King's Landing

**King's Landing** is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, located in the Crownlands on the east coast of Westeros. It is situated along the kingsroad at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and overlooks Blackwater Bay. King's Landing is the site of the Iron Throne and the Red Keep, which is the seat of the king, Daeron II from House Targaryen of King's Landing.

The main city is surrounded by a wall, manned by the City Watch of King's Landing, also known as the gold cloaks. King's Landing is the most populous city in Westeros, but unsightly and dirty compared to other cities. Poorer smallfolk build shanty settlements outside the city. The stench of the city's waste can be smelled far beyond its walls.

King's Landing, the principal harbor of the Seven Kingdoms, is rivaled only by Oldtown, which is larger in area but less populous. Nearby towns include Rosby and Duskendale to the northeast and Tumbleton to the southwest, while the kingswood is found south of the capital across the Blackwater. Driftmark and Dragonstone in the Gullet protect the bay from the narrow sea.

The demonym used for its inhabitants is "Kingslander".

## Layout

King's Landing is roughly square-shaped, sprawling across several miles and defended by tall walls. It is dotted with manses, arbors, granaries, brick storehouses, timbered inns, merchant stalls, taverns, graveyards and brothels. There is a fish market. Hundreds of quays can be found in the harbor. Between buildings the roads are broad, lined with trees and branching alleys and streets.

The city covers the north shore of the Blackwater Rush and covers three tall hills, named after Aegon and his two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys. Aegon's High Hill, surmounted by the Red Keep, the royal castle located in the south-eastern corner of the city, overlooks the bay directly, whilst Visenya's Hill to the west is crowned by the marble-walled Great Sept of Baelor and its seven crystal towers.

Behind the quays outside of the walls, there tend to be ramshackle buildings which extend to the walls. These include bait shacks, pot shops, warehouses, merchant's stalls, alehouses, and prostitution rooms.

Poor smallfolk reside in the slums of Flea Bottom, a maze of narrow streets and alleys. They subsist on "bowls of brown", a mystery stew that can include the meat of rats and murder victims, among other things. The richest residents live on the other side of the Hill of Rhaenys from Flea Bottom. According to semi-canon sources the richer areas of King's Landing lie near the Old Gate.

Large tourneys are held outside the city, beside the Blackwater and near the King's Gate.

#### City Gates

Seven is a sacred number for the Faith, thus the reason Aegon I Targaryen had seven huge gates built as the entrances into the capital of King's Landing. Each is protected by portcullis, heavy doors, and armed guard.

* Dragon Gate, leads north to the kingsroad.
* Iron Gate, leads to the Rosby road.
* Old Gate.
* Gate of the Gods.
* River Gate, known as the Mud Gate by the population of the city, leads south to the kingsroad and the roseroad.
* Lion Gate, leads west to the Goldroad.
* King's Gate, outside of which are tourney grounds.

## History

Before Aegon's Conquest, the area around the future King's Landing was just hills and forests, claimed by both the Storm King, Argilac Durrandon of Storm's End, and the King of the Isles and the Rivers, Harren Hoare of Harrenhal. During the days of the Hundred Kingdoms, the mouth of the Blackwater Rush had been claimed by many petty kings, including the Darklyns of Duskendale, the Masseys of Stonedance, and various river kings including Blackwoods, Brackens, Fishers, Hooks, and Mudds. Towers and forts had crowned the three hills multiple times, but all had been destroyed during various wars. Only broken stones and overgrown ruins remained when Lord Aegon Targaryen led his army from Dragonstone and landed on the north bank of the Blackwater Rush in 2 BC, where a handful of fisherfolk lived in a small village. Aegon quickly built his first fortress of wood and earth, the Aegonfort, on top of the highest hill.

When Aegon finalized his conquest and was crowned Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, many expected that he would make Dragonstone or Oldtown his capital. He unexpectedly decided to build his capital in the new town growing around the Aegonfort, since it was more centrally located than any other and not part of the former kingdoms, setting the king apart from his new vassals. Aegon foresaw that King's Landing, which became a city in 10 AC, would surpass Oldtown or Lannisport. Trade shifted from Duskendale and Maidenpool, and by 25 AC King's Landing had become the realm's third-largest city, ahead of White Harbor and Gulltown. The following year Grand Maester Gawen and Ser Osmund Strong completed the city walls and seven gates.

The city was expanded by Aegon's successors. The Red Keep, which replaced the Aegonfort, was completed during the reign of Maegor I Targaryen. During the Faith Militant uprising, Warrior's Sons and Poor Fellows seized the Sept of Remembrance and the Red Keep, which was then under construction. Maegor the Cruel used Balerion's dragonfire to destroy the sept, and began construction of the Dragonpit atop its ruins.