Iron Throne

When you play the Game of Thrones, your prize is ... a really uncomfortable chair.

Overview[]

The Iron Throne is the fearsome symbol of power and the traditional seat of the reigning monarch of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros as the King of the Andals, First Men, and Rhoynar people who collectively make up the once diseparate kingdoms. 

It is also frequently used as metonym for the Seven Kingdoms and the reigning monarchy/government of the Kingdoms themselves.

It was created by the First King of the Seven Kingdoms who wanted it as a menacing symbol of his total supremacy of his conquest and a not-so-subtle warning to his successors thanks to its many jagged and sharp edges that "no king should ever sit easily on their throne". 

The Iron Throne was subsequently destroyed roughly three hundred years later, ending the reign of the Targaryens and the sundering of the Seven Kingdoms to a mere Six Kingdoms afterwards.

Background[]

The Iron Throne is the creation of noted fantasy author George R. R. Martin in his epic fantasy novel series, "A Song of Ice and Fire" which is still incomplete.  The Iron Throne was first mentioned and described in the first novel "The Game of Thrones" which was published in 1996.  Martin's written description of the Iron Throne is far more foreboding and intimidating than it's TV appearance as a large and blocky chair. 

According to Martin, the Throne itself is hideously asymmetrical and approximately forty feet in height.  Part of the throne itself consists of a short staircase to a platform standing twenty feet above the floor for the seat itself.  The first reigning monarch of the Seven Kingdoms, Aegon I Targaryen had several blacksmiths hammer his future seat together over a period of fifty-nine days and countless Kings and Hands have inadvertently cut themselves on the numerous jagged and sharpened edges still adorning it.  It is even said that it has even caused several accidental deaths as well.   

The Iron Throne is in fact so monumentally large that it is in fact immovable and it was not much as placed into the Red Keep of King's Landing as rather, the Red Keep was build around it instead. 

History[]

The Iron Throne was constructed following the War of Conquest at the behest of Aegon Targaryen who collected over 1,000 swords from the arms of various knights, warriors, and soldiers who surrendered to him during these series of conflcits.  With the help of his personal dragon, Balerion the Black Dread; he had the swords melted down and then hammered into its intimidating form. 

Aegon sought to create a menacing symbol of his total supremacy and a lasting monument to his conquest of Westeros.  By tradition, only the reigning monarchs or their appointed representatives such as their acting Hands may sit on the Throne itself; even the King's spouse or heir do not have the right to sit on it.