Background Guide
Robert’s Rebellion
John Ford
UMICS President and Crisis Coordinator
Model United Nations – University of Maryland
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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Setting:
Welcome to King’s Landing. This city is the capital and the center of power on the
continent of Westeros. It is the year 282 AL (after landing) and tensions are quickly rising
between the king, Aerys “The Mad King” Targaryen II, and his vassals over Aerys’s unstable
and violent behavior. Since his imprisonment by a rebellious lord 6 years ago, Aerys has
been suffering from paranoid and insanity, refusing even to groom his hair or nails from his
fear of blades.
The city of King’s Landing was founded in the first year AL, at the site of the landing of King
Aegon “The Conqueror” Targaryen I, the legendary king that first united all of Westeros into
one kingdom and founded the Targaryen dynasty using the now-extinct dragons. It is now a
thriving city, with hundreds of thousands of residents. The city is composed of three hills
surrounded by great walls. One hill is peaked by the great Baelor’s Sept, a cathedral of the
Faith of the Seven, the main religion in Westeros. Another is topped by the ruins of the
Dragon Pit, where Targaryen kings kept their dragons before the dragons all died off. At the
foot of this hill is Flea Bottom, the slums of the city. Finally, the third hill is topped by the
military and governmental core of Westeros, the Red Keep. This massive complex contains
the palace of the king, the prisons, and the Tower of the Hand, where the king’s deputy, the
King’s Hand, lives.
The population of the city is roughly 500,000, with shanty towns built up around the
outside of the walls as well. It is the largest city in Westeros, but also infamous for its filth
and destitution.
During this simulation, it is assumed unless stated otherwise that you are situated in the
council chambers within the Red Keep. You are the small council of the King, and your role
is to advise this King and make governing decisions on his behalf; but be careful, only this
King can make your decisions into law, so you will have to convince him for the council to
be able to take legal action. More details on the Small Council can be found below.
There are nine major regions of Westeros; all of them are critical to the simulation.
The Crownlands:
The Crownlands are the lands controlled directly by the King. They are situated directly
around King’s Landing, and include the cities of Rosby and Duskendale, and the
Kingswood, as well as the traditional Targaryen island fortress of Dragonstone. The current
ruler of this territory is King Aerys Targaryen II. His oldest son, Rhaegar, is a handsome and
skilled knight married to the Princess of Dorne. Rhaegar just recently won a kingdom-wide
tournament and named as his Queen of Love and Beauty (an honorary title of affection)
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
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Lyanna Stark, the daughter of the Lord of the North and the betrothed of the Lord of the
Stormlands. Aerys also has a younger son, named Viserys Targaryen.
The Stormlands:
The Stormlands are the domain of the Great House Baratheon, whose sigil is the stag. The
Stormlands are south of the Crownlands and are so named for the great storms that batter
the coast of the region. The current lord is ROBERT BARATHEON, a great warrior of
immense strength, since the death of Robert’s father at sea. Robert has two brothers, the
stern and humorless Stannis and the very young Renly. Robert is currently being tutored by
Jon Arryn at the Vale.
The Vale:
The Vale is the mountainous region north of the Crownlands. They are well-fortified and
isolated, and ruled by the Great House Arryn, which takes the sigil of the falcon. The Vale is
currently ruled by the childless JON ARRYN, who has Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark
(son of the Lord of the North) in his care.
The Riverlands:
West of the Vale, and northwest of the Crownlands, are the Riverlands. This region is under
the domination of the Great House Tully, whose sigil is a fish. This domination is relatively
weak, and the local lords of this region tend to be very important. Most significant of these
local lords are the Freys and the Whents. The Freys are headed by the old Walder Frey and
his many children and grandchildren; they rule over a very important bridge, known as The
Crossing. The Whents rule over Harrenhal, the largest castle in Westeros; Harrenhal is
enormous, and rules over wealthy fertile lands, but is known to be cursed, and is little more
than a ruin. The current ruler of the Riverlands is HOSTER TULLY, who has two daughters,
Catelyn and Lysa, and one ward, a minor young lord of incredible intelligence named Petyr
Baelish. Catelyn is betrothed to the heir to the North, Brandon Stark. His son and heir is
named Edmure Tully.
The Westerlands:
South of the Riverlands and west of the Crownlands is the Westerlands. This region is filled
with gold mines and other valuable minerals, and is the wealthiest region on the continent.
It is ruled by the Great House Lannister, whose sigil is a lion. The current lord of the
Westerlands is TYWIN LANNISTER, an efficient and pragmatic leader known for effective
stewardship and ruthlessness to his enemies. Until very recently, Tywin was the long-time
Hand of the King. However, He recently resigned over the appointment of his son and heir
Jaime Lannister into the Kingsguard, making him ineligible to inherit.
The Reach:
The Reach is the most fertile and populous region in Westeros, and can field the largest
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
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army. It is to the South of the Westerlands, and west of the Stormlands. The lords of the
Reach are of the Great House Tyrell, whose sigil is a flower. The current lord of the Reach is
Lord MACE TYRELL. Mace is a handsome but overweight man with a reputation as a
figurehead for more competent members of his household.
Dorne:
The Southernmost peninsula of Westeros, Dorne is a largely independent nation with many
of its own unique customs. It is mostly a desert country, with mountains to the northwest
and a large river called the Rhoyne to the southeast. The Dornish prefer poisoned spears
and light armor to the heavily armored knights of the north, and both genders inherit
property equally. The leaders of this region are the Martells, currently headed by the Prince
DORAN MARTELL. Doran has a brother, Oberyn Martell, a legendary warrior, and a sister,
Princess Elia Martell, the wife of our Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. As a result of this
marriage, Dorne has a cemented alliance to the King.
The North:
North of the Riverlands across a narrow swampy chokepoint called The Neck is the North.
Ruled for millennia by the Starks, the North is the only part of Westeros that is still
inhabited by the descendants of The First Men. As such, it worships a different religion than
the rest of Westeros, the Old Gods, and does not knight its warriors. The North is
notoriously difficult to invade from the South, and has a gigantic legendary wall protecting
it from the wild people of the far north. The current leader of the house is Lord RICKARD
STARK. His son and heir is Brandon Stark, and he has a younger son tutored by Jon Arryn of
the Vale named Eddard, and a daughter named Lyanna betrothed to the Lord of the
Stormlands.
The Iron Islands:
The Ironborn are the residents of these islands off the western coast of the Riverlands.
Once an independent kingdom, this rugged raiding people are very reluctant vassals.
Similar to the Vikings of Medieval Europe, the Ironborn are a naval force and take well to
raiding more than open warfare. They worship a different God than the rest of the
kingdom, The Drowned God, and look down upon currency as something for the soft
mainlanders. The ironborn prefer to pay the “iron price” for items of their possession,
meaning that they killed the previous owners. The current lord of the Iron Islands is BALON
GREYJOY. House Greyjoy takes to the ironborn philosophy well, and takes the kraken as
their sigil.
The Crisis:
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
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Events So Far:
Several days ago, the royal entourage returned from a great tournament at Harrenhal in
the Riverlands. Two important events occurred at this tournament. First, the son and heir of
the Lannisters, Jaime Lannister, was inducted into the elite bodyguard of the King. He is
the youngest member in the history of the Kingsguard, but more importantly, this prevents
him from inheriting. His only brother was born with dwarfism, and is therefore looked down
upon by Westerosi society. This loss of his only favored heir to the Kingsguard angered the
Hand of the King Tywin Lannister greatly, causing him to resign as Hand and storm off
back the the Westerlands. Second, the Prince, Rhaegar Targaryen, shocked everyone by
naming the very beautiful Lyanna Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty of the tournament
instead of his own wife, Elia Martell. Lyanna is betrothed to Robert Baratheon of the
Stormlands, so this was a major scandal on two fronts.
At the same time, the King has been becoming increasingly unstable. Several years ago he
was imprisoned by his own vassal, the Lord of Duskendale, when he went to execute that
lord for refusing to pay taxes. By the time he was finally rescued by Barristan Selmy of the
Kingsguard, he had been badly traumatized by the incident. He blamed Tywin Lannister for
allowing him to be held hostage, and became extremely paranoid. He has barely left the
Red Keep since. In addition, the many cuts he has suffered on his own throne (made of
swords) has made him afraid of any blades, causing him to allow his hair and fingernails to
grow to ridiculous lengths. He has begun an unhealthy obsession with fire since his
imprisonment, especially an alchemical super fire known as wildfire, which can burn
through steel and is very difficult to put out. He has begun manufacturing large amounts of
this wildfire through the Alchemist’s Guild.
You are the “Small Council” of the King, his board of advisors. There are seven permanent
members of the council, plus any additional advisory members. Those seven are the Hand
of the King, the Commander of the Kingsguard, the Grand Maester (the head scholar of the
kingdom), the Master of Ships, the Master of Coin, The Master of Whispers (spymaster),
and the Master of Laws. The council is headed by the King, who is the only member who
can make the decisions of the council into formal law. Therefore, no matter what you vote
to pass, ultimately you must convince the King, who has ultimate veto power.
Description of Westerosi Politics:
The political model of the “Seven Kingdoms” of Westeros is one similar to the feudalism of
Medieval Europe. Social structure and government are divided into rigid social classes
resembling a pyramid.
