Trial by Combat

Trial by combat or trial by battle is a custom and method of law and justice used in Westeros to determine the guilt or innocence of a person. A trial by combat is usually fought between two people, although a variation known as a trial of seven exists.

## Practice

When a person is accused of a crime, especially when he or she is highborn, that person cannot be denied a trial where the highest ranking lord or lords sit in judgement. At any point before or during a trial, one can request a trial by combat, in which the accuser and accused ask the gods to decide the issue between them. Knights, no matter their status of birth, cannot be denied a trial by combat. Highborn women accused of a crime can request a trial by battle as well, although a champion will fight in their stead. Men who are no warriors can request a champion to fight for them as well. The trial by combat ends when the accuser yields and withdraws the accusations, or when one of the fighters die.

When the person who stands accused is a member of the royal family, their champion has to be a knight of the Kingsguard. When the accuser is royalty, however, they are within their rights to select a champion who is not a sworn member of the Kingsguard.

A trial of seven can be requested in rare instances, such as when a person is accused by multiple people. In this ancient form of a trial by combat, seven champions fight on each side, as the Andals believed that doing so would honor the gods feel and make them more likely to ensure that a just result is achieved.

## History

Trial of seven, originally a religious ceremony, is a form of trial by combat which was brought across the narrow sea during the coming of the Andals to Westeros.

In 42 AC, during the Faith Militant uprising, King Maegor I Targaryen claimed the Iron Throne after the death of his brother, King Aenys I. When Maegor arrived with his mother, Dowager Queen Visenya Targaryen, in King's Landing, she challenged all in the city who opposed Maegor's right to the throne. Ser Damon Morrigen, the Grand Captain of the Warrior's Sons, accepted her challenge. After Maegor insisted upon a trial by combat, the king accepted Morgan's proposal of a trial of seven. Maegor was the only survivor of the ensuing battle.

In 48 AC, Ser Harrold Langward, one of Maegor's Kingsguard, demanded a trial by combat instead of joining the Night's Watch. The fourteen-year-old King Jaehaerys I Targaryen wished to face the knight himself, but his mother, Queen Regent Alyssa Velaryon, forbade it. Ser Gyles Morrigen acted as the crown's champion instead and slew Harrold.

In 84 AC, Ser Braxton Beesbury asked for trial by combat after being accused of seducing Jaehaerys's daughter, Saera Targaryen. Jaehaerys decided to face the younger Braxton personally. After Braxton tired himself during the trial, Jaehaerys slew him with Blackfyre.

In the regency of Aegon III, Ser Victor Risley demanded a trial by combat after being accused of treason. He was slain by Ser Gareth Long.

During the reign of King Aegon IV Targaryen, Queen Naerys Targaryen was accused of adultery and treason by Ser Morgil Hastwyck. Naerys's brother, Prince Aemon Targaryen, defended his sister's honor in a trial by combat and slew Morgil, thereby disproving the accusations. This event became famous and inspired many songs, stories and fables by bards, furthering Aemon the Dragonknight's renown, much to Aegon's annoyance.

In 209 AC during the tourney at Ashford Meadow, several events led to a trial of seven in which Prince Aerion and Prince Daeron Targaryen accused a hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall. Although both princes eventually withdrew their accusations, the trial ended with the crown prince, Baelor Targaryen, among the deceased.

Lyonel Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End during the reign of King Aegon V Targaryen, rebelled against the Iron Throne when Prince Duncan Targaryen broke his betrothal to Lyonel's daughter. The rebellion was eventually settled in a trial by combat between Lyonel and Aegon's champion, Duncan the Tall, by then a knight of the Kingsguard.

In 282 AC, Lord Rickard Stark demanded a trial by combat when called to answer for the alleged crimes of his son, Brandon Stark, and King Aerys II Targaryen granted the request. When Rickard, dressed in his armor, was brought to the throne room, however, Aerys named fire as the champion of House Targaryen. The king declared that in order to prove his innocence, all Rickard had to do was not burn. Aerys then had Rickard suspended from the rafters while a fire was lit beneath him. Rickard cooked in his armor as his cloak burned away and his armor melted in the heat.