History Characters / ASongOfIceAndFireHistoricalKingsguard

* TheBigGuy

* JustFollowingOrders
* KnightInShiningArmor

* MasterSwordsman
* UndyingLoyalty

** LongDeadBadass

* MasterSwordsman

** TheyCallHimSword

* KnightInShiningArmor

* CoolSword: He wielded Lady Forlorn, the ancestral Valyrian steel blade of House Corbray

The Brothers who served the Kingsguard during the reign of Aerys II Targaryen. At the time of the series beginning, the only survivors were Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Jaime Lannister.

* TheAce: Averted, Visenya wanted loyal knights that would die for their king, not necessarily the best fighters in the realm.

* UndyingLoyalty: The basis for the original selection was not talent with the sword but loyalty.

!!Other Kingsguard

[[folder: Other Historical Kingsguard Members]]
* DirtyCoward: Ser Oryvel.
* FaceHeelTurn: Ser Gyles Greycloak.
* HeroicBastard:
** One of the first seven Kingsguard was Ser Addison Hill, the Bastard of Cornfield.
** Lord Commanders Addison Hill and "Red" Robert Flowers.
* InSeriesNickname: Ser Robin Darklyn, one of the first seven Kingsguard, was known as Darkrobin.
* KidHero: Seventeen year old Ser Roland Darklyn, who died an hour after being knighted and inducted into the Kingsguard on the field of battle.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: The Greatheart. And The Demon of Darry, a Lord Commander.
* SiblingTeam: Ser Gregor and Griffith Goode, two of the first Kingsguard.

!!The Kingsguard of Aerys II Targaryen, The Mad King

!!The Kingsguard of King Aegon V Targaryen, the Unlikely

!!The Kingsguard of King Aegon IV Targaryen, the Unworthy

!!The Kingsguard of Daeron I Targaryen

!!The Kingsguard of Aegon III Targaryen

!!The Kingsguard of King Viserys I Targaryen, the Young King

* ReassignedToAntarctica: Ser Lucamore Strong was sent to the Wall after breaking his vow of chastity, but not before being gelded.

* WorthyOpponent: Daemon Blackfyre thought Ser Gwayne Corbray so gallant in their battle--which lasted for an hour--that he ordered him healed.

!!The Kingsguard of Aegon III Targaryen (the Blacks)

* MyCountryRightOrWrong: Despite comprising of good men, more or less, they were all loyal to the Mad King and stood by during his atrocities. They were also loyal to Prince Rhaegar and held Lyanna Stark hostage, fully willing to kill her brother and his friends to prevent them from rescuing her. [[spoiler:Though there seems to have been more to the story than that]].

!!The Kingsguard of Aegon II Targaryen (The Greens)

The Kingsguard that served Aegon II during the CivilWar of the "Dance of the Dragons". It supported the faction of "the Greens" which upheld the claim of the children of Queen Alicent Hightower rather than Princess Rhaenyra. It was led by the notorious Criston Cole.






[[folder: Ser Rickard Thorne]]
!!Ser Rickard Thorne

A knight of House Thorne and member of Viserys I and Aegon II's Kingsguard.
----
* BodyguardingABadass: Before his injuries, Aegon II was a highly capable warrior and dragonrider who hardly needed the protection of the Kingsguard.
* CharacterDeath: He was sent to escort Prince Maelor to safety in Oldtown during the opening stages of the Dance of the Dragons, but was intercepted and killed by a mob in Bitterbridge.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Lord Commander Criston Cole]]
!!Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
!!!The Kingmaker
-->''"Seven save this realm if we seat a bastard on the Iron Throne. They will turn the Red Keep into a brothel. No man's daughter will be safe, nor any man's wife. Even the boys ... we know what Laenor was."''

Leader of the Kingsguard during the reign of Viserys I. It was said he was having an affair with Princess Rhaenyra but it ended badly so he withdrew his support from her and declared loyalty to her half-brother Aegon II, earning his nickname "The Kingmaker". This set off the war known as the Dance of the Dragons.

