Otto Hightower

Ser Otto Hightower is a knight of House Hightower and has served as Hand of the King to Jaehaerys I, Viserys I, and currently to Aegon II. He is one of the primary leaders of the Greens during the Dance of the Dragons.
==Biography==
===Background===
Otto is the younger brother of Lord Hobert Hightower and the father of Gwayne and Alicent Hightower. He is the Hand of the King to Viserys I Targaryen and considers the king's brother and heir Prince Daemon Targaryen to be the greatest threat to the realm.House of the Dragon | Official Website for the HBO Series | HBO.com
Ser Otto was named Hand of the King by King Jaehaerys I Targaryen in 101 AC, following the death of Prince Baelon Targaryen.
===House of the Dragon: Season 1===
Nine years into the reign of King Viserys, Otto attends a meeting of the Small Council. Lord Corlys Velaryon informs the council that the alliance in the Free Cities known as the "Triarchy" is trying to claim the Stepstones. The Sea Snake warns that Westerosi ports could be negatively affected, but his concerns are dismissed by Otto and the king. Otto swiftly turns the discussion to the more joyous topic of the upcoming Heir's Tournament which the king has planned for the approaching birth of his next child and hopeful son. Later that night, Otto is present when Grand Maester Mellos and Maester Mickon are attending to an infected wound on the king's back. Otto instructs Mellos to keep the affliction a secret.
That same night, Prince Daemon leads the City Watch in hunting down the criminals of King's Landing, rounding them up en masse to face summary justice. At the Small Council meeting the following morning, Otto protests that the public measures were too excessive and that he cannot be allowed to act with such impunity. Otto demands that Daemon account for his actions; Daemon defends himself by stating that he followed the king's laws, and with most of Westeros's nobility coming to the king's tourney, it was a justified action to ensure their safety. Otto then says that Daemon should put as much effort into his marriage as his work with the gold cloaks, as Daemon hadn't been seen with his wife Rhea Royce at Runestone, or even in the Vale of Arryn, for a long time. Daemon insults his wife, and when Otto responds to defend her honor, Daemon states that he would be happy for his wife to share Otto's bed as his own wife has so recently passed. Otto furiously rises to his feet at the affront, but Viserys defuses the argument, bidding Otto not to rejoin his brother's provocation. Otto begrudgingly complies.
The following day, Otto sits beside the king in the royal box as the Heir's Tournament commences. Otto whispers to Viserys that he could have Lord Boremund Baratheon's tongue cut out after he called Princess Rhaenys the "Queen Who Never Was," but the king dismisses it as harmless. Otto is further provoked by Daemon as he picks as his first opponent in the joust his eldest son Ser Gwayne Hightower, defeating Gwayne in the second tilt by tripping his horse. Daemon then asks for and receives Otto's daughter Alicent's favor. As the tournament continues, a maester arrives and informs Otto about Queen Aemma's difficult labor, with Otto then promptly telling Viserys and both leaving the tourney grounds. Otto then later returns to notify members of the Small Council of the news of the birth of Prince Baelon Targaryen and the death of the queen.
Otto attends the funeral of Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon.
At a Small Council meeting, Otto presses Viserys to set his succession firmly in order for the stability of the realm. With Baelon's death, Daemon is now once again Viserys's heir presumptive, but Otto, with the support of Grand Maester Mellos, is adamant that Daemon is too ambitious and insists that Daemon has the loyalty of the City Watch. Viserys responds that his brother may be ambitious but has no ambitions for the Iron Throne itself because kingship wouldn't suit him, and responds to Otto's complaints that Daemon's command of the City Watch effectively gives the prince a private army by pointing out that it was Otto's idea to give Daemon the command in the first place, as Otto had complained when Viserys named his brother Master of Laws that he was a tyrant, and then Master of Coin that he was a spendthrift. Otto concedes the point, but asserts that in his opinion Daemon should be kept far away from any power, as he could be a second Maegor the Cruel or worse. When Lord Lyonel Strong asks who else would have a claim, Otto suggests the king's firstborn child Rhaenyra. Viserys refuses the notion of choosing between his brother and his daughter, so Corlys offers an alternative: his own wife Rhaenys, which Otto dismisses as Corlys had already declared his support for Daemon. The discussion ends abruptly when Viserys berates his Small Council for behaving like crows squabbling over corpses while he is still mourning his wife and son.
Later within the Tower of the Hand, Otto sends for his daughter Alicent and he gives a message to Grand Maester Mellos to be dispatched by raven to Oldtown. Otto embraces his daughter, comforting her and asking after Rhaenyra, then suggests that Alicent might offer her condolences to the grieving king in his chambers, telling her to wear one of her mother's dresses. Later that evening, at a pleasure house on the Street of Silk, Daemon hosts a party for his subordinates in the gold cloaks and several of his cronies. Otto reports these events to Viserys at a Small Council meeting the following morning, insisting that his sources claim Daemon dubbed Baelon the "Heir for a Day" and that it was a celebration.
Otto and his daughter are in attendance at the ceremony naming Rhaenyra as Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne.
Five months later, Otto attends a meeting of the Small Council. He has assisted the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Harrold Westerling in choosing a number of candidates to come to court to fill the vacant seventh slot in the Kingsguard left by the death of Ser Ryam Redwyne. Lord Corlys storms into the council chamber announcing four Westerosi ships have been lost passing through the Stepstones, with Otto replying that the crown will compensate him and the families of the crews. When Corlys brings up that the pirates have no fear of Westeros because Daemon's occupation of Dragonstone with his army of gold cloaks hasn't been responded to by the crown, Otto warns him that he may have a seat at the council table but he is not the king's equal. Princess Rhaenyra interjects suggesting to use dragonriders to take the Stepstones, but with Otto's urging Viserys orders her to inspect and choose from the prospective replacements for Ser Ryam Redwyne instead.
In Maegor's Holdfast, Otto arrives as Harrold presents the candidates to Rhaenyra. Otto instructs Rhaenyra on what to say to them, as she had so far not been interacting with any of them. Otto protests when Rhaenyra picks Ser Criston Cole for the vacancy, stating that a more politically valuable candidate should be chosen, which Rhaenyra rejects.
Otto is in the chambers of Viserys with Grand Maester Mellos attending to an infected wound on the king's finger from the Iron Throne. Otto is informed by the king that Corlys and Princess Rhaenys have put forward a marriage proposal with their daughter, Lady Laena Velaryon, and is asked for his advise. Otto states that Corlys has overreached himself and the matter should be put to the council, as well as that Laena is young. Mellos acknowledges that the match would heal the wound made at the Great Council of 101 AC between House Targaryen and House Velaryon. Otto agrees with the Grand Maester's reasoning, and then brings up the pain of the passing of his own wife and that he does not envy Viserys being forced to remarry out of duty to the realm.
Otto interrupts a private meeting between Viserys and Alicent to notify the king that he has summoned the Small Council. In the council chamber, one of the Dragonkeepers informs them that Prince Daemon has stolen a dragon egg, the same one Rhaenyra picked for Prince Baelon's cradle, from the Dragonpit. The king declares to Otto to assemble a detachment of guards and that he intends to remove Daemon from Dragonstone personally, but Otto insists that it is too dangerous for Viserys to go, volunteering to go in his place.
Later in his chambers, Otto is putting on his armor with his daughter's help. He asks Alicent why, as the most comely girl at court, she hurts her own hands, then inquires if she will be visiting the king tonight. Ser Criston arrives to report that he has gathered twenty of the Hand's guard and Ser Harrold will be joining them.
At Dragonstone, Otto leads the detachment along the bridge leading to the castle before they are intercepted by Daemon and his gold cloaks. Otto proclaims to Daemon that he is to relinquish control of the island and return the stolen dragon egg, disband his private army, and banish Mysaria from his side. Prince Daemon asks where the king is, to which Otto replies that Viserys would not lower himself to entertain such a "mummer's farce," telling Daemon that he is pathetic and desperate for his older brother's attention. Daemon insists he is merely following Targaryen traditions by placing an egg in the cradle of his unborn child with Mysaria. Otto retorts back that these traditions are for trueborn royalty rather than bastards. He proclaims Daemon's union with Mysaria an abomination and that he is soiling his own brother's reign. Otto calls out to the men of the City Watch who are present, asking if they wish to continue following the prince in his treason. Daemon responds they are loyal to him and challenges Otto to take the egg out of his hand. Otto, aware Daemon is baiting him, asks if Daemon is mad, pointing out that Daemon would never survive the consequences of killing him. Daemon blithely retorts Otto will be dead regardless of what comes next (a victory in Daemon's eyes), disregarding Otto's warning that to do violence against the King's Hand would be to declare war on Viserys himself. When he states that a confrontation could kill Daemon's unborn child and its mother, Daemon draws Dark Sister, prompting the rest of both sides to draw their weapons too, though Otto orders his men to sheathe their swords when Caraxes appears. Before it can spiral into open conflict, Rhaenyra arrives on Syrax. Otto inquires why the princess is here and orders Criston to escort her to safety, to which Rhaenyra responds that she is here to stop bloodshed and ignores Otto's objection.
The next day Otto and his daughter are summoned to a meeting of the Small Council, in which King Viserys announces his intention to marry Alicent Hightower before spring's end. Lord Corlys is outraged that his own daughter has been rejected, and marches out of the council chamber after Otto gives him a satisfied look.
A year after his daughter's marriage to Viserys, she gives birth to a son, Aegon Targaryen. On Prince Aegon's second nameday, Otto joins a royal hunt arranged by Viserys. Otto is pressured by his brother, Lord Hobert Hightower, to convince Viserys to name Aegon his heir over Rhaenyra, as this would place a member of their dynasty on the Iron Throne. Otto expresses doubts that Viserys will be so easily convinced. When Ser Tyland Lannister counsels Viserys to send aid to the Stepstones, Otto steps in, reminding him that Daemon and Lord Corlys started the war without the crown’s leave, and that it would make the crown look weak to intervene now, after so long.
When the hunting party arrives at the Kingswood, Otto joins the gathered lords and ladies in applauding the king, queen, and prince as they emerge from their carriage.
Otto interrupts an argument between Viserys and Rhaenyra to inform the king that a white hart has been sighted. As the white hart is considered a symbol of royalty, Otto tries to convince Viserys that its appearance on Prince Aegon's nameday is a sign from the gods that Aegon should rule.
That night, Otto informs Viserys that the Royal Huntsman has the trail of the white hart, and has sent out the hounds. When Viserys expresses his displeasure over Lord Jason Lannister's attitude in asking for Rhaenyra's hand, Otto reminds him that Rhaenyra will do as he commands, to which Viserys replies that he has no desire to command his own daughter. Otto makes another suggestion: Rhaenyra could marry her half-brother, Prince Aegon. Viserys laughs this off, however, as Aegon is only two years old.
A stag is captured, but to Otto's disappointment, it is not a white one. Otto and the rest of the party watch as Viserys struggles to slay the captured animal. When he finally does so, all applaud him.
Later, Otto and the rest of the party watch in some surprise as Rhaenyra returns to the camp with a boar she and Ser Criston Cole killed.
After returning to King’s Landing from the hunt, Otto visits his daughter, pointing out to her how Aegon's birth has united the men, and ended fifteen years of uncertainty and doubt. He tells Alicent that she must convince Viserys to name Aegon his heir, as the realm would descend into chaos were Rhaenyra to be named instead of him, no matter how good a queen she may prove to be. Alicent is unhappy with the idea of raising Aegon to steal his sister's birthright.
When Prince Daemon returns to King's Landing, victorious after the War for the Stepstones, Otto watches suspiciously as he kneels before Viserys and gives up his crown and the Stepstones to him. Viserys embraces his brother and holds a feast in Daemon's honor, which Otto attends.
The Small Council meet to discuss Corlys Velaryon, and Otto informs the king that, according to his brother in Oldtown, Lord Corlys plans to marry his daughter Laena to the son of the Sealord of Braavos. This potential alliance would necessitate the crown making a marriage pact of their own.
One night, Otto is informed by a spy working for the White Worm that Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon were seen together in a pleasure house. Otto decides to inform the king, though with great reluctance. Although doing so would undoubtedly discredit both Daemon and Rhaenyra and give his grandson Aegon a clearer path to the throne, it gives him no pleasure to inform his king and friend of his daughter losing her virginity. When Otto informs Viserys, the king furiously accuses Otto of having his daughter stalked, and trying to destroy her reputation. Otto tries to deny this, but Viserys orders him out.
Otto is later summoned to the Small Council chamber by Viserys. The king reminds him of how his father Prince Baelon Targaryen died only five days after King Jaehaerys named him Hand of the King, after which Otto took his place. Viserys has figured out that Otto set Alicent up to be his wife after Aemma passed, but Otto insists that Alicent loves him, as he knows Viserys loves her. Viserys thanks Otto for his service to the realm, but states that his judgement is compromised, and dismisses him as the King's Hand.
