crossbowmen a clear shot. A devastating volley killed many enemies. Roger himself, was struck between the shoulder blades by a crossbow bolt as a parting gift from the Lannisters.

The engagement outside Tarbeck Hall would be the final battle of the revolt. Lord Roger Reyne, the Knight of the Red Lion, the hero of the War of the Nine Penny Kings had met his match. Tywin Lannister was now the greatest commander in the Westerlands.

Lord Roger Reyne did not die on the battlefield or during the retreat, but he may as well have done. He limped back to Castamere in defeat, with more than half of his followers dead and the survivors scattered to the winds. To make an already dire situation even worse for the Reyne’s, the crossbow bolt, which remained embedded in the Lord of Castamere’s back became infected. Weakened by a combination of blood loss and infection, Roger Reyne developed a high fever and fell from his horse. Carried back to his citadel by his few surviving guards, the defeated Lord was handed over to the maesters for treatment, though none could say if he would ever recover.

With Roger bedridden, the Lordship of Castamere and command of the rebellion passed to his younger brother, Ser Reynard Reyne. Reynard, who was noted to be shrewder than Roger, quickly realised that he was now in an impossible situation. The revolt was all but over. The Tarbecks were dead and the Reynes had just lost their army. Abandoned by his allies, Reynard was now stranded, deep within enemy territory with no chance of escape.

Yet, even so, all was not lost. Aware of the enemy's position, Reynard knew it would still take the Lannisters a couple of days to reach his position. As Tywin closed in for the kill, Reynard gathered his few remaining commanders together for a council of war; using what little time they had left to strategize. Escape was impossible and confronting Tywin in a duel or on the battlefield would be suicide. Realising that their only hope lay in bringing Tywin to the negotiating table, Reynard, after much contemplation and utilising what little resources he had left, believed that he had found the solution to their dilemma.

When Tywin and his army finally reached Castamere, they found the castle deserted. The city and its perimeter defences were deserted. No army or garrison rose in opposition or stood in defiance against them. Instead, a single emissary from House Reyne rode out to meet the shocked soldiers, asking politely to speak with Ser Tywin, to which the heir of Casterly Rock and his commanders obliged.

The delegate informed everybody present that Reynard and his people had taken shelter deep within the castle. Long ago, Castamere had sat atop a large gold mine, but when the veins dried up, Reynard’s ancestors converted the tunnels and pits into banquet halls and lavish chambers. Stressing these points, the diplomat warned the Lannister commanders that a direct assault would be both costly and foolhardy. Not only would the army be charging in blindly but the corridors were narrow, which would eliminate the Lannister’s numerical advantage. More importantly, Reynard knew of secret passages that would allow him to either escape or divert men to the Lannisters' flanks.

To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, the diplomat, acting upon his master's behalf offered Tywin an alternative solution; let him and Reynard meet to discuss peace. Reynard had already prepared some terms. In exchange for the safety of both his subjects and his person, Reynard, as the acting Lord of Castamere would publicly bend the knee in supplication, repledge House Reyne’s allegiance back to the Rock and henceforth serve the Lannisters as a loyal vassal. To ensure that the terms of this arrangement would be upheld, Reynard asked for Tywin's brothers to be handed over to him as hostages, with the reassurance that Kevan, Tygett and Gerion would all be treated with the respect that a Lannister deserved.

With the message delivered, Reynard waited anxiously below ground for a reply. This proved to be a fatal mistake, as Tywin’s response was swift.

Uninterested in Reynard’s demands, Tywin ordered his men to conduct a thorough search of the surrounding landscape. In no time at all, his soldiers scouted out all of the mine’s entrances. Whilst some stood guard, the rest of the Lannister host took up picks and shovels, burying each of the doorways beneath several layers of mud and rock. With the unsuspecting enemy now trapped like rabbits, Tywin’s men diverted the nearby stream to the lowermost entrance, flooding Castamere from within.

The Reyne brothers and their 300 subjects remain sealed within their underground tomb to this day. Lannister guardsmen later reported hearing faint screams at the furthest mine entrance. By the time the sun rose, however, the shouting had stopped and everything had gone silent.

Having defeated his final adversary without losing a single soldier, Tywin ordered Castamere to be burnt, just like he had done with Tarbeck Hall. The victorious soldiers watched on silently as, for the second time in a fortnight, the fires of Tywin’s wrath lit the sky. With the destruction of the second stronghold, the short, violent Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion concluded!

Aftermath

“	Some people say I was too harsh, that eradicating every member of their family was not necessary. But now there are no bannermen as loyal to their lord as the Westerlands to us. If any lord bridles at our authority, I have only to send a singer with a harp, and he falls back into line.	„
	~ Tywin Lannister on the outcome of the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion. Game of Thrones, Histories & Lore, The Westerlands.

Tywin returning to Casterly Rock after crushing the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion.

News of Tywin's deed quickly spread across the Seven Kingdoms. As the young lion had hoped, his actions had a profound effect upon both his and House Lannister's reputations. Although some people criticised the brutality of his methods, many agreed that Tywin’s actions had been a necessary evil. In due course, the events of 261 AC, specifically the defeat of House Reyne, would be immortalised into an infamous ballad whose tune and verses struck fear into the hearts of everybody who heard them: The Rains of Castamere.

Tywin also essentially cut the head off of the snake; by destroying House Tarbeck and House Reyne, two ancient families who could trace their origins back to the Age of the First Men, millennia ago, he had eliminated the only houses in the Westerlands capable of challenging the Lannisters’ authority. Realising that the Lords of Casterly Rock were not as weak as they had previously assumed, the surviving vassals quickly reassessed their allegiances. In the aftermath, Lord Tytos’ formerly troublesome vassals reaffirmed their loyalty by paying back their loans or sending hostages en-masse to Casterly Rock.

The sole exception came a few years later, when Lord Farmen of Fair Isle (a small island off the Westerland coast), threatened war against his Lannister overlords. Before things could escalate any further, however, a Lannister ship docked at the port and a messenger disembarked, asking to speak to Lord Farmen’s court on Tywin’s behalf. The court of Fair Isle assembled, whereupon the “diplomat” took up his instrument, revealing himself as a bard. To the horror and terror of the nobility, the musician’s “message” was a rendition of the Rains of Castamere.

Recognising the veiled threat, Lord Farmen thanked the man and paid him for his services. He then either backed down or negotiated with Tywin, allowing them to resolve the issue peacefully. Following this incident, neither Tytos nor Tywin had any more trouble with their bannermen, who for nigh on 40 years, remained firmly loyal to House Lannister.

Hand of the King and Warden of West

“	... the realm had no sharper mind than Lord Tywin Lannister, Hand to King Aerys II Targaryen, or as history remembers him, the "Mad King".	„
	~ Petyr Baelish. Hand of the King. Game of Thrones Histories & Lore. S7 E7

“	I remember the first time my father took me to court, Robert had to hold my hand. I could not have been older than four, which would have made him five or six. We agreed afterward that the king had been as noble as the dragons were fearsome. Years later, our father told us that Aerys had cut himself on the throne that morning, so his Hand had taken his place. It was Tywin Lannister who'd so impressed us.	„
	~ Stannis Baratheon tells Mellisandre and Davos about his first encounter with Tywin. A Storm of Swords. Chapter 54.

Appointment

Now under the much more capable leadership of Tywin, House Lannister's fortunes turned for the better. The Golden Lions began to prosper once more and the peace Tytos had promised finally returned to the Westerlands. However, Tywin's stay within the region was short-lived. In 262 AC, Aerys Targaryen sent a letter to his childhood friend with a new opportunity.

After 3 years of rule, Aerys’ father, King Jaehaerys II Targaryen had died. Now King Aerys II Targaryen, the new ruler of the Seven Kingdoms planned to replace his father's courtiers, who were getting on in years with fresh young minds. Wishing to be remembered as the greatest king in Westeros’ history, Aerys needed an honest, loyal and hardworking individual to guide and assist him. He therefore asked Tywin to become the new Hand of the King: the personal adviser/administrator to the monarch.

Tywin happily accepted this proposal and at the tender age of 20, returned to King’s Landing as the second most powerful man in Westeros and the youngest Hand in history. Aerys’ decision to appoint Tywin to this position was astute (and one of the few wise things he ever did). Despite his age and cold demeanour, Tywin proved a capable politician. In addition to restraining some of Aerys' more grandiose schemes, Tywin also fixed many of the issues plaguing the continent, including: -

• Repealing many of King Aegon Targaryen V’s more unpopular laws. This won Tywin some favour with the nobility, at the expense of the smallfolk.
• He also fixed the crown's financial issues with the Iron Bank of Braavos, ruthless money lenders who always got their coins back by paying them out of pocket. Given Tywin’s extravagant wealth, this was no major issue.
• Tywin also imposed wise taxes and legislations allowing trade to bloom across the continent.

Naturally, Tywin attributed all of this success to the wisdom of his friend, King Aerys Targaryen, though many knew the truth.

Tywin’s personal life also flourished during this time. In 263 AC, one year after becoming the Hand, he married Joanna and 3 years later (in 266 AC), she gave birth to the twins Cersei and Jaime Lannister. To Tywin’s joy, his children were both fit and healthy. This suited Tywin, as he had great plans for both of them.

One year later, in 267 AC, Tywin was informed that his father had died. An autopsy revealed that due to an unhealthy lifestyle, Tytos‘ heart had burst, whilst climbing the stairs to his bedchamber. In an act of compassion, Aerys relocated the court to Casterly Rock, allowing Tywin to set his affairs in order. However, Tywin did a lot more than appoint a new castellian.

During Tywin’s absence, his late father had taken a new mistress, the daughter of a lowly candlemaker. Using her newfound connections, the young woman moved into the castle and acted like the Lady of Casterly Rock, similar to what Ellyn Reyne had done 25 years before. She bossed around and dismissed the staff, but worst of all, for Tywin at least, she dared to bedeck herself out in Jeyne Marbrand’s clothes and jewelry.

Upon hearing this news, the new Warden of the West confronted the upstart girl within his late father’s bedchamber. Her guilt was verified when Tywin recognised her current attire as belonging to his late mother. Furious, Tywin had his guards strip everything off of the woman until nothing remained but her birthday suit. Although spared the Tarbeck’s fate, Tytos’ mistress paid a heavy price for her greed and insolence via a walk of atonement. For one week, Tywin’s soldiers led the naked woman around Lannisport, with the crying girl forced to confess to everyone they met that she was a whore and a thief. After seven days of suffering, the girl who dared to act as the Lady of Casterly Rock was put on a ship and banished from the Westerlands. This incident once again verified Tywin’s ruthlessness, whilst also (seemingly) verifying his hatred of whores.

The Madness of King Aerys

“	He bore that heavy burden for twenty years and all it earned him was a mad king's envy. Instead of the honor he deserved, he was made to suffer slights beyond count, yet he gave the Seven Kingdoms peace, plenty and justice.	„
	~ Kevan Lannister tells Tyrion about Aerys’ jealousy and mistreatment of Tywin. A Storm of Swords. Chapter 66.

“	You are my most able servant, Tywin, but a man does not marry his heir to his servant's daughter.	„
	~ Aerys II Targaryen insults Tywin at the Tourney of Lannisport. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 24.

In 268 AC, the royal court left Casterly Rock and returned to King’s Landing. However, through a series of personal tragedies and the paranoia/madness of the man he once called a friend, Tywin’s fortunes began to decline. Several years earlier, King Jaeherys Targaryen told the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan Selmy (aka Barristan the Bold) that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. From this statement, a new expression was born about the family famed for their madness and incest: when a Targaryen was born, the Gods of Westeros tossed a coin to determine whether the child would become great or mad.

Initially, Aerys Targaryen, despite some delusions of grandeur, seemed destined to become one of the greats. However, this belief started to fall apart in 268 AC when the young King began to exhibit signs of mental instability. Historians later concluded that a combination of an unhappy marriage, numerous acts of infidelity (on Aerys’ part), the loss of several children and petty jealousy took a heavy toll on the individual later dubbed the Mad King.

Apart from Queen Rhaella, none felt Aerys’ wrath more than Tywin. The first strain on their relationship began when Aerys started to ignore Tywin’s counsel or do the opposite of what he suggested. The King did this to hurt Tywin’s reputation, in response to the popular belief that the Lion of Casterly Rock was the real ruler, rather than the Dragon King. Punishing anybody who dared to say such things within earshot, such as Tywin’s guard captain Ser Illyn Payne, Aerys not only tried (and failed) to rule in his own right but whenever things went wrong, which was pretty often, he would, after fixing the issue, blame Tywin for the fiasco.

Utilising his legendary patience Tywin endured these insults, trying in vain to prove himself a loyal subject. In 272 AC, Tywin hosted a tourney in Aerys’ honour to commemorate 10 years of rule and verify the King’s popularity. Instead, Aerys chose to insult the things Tywin treasured; his family and reputation. During the event, the King made a big fuss over Joanna, whom he (according to both Kevan Lannister and Ser Barristan Selmy) had lusted after during his youth, even going so far as to take certain “liberties” during her wedding to Tywin. Hinting at a previous affair between them, Aerys now mockingly claimed that motherhood had ruined Joanna’s once gorgeous figure, making her a laughingstock in front of everybody.

These insults had the intended effect and the greatly angered Tywin tendered his resignation the following morning. Using the opportunity to boost his ego, Aerys coldly reminded his “servant” that only death or dismissal from the monarch could relieve the Hand of his duty. Despite his jealousy, Aerys still viewed Tywin as a useful administrator and fall guy. Thus, he refused his petition.

One year later, in 273 AC, Joanna Lannister died in childbirth. Gerion Lannister later claimed that Tywin never recovered from the loss. To make the already bad situation even worse, Aerys used the opportunity to mock his Hand; claiming that the Gods wanted to humble Tywin for overstepping his station. Thus, they killed his wife and left him with a deformed son, Tyrion (who was born with dwarfism). Tywin endured the insults and mockery of his Kings and peers in stoic silence, reluctantly continuing his duty. However, he never forgot or forgave Aerys for these insults.

Following the birth of Prince Viserys Targaryen in 276 AC, Tywin made one last attempt to reconcile his relationship with the King. He arranged another tournament at Lannisport, which the King reluctantly attended. Amongst the competitors were two of Aerys’ Kingsguard, Ser Barristan the Bold and Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, along with Aerys oldest son and heir, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Ever observant, Aerys noted how, despite everything he had done, the smallfolk cheered far more loudly for Tywin than for himself and even louder for Rhaegar.

During the festivities, Tywin conversed with the King about the future. Since Aerys did not have a daughter (yet) the Targaryen’s could not carry out their age-old tradition of wedding brother to sister. Since Rhaegar needed a wife, Tywin pointed out that he had a young, healthy daughter, suggesting that as an old friend and loyal servant, he would be more than happy to assist his friend and unite their families.

Many argue that had Aerys accepted this offer, the great travesty of 282 - 283 AC may have been averted. Instead, the King looked his “friend” in the eye and declared that he would never wed his son to the daughter of a “servant”, no matter how powerful or capable they were. As Aerys hoped, Tywin was deeply offended by this latest insult. The Lord of Casterly Rock was so angry that he cancelled the tournament's celebration feast and from that day onwards, no longer considered Aerys Targaryen his friend.

The Defiance of Duskendale

“	Lord Tywin immediately raised an army and marched on Duskendale, but Ser Denys threatened to kill the king at the first signs of an assault. If Ser Denys hoped to force Tywin to offer terms, he didn't know Lord Tywin, who refused to even parley until Ser Denys released the king and surrendered.	„
	~ Varys on Tywin’s actions to the Defiance of Duskendale. Game of Thrones, Histories & Lore – S8 E8.

One year after the tournament at Lannisport, in 277 AC, King Aerys was taken prisoner by Denys Darklyn of Duskendale. The Lord of Duskendale had previously written to the court demanding a charter for his declining city. When Tywin rejected the proposition, Denys requested that the King come personally to hear his case. Tywin tried in vain to talk Aerys down, which only inspired the monarch to accept Lord Duskendale's proposition, resulting in his imprisonment.

With his hands tied, the “ever-loyal” Tywin did the only thing he could and gathered an army, which included Aerys’ six remaining Kingsguard and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Duskendale was surrounded but Lord Denys forced Tywin into a stalemate, stating that if his demands weren’t met or the loyalists attempted an assault, he would kill the King. Tywin refused to negotiate however and the Defiance of Duskendale, as it was later termed, lasted for 6 months.

In the end, Tywin’s resolve cracked first. Approaching the fortifications, Tywin gave the defenders an ultimatum: release the King by dawn or he would attack at first light and (regardless of the consequences) kill everybody in the city. The King’s supporters were horrified by this declaration and vehemently protested. When the Hand of the King asked for alternative solutions, Barristan Selmy offered to infiltrate the castle and rescue the King. Recognising why this Kingsguard was referred to as “The Bold”, Tywin declared that his order still stood and that Barristan had one day to complete his task.

With great skill and incredible luck, Ser Barristan succeeded and, under the cover of Tywin’s archers, Aerys was safely extracted from the city. However, 6 months of imprisonment and mistreatment had destroyed the King’s already declining sanity. By the time of his rescue, the once noble Prince, whom Tywin had called friend was truly gone. In his place was a sadistic and ruthless madman, who over the next 5 years would terrorise his subjects and plunge the realm into ruin. As the Darklyn family endured the Mad King’s wrath, many people, including Tywin and Ser Barristan wondered if it would have been better to let the King rot and die.

In the aftermath, Aerys, as expected, showed Tywin no gratitude. Instead, the King’s suspicions and distrust towards his Hand had only deepened. He learnt of course about Tywin’s ultimatum and Lord Denys’ warnings. However, a political rival of Tywin’s also revealed that when the loyalist commanders objected to Tywin’s declarations, the Hand of the King pointed at Prince Rhaegar and declared that they had another King waiting with them.

This convinced Aerys that Tywin was plotting to replace him with Rhaegar, whom he also suspected of treason. Believing that the pair were conspiring together, the Mad King undertook several measures to ensure that no harm could come to his person: -

• He summoned a foreign eunuch named Varys to the capital to serve as his Master of Whispers. In addition to Tywin and Rhaegar, Varys’ agents, monitored all the castle residents' movements and actions. This ensured that no conversation was ever private and no secrets could ever be kept from the King.
• With the sole exception of the Tourney of Harrenhal in 281 AC, Aerys never left the Red Keep again.
• Thinking that it would ensure his safety Aerys declared that nobody, save for his guards was to carry a weapon in his presence. Despite abiding by this instruction, the King refused to be left alone with Tywin and only ever held council when all seven of his Kingsguards were present.
• Finally, Aerys, in a bid to insult Tywin, tasked their mutual friend, Lord Steffon Baratheon with finding a suitable wife for Rhaegar. It is implied that Aerys intended to promote Lord Steffon to the Hand of the King as reward but the Lord of Storms End died at sea before he could complete his task. Eventually, Aerys arranged for Rhaegar to marry Princess Elia Martell of Dorne. This greatly angered Tywin. His late wife had been good friends with Elia’s mother and the pair once talked about wedding two of their children; either Elia to Jaime or Cersei to Oberyn. TTywin rejected this proposal following his wife's death because he wanted Jaime to become a knight and Cersei to marry Rhaegar.

Despite these backhanded insults and veiled threats, Tywin continued with his duty … at least until 281 AC. That was when Aerys Targaryen crossed the line and did something that the Lord of Casterly Rock could never forgive.

Resignation

“	I had grown tired of the king's constant provocation. Thus I resigned my post as Aerys's Hand and returned to Casterly Rock with my considerable forces.	„
	~ Tywin Lannister on his resignation. Game of Thrones, Histories & Lore. Mad King Aerys – House Lannister. S1 E13.

When the Kingsguard, Ser Harlan Grandison died in his sleep, Tywin’s daughter, Cersei, a lady at court, secretly visited the Mad King with a proposition. She suggested he appoint her brother, Ser Jaime Lannister as Grandison’s replacement. Cersei did this in the hope of continuing her incestuous affair with her brother, an affair that Tywin was not aware of.

To Cersei’s elation, Aerys immediately agreed to her proposal and announced the appointment the very next day. Despite appearances, the Mad King did not do this because it was a wise or prudent move. Instead, he did it because of something the brash and foolish Cersei had overlooked.

Upon their appointment Kingsguard took vows of celibacy and fealty, forbidding them to ever marry or inherit their forebears titles and lands. The Mad King knew that Tywin favoured Jaime the most of all his children and had great plans/hopes for his son. Thus, he intended to not only rob Tywin of his heir but serve his Hand the greatest insult possible. If Jaime became a Kingsguard, according to Westerosi custom, Tyrion, Tywin’s hated son would automatically become the heir to the Westerlands and Casterly Rock. But most importantly of all, Aerys now had a hostage through whom he could control Tywin.

Unlike his foolish daughter and ignorant son, Tywin immediately recognised what Aerys was doing. Knowing better than to insult the King, Tywin pretended to be grateful, publicly “thanking” Aerys for this “great honour”. In reality, this was the straw which broke the camel's back. Immediately afterwards, the Lion of the West falsely claimed that his health was declining and that he would, unfortunately, not be able to continue in his capacity as Hand any longer.

Having gotten what he wanted, the Dragon King gladly accepted Tywin’s resignation and allowed him to depart. Thus, after 19 years of loyal service to the crown and the realm, Tywin Lannister returned to Casterly Rock with his daughter and retainers. He was replaced as Hand of the King by Lord Owen Merryweather, Jon Connington, Qarlton Chelsted and Rossart. None of these men ever matched Tywin’s prowess and in the long run, the Lion of Casterly Rock was the only one of Aerys’ Hands to escape with his power and titles intact, and one of only two to escape with his life.

Robert's Rebellion

“	The Battle of the Trident may have been an important victory for the Usurper, but it was the treachery and barbarism of Tywin Lannister that sealed the fate of the Targaryen dynasty.	„
	~ Viserys Targaryen, on the role Tywin played in the downfall of his family. Game of Thrones, Histories & Lore. The Sack of King’s Landing – House Targaryen. S1 E16.

After retiring from the court, Tywin maintained a low profile, so as not to give the Mad King an excuse to execute either him or Jaime. He did not attend the tourney at Harrenhal in 281 AC, with the only Lannister present being his son, Jaime. Unfortunately for the realm, without Tywin to hold up the strings, Westeros’ already crumbling political stability swiftly collapsed. Surprisingly, however, it was not Aerys who instigated the calamity, but his son, Rhaeger.

In 282 AC, Rhaegar Targaryen, in a move that still befuddles people to this day, (purportedly) kidnapped Lyanna Stark of Winterfell. When her brother, Brandon demanded justice, the Mad King only escalated the problem. Imprisoning the Stark boy, he summoned his Warden of the North, Lord Rickard Stark of Winterfell, to answer for Brandon’s crimes. Upon arrival, the Mad King executed the Wolf Lord’s guards, before torturing and brutally killing the Stark Lord and his son.

For Lord Jon Arryn of the Vale, whose nephew, Elbert, was amongst the casualties this was the final straw. When the Mad King demanded that the Warden of the East execute his wards, Lord Robert Baratheon of Storms End and Lord Eddard Stark, the new Lord of Winterfell, Lord Arryn instead raised his banners in rebellion. Thus, the War of the Usurper, later known as Robert’s Rebellion with the Seven Kingdoms quickly splitting into two factions: -

• The rebels, led by Robert Baratheon, consisted of men from the North, the Riverlands, the Vale and the Stormlands.
• Meanwhile, the loyalists, led by the Targaryen King and Prince were reinforced by men from the Crownlands, the Reach and Dorne.
• Situated far from the mainland, the Iron Islands played no major part in the war. The Ironborn did eventually pledge their support to Robert, but after being defeated by the forces of the Reach, they withdrew having made no serious contributions.

However, as the other realms fought and bled each other on and off the battlefield, one region remained completely neutral: the Westerlands. Lord Tywin regularly received messages and envoys from both sides, urging him to take up arms for their respective causes. Yet all demands the Lord of Casterly Rock refused to take a side. Like a lion plotting an ambush, the Warden of West turned his legendary patience and cunning.

Tywin knew from experience that there would be great rewards for those who aided the victor but severe penalties for those who sided with the enemy. Thus, he waited, keeping a vigilant eye and ear out for any developments. Jon Connington, one of Tywin’s successors, later noted that had Tywin been Hand of the King during the War of the Usurper, Robert would have been killed early on and the rebels would have been defeated in a matter of weeks or at most a few months.

Then, in 283 AC, after a year of fighting, Robert Baratheon slew the Dragon Prince at the decisive Battle at the River Trident. As the rebel army licked its wounds, the battered and bloodied loyalists retreated to the Mad King’s citadel. Knowing that their supporters from the Reach and Dorne were too far away to offer assistance, Aerys sent the pregnant Rhaella and his young heir Prince Viserys to the offshore stronghold at Dragonstone. As Eddard Stark led the rebel vanguard towards the Capital, it seemed as if only a miracle could save the Targaryen dynasty now.

