Tywin Lannister

Lord **Tywin Lannister** is the head of House Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock, Warden of the West, Lord Paramount of The Westerlands, the former Hand of the King, and the current Master of Coin on the small council.

He is the father of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion, He loves his children Jaime and Cersei, but despises Tyrion. This is partly because Tyrion is deformed, but also Tywin blames his son for causing his beloved wife Joanna's death during his birth.

## **Appearance and Character:**

Tywin is known for his stoic, tough as nails, pragmatic, cunning and calculating demeanour, but also his ruthless, cold, manipulative, power-hungry, and often unfettered attitude, even for his family. The only person he held any sentiment towards was his late wife Joanna (whom he loved dearly), having died giving birth to their son Tyrion. Since then he expressed disdain towards Tyrion for the death of his wife, as well as for shaming Tywin and their family by being born a misshapen dwarf.

Tywin insists that all he does is for the sake of his family. Tywin's own father Tytos was a nice, generous and caring man, whose bad investments and indecision made House Lannister a laughingstock. As a result, despite admitting that Tytos was "a good man", Tywin viewed his father's kindness as a source of weakness that nearly destroyed the reputation of House Lannister.

Tywin does have a generally good relationship with his younger brother Kevan, whom he shaped his whole life to serve as his faithful lieutenant. On the whole, however, for a man who claims to value family above all else, Tywin has hypocritically destroyed his relationships with his own children.

Ironically, Tywin's harsh actions and unwillingness to serve as a caring father figure have resulted in severe emotional problems in all three of his children, who are all terrified of him. Jaime and Cersei have been having an incestuous sexual relationship since they were very young, partially due to the lack of any loving parental relationship either of them had.

Tywin actually spent most of their lives away in King's Landing serving as Hand of the King, and with their mother dead, his children were functionally raised by servants. Tywin only sporadically visited his home at Casterly Rock, and on the occasions when he did return he would deal out severe punishment for any transgressions his children committed while he was away.

Meanwhile, Tywin possesses a very conservative, patrician set of social values, in which women are suited to securing marriage-alliances and little else, not wielding power on their own. Thus in contrast to House Tyrell, in which female members of the family are trained in ruling and court intrigue as much as the men are, Tywin never trained Cersei how to rule. However, on one occasion Tywin outright stated to her that he distrusted her not because of her gender, but because she was not as smart as she thought herself to be.

Of his three children Tywin has the least shame and most empathy for Jaime, though not outright respect. Tywin feels disappointed that Jaime wants to continue to be a member of the Kingsguard, as while it is the highest honor a knight can aspire to, it means that Jaime had to swear away his rights to marriage or inheritance, which would leave Tywin's hated son Tyrion as his heir.

He is a proven battle commander and politician, and has a very powerful presence combined with an intimidating gaze. He is certainly a good strategist: he always has the endgame in mind, and always knows how to best inspire fear in his enemies.

## **History:**

Tywin was the first born of Tytos Lannister and his wife Jeyne Marbrand. He has four younger siblings, one sister, Genna Lannister and three brothers, Kevan, Tygett and Gerion Lannister.

His early years were formative ones, shaping his mind and resolve for the life that lay ahead of him. Tywin was forced to watch his mighty house nearly brought to ruin through his father's actions. His father while a gentle and amiable man was also weak willed and eager to please, loans went unpaid and his bannermen did what they pleased mocking him in their cups or openly defying him.

According to Genna Lannister, when Tytos agreed to marry her to Emmon Frey, the second son of Lord Walder Frey, just to please Lord Walder. The betrothal was announced at a feast, with most of the Lords of the West in attendance. Upon the announcement, Lord Roger Reyne left the hall in anger and Ellyn Reyne laughed aloud. The rest of Lord Tytos's vassals sat on their tongues, only the ten-year-old Tywin spoke out against the wedding because he thought it an uneven match. Tytos later sent Tywin to King's Landing to serve as a royal cupbearer at King Aegon V Targaryen's court. At the royal court Tywin befriended the young Prince Aerys and the heir to Storm's End, Steffon Baratheon. His cousin, Joanna Lannister, also served at the royal court as a companion and lady-in-waiting to Princess Rhaella Targaryen.

During the War of the Ninepenny Kings, eleven thousand Westermen under the leadership Tywin's uncle, Ser Jason Lannister (who would later perish in the war) were sent to fight beside the forces of the Iron Throne in The Stepstones. Tywin who was already a knight by then joined the Lannister force as did his brothers Kevan and Tygett as squires. The young Prince Aerys Targaryen served as a squire during the war and when he won his knighthood, Tywin was granted the honor of knighting his friend.

House Lannister's reputation was low because of Tywin's weak father, Tytos. Tywin decided to take ruthless steps to rectify the situation and restore the family honor and fortune from its near ruin. Upon the return of Ser Tywin Lannister from The Stepstones with his brothers, Ser Kevan (newly knighted) and Tygett Lannister who while still a squire had distinguished himself well in the fighting. The three were now battle hardened from the war, they knew how their House was regarded by others under the misrule of their sire and were determined to change that. Tywin Lannister took upon himself the task of restoring his house's dominance. The young Tywin, declared to his father he was restoring House Lannister to its proper place, Lord Tytos protested feebly before returning to the comfort and embrace of his current mistress, who was a wet nurse.

Tywin began by demanding the repayment of the gold his father lent out, those who could not repay immediately had to send a hostage to Casterly Rock until their debt was settled. He charged his brother Kevan with command of five hundred knights, who were all blooded and seasoned veterans from the War of the Ninepenny Kings and had them rid the Westerlands of robber knights and bandit outlaws. Some hastened to obey, and Ser Harys Swyft stated, "The Lion has awoken."

Unable to pay the loan at the time, Ser Harys agreed to surrender his daughter Dorna into Ser Kevan's custody, elsewhere the collectors were met with sullen resistance and open defiance. Roger Reyne reportedly laughed when he read Tywin's edicts and counselled his friends and vassals to do nothing.

Lord Walderran Tarbeck unwisely choose a different course. He rode to Casterly Rock to confront Lord Tytos, confident he could easily cow Tytos to rescind his son's edicts. Lord Tytos was not present when Lord Tarbeck arrived at court, but the young Tywin was and ordered Lord Walderran imprisoned for disloyalty.

In return, Lady Ellyn Tarbeck seized three Lannisters - two Lannisters of Lannisport, as well as Stafford Lannister, whose sister was betrothed to Tywin and threatened them harm unless her Lord and husband was returned. This awoke Lord Tytos who was determined to get his late brother's son, Stafford, back alive and ignored Tywin's suggestion that Lord Walderran should be sent back to his wife in three pieces, one for every Lannister taken. Tytos returned Walderran unharmed and even forgave the Tarbeck debt to House Lannister, further weakening the position of the House.

Tywin was determined to bring the overmighty and belligerent vassals to heel. Tywin (who did not seek his lord father's leave, nor even informed him of his intent) sent a raven message to both Tarbeck Hall and Castamere demanding that they present themselves at Casterly Rock to answer for their crimes. Both refused (as Tywin knew they would) and choose defiance, rising in revolt and renouncing their fealty to House Lannister. Tywin rode forth himself taking command of the Lannister forces and immediately marched against the upstart vassals taking the army he had already gathered prior to sending the raven messages.

Thus, Tywin took upon himself the task of putting down House Tarbeck and House Reyne, for their defiance and showing the world that the Lion of Lannister was a beast to fear. Tywin crushed both vassal houses with ruthless efficiency, destroying both houses entirely so that their lines were ended, leaving their ruined and shattered castles as a mute testimony to the fate that awaits those who scorn the power of Casterly Rock. Such was the brutality of Tywin's destruction of House Reyne that a song called "The Rains of Castamere" was written as a tribute to the event. Indeed when Lord Farman of Faircastle later grew truculent Tywin sent a messenger with a lute instead of a letter and once "The Rains of Castamere" was played Lord Farman caused no further trouble.

Upon the death of King Jaehaerys II Targaryen, the newly-crowned King Aerys II Targaryen choose his friend Ser Tywin as Hand of the King, impressed by the ruthlessness demonstrated against the rebellious Reynes and Tarbecks. When Tywin's father Tytos finally keeled over of a burst heart while climbing a flight of steps to visit his new mistress, Ser Tywin became the Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West.

As a result of his father's follies Tywin Lannister never laughed as he mistrusted laughter, hearing too much of it directed at his father and House Lannister in his youth. Tywin also seldom smiled when he was young and never smiled again after his wife's death.

Tywin married his cousin Joanna Lannister and from all reports the marriage was a happy one. Genna Lannister said that Tywin smiled on the day he wed Joanna. It was said that though Tywin ruled The Seven Kingdoms (as Hand) he was ruled at home by his lady wife. Joanna gave him twins, Cersei and Jaime that he hoped would one day be Queen of Westeros and Lord of Casterly Rock, but then disaster struck when his beloved wife died giving birth to Tyrion, considered a hideous monster. Tywin was devastated by Joanna's untimely death and took no further wife. Gerion Lannister once told his nephew Tyrion that the best part of Tywin died when Joanna did.

Tywin proved himself a brilliant administrator in the position of Hand of the King and held the post for twenty years of peace and plenty. Some people joked it was he and not the king who really ruled the land. It ended when Aerys' increasing paranoia and jealousy drove the two into several bitter disagreements. According to Ser Barristan Selmy, Aerys lusted after Tywin's wife when she was alive which caused further friction between the two. Tension increased at the tournament in honor of Viserys's birth in Lannisport, when Aerys refused Tywin's offer to betroth Cersei to his heir, Prince Rhaegar. Aerys raised Jaime, Tywin's fifteen-year old son, to the Kingsguard, robbing Tywin of his prized heir; Tywin understood that the king’s motivations were to make Jaime a hostage to use against his father. Upset at Aerys's treatment of Jaime at the tourney of Harrenhal, Tywin resigned his position on some thin pretext and returned to Casterly Rock.

When Robert's Rebellion began, Lord Tywin sat at Casterly Rock and waited, ignoring King Aerys's orders to arm, taking no side in the conflict. When Tywin received a raven that Prince Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark were riding to Riverrun to end the rebellion, Tywin knew that Rhaegar would overthrow his father or Robert Baratheon would kill Prince Rhaegar during the parley. Tywin gathered his forces and marched them towards the capital, to join the force marching on King's Landing.

After the rebellion, Tywin returned to Casterly Rock, where he continued to serve as Lord and Warden of the West. It wasn't long until he was offered the place of Master of Coin on the small council which he accepted, although he wanted the position of Hand of the King he was ultimately disappointed. Though ruthless, Tywin Lannister is an able and shrewd ruler who brought great prosperity during his tenures as the Master of Coin. He is especially talented at the raising of funds, leading to a persistent jest that he must "shit gold."

Still slightly upset over the last few years of insults from House Targaryen, Tywin offered his daughter, Cersei Lannister, as a wife to Lord Robert Baratheon, who had managed to keep his place as Lord Paramount of The Stormlands and Lord of Storm's End, although the relationship between House Baratheon and House Targaryen was low, many understood why Tywin did this, if Robert Baratheon was ever to rise against the throne again he would have House Lannister behind him, which secured his position in The Stormlands. Although it only made the relationship between Tywin and Cersei even worse, she was furious at having to marry Robert Baratheon.

When Tywin discovered his son Tyrion wed a common girl, Tysha, which in Tywin's eyes would make the house a laughingstock again, Tywin taught him a sharp lesson. He commanded Tyrion's brother Jaime to name her a prostitute and made Tyrion watch as Tywin gave Tysha over to his garrison of guards, having each man pay the girl a silver coin after raping her. He forced Tyrion to do the same but pay the girl a gold coin. He earned the enmity of his son forever for that act, but Tywin did not care, for it was on his other children that he placed all his hopes.

Tywin later refused to allow Tyrion to travel and see the world as Tywin's brothers had in their youth, fearing he would bring further shame on House Lannister and as a "gift" for Tyrion's sixteenth name day he put his son in charge of cleaning all the drains of Casterly Rock.