At the top of the social pyramid is the king. Theoretically, whatever the king says or does is
law, and the king has ultimate power in all matters. He is the chief executive, the
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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legislative body, and the supreme judge. In reality, the king is constrained by political
realities, as his power relies on the loyalty of his subjects. Since kings cannot retire, if the
king loses power, he must also lose his life.
Directly below the king are the lords paramount and wardens. The lords paramount are the
leaders of the great houses described above, and rule over vast regions of the kingdom.
Each of these lords is a very powerful figure, and if two or more are able to form an alliance
that alliance could rival or surpass the power of the king. Ensuring the support of the Lords
Rickard Stark, Hoster Tully, Jon Arryn, Tywin Lannister, Balon Greyjoy, Robert Baratheon,
Mace Tyrell, and Doran Martell is absolutely critical. Warden is an honorary title given to
Lords Paramount that signifies that they are the protectors of a border of the realm. The
Starks are traditionally Warden of the North, the Arryns are traditionally Warden of the
East, the Martells are traditionally Warden of the South, and the Lannisters are traditionally
Warden of the West.
Each Lord Paramount has lords beneath them called high lords, and often these high lords
have minor lords beneath them. Minor lords usually have landed knights and sworn swords
beneath them.
Each minor lord is responsible for raising troops (called levies) for his high lord’s wars, each
high lord is responsible for raising levies for his lord paramount’s wars, and each lord
paramount is responsible for raising levies for the king’s wars. In return, each higher level
of the social pyramid grants parcels of land that he owns to the lords beneath him, and
offers protection of that land. By this system, the King originally owns all land, and chooses
to grant pieces of it to certain subjects, or vassals, in return for loyalty. In turn, these
vassals grant pieces of the land they are given to their own vassals, and so on. Each lord
owes ultimate loyalty to the lord directly above them, so that if a lord paramount rebels
against a king, typically all of the high lords under him rebel as well.
The common people of Westeros, or “smallfolk,” do not have many rights. Certain laws
exist to prevent the abuse of the smallfolk by the nobility, but the enforcement of these
laws depends on the character of the local lord. They are not expected to rise above their
social class in their lifetime, though certain rare exceptions exist, and they are not
expected to obtain any significant government office. They have little to no say in the way
they are governed, and are expected to fight and die for their lord. Nevertheless, keeping
the smallfolk happy is important for a lord, or even a king. Peasant rebellions and banditry
are known to occur, and can have severe military and economic consequences.
Remember, the commoners outnumber the nobility ten to one. In addition, the more
prosperous the smallfolk, the more taxes flow into the treasury.
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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Assigned Purpose of the Councilmen:
The council has 7 permanent positions:
The hand of the king speaks with the king’s voice and acts with the king’s hand. He is the
king’s deputy, and is to be treated as an extension of the king himself. If the king is away,
the hand sits in his place. The current hand is ORTON MERRYWEATHER. Merryweather is
known more for his friendliness, flattery, and gluttony than for his political skill, but is in
the favor of the king.
The commander of the Kingsguard is the head of the king’s security. There are always 7
knights on the Kingsguard, usually considered the greatest knights in the kingdom. These
knights serve for life, and may not retire or be dismissed. The son of Tywin Lannister,
Jaime, is the most recent addition to the Kingsguard. The best fighter in the Kingsguard is
Ser Arthur Dayne, the “Sword of the Morning.” The next best fighter is Ser Barristan Selmy
“The Bold,” who rescued King Aerys during his imprisonment at Duskendale. The current
commander is GEROLD HIGHTOWER, “The White Bull.” Known for his immense strength,
The White Bull is of the opinion that the Kingsguard’s duty is to protect the king, not to
judge him, and is thereby very loyal.
The grand maester is the expert on all things mystical, theological, or scholarly. He is the
head scholar of the kingdom, and is appointed by a council of other maesters (scholarpriests) in a manner similar to our Pope. Maesters are the equivalent of medical doctors,
experts in cures and poisons, genealogy, history, and many other matters. The current
grand maester is PYCELLE, an old man who has served two other kings before Aerys. He is
suspected to have Lannister sympathies.
The master of laws is the head of the city guard (the watch, or “Gold Cloaks”), in charge of
the prisons and executioner (“The King’s Justice”), and is considered the secondary chief
executive after the king and his hand. The current master of laws at this time is
unspecified in the source material, and so will be considered to be MANLY STOKEWORTH,
who is specified in the source material as commander of the city watch. The Stokeworth
family rules over a town very close to King’s Landing, and is known to be very loyal.
The master of ships is in charge of the Royal Navy, one of the three most powerful navies
in the known world, along with the navies of the Iron Islands and the Arbor (a part of the
Reach). The current master of ships at this time is unspecified in the source material, and
so will be considered to be MONFORD VELARYON. The Velaryons are an old Valyrian family
(of the same nationality as the Targaryens), with ties to the royal family. They rule over
Driftmark, an island off the coast of King’s Landing.