These prayers were seemingly answered when, two weeks after Rhaegar’s death, Tywin Lannister, appeared outside of King’s Landing, with an army of 12,000 Westermen. Proclaiming his loyalty to the Dragon King, the Lord of Casterly Rock asked for entry into the city to help set up the defences. After listening to the conflicting arguments of Lord Varys and Grand Maester Pycelle, the Mad King ordered the gates to be opened. Whilst Varys advised caution, Pycelle pointed out that Tywin had repeatedly demonstrated his loyalty in the past and had clearly come to aid his King/friend in his darkest hour. The narcissistic and arrogant King swallowed the Grand Maester’s honeyed words, believing that his “servant” would not dare to rise against him, especially since he still had Jaime in effective custody.

This arrogance proved to be the Mad King’s undoing, for as soon as the gates were opened, Tywin ordered his men to attack!

The city and its civilians were subjected to a ransack far more brutal and bloody than the ones at Tarbeck Hall, Castamere and Duskendale combined. Tywin Lannister effectively put the capital city to the torch. For almost a day, his soldiers looted, pillaged and raped, killing loyalists and rebel sympathisers alike. Tywin also used this opportunity to settle scores with the men who had previously laughed at his expense during his tenure as the Hand. The fighting only stopped when Lord Eddard Stark arrived with reinforcements, helping the Westermen to breach the Red Keep.

When Robert Baratheon reached the Capital, a few days later, King’s Landing had fallen to the rebels. He eventually met with Tywin, who acknowledged the son of his former friend as King. As Tywin had anticipated, Robert was initially sceptical of the Warden of the West’s loyalty, given Tywin’s lack of action during the war. In response, Tywin asked Robert to accompany him to the throne room. There he presented the new King with a gift.

At the foot of the Iron Throne, covered by crimson Lannister cloaks were the bodies of King Aerys, Princess Ellia Martell and her two children, 3-year-old Princess Rhaenys and the infant Prince Aegon.

The Mad King had been slain by Jaime, when the young Kingsguard realised that Aerys intended to blow up the city, with everybody inside it using secret stashes of wildfire. Elia and her children meanwhile, had been murdered by Ser Amory Lorch and Ser Gregor Clegane (aka the Mountain who Rides). Acting upon the secret orders of Tywin, they had scaled the palace walls and hunted down all remaining members of the royal family. Lorch stabbed the young Rhaenys repeatedly, whilst Aegon had his face smashed in by the Mountain, who then proceeded to rape and murder Elia.

Although neither Tywin nor Robert approved of this brutality, they both acknowledged that it had been a necessary act. As Robert put it, the Targaryen children were contenders against his claim to the Iron Throne. To take the crown, “Rhaegar’s dragon spawns” as he called them, needed to die. Tywin had saved the new King from bloodying his own hands, although Lord Eddard did not approve of this action.

In the long run, Tywin and Jaime, much to the disgust of Eddard and Jon Arryn were pardoned for their war crimes. Tywin, meanwhile, earned the eternal hatred of Aerys’ family and the citizens of King’s Landing, who never forgot the brutality of the event. Likewise, Elia’s kinsman in Dorne never forgave Tywin for the murder of Ellia, although they could not prove that Tywin had ordered it since Lorch and Clegane (whose own involvement was covered up) stayed quiet. Prince Oberyn even went so far as to plan another rebellion, before his brother, Doran, talked him down (stating that there was another way to get even).

Ignoring all of this, Tywin helped Robert to not only secure the throne but establish a new dynasty. He gave the remaining Targaryen loyalists, including Ser Alliser Thorne and Ser Jaremy Rykker the option to either take the black or face execution. After they left to join the Night’s Watch, the Wardens of the West and East turned to the matter of succession. Although Robert had no intention of marrying following the tragic death of Lyanna Stark, Jon Arryn insisted that he needed an heir.

Repeating the same offer he had previously made to Aerys; Tywin offered his daughter as a suitable wife to the new King and, following a lot of persuasion from Jon Arryn, who became the new Hand of the King, Robert accepted the proposal. In 284 AC, Cersei Lannister and Robert Baratheon were married and over the next 7 years, the new Queen bore “Robert” three children: Prince Joffrey, Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen Baratheon. With this, Tywin managed to get the last laugh on his former friend. Less than 10 years after the Mad King had denied him, it was Tywin’s grandchildren who stood to inherit the Seven Kingdoms, rather than Aerys’.

Sowing the seeds of hatred

Because Tywin had sacked King's Landing and ordered the deaths of Elia Martell and her children, this earned him and House Lannister the hatred of the city's population, most notably House Martell of Dorne and its ruling prince, Doran Martell. Ever since the day he received news of the death of his sister and her children, he began to plot his revenge alongside his brother Oberyn, in which they would take away everything Tywin held dearly while planning to restore House Targaryen to the throne. While growing up in exile, Prince Viserys Targaryen held a deep resentment for both Tywin and Jaime and referred to them, along with Lord Edward Stark (falsely), as the Usurper's Dogs, as they had helped Robert Baratheon, who is referred to as the Usurper by Targaryen loyalists, in seizing the iron throne. This hatred was also passed down to Viserys' sister, Daenerys, who adamantly believed that all the dogs were guilty, as she refused to see the difference between the roles of Houses Lannister and Stark.

Years later, Balon Greyjoy rebels against the Iron Throne. Tywin fails to protect the city of Lannisport from the Iron Fleet during a surprise raid planned by Euron Greyjoy and commanded by Victarion Greyjoy. After failing King Robert, his younger brother Stannis managed to destroy the Iron Fleet near Fair Isle and stop the ironborn raidings.

During the years before the events of the actual series, Tywin loses his two youngest brothers, Gerion and Tygett. The two left two children at Casterly Rock: Tyrek Lannister, son of Tygett, and Joy Hill, bastard daughter of Gerion.

A Game of Thrones

Believed to be responsible for hiring an assassin to murder Bran Stark while he lay in a coma, Tywin's son Tyrion is abducted at the inn at the crossroads by Catelyn Tully, the wife of Lord Eddard Stark, the current Hand of the King. She takes him to her sister Lysa, at the Eyrie, for trial. Though Tywin does not care about Tyrion's welfare, he sees the arrest and kidnapping as a direct insult to House Lannister's honor, which he will not tolerate. In response, Tywin sends Ser Gregor Clegane and his men, disguised as brigands, to sack and pillage various villages and hamlets across the Riverlands, Catelyn's homeland. These raids mark one of the seminal points in what is to become the War of the Five Kings.

Tywin's aim is to draw Eddard out of King's Landing, capture him, and exchange him for the freedom of his son. Eddard, however, is injured in a skirmish on the streets of King's Landing with Tywin's son Jaime, who is unaware of Tywin's plans, and Eddard sends Lord Beric Dondarrion after Gregor in his stead. When Beric's forces reach Mummer's Ford, soldiers of Tywin's and Gregor's attack from all sides, routing Beric's host.

As the war gains momentum, Tywin's forces take the majority of the Riverlands and lay siege to Riverrun before meeting their first real opposition in the Battle of the Green Fork. Just prior to the battle, Tyrion, having won his freedom from the Vale of Arryn via trial by combat and earned the loyalty of many of the mountain clans along the way, meets with his father. Tywin sends Tyrion and his clansmen into the battle on the left flank, believing the undisciplined men likely to rout, but giving the northern commander, whom Tywin believed to be the young and inexperienced Robb Stark, a chance to overcommit and be annihilated. The clansmen do not rout, however, and the northern commander is not Robb but instead the more cautious and experienced Lord Roose Bolton. The battle is a Lannister victory, but it buys enough time for a separate northern force under Robb Stark's command to cross the Trident at the Twins. With the Battle of the Whispering Wood and the Battle of the Camps, Robb is able to capture Tywin's other son, Jaime, and lift the siege of Riverrun.

After the death of King Robert, Tywin is named Hand of the King for his grandson, Joffrey Baratheon. After the battle, he sends Tyrion to King's Landing to serve as Hand in his stead and to prepare the city's defenses in anticipation of an attack from one or both of King Robert Baratheon's brothers, Stannis and Renly, while Tywin manages the war with the North and the Riverlands.

A Clash of Kings

The loss of Riverrun means that Tywin is not able to pursue and destroy Roose Bolton's forces. Instead, he marches south to Harrenhal while he ponders his next move. Lannister men in the Riverlands are harassed by Beric Dondarrion's brotherhood, although Beric has been reported as slain several times.

When Robb Stark marches from Riverrun and invades the Westerlands, smashing a new Lannister host being raised and trained by Stafford Lannister at Oxcross and turning his forces loose to scour the Westerlands, Tywin leaves Harrenhal and marches his forces west in pursuit. Robb and Ser Brynden Tully plan to lead Tywin's army on a long chase across the Westerlands, bleeding his forces and living off of their lands. However, Ser Edmure Tully, who has been tasked with holding Riverrun but is unaware of Robb's plan, meets Tywin's army in the field in the Battle of the Fords.

Tywin's forces are bloodied and thrown back, but the delay allows word to reach Tywin that Stannis Baratheon has murdered his brother Renly and laid claim to much of his army, and that he is marching and sailing on King's Landing with an enormous force. Tywin turns his force southeast on a forced march to the headwaters of the Blackwater Rush, where he meets Lords Mathis Rowan and Randyll Tarly of the newly-allied Reach. They then join with the forces of Lord Mace Tyrell at Tumbler's Falls.

Sailing together on barges down the Blackwater Rush, the Lannisters and Tyrells arrive just in time for the waning moments of the Battle of the Blackwater, where they are able to break and drive away the majority of Stannis's army, which had been on the cusp of victory, by taking them in the flank. Tywin commands the host's right flank during the battle. Tywin is declared the Savior of the City by King Joffrey. Tywin's son, Tyrion, who had done much for the city's defenses, is critically wounded in the fighting.

A Storm of Swords

Tywin atop a horse as he's declared Savior of the City.

Tywin's timely arrival at the Battle of the Blackwater allows him to take the majority of the credit for the Lannister victory. Tywin assumes his official position as King Joffrey's Hand while giving to his brother Kevan the position of Master of Laws and to Tyrion, after his recovery, the position of Master of Coin, which Tyrion sees as a demotion and an insult. Also, Tywin reinstates Grand Maester Pycelle in the small council after receiving a letter from the Citadel. The Conclave, being annoyed about Pycelle's removal from his office without their consent, threatens to put Mace's uncle, Maester Gormon, born Gormon Tyrell, as Pycelle's replacement.

Tywin arranges for Tyrion to be wed to Sansa Stark before she can be betrothed to Willas Tyrell, giving him claim over Winterfell and directly refusing Tyrion's ambition to inherit Casterly Rock. He also makes plans to find a suitor to marry his widowed daughter, Queen Cersei, though they are never realized. He offers her to Willas Tyrell, but Mace Tyrell, after being hectored by his mother, Olenna Redwyne, refuses the match. Tywin demands that Tyrion act as if the offer were never made.

Tywin refuses to leave the North to King Balon IX Greyjoy and plans to deal with him after he's done with Robb and Stannis. After receiving a letter from Lord Steward Bowen Marsh asking for help to defend the Wall against the wildlings, Tywin ignores it and replies that he won't send any help until his ally Lord Janos Slynt is made Lord Commander. Tywin wants to use Mance Rayder's army as a distraction for both Robb and Balon. After learning that Robb Stark has unexpectedly wed Jeyne Westerling and that House Westerling has gone over to the Starks, Tywin remains in communication, via raven, with Jeyne's mother, Sybell Spicer. He also communicates with Roose Bolton, who has switched sides to the Lannisters after taking Harrenhal, and Lord Walder Frey, who sees Robb's marriage to Jeyne as an insult to House Frey, as it breaks a marriage pact Robb had previously made to wed a Frey girl.

After Balon Greyjoy's death, the Red Wedding is the direct result of Tywin, Walder, Roose, and Ser Rolph Spicer's correspondence, which sees Robb Stark betrayed and murdered along with the vast majority of his host, effectively ending the war with House Lannister the victor. With Robb Stark's death, Lord Tywin plans to deal with Stannis Baratheon once Joffrey and Margaery are married.

Tywin Lannister has Ice, the Valyrian steel greatsword of Eddard Stark, reforged into two longswords as gifts, one for Joffrey on his wedding day and the other for Jaime. Not long after, King Joffrey is poisoned and dies at the feast following his wedding to Margaery Tyrell. Tywin's son Tyrion is falsely accused of the crime, and Tywin agrees to be one of Tyrion's three judges, alongside Prince Oberyn Martell and Mace Tyrell, at his trial. When it becomes clear that he is going to be found guilty, Tyrion demands trial by combat, and Oberyn surprisingly volunteers to champion him. Cersei, being Tyrion's accuser, selects Ser Gregor Clegane to represent the crown. Despite being poisoned by Oberyn during the trial, Gregor wins the duel, slaying Oberyn. Tywin personally proclaims Tyrion guilty and sentences him to death.

Ramifications

As Tyrion had hoped, the trial by combat left Tywin in an extremely precarious situation. Although he had achieved his long-awaited ambition and would finally be getting rid of the son he despised, this small victory came at a huge cost. The highly popular Prince Oberyn of Dorne, who was not only a guest of the Lannisters but (allegedly) there to help rebuild the peace between their two houses, was now dead. Worse still, Gregor Clegane had publicly confessed that he was responsible for the deaths of Elia Martell and her son Aegon. Even though Gregor never mentioned Tywin directly, the Hand of the King knew that it was only a matter of time before word spread all over the Seven Kingdoms of how Tywin had ordered the deaths of Rhaegar Targaryen's wife and children.

Knowing that he had to work fast, Tywin did his best to keep the political situation as stable as possible. Unaware that Oberyn and his brother Doran had already been secretly plotting against the Lannisters for years, Tywin feared what the Prince of Dorne and his people might do. Although the Dornish had remained relatively neutral during the War of the Five Kings, Tywin's granddaughter, Myrcella Baratheon, was currently still residing in Dorse. Tywin knew that once word of Gregor's confession reached Dorne, it might inspire the Dornish to hurt Myrcella in recompense or, worse yet, to side with the Lannisters remaining enemies, such as Stannis Baratheon.

Knowing that this could not only jeopardise the Lannisters' position but prolong the war for years to come, Tywin did his best to placate the Dornish. He allowed Oberyn's corpse to be taken back to Dorne with full honors. Tywin also allowed Oberyn's escort to leave the city unimpeded and sent a letter of reassurance to Doran, stating that the perpetrator of this atrocity would be punished appropriately. To this end, Tywin ordered Grand Maester Pycelle to heal Ser Gregor Clegane enough so that he could face the King's justice (i.e., beheading). Unfortunately, Pycelle found this task impossible because, as Tyrion had suspected, Oberyn had coated his spear with a powerful toxin. Despite Pycelle's best efforts, none of his antidotes, salves, potions, or treatments had any effect, causing Gregor to die an extremely slow and painful death.

Death

While dealing with these issues, Tywin patiently awaited Tyrion's upcoming execution. On the eve of his son's death, Tywin took Tyrion's former lover, Shae, to bed with him. He eventually left the chamber to answer a call of nature, unaware of what was transpiring elsewhere within the castle and that his past deeds were finally about to catch up with him. As he sat quietly in the privy tower, Tywin's peace was suddenly interrupted when the door to the chamber swung open, revealing a small figure standing in the doorway. It was Tyrion!

Unbeknownst to Tywin, Jaime, who could not bear to see Tyrion die for a crime that he was not convinced his younger brother had committed, forced a reluctant Varys to help him liberate Tyrion and smuggle him to Essos. Although initially grateful for the rescue, Tyrion's gratitude disappeared when Jaime informed him that this was his way of saying sorry for a previous transgression. When pressed, Jaime finally told Tyrion the truth about the latter's first wife, Tysha. He admitted that she genuinely was a crofter's daughter and that Tywin had forced him to do so. Infuriated by this revelation, Tyrion vowed revenge against both his father and siblings.

Things might have stayed like that had Varys not led him through a certain passage. As the eunuch escorted him to safety, they passed a ladder, which Tyrion recognised from a description Shae had previously given him. Realising that it led directly to the Tower of the Hand, the wrathful Tyrion saw a golden opportunity to carry out his promise and repay part of his debt. After ordering the eunuch to wait for him, Tyrion ascended the ladder, snuck down the concealed passage past Tywin's guards, and emerged into the chamber unnoticed. Approaching the bed, Tyrion found and confronted Shae, who was still wearing nothing but his father's chain of office. After strangling her to death with the golden ornament, Tyrion took Tywin's crossbow from the wall and armed it. He then marched up to the privy, where he now stood before his helpless and cornered father, his weapon pointed straight at Tywin's heart.

Remaining calm and composed, Tywin guessed half-correctly that Varys had freed Tyrion from the Black Cells. He tried to assure his son that he had no intention of killing him and that he still planned to send him to the Nights Watch. Tyrion did not care whether this statement was true or not and refused to let his father exit the chamber. With his father at his mercy for a change, Tyrion told the Lord of the Westerlands that he only wanted to know one thing before he departed: what did he do with Tysha?

The Hand of the King did not recognise the name at first, but once Tyrion reminded him, he callously called her Tyrion's "first whore." Raising the crossbow threateningly, Tyrion warned his father NOT to say that word again if he wished to live. Tywin assumed that this was a bluff, but Tyrion warned him that it would not be wise to find out. With the threat of getting a bolt through the chest, Tywin, with a bit more prodding, tried to recall what he had done with the woman his son had previously married. Tywin confirmed that he did not have her killed and that once all was said and done, he had simply handed her over to the steward. Beyond that, he did not know; he simply assumed that the latter sent her on her way. When Tyrion asked to know where, the patriarch of House Lannister dismissively said, "Wherever whores go."

Pushed beyond his limit, Tyrion pressed the trigger, revealing that his threat was not a bluff. Tywin tried to dodge the incoming missile, but the arrow hit him square in the bowels, fatally wounding him. Bleeding to death, Tywin stared in shock at the shaft now protruding from his waist. With his last words, the Lord of the Westerlands cursed his youngest son, stating quite angrily that Tyrion was no son of his. Having heard words to this effect throughout his life, Tyrion was unphased. Turning the insult around, he mockingly told his father what the latter loathed to hear—that he was nothing more than a smaller version of his father. Knowing what was about to happen and not wanting to risk being caught, Tyrion ordered Tywin to just get it over with.

Tywin Lannister died a moment later, slain by the son that he had despised and relentlessly tormented. As he turned to leave, Tyrion realised that Tywin had soiled himself in the moment of his death. Smiling, the killer noted that his father had died in the best place possible, while also joking about how the foul stench proved that Tywin was nothing more than a mortal man who did not poop gold after all.

Funeral

“	It is not fitting for Tywin Lannister to die alone. Such a man deserves a retinue to attend his needs in hell.	„
	~ Thoughts of Cersei Lannister

Tywin's body was eventually found a few hours later by one of his guards, Lum, when he visited the tower to use it. Lum immediately notified his fellow guards, who in turn alerted the other members of Tywin's household. The secret entrance to the bed chamber was also discovered not long afterwards. By the time Cersei arrived, Tywin's body had been laid out on the bed, where Kevan knelt beside it, weeping profusely. Jaime, meanwhile, was investigating the secret passageway, trying to see where it led and if there were any clues left behind by the assassins.

Realising that she had been the last person to be notified, the Queen Regent took control of the situation. She sent Boros Blount down to the prison cells to check on Tyrion. She then ordered that Grand Maester Pycelle be summoned, both to prepare her father's body for the Silent Sisters and remove the crossbow bolt. After learning that he had already visited and left, she had Qyburn attend to the duty instead. As Tywin's corpse is ready for a state funeral, Cersei had the Kettleblack brothers unceremoniously remove Shae's body from the scene, ordering them to take the tongue of any man who dared to mention that Shae was present.

When Jaime returned, Cersei implored him to take their father's place as the new Hand of the King. Jaime refused, saying that he is more suited for battle than leadership. When Cersei stated that she would be the one ruling the Seven Kingdoms until King Tommen was old enough, Jaime expressed his doubt in her capabilities. This earned him a slap in the face from Cersei, which in turn caused the twins to be scolded out by their grief-stricken uncle, who chastised them for behaving so disrespectfully in front of their late father. Not long afterwards, Ser Boros Blount informed the three that Tyrion's cell was empty, at which point they all realized who was responsible for Tywin's death.

Tywin's body laying in state.

Tywin's funeral took place a few days later. Dressed in a fine set of gold and crimson armor, the late Lord of the Westerlands and Hand of the King lies in state within the Great Sept of Baelor for seven days, one to honor each of the seven aspects of the Seven who are One. Despite their falling out, Jaime stands vigil over his father's body, mainly out of guilt and regret for releasing Tyrion. Such was Tywin's power, influence, and reputation that many Lords and Ladies from all over Westeros and the Free Cities flock to King's Landing to pay their respects. This is not an easy task, as Tywin's body, despite the best efforts from Pycelle and the Silent Sisters, let out a really bad smell that few, including King Tommen, could bear to stand near it for much longer. It is assumed that the stink was caused by the bolt puncturing Tywin's intestines, yet Pycelle had the Silent Sisters remove the body's insides and even add fresh herbs in the attempt to cover the smell (it is implied that the premature rotting smell coming from the corpse was the work of Widow's blood, a poison known to shut a person's bowel and bladder until the victim slowly dies; used by Oberyn after stealing it from Tyrion's supplies, who in turn had stolen it from Pycelle). Cersei and Jaime are also unsettled by the way that Tywin's lips twist into a smile as the body dries out, since smiling was not something that Tywin himself was known for. As a result of all this, Tyrion managed to get additional, unintentional revenge on his father by humiliating him in death.

Despite the fact that he had previously sacked the city, the citizens of King's Landing openly mourn Tywin's passing. Cersei is not pleased with this display of affection, as she notes that the people did not show the same amount of respect to her late son, Joffrey. Instead, when her late husband, King Robert, died, the streets were full of even more mourners than for Tywin and Joffrey, paying respects to Robert's body while it was being carried back to the Stormlands. Eventually, Tywin's body is escorted on its final journey back to the Westerlands, accompanied by an entourage of knights and lords. His body was then presumably laid to rest in Casterly Rock, alongside that of his wife, Joanna, his father, Tytos, and his younger brother Tygett (his likely dead brother Gerion vanished in the Smoking Sea).

Legacy

Tywin Lannister's death marked a major turning point in the fortunes of Westeros. Although Stannis Baratheon still lived, by the start of 300 A.C., the first phase of the War of the Five Kings had essentially ended with a Lannister victory. With Tywin serving as the true power behind the iron throne, the Seven Kingdoms had been, at least for a short while, relatively peaceful and stable once more.

His death now opened the door for his daughter, Cersei, who, as Queen Regent, was finally free to govern the realm as she saw fit. Over the course of the next few months, the assumptions of her father, uncle, and brothers were proven to be true, as Cersei proved to be ill-suited for ruling. Due to a combination of paranoia, greed, and distrust, Cersei continued to make a number of bad decisions, which threatened to not only end economic stability but plunge the realm back into war again. These included:

• Putting a massive bounty upon the heads of Tyrion and Sansa Stark, which led to the deaths of hundreds of innocent people.
• Filling the Small Council with her own loyal lapdogs. Whereas Tywin had sought to fill the Council with wise, capable people from the Tyrell fold, Cersei's new councilors were more akin to yes-men, who continued to support Cersei's poor choices, just for their own benefit.
• Wasting a huge amount of money building a new royal fleet, only for the ships to be stolen by the Master of Ships, Aurane Waters, before the Lannisters could use them.
• Alienating potential allies. Foremost among them were the Tyrells (whom she incorrectly assumed had helped Tyrion murder Joffrey) and her uncle Ser Kevan (who would have been a very capable Hand of the King and valuable ally in helping to rule the Seven Kingdoms).
• Having the High Septon Tyrion installed to be murdered by Ser Osney Kettleblack. Cersei did this because she believed ( as it turned out) that the High Septon knew the truth about the parentage of King Tommen. This eventually allowed the High Sparrow, a more devoted and fanatical follower of the Faith of the Seven, to be elected in his place.
• To make matters worse, Cersei then allowed the High Sparrow to rebuild a private army for the church in the form of the Faith Militant, due to being easily manipulated. Although this wiped away half of the Lannisters' debt, Cersei incorrectly assumed that her actions would make the High Sparrow and the Faith loyal to her.
• Cersei's greatest mistake, however, was refusing to pay back any of the loans owed to the Iron Bank of Braavos. Consequently, as a result, the Iron Bank unleashed its wrath by refusing to hand out any more loans and retaking their debts. In addition, they signed an agreement with Stannis Baratheon in which they would support his claim to the iron throne. Since many of the Westerosi Lords and Ladies depended on the Iron Bank of Braavos, the realm was plunged into instability, with the entire economy on the verge of collapse.

The calamity was only halted when Cersei was arrested by the Faith on charges of treason, incest, and murder. Following her incarceration, Ser Kevan Lannister was named as the new regent. Kevan, along with Grand Maester Pycelle, proved to be a much more effective leader, almost as capable as Tywin, and was able to undo much of the damage that his niece had wrought. Unfortunately, any hopes of maintaining Tywin's legacy were shattered when Kevan and Pycelle were both murdered by Varys in order to keep the realm in chaos, which would make things easier for the Spider's true master, Aegon VI Targaryen, to take the iron throne.