* AlliterativeName
* BadassNormal: He didn't have a Valyrian steel sword or freakish size like Daemon or Harwin, yet he dominated against both in melees
* BodyguardCrush: He served as Rhaenyra's sworn shield for several years before joining the Kingsguard, and is rumored to have desired or even been in a relationship with her. The final break that led to Cole's defection apparently came when one spurned the other, though views on who exactly rebuffed whose advances are naturally colored by which side of the ensuing conflict people think was in the right.
* TheChampion: He was Rhaenyra's, serving as her sworn shield starting in 103 AC, when she was seven and he was twenty-one. This lasted for ten years, until their falling out.
* CharacterDeath: Killed in an ambush led by Lord Roderick Dustin in the Riverlands during the Dance of the Dragons.
* CoDragons: With Aemond One-Eye to Aegon II.
* FourStarBadass: He was an extremely competent army commander.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: He went from being the son of the steward of Blackhaven to the commander of the Kingsguard whom history holds partly responsible for one of the most devastating wars in the history of Westeros.
-->'''Ser Arys Oakheart:''' The Kingmaker wrought grave harm and gravely did he pay for it.
* HeelFaceTurn[=/=]FaceHeelTurn: Depending which side you are on. Ser Jaime and Ser Loras discuss his legacy in ''Literature/AFeastForCrows'' with Jaime noting that he was a Knight that represented "the best and the worst" of the Kingsguard.
* KingmakerScenario: How else did he get his nickname?
* TheMentor: Trained Aemond One-Eye to be a warrior.
* NumberTwo: Became Hand of the King to Aegon II.
* RashomonStyle: Two different tales exist of how the rift between him and Rhaenyra developed.
** CelibateHero: According to the fool Mushroom, Ser Criston took his vows very seriously, and when Rhaenyra attempted to seduce him into taking her maidenhead in the White Gold Tower, he rejected her. This caused her to seek out and sleep with Ser Harwin Strong, and Ser Criston switched his loyalty to Queen Alicent out of disgust.
** NotGoodWithRejection: According to the account of Septon Eustace, Ser Criston went to Rhaenyra's bedchamber one night and confessed his love to her, asking her to run away to Essos and marry him. She rejected his plea, claiming that she was meant to be more than the wife of a common sellsword. His response was to ensure she never got the Iron Throne.
* RankUp: He was made commander of the Kingsguard after his predecessor, Ser Harrold Westerling, died.
* UndignifiedDeath: At the Butcher's Ball, Cole was basically abandoned by Aemond Targaryen, who flew on Vaghar to burn the Riverlands when they were supposed to rendezvous together with Lord Ormund Hightower and Prince Daeron. He proceeded to take Harrenhal, which was vacated by Daemon Targaryen. He was ambushed by Lord Roderick Dustin at the God's Eye. Upon seeing himself outnumbered, surrounded and in the eve of defeat, Ser Criston tried to instigate a duel in single combat against Ser Garibald Grey, Lord Dustin and Ser Pate of Longleaf, but they all refused him. He was instead riddled with arrows and his men were brought down by Dustin's forces.
* TheUnreveal: It's not quite clear what made him betray Rhaenyra, but whatever happened between them was bad.

[[folder: Ser Arryk Cargyll]]
!!Ser Arryk Cargyll

A knight of House Cargyll, Ser Arryk served alongside his brother Erryk in Viserys I's Kingsguard. He was in King's Landing when Viserys died, and stayed loyal to Aegon II while his brother on Dragonstone sided with Rhaenyra.

* BodyguardingABadass: King Aegon was a capable warrior in his own right, as well as a dragonrider.
* ConflictingLoyalty: Between his king and his brother. He chose his king.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: According to the singers, the Cargyll twins professed their love for each other before dueling for an hour and dying in each others arms. The fool Mushroom, claiming to have witnessed the duel, says instead they cursed each other as traitors and had both dealt each other mortal wounds within moments.
* DuelToTheDeath: With his brother Erryk in the halls of Dragonstone.
* ImpersonationGambit: He was sent by Ser Criston Cole to Dragonstone to impersonate his brother. It almost worked, but Erryk just happened to encounter his twin in the halls.
* ManlyTears: Said to have said shed tears with his brother as they lay dying after inflicting mortal wounds on each other.
* MutualKill: The brothers were too evenly matched for an outright winner, but sadly too skilled not to mortally wound each other.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: He and Erryk both choose the side they felt should rule and set aside any family loyalty when they did so.

[[folder: Ser Rickard Thorne]]
!!Ser Rickard Thorne

A knight of House Thorne and member of Viserys I and Aegon II's Kingsguard.
----
* BodyguardingABadass: Before his injuries, Aegon II was a highly capable warrior and dragonrider who hardly needed the protection of the Kingsguard.
* CharacterDeath: He was sent to escort Prince Maelor to safety in Oldtown during the opening stages of the Dance of the Dragons, but was intercepted and killed by a mob in Bitterbridge.

[[folder: Ser Willis Fell]]
!!Ser Willis Fell

A knight of House Fell and member of Viserys I and Aegon II's Kingsguard.
----
* BodyguardingABadass: Before his injuries, Aegon II was a highly capable warrior and dragonrider who hardly needed the protection of the Kingsguard.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: He is the only known member of Aegon II's Kingsguard whose eventual fate is unknown. His last known action was successfully escorting Princess Jaehaera Targaryen safely to Storm's End after King's Landing fell to the Blacks.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Ser Gyles Belgrave]]
!!Ser Gyles Belgrave

A knight of House Belgrave who joined Aegon II's Kingsguard during the Dance of the Dragons.
----
* BodyguardBetrayal: His exact role in Aegon II's poisoning is unknown, but he was involved somehow.
* TheConspiracy: He was one of several conspirators who took part in poisoning Aegon II after he refused to surrender following the defeat of his last army by the Blacks.
* DeathSeeker: He refused the chance to join the Night's Watch instead of being executed for his role in Aegon II's death, believing that he should not outlive his king and that his crimes deserved death.
* TheOathbreaker: Betrayed his king to end the Dance of the Dragons.
* OffWithHisHead: He was executed by Lord Cregan Stark for his crimes.
[[/folder]]

!!The Kingsguard of King Viserys I Targaryen, the Young King

[[folder:Lord Commander Ryam Redwyne]]
!!Ser Ryam Redwyne, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard

Regarded as the greatest knight of his age, Ryam served King Jaehaerys faithfully for decades and ended his service under King Viserys.
----
* AlliterativeName: '''R'''yam '''R'''edwyne.
* {{Badass}}: Regarded as one of the best knights of his time. Among his many accomplishments was the epic joust he had against fellow Kingsguard member Ser Clement Crabb at the Great Tourney of 98 AC. The two knights broke thirty lances against each other and were declared co-champions, and their clash is considered to be the finest display of jousting ever seen in Westeros.
* CharacterDeath: He died of unknown causes in 105 AC and was succeeded by Ser Harrold Westerling as Lord Commander.
* NumberTwo: After the death of Septon Barth, Ryam briefly became Hand of the King for King Jaehaerys. However, he proved to be terrible at the job and was replaced in less than a year by Prince Baelon Targaryen.
* UnfitForGreatness: Long after his death, he was considered one of the finest Kingsguard who ever lived, and among the worst Hands there ever were. The exact details of why he was such a bad Hand are unknown, but considering how poor some other hands were Ryam must have been pretty terrible to earn such a reputation.
[[/folder]]

!!Other Kingsguard

[[folder: Other Historical Kingsguard Members]]
* DirtyCoward: Ser Oryvel.
* FaceHeelTurn: Ser Gyles Greycloak.
* HeroicBastard:
** One of the first seven Kingsguard was Ser Addison Hill, the Bastard of Cornfield.
** Lord Commanders Addison Hill and "Red" Robert Flowers.
* InSeriesNickname: Ser Robin Darklyn, one of the first seven Kingsguard, was known as Darkrobin.
* KidHero: Seventeen year old Ser Roland Darklyn, who died an hour after being knighted and inducted into the Kingsguard on the field of battle.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: The Greatheart. And The Demon of Darry, a Lord Commander.
* ReassignedToAntarctica: Ser Lucamore Strong was sent to the Wall after breaking his vow of chastity, but not before being gelded.
* SiblingTeam: Ser Gregor and Griffith Goode, two of the first Kingsguard.
* WorthyOpponent: Daemon Blackfyre thought Ser Gwayne Corbray so gallant in their battle--which lasted for an hour--that he ordered him healed.
[[/folder]]

--> --'''Marianne Martell'''

!!Lord Commander Gerold Hightower

!!Lord Commander Duncan the Tall

* UnfitForGreatness: Ser Ryam Redwyne who was one of the finest Kingsguard who ever lived, and was the worst Hand there ever was.

The Kingsguard who served the Targaryen Dynasty and appear in the Prequels and Companion Media are mentioned here. In descending order of regime

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: According to the singers, they professed their love for each other before dueling for an hour and dying in each others arms. The fool Mushroom, claiming to have witnessed the duel, says instead they cursed each other as traitors and had both dealt each other mortal wounds within moments.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The circumstances in which he and Erryk slew each other are not mentioned in ''The Princess and the Queen''.
** The circumstances of the duel were finally revealed in ''Literature/TheWorldOfIceAndFire'': Ser Criston Cole sent Arryk to infiltrate Dragonstone and impersonate his twin, in order to either kill Rhaenyra or her children. Erryk encountered him in the halls by chance and they fought to the death. According to the singers, they professed their love for each other before dueling for an hour and [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in each others arms]]. The fool Mushroom, claiming to have witnessed the duel, says instead they cursed each other as traitors and had both dealt each other mortal wounds within moments.

!!This is a listing of members of the Kingsguard who served the Baratheon Kings who appear in the {{Fantasy}} series ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Visit [[Characters/ASongOfIceAndFire here]] for the main character index.

!!The Kingsguard of Aegon II Targaryen (The Greens)

The Kingsguard that served Aegon II during the CivilWar of the "Dance of the Dragons". It supported the faction of "the Greens" which upheld the claim of the children of Queen Alicent Hightower rather than Princess Rhaenyra. It was led by the notorious Criston Cole.

[[folder: Lord Commander Criston Cole]]
!!Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
!!!The Kingmaker
-->''"Seven save this realm if we seat a bastard on the Iron Throne. They will turn the Red Keep into a brothel. No man's daughter will be safe, nor any man's wife. Even the boys ... we know what Laenor was."''

Leader of the Kingsguard during the reign of Viserys I. It was said he was having an affair with Princess Rhaenyra but it ended badly so he withdrew his support from her and declared loyalty to her half-brother Aegon II, earning his nickname "The Kingmaker". This set off the war known as the Dance of the Dragons.

* AlliterativeName
* BadassNormal: He didn't have a Valyrian steel sword or freakish size like Daemon or Harwin, yet he dominated against both in melees
* BodyguardCrush: He served as Rhaenyra's sworn shield for several years before joining the Kingsguard, and is rumored to have desired or even been in a relationship with her. The final break that led to Cole's defection apparently came when one spurned the other, though views on who exactly rebuffed whose advances are naturally colored by which side of the ensuing conflict people think was in the right.
* TheChampion: He was Rhaenyra's, serving as her sworn shield starting in 103 AC, when she was seven and he was twenty-one. This lasted for ten years, until their falling out.
* CharacterDeath: Killed in an ambush led by Lord Roderick Dustin in the Riverlands during the Dance of the Dragons.
* CoDragons: With Aemond One-Eye to Aegon II.
* FourStarBadass: He was an extremely competent army commander.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: He went from being the son of the steward of Blackhaven to the commander of the Kingsguard whom history holds partly responsible for one of the most devastating wars in the history of Westeros.
-->'''Ser Arys Oakheart:''' The Kingmaker wrought grave harm and gravely did he pay for it.
* HeelFaceTurn[=/=]FaceHeelTurn: Depending which side you are on. Ser Jaime and Ser Loras discuss his legacy in ''Literature/AFeastForCrows'' with Jaime noting that he was a Knight that represented "the best and the worst" of the Kingsguard.
* KingmakerScenario: How else did he get his nickname?
* TheMentor: Trained Aemond One-Eye to be a warrior.
* NumberTwo: Became Hand of the King to Aegon II.
* RashomonStyle: Two different tales exist of how the rift between him and Rhaenyra developed.
** CelibateHero: According to the fool Mushroom, Ser Criston took his vows very seriously, and when Rhaenyra attempted to seduce him into taking her maidenhead in the White Gold Tower, he rejected her. This caused her to seek out and sleep with Ser Harwin Strong, and Ser Criston switched his loyalty to Queen Alicent out of disgust.
** NotGoodWithRejection: According to the account of Septon Eustace, Ser Criston went to Rhaenyra's bedchamber one night and confessed his love to her, asking her to run away to Essos and marry him. She rejected his plea, claiming that she was meant to be more than the wife of a common sellsword. His response was to ensure she never got the Iron Throne.
* RankUp: He was made commander of the Kingsguard after his predecessor, Ser Harrold Westerling, died.
* UndignifiedDeath: At the Butcher's Ball, Cole was basically abandoned by Aemond Targaryen, who flew on Vaghar to burn the Riverlands when they were supposed to rendezvous together with Lord Ormund Hightower and Prince Daeron. He proceeded to take Harrenhal, which was vacated by Daemon Targaryen. He was ambushed by Lord Roderick Dustin at the God's Eye. Upon seeing himself outnumbered, surrounded and in the eve of defeat, Ser Criston tried to instigate a duel in single combat against Ser Garibald Grey, Lord Dustin and Ser Pate of Longleaf, but they all refused him. He was instead riddled with arrows and his men were brought down by Dustin's forces.
* TheUnreveal: It's not quite clear what made him betray Rhaenyra, but whatever happened between them was bad.

