Monterys Velaryon

Protector of the Realm

Monterys Velaryon was the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, reigning from 165 to 185 AC.

Monterys the Ruin, as he came to be known, proved an irresponsible, careless and arrogant monarch. His negligence for his subjects is what ultimately resulted in the fracturing Realm his son, Maelor, had to inherit.

## Appearance and Character

Monterys is remarked to have been one of the most handsome Kings on the Iron Throne, at least during the earlier parts of his reign. His unhealthy obsession towards bedding every woman he'd come across, alongside the many feasts he threw in rapid succession, reflected both on his health and appearance. During the later years, Monterys had grown fat, with red, bloodshot eyes, struck by a fervent odour of alcohol and other, unsavoury fluids.

Selfish and uncaring for his duties, Monterys was nowhere near ready to rule one, let alone Seven Kingdoms. Though known to have some proficiency in charisma, the majority of it was committed to his art of seduction, rather than holding the Realm together.

## History

While the East attempted to learn from their mistakes and gain new strengths, the Seven Kingdoms itself were about to enter a new stage of stagnation. Monterys Velaryon, through the negligence of his father, proved an irresponsible, careless and arrogant monarch. All that his father had built, he tore down. A womaniser and alcoholic, it was said that a moon wouldn't go by without him making a bastard by lying with one of the noble ladies of his Court, whose families, of course, were usually left quite enraged. Although he'd been married to a Rowan even prior to his coronation, Monterys never operated within the confines of his marriage, a fact that was an open secret in Court.

Few Kings had earned a name as insulting as Monterys the Ruin, but it was well-deserved, on his part. Rumours claimed his Small Council was hard-pressed to search the entire city for him every two weeks, as he was prone to disappearing. More often than not, they'd find him in some brothel, with his breeches soiled. In those instances, his advisors were lucky. During other times, he would instead be found in his bedchambers, with a nobleborn lady by his side (though, some said it wasn't uncommon to find two or even three, and the bolder ones stated that he didn't limit himself to just the women, either). The relevant families naturally demanded recompense, and the Council was forced to give and give, for Monterys did not care to change his ways. Money could not buy everyone's silence, still, and even the treasury began to empty after the King's so many night-time adventures. It wasn't only the Small Council who used the gold, either. Once, Monterys paid ten thousand golden dragons to bed a Braavosi courtesan (or that was what he was led to believe, anyhow). Other wasteful uses of his wealth were found. He threw feasts in rapid succession, and tournaments, too - while these two things often granted a King the satisfaction of his subjects, it was not the case here, when every such event ended with Monterys sleeping with one highborn lady or another, and when he drove his treasury to the extreme, it was the lords of Westeros who ultimately paid for his pleasures, from the increased taxes.

Were it not for the aristocracy's utmost devotion towards his father, Jacaerys the Brilliant, Monterys was bound to be slain by some plot. It was in 184 AC that Monterys the Ruin finally died (from syphilis), leaving the disgruntled Realm to his son, Maelor.