As Otto prepares to leave King’s Landing, he is approached by Alicent, who tells him that she doesn’t want him to leave, but that she believes Rhaenyra’s claims of innocence. He tells her off for facilitating his dismissal as Hand, to which she responds that Otto himself is to blame due to how hard he pushed for Aegon to be heir. Otto chides her on her naivety and presents her with the cold logic of the situation: When Viserys inevitably dies, Rhaenyra will have to kill Alicent's children whether she wants to or not, simply to ensure her own survival in the ensuing conflict. Alicent therefore has only two choices: either start plotting to secure her position at court against Rhaenyra, or fully commit to ingratiating herself with her stepdaughter and hope that when Rhaenyra takes the throne, this will make her merciful enough towards Alicent that she won't kill her half-siblings. Unable to express in words that he loves her and wants to protect her, Otto gives his sobbing daughter a desperate final embrace and then rides out of the castle.
Ten years later, after the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin Strong, Otto is reinstated as Hand of the King. He accompanies the royal family to Driftmark to attend the funeral of Laena Velaryon. Otto, sincerely or otherwise, offers his condolences to Daemon for his wife's passing, but Daemon, angrily assuming Otto is mocking him, denounces Otto as a leech whose hunger for power will never satisfied and storms off. Otto is later irritated to find his grandson Aegon passed out drunk during the commemorations, and angrily kicks Aegon awake before dragging him off to bed.
Otto is later present during the confrontation in the Hall of Nine following his grandson Aemond's maiming by Lucerys Velaryon. When Alicent snaps as a result of Viserys' refusal to punish Lucerys, grabs a weapon and gets into a scuffle with Rhaenyra defending her son, Otto futilely tells Alicent to relinquish the blade before matters spiral out of control. In a private conversation with Alicent in the incident's aftermath, Otto compliments his daughter on her newfound ferocity, remarking that for the first time he believes she has the determination to win the "ugly game" they are playing to put Aegon on the Iron Throne. He advises Alicent, who fears that her outburst against Rhaenyra and Lucerys will have permanently prejudiced Viserys against her in favor of them, to play up her maternal anger at Aemond's injury as the cause, reassuring her that the passive Viserys will forgive her to avert any further conflict in the royal family. Otto also expresses pride towards Aemond, remarking that his winning control of Vhagar to their side was well worth the loss of his eye. He advises Alicent to be patient, and assures her that in time they will prevail.
In the intervening six years, as Viserys' condition deteriorates, Otto assumes even greater power at court alongside Alicent. When Rhaenyra and Daemon return to court to protest against the disputing of Lucerys's claim to Driftmark, Otto, when informed of their arrival by Ser Harrold Westerling blithely insists they be given the appropriate greeting. He and Alicent later meet privately with Vaemond Velaryon, where they agree to rule favorably on Vaemond's petition that he succeed to the rule of Driftmark should Corlys, presumed fatally wounded in a skirmish with Triarchy forces in the Stepstones, die in return for Vaemond's assurance of the Velaryon fleet's support against Rhaenyra when the time comes.
The next morning, Otto watches as several maesters attend to the stricken Viserys; Otto is clearly saddened by the poor condition of his king, friend and son-in-law, and insists the maesters provide Viserys with milk of the poppy for his pain. He is also left confused when the king insists he wants supper, citing that it is the morning. Viserys explains he wants to have supper that night with all his family in attendance, and instructs Otto to make the arrangements.
Later that day in the throne room, Otto, in his capacity as Hand of the King oversees the proceedings regarding the succession of Driftmark. Unfortunately, his plans to rule in favor of Vaemond are derailed when Viserys enters the throne room and declares his intent to rule on the matter, forcing Otto to withdraw. He is clearly infuriated when Princess Rhaenys, at Viserys's invitation, reaffirms that Corlys wanted Lucerys to succeed him as Lord of Driftmark, and announces her acceptance of Rhaenyra's proposal to betroth Corlys's granddaughters to Rhaenyra's sons, after which Viserys confirms Lucerys's status as Corlys's heir. Otto is clearly shocked and appalled when a thwarted Vaemond furiously denounces Rhaenyra's sons as bastards and slanders Rhaenyra as a whore. After Daemon promptly executes Vaemond with Dark Sister for the insult to his wife, Otto bellows at the Kingsguard to disarm Daemon, only for Daemon to casually sheathe his sword and insist there is no need.
Otto is later in attendance at a feast for the royal family. He applauds his granddaughter Helaena's toast to her cousins Baela and Rhaena Targaryen for their betrothals to Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon, and again when she dances with Jace.
Later that night, Otto is awoken by Alicent, who informs him of Viserys' death and seeming wish to name Aegon as his heir. Otto hastily convenes the Small Council and informs them of the King's death and supposed change of heart. When Lord Lyman Beesbury is murdered by Ser Criston Cole for protesting what he sees as treason for subverting Viserys' longstanding wish for the Iron Throne to pass to his daughter, Otto orders a furious Harrold Westerling, who demands Cole's expulsion from the Kingsguard for the murder, to stand down, and refuses Grand Maester Orwyle's suggestion to remove Lyman's body until their business is concluded. When Alicent questions what is to be done about Rhaenyra, Otto insists that she, referring to Rhaenyra as the "former heir", cannot be allowed to remain free to rally support for her claim. Alicent incredulously assumes Otto plans to imprison Rhaenyra and her family. Otto insists Rhaenrya and her family will be given the opportunity to swear obeisance to the new king; Alicent points out Rhaenyra and Daemon will never do so, only to realize Otto, with the Small Council's connivance, intends to kill Rhaenyra and her family. Otto tries to justify the plan by insisting it is necessary to ensure peace and that Viserys would not have wanted an unsavory power struggle over the throne. Alicent furiously retorts Viserys would also never sanction the murder of his beloved daughter and threatens Lord Jasper Wylde with exile to the Wall when he tries to speak up in support of Otto's plan, though she cannot offer an alternative when Tyland Lannister asks for one. Otto then orders Harrold to take the Kingsguard to Dragonstone and assassinate Rhaenyra and her family; a disgusted Harrold retorts that he takes his orders from the King, not the Small Council and resigns in protest.
Once the small council meeting has concluded, Otto and Alicent learn Aegon has fled the Red Keep. Otto instructs Ser Erryk Cargyll, Aegon's sworn shield, to take his brother Arryk, find Aegon and bring him back to Otto. Otto then has the nobles present at court herded into the throne room, informs them of the new succession and orders them to swear allegiance to Aegon. He orders the arrests of Lord Merryweather and Lady Fell when they refuse to forswear their oaths to support Rhaenyra, as well as the execution of Lord Allun Caswell (who feigned allegiance and tried to escape the Red Keep to warn Rhaenyra, only to be arrested by agents of Lord Larys Strong). He later meets with Mysaria, who is holding Aegon prisoner, in Flea Bottom and agrees to her demand that the child-fighting pits in the city be shut down in return for her handing over Aegon. Unfortunately, when Erryk and Arryk find Aegon in the Grand Sept, they are confronted by Aemond and Criston; Erryk, who considers Aegon unfit to be king, deserts, while Arryk is defeated in a duel by Criston, who takes Aegon back to the Red Keep with Aemond to Alicent.
In the Tower of the Hand afterwards, Otto compliments Alicent on having outmanuevered him: Alicent in turn remonstrates with him for having manipulated her all her life, and makes it clear now Aegon is in her possession, his succession to the Iron Throne will be done her way. Otto accepts Alicent's insistence that Aegon be crowned in the Dragonpit at dawn the following day, and that Criston Cole be raised to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but protests when Alicent insists generous peace terms be sent to Rhaenyra at Dragonstone to convince her to surrender, insisting that as long as Rhaenyra lives, she and her supporters will continue plotting to seize the throne out from under Aegon. When Alicent insists Viserys would have wanted such mercy shown to his daughter, Otto insinuates Alicent is doing so more out of reluctance to harm her childhood friend. When Alicent refuses to budge, Otto compliments his daughter on her resemblance to her late mother in the moment.
The next day at the Dragonpit, Otto announces Viserys' death to the smallfolk of King's Landing and bears witness to the coronation of his grandson as King Aegon II Targaryen. Unfortunately, Otto's moment of triumph is utterly shattered when Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon Meleys smash their way out through the Dragonpit's floor and lay waste to the crowd. Amidst the panic, Otto bellows at the Gold Cloaks to open the Dragonpit's doors to allow the smallfolk to escape, but his commands go either unheard or ignored. He fearfully watches as Meleys advances on the dais erected for the coronation, clearly expecting to be burned with the rest of the royal family, but for her own reasons, Rhaenys spares them and flees the Dragonpit atop Meleys instead.
Otto, along with Grand Maester Orwyle and Ser Arryk Cargyll, head a Green delegation that arrives at Dragonstone to negotiate with Rhaenyra, shortly after her own coronation as Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men. They are intercepted by Daemon, Sers Erryk Cargyll, Steffon Darklyn and Lorent Marbrand of the Kingsguard and a portion of Dragonstone's garrison on the bridge to the castle. Otto declares that he has been instructed by the dowager queen Alicent to offer terms to Rhaenyra, who arrives atop Syrax. Otto greets her as "princess;" Rhaenyra icily retorts that she is Queen Rhaenyra, and Otto and his companions are all traitors. Otto presents the terms that King Aegon II is offering: in return for Rhaenyra publicly acknowledging him as king, she will keep Dragonstone, and the castle will pass to her son Jacaerys after her death; Lucerys will be confirmed as heir to Driftmark and the lands and holdings of House Velaryon; Rhaenyra's sons by Daemon will be given places of honor at court—Aegon the Younger as the king's squire and Viserys as his cupbearer; and King Aegon will pardon any knight or lord who conspired with Rhaenyra against his ascent to the throne.
Daemon scornfully rebuffs the terms, insisting he would sooner feed his sons to dragons than have them serve Aegon II in any way, shape or form. Otto retorts that Aegon was crowned by a septon of the Faith before the eyes of thousands, and his possession of Aegon the Conqueror's crown, sword, and name give him greater legitimacy, while adding that the Greens have also sent terms to Houses Stark, Tully and Baratheon to win their loyalty. Rhaenyra asserts those three houses all swore allegiance to her when Viserys named her his heir; Otto smugly replies that old oaths will not make Rhaenyra queen, asserting that the succession changed the day Aegon was born, even if Viserys and Rhaenyra refused to see it. Outraged, a furious Rhaenyra rips Otto's badge of office from his cloak, denouncing him as a "fucking traitor" and no more Hand than Aegon is King.
Orwyle then presents Rhaenyra with the page she tore from the book Ten Thousand Ships, when she and Alicent were reading from it as girls in the Red Keep's godswood twenty years ago. Otto asserts that Alicent still fondly remembers her and Rhaenyra's girlhood friendship, and urges Rhaenyra to accept the terms for the sake of peace. Enraged by Otto's attempts to manipulate his wife, Daemon draws Dark Sister, declaring that Alicent can "have her answer now, stuffed in her father's mouth along with his withered cock," and orders Ser Erryk to seize Otto so he can execute the Hand, prompting both sides to draw their swords and Syrax to roar angrily at the threat to her rider. Rhaenyra defuses the situation by telling Otto that King's Landing will have her answer on the morrow.
==Quotes==
===Spoken by Otto===
===Spoken about Otto===
==Family==
==Behind the scenes==
On February 11, 2021, HBO announced that Rhys Ifans had been cast in the role of Otto Hightower for House of the Dragon. His character description reads as follows:
:"The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king's brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne."
==In the books==
In Fire & Blood, Ser Otto was famous for his knowledge. For this ability, he was named Hand of the King. He served as Hand of the King under Jaehaerys I, and Viserys I, but was not Hand continuously. While his intellect made him arrogant, he was also cautious and methodical.
Otto wasn't the head of House Hightower, but the younger brother of the unnamed head of the family. Otto's wife is never mentioned in the books, and her absence from several major scenes at court seems to imply that she has been dead for some time. Otto had multiple children, but the only ones identified were Alicent and her "youngest brother" Gwayne. All indications from Fire & Blood are that Otto actually had a good relationship with his family, that he loved and was loved by his children.
Otto first served as Hand after the death of Jaehaerys's Hand and son, Prince Baelon Targaryen. Jaehaerys was devastated by the death of his son and loss of his beloved wife Alysanne a year earlier. After resolving the succession crisis caused by Baelon's death with the Great Council of 101 AC, Jaehaerys's health rapidly failed and he spent the next two years largely bedridden. Otto effectively ruled the kingdom as Hand in the final two years of Jaehaerys's reign while his daughter Alicent Hightower nursed the ailing king.
In 109 AC, Viserys dismissed Otto from his office, because Otto kept bothering him about the inheritance issue (not for spying on Rhaenyra, which he did not). Lord Lyonel Strong replaced Otto as the King's Hand.
In 120 AC, following the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin at Harrenhal, Viserys reinstated Otto as his Hand.
==Appearances==
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==References==
===Notes===
==External links==
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Category:Green Council
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Category:Individuals from The Dance of Dragons
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