[[folder: Ser Arryk Cargyll]]
!!Ser Arryk Cargyll

A knight of House Cargyll, Ser Arryk served alongside his brother Erryk in Viserys I's Kingsguard. He was in King's Landing when Viserys died, and stayed loyal to Aegon II while his brother on Dragonstone sided with Rhaenyra.

* BodyguardingABadass: King Aegon was a capable warrior in his own right, as well as a dragonrider.
* ConflictingLoyalty: Between his king and his brother. He chose his king.
* DuelToTheDeath: With his brother Erryk in the halls of Dragonstone.
* ImpersonationGambit: He was sent by Ser Criston Cole to Dragonstone to impersonate his brother. It almost worked, but Erryk just happened to encounter his twin in the halls.
* ManlyTears: Said to have said shed tears with his brother as they lay dying after inflicting mortal wounds on each other.
* MutualKill: The brothers were too evenly matched for an outright winner, but sadly too skilled not to mortally wound each other.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: He and Erryk both choose the side they felt should rule and set aside any family loyalty when they did so.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The circumstances in which he and Erryk slew each other are not mentioned in ''The Princess and the Queen''.
** The circumstances of the duel were finally revealed in ''Literature/TheWorldOfIceAndFire'': Ser Criston Cole sent Arryk to infiltrate Dragonstone and impersonate his twin, in order to either kill Rhaenyra or her children. Erryk encountered him in the halls by chance and they fought to the death. According to the singers, they professed their love for each other before dueling for an hour and [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in each others arms]]. The fool Mushroom, claiming to have witnessed the duel, says instead they cursed each other as traitors and had both dealt each other mortal wounds within moments.

[[folder: Ser Rickard Thorne]]
!!Ser Rickard Thorne

A knight of House Thorne and member of Viserys I and Aegon II's Kingsguard.

* BodyguardingABadass: Before his injuries, Aegon II was a highly capable warrior and dragonrider who hardly needed the protection of the Kingsguard.
* CharacterDeath: He was sent to escort Prince Maelor to safety in Oldtown during the opening stages of the Dance of the Dragons, but was intercepted and killed by a mob in Bitterbridge.

[[folder: Ser Willis Fell]]
!!Ser Willis Fell

A knight of House Fell and member of Viserys I and Aegon II's Kingsguard.

* BodyguardingABadass: Before his injuries, Aegon II was a highly capable warrior and dragonrider who hardly needed the protection of the Kingsguard.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: He is the only known member of Aegon II's Kingsguard whose eventual fate is unknown. His last known action was successfully escorting Princess Jaehaera Targaryen safely to Storm's End after King's Landing fell to the Blacks.

[[folder: Ser Gyles Belgrave]]
!!Ser Gyles Belgrave

A knight of House Belgrave who joined Aegon II's Kingsguard during the Dance of the Dragons.

* BodyguardBetrayal: His exact role in Aegon II's poisoning is unknown, but he was involved somehow.
* TheConspiracy: He was one of several conspirators who took part in poisoning Aegon II after he refused to surrender following the defeat of his last army by the Blacks.
* DeathSeeker: He refused the chance to join the Night's Watch instead of being executed for his role in Aegon II's death, believing that he should not outlive his king and that his crimes deserved death.
* TheOathbreaker: Betrayed his king to end the Dance of the Dragons.
* OffWithHisHead: He was executed by Lord Cregan Stark for his crimes.

!!The Kingsguard of Aegon III Targaryen (the Blacks)

[[folder: Ser Marston Waters]]
!!Ser Marston Waters

A bastard from Dragonstone. He was raised to the Kingsguard after helping Aegon II take Dragonstone. He continued to serve in the Kingsguard of Aegon III.

* BodyguardingABadass: When he protected Aegon II.
* HeroicBastard: Aside from a brief moment during Aegon III's regency, Ser Marston also acted very honorably and nobly.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After besieging his own king in Maegor's Holdfast, Ser Marston clearly had a crisis of conscience and began following Aegon III's orders again, attempting to arrest the conspirators who had framed the Rogare family and the previous Hand, Lord Thaddeus Rowan, for various crimes.
* NumberTwo: He became Hand of the King through unknown circumstances during Aegon III's regency, somehow having become embroiled in a conspiracy to frame Lady Larra Rogare, the wife of Prince Viserys, and her family for various crimes. This resulted in him besieging King Aegon III, Viserys, and Larra in Maegor's Holdfast for eighteen days before he came to his senses and turned on his conspirators.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: He was killed in the process of arresting his sworn brother, Ser Mervyn Flowers, one of the conspirators against the Rogare family.
* UndyingLoyalty: Despite being from Dragonstone and having kin on the island, he stayed in King's Landing and loyal to Aegon II, later helping to smuggle him to the island and arrange to take it over.
* WouldntHurtAChild: When Aegon II defeated his thirteen year old cousin Baela in a dragon duel, Ser Marston stopped Ser Alfred Broome from executing her, wrenching Alfred's blade out of his hand.

[[folder: Ser Mervyn Flowers]]
!!Ser Mervyn Flowers

The bastard brother of Lord Unwin Peake, Ser Mervyn assisted his brother's attempts to gain power in King's Landing.

* BastardBastard: He completely forswore his oaths and plotted to put his brother in power by framing the Rogare family and Lord Thaddeus Rowan for various crimes. He even slew his own sworn brother Ser Marston Waters when he attempted to arrest Mervyn for his crimes.
* TheOathbreaker: It is unlikely he ever took his Kingsguard oaths seriously, and was likely on appointed to position during his brother Unwin's reign as Hand of the King.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Some suspected him of being responsible for the death of Queen Jaehaera Targaryen, who either jumped or was thrown from Maegor's Holdfast when she was only ten. However, many people, including the semi-reliable court fool Mushroom, that even Ser Mervyn would not be able to push the child he was supposed to protect to her death. Instead, they think he allowed Tessario the Tiger, Unwin's sellsword assassin, access to the queen in order to do the deed.

!!The Kingsguard of King Aegon IV Targaryen, the Unworthy

[[folder: Lord Commander Aemon Targaryen]]
!!Prince Aemon Targaryen, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
!!!The Dragonknight

The brother of King Aegon IV and Queen Naerys. Considered the finest knight who ever lived, he was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, serving under four kings. He was one of the few people his sister Naerys was close to (along with his nephew Daeron II). Whispers of his alleged affair with his sister helped spark the Blackfyre Rebellion. He died protecting his brother Aegon IV from would-be assassins sent by House Toyne, seeking revenge for their brother's execution.