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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The master of coin is in charge of the royal treasury. He employs a relatively substantive
bureaucracy of turnkeys, harbormasters, royal mints, and tax collectors. He has the power
to borrow as well as tax, from powerful lords, banks, and the church. This is an often
underestimated position by the military-obsessed nobility of the Seven Kingdoms. The
current master of coin is not specified in the source material, and so will be considered to
be WALLACE MASSEY, father of Justin Massey, a young man. The Masseys are a noble
family in the Crownlands.
The master of whispers is a position occupied by Varys the Spider, a mysterious lowborn
man from the East. This position as the king’s spymaster is both feared and looked down
upon by the nobility. The paranoid King Aerys relies heavily upon his spies, giving Varys a
great degree of influence. Varys has a vast network of spies and an extensive knowledge of
the secret chambers and passages in King’s Landing, so nothing you say can be
guaranteed to be safe from the Spider.
In addition, King Aerys has appointed Doran Martell as an advisory member on the council,
but due to illness, Doran has appointed his sister ELIA MARTELL, the wife of Prince
Rhaegar, as his agent. Elia is known for her sharp wit and beauty, but is also physically
frail. She has two Targaryen children, Aegon and Rhaenys. Other temporary members of
the Small Council are: RANDYLL TARLY, one of the best generals in the kingdoms and a
vassal of Mace Tyrell; JON CONNINGTON, a good knight and a loyal friend of Prince
Rhaegar from the Stormlands; and ROSSART, a member of the Alchemists’ Guild and a
maker of wildfire. Though not a member of the council, Jaime Lannister is always present
at the King’s side; since the former hand Tywin does not have a good relationship with the
king, Aerys likes to reinforce the fact that he has taken away Tywin’s heir.
Assets Available to the Council:
Each of the lords paramount have levies available to them, the exact number unknown. As
best estimates: the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale can raise about 20,000 men; the
Stormlands and the West can raise about 25,000 men; the Dornish can theoretically raise
about 50,000 men, but are isolated and rarely leave Dorne; and the Reach can raise about
70,000 men. The Crownlands, the personal domain of the King, can raise about 15-20,000
men. Finally, the Iron Islands can raise a relatively small force of land troops, between 10
and 15 thousand, but have a very powerful navy called the iron fleet. The Iron Fleet can
rival any navy in the rest of the kingdoms, including the royal navy.
The treasury is “overflowing with gold,” due to the King’s reclusiveness. This simulation will
set the beginning treasury balance at 2 million gold dragons. One gold dragon is worth
11,760 pennies (the standard day-to-day currency), so that is quite a bit of money. A gold
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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dragon can typically buy a fine horse, or very good set of armor. Most commoners never
own a single dragon.
Other than that, each councilman has his own assets and abilities, as specified in detail in
the individual character bio sheets that each of you will receive.
Conclusion:
As a council, do not take your loyalties for granted. Try to act in character (on policy)
according to your character bios, but unless otherwise stated you should act in your own
best interest. There are two goals in this simulation: first, maintain peace and stability in
the kingdoms and ensure the interests of the King; and second, advance your own
interests. Depending on your character, this second goal may supersede the first.
Also, in the world of Westeros, plotting, scheming, and clever use of personal relationships,
can be much more powerful than troops. Due to the nature of politics in this world, you can
have the strongest army in the world but still be defeated through a single bad move. If you
die, you cannot guarantee your successor will be able to carry on your legacy. Be cautious
in your plotting, however, even in personal notes; all messages may be intercepted or
overheard in King’s Landing. The King is not a patient or reasonable man, and his paranoia
can either be something to take advantage of, or your doom. His word is law, and his
disfavor means exile or death even for the most powerful of councilmen.
Good luck, and remember – in the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle
ground.
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”
Robert’s Rebellion – Background Guide
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Recommended Readings
If you have the time and interest, read the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin.
It is a great series, and you will be well rewarded. However, be advised that the material in that
book can be extremely mature, please consult your parents before reading.
If you do not have time to read a 10,000 page epic fantasy, or simply the 800 page first book, and
you have access to HBO, you can watch the series “A Game of Thrones.” The same mature
content warning applies to the show.
Failing these, the website http://awoiaf.westeros.org gives great and detailed overviews of every
character, place, and event in the series. Major spoilers alerts to the book/show obviously apply.
For more general spoiler-free knowledge, research feudalism or life in Medieval times. While
not everything about real life Medieval Europe applies to Westeros, most things are very similar.
Disclaimer: None of this is my original content. Everything here was invented by George R R Martin in his
epic fantasy series “A Song of Ice and Fire.”