The Kingsguard

The **Kingsguard**, also known poetically as the **White Swords,** or **white cloaks**, and as the **Queensguard** when serving a female monarch, are the royal bodyguards of the Iron Throne. Regarded as the finest knights in the Seven Kingdoms, they are sworn to protect their king and the royal family with their own lives, to obey his commands, and to keep his secrets. The Kingsguard are sworn for life and are forbidden from owning land, taking a wife, or fathering children, although they can hold non-hereditary commands, such as being warden or Hand of the King.

## Duties and Appointments

The Kingsguard was founded during the reign of the first Targaryen king on the Iron Throne, Aegon the Conqueror. The first Kingsguard was created at the suggestion of Queen Visenya Targaryen, after a Dornish assassination attempt on Aegon and herself in the streets of King's Landing in 10 AC. She deliberately modeled the Kingsguard vows of holding no lands or title on the ancient vows of the Night's Watch.

The Kingsguard is composed of seven men, all of them sworn knights. A Kingsguard knight serves for life, regardless of age or any physical or mental ailments. When an invalid Kingsguard knight is incapable of performing his duties, they are taken up by his sworn brothers. The knights of the Kingsguard are forbidden to marry, father children, and to hold land. Regardless, the White Swords may retain or be granted certain titles at the discretion of the Monarch.

The first duty of the Kingsguard is defending the king from harm. They are sworn to obey the king's commands, to keep his secrets, to counsel him when requested and to keep silent when not, and to defend his name and honor. The king can decide to extend the protection offered by the Kingsguard to others. Some kings have chosen to extend this protection to their wives, children, and other relatives, and some have even chosen to grant this protection to their lovers, mistresses, and bastards. The Kingsguard are sworn to protect the queen, though not from anything the king might do.[20] They are also sworn not to harm any member of the royal family.

In order to protect the king and the royal family night and day, the seven-man Kingsguard must rely to some degree on others. such as other knights are trusted with the king's security when the entire Kingsguard meets in White Sword Tower. The queen may be guarded by her own sworn shield, such as Jonquil Darke for Alysanne Targaryen,

The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard serves on the king's small council. When the small council is in session, one of the Kingsguard always stands guard outside the council chambers, while another is usually posted at the end of the bridge into Maegor's Holdfast.

The rite for making a new member of the White Swords can vary. It can be a solemn and formal event in which the knight kneels as he makes his vows before the king, and he then receives the white cloak of the Kingsguard from the Hand of the King or the Lord Commander himself. The new Kingsguard might then be anointed by the High Septon in the names of the Seven.

The Lord Commander is always chosen by the king, with seniority and ability playing parts in the decision.[35] Also, the Lord Commander is generally chosen from the existing pool of the Kingsguard.

## Former Members

### The Queensguard of Rhaenyra I Targaryen (129 - 138)

* **Lord Commander:**
	+ **Ser Steffon Darklyn (129)**
	+ **Ser Lorent Marbrand (129 - 130)**
	+ **Ser Glendon Goode (130)**
	+ **Ser Harrold Darke (130 - 138)**
* **Knights:**
	+ **Ser Steffon Darklyn (129) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Glendon Goode (130 - 130) †**
			* **Replaced by Ser Willis Fell (131 - 138)**
	+ **Ser Lorent Marbrand (129 - 130) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Marston Waters (131 - 138)**
	+ **Ser Erryk Cargyll (129) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Lyonel Bentley (130 - 138)**
	+ **Ser Harrold Darke (130 - 138)**
	+ **Ser Adrian Redfort (130 - 138)**
	+ **Ser Loreth Lansdale (130 - 138)**
	+ **Ser Gyles Belgrave, known as “Greycloak” (131 - 138)**

### The Kingsguard of Aegon II Targaryen (138 - 145)

* **Lord Commander:**
	+ **Ser Harrold Darke (138 - 145)**
* **Knights:**
	+ **Ser Harrold Darke (138 - 145)**
	+ **Ser Lyonel Bentley (138 - 145) †**
	+ **Ser Adrian Redfort (138 - 139) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Robert Darklyn (139 - 145)**
	+ **Ser Loreth Lansdale (138 - 141) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Robin Massey (141 - 145)**
	+ **Ser Gyles Belgrave, known as “Greycloak” (138 - 142) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Raynard Ruskyn (142 - 145) †**
	+ **Ser Willis Fell (138 - 140) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Harmon of the Reeds, known as Iron-Banger (140 - 145)**
	+ **Ser Marston Waters (138 - 145) †**

### The Queensguard of Baela I Targaryen (145 - 175)

* **Lord Commander:**
	+ **Ser Harrold Darke (145 - 153)**
	+ **Ser Robert Darklyn (153 - 170)**
	+ **Ser Robin Massey (170 - 174)**
	+ **Ser Olyvar Oakheart (174 - 175)**
* **Knights:**
	+ **Ser Harrold Darke (145 - 153) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Olyvar Oakheart (153 - 175)**
	+ **Ser Robert Darklyn (145 - 170) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Forrest Strong (170 - 175)**
	+ **Ser Robin Massey (145 - 174) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Ronnel Ferren (174 - 175)**
	+ **Ser Harmon of the Reeds, known as Iron-Banger (145 - 146) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Godwyn Reyne (146 - 170) †**
			* **Replaced by Ser Dareon Peake (170 - 174) †**
				+ **Replaced by Ser Allard Templeton (174 - 175)**
	+ **Ser Agramore Cobb (145 - 159) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Leo Costayne (159 - 164) †**
			* **Replaced by Ser Triston Baratheon (164 - 175)**
	+ **Ser Regis Groves (145 - 169) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Manfred Caron (169 - 175)**
	+ **Ser Gyles Vance (145 - 155) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Matthos Hardyng (155 - 175)**

### The Kingsguard of Aegon III Targaryen (175 - 176)

* **Lord Commander:**
	+ **Ser Olyvar Oakheart (175 - 176)**
* **Knights:**
	+ **Ser Olyvar Oakheart (175 - 176)**
	+ **Ser Triston Baratheon (175 - 176)**
	+ **Ser Manfred Caron (175 - 176)**
	+ **Ser Forrest Strong (175 - 176)**
	+ **Ser Ronnel Ferren (175 - 176)**
	+ **Ser Allard Templeton(175 - 176)**
	+ **Ser Matthos Hardyng (175 - 176)**

### The Kingsguard of Jaehaerys II Targaryen (176 - 190)

* **Lord Commander:**
	+ **Ser Olyvar Oakheart (176 - 190)**
* **Knights:**
	+ **Ser Olyvar Oakheart (176 - 190)**
	+ **Ser Triston Baratheon (176 - 187) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Monterys Scales (187 - 190)**
	+ **Ser Manfred Caron (176 - 190)**
	+ **Ser Forrest Strong (176 - 177) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Brynden Corbray (177 - 185) †**
			* **Replaced by Ser Desmond Ryger (185 - 190)**
	+ **Ser Ronnel Ferren (176 - 183) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Benjen Waxley (183 - 190)**
	+ **Ser Allard Templeton (176 - 190)**
	+ **Ser Matthos Hardyng (176 - 180) †**
		- **Replaced by Ser Lucas Celtigar (180 - 190)**