* TheAce: Some say he was the greatest Kingsguard knight to have ever lived, which is definitely saying something considering how many freak [[{{Badass}} badasses]] have been members over the last 300 years.
* ArchEnemy: To Ser Morgil.
* {{Badass}}: He was one of greatest members of the Kingsguard ever and, as stated above, is possibly the greatest knight who has ever lived.
* BadassInDistress: He was saved from a pit of vipers by King Baelor.
* BlackKnight: As the Knight of Tears.
* BrotherSisterIncest: If the rumours about him and Naerys were true.
* CoolUncle: To King Daeron II.
* CourtlyLove: His relationship with Queen Naerys. Deconstructed when it was claimed it went beyond this trope and that Naerys had actually given birth to his son (though it's likely those were just rumors as there was little evidence to support them).
* DoggedNiceGuy: To Naerys.
* {{Expy}}: To Sir Lancelot of the Arthurian Cycle.
* {{Foil}}: Like Jaime, Aemon served a terrible king and was a DoggedNiceGuy to the queen/his sister, but where Jaime eventually snapped out and became TheKingslayer for the greater good, Ser Aemon remained true to his vows and died to protect the evil King. Despite being polar opposites in terms of reputation, their actions (or lack thereof) created the same circumstances: accusations of adultery, illegitimacy and all-out internecine CivilWar.
* HeroicSacrifice: He died saving Aegon IV from an assassination attempt by two members of House Toyne who sought revenge for the death of Ser Terrence Toyne.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Beloved by the people as an honorable and chivalrous knight.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: No knight took it to his extreme level of devotion of service to the patently unworthy Aegon IV, who raped his sister-wife Naerys (Aemon's sister and close friend) and submitted her to a lifelong HumiliationConga by repeatedly cheating on her. Aegon IV repaid Aemon by accusing him of fathering Daeron II, despite which Aemon still committed a HeroicSacrifice to save Aegon IV from the vengeful Toynes (who again, Aegon IV provoked by brutally killing Ser Terrence Toyne).
* PosthumousCharacter: He's invoked repeatedly in the present as a representative of bygone chivalry.
* ShadowArchetype: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. His story is remarkably similar to Jaime's (renowned Kingsguard, dubious relationship with his sister the Queen that eventually resulted in a massive war, possible father of the queen's children), but Aemon is revered as a legendary KnightInShiningArmor, while Jaime is reviled as the dishonorable Kingslayer for being TheOathbreaker.
* TakingTheBullet: Survived an arrow protecting his cousin Daeron I in his first invasion. He tired to save him again when Daeron I returned but he failed and got captured (while other Kingsguard died and one surrendered). He finally did die protecting Aegon the Unworthy.
* WarriorPrince
* WorthyOpponent: To Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell.

[[folder: Ser Terrence Toyne]]
!!Ser Terrence Toyne

A member of House Toyne and one of the Kingsguard for Aegon IV. He was found abed with one of Aegon IV's mistresses, Bethany Bracken, and was executed for it in 178 AC.

* AllThereInTheManual: The identity of the mistress of Aegon IV who was his lover was only revealed in ''Literature/TheWorldOfIceAndFire''.
* AlliterativeName
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Aegon IV had him dismembered piece by piece, while Bethany was ForcedToWatch.
* LoveMakesYouDumb: A member of the Kingsguard breaking his celibacy vows for love is already TemptingFate, but doing so with the king's mistress takes it to a new level. It could never have ended well.
* TheOathbreaker: Infamously broke his vow of celibacy for love.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: He was noted in-universe for this.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: His affair and subsequent execution was the beginning of the end for House Toyne. His brothers tried to avenge his cruel death by attempting to assassinate Aegon IV, only to be slain by the Dragonknight, Prince Aemon, in the attempt (resulting in the Dragonknight's death as well). The Toynes never really recovered from this. Even if he'd considered the personal implications of being caught, it's unlikely Ser Terrence would have foreseen having such a negative effect on House Toyne's future.

!!The Kingsguard of King Aegon V Targaryen, the Unlikely

[[folder: Lord Commander Duncan the Tall*]]
!!Lord Commander Duncan the Tall
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0c9c6f0d1b0f0cd9b06e6246ed2d4f09.jpg]]

A seven-foot-tall hedge knight who lived many years before the events of ''A Game of Thrones'', eventually becoming Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Ser Duncan is the POV character of the ''Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg''.

* {{Badass}}: His height, reach, strength and stamina combined is your first warning. His [[CombatPragmatist tactics]] your second. And, his [[HonourBeforeReason attitude]] is your third. When the chips are down, he can pound and take a pounding for any cause he deems worth fighting for... even if he's not exactly wonderful to watch doing it, what with having quite a few technical holes to his style. The guy's a determined tank.
* BrainsAndBrawn: His relationship with Egg (Dunk being the brawn and Egg the brains).
* CatchPhrase: Threatening to give Egg a clout on the ear.
* CharacterShield[=/=]DoomedByCanon: Whatever GRRM has in store for Duncan in his ''Tales of Dunk and Egg'' we already know he'll survive to become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard... and eventually die along with Aegon V at the Tragedy at Summerhall.
* CelibateHero: Less by choice and more by circumstance. Most noble ladies would never deem to lower themselves to being with a Hedge Knight. As a Kingