Small Council

The **Small Council** is a small group of advisers who aid the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, the monarch on the Iron Throne, on matters of policy and their areas of expertise.

## Organization and Duties

The small council traditionally consists of seven permanent members:

* Hand of the King, the chief advisor of the King and the second-most powerful man in the realm
* Grand Maester, a representative from the Citadel who advises the king on any matter concerning governance
* Master of Coin, head of the treasury and finances of the kingdom
* Master of Laws, an expert in the laws of the realm
* Master of Ships, commander of the royal fleet
* Master of Whisperers, the spymaster and gatherer of information
* Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, leader of the Kingsguard

Councillors can be appointed by the King or a regent. This can be done for a variety of reasons for instance to appease a certain party or region such as the Dornish seat. Regents and Protectors of the Realm can participate in the Small Council meetings, and the council may include additional members as advisors. Some queens consort, such as Alysanne Targaryen, have attended council meetings in the past.

The council is headed by the King, the only one who can make the council's decisions into law. If the monarch has not yet reached the age of majority, the Small Council can consent if they agree with the king's decisions. The Hand can also draft laws for the King. Once he reaches the age of majority, the King can appoint and dismiss councillors as he wills.

The Small Council can be entrusted with handling the day-to-day governance of the kingdom, especially by monarchs uninterested in minutiae. Councillors may be called "lords" even if they are not members of the nobility. Although their allegiance should be to the monarch, councillors' loyalty may be divided by faction or region of origin.

The Small Council meets privately in their council chambers in the Red Keep. When the King is not in attendance, the Hand may sit in the King's place at the head of the council table. A knight of the Kingsguard stands guard outside the chamber. There is also a table for the Small Council situated at the base of the Iron Throne in the Great Hall of the castle.

## Small council members

### Under Aegon I Targaryen

Although the Small Council became more formal during the reign of his grandson Jaehaerys I, King Aegon I Targaryen established his councillors early on. During his royal progresses, Aegon the Conqueror also travelled with six maesters who educated him on each region's local customs and history. The following men are known to have filled the various offices:

### Under Aenys I Targaryen

The Small Council of King Aenys I Targaryen had the following members:

### Under Maegor I Targaryen

King Maegor I Targaryen is the first Targaryen monarch to have been known to have a spymistress in his employment.

### Under Jaehaerys I Targaryen

In 55 A.C., King Jaehaerys I Targaryen started work on a unified code of law for Westeros, later known as the *Books of Law*, with the help of Septon Barth, Grand Maester Benifer, Lord Albin Massey and Queen Alysanne Targaryen. Jaehaerys dubbed the foursome his "Smaller Council".

### Under Viserys I Targaryen

The Small Council of King Viserys I Targaryen had the following members:

### Under Aegon II Targaryen

During the reign of King Aegon II Targaryen (called the "Green Council" in opposition to Rhaenyra Targaryen's "Black Council"), the Small Council held the following members:

#### Rhaenyra Targaryen's Black Council

During the Dance of the Dragons, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen held King's Landing and sat on the Iron Throne for half of the year 130 A.C. During this period, Rhaenyra named members of her Black Council to the Small Council. As Rhaenyra's reign is not recognized as legitimate, her appointments are not either.

### Under Aegon III Targaryen

During the reign of King Aegon III Targaryen the Small Council held the following members:

### Under Aemond I Targaryen

During the reign of King Aemond I Targaryen the Small Council held the following members:

### Under Aeric I Targaryen

During the reign of King Aeric I Targaryen the Small Council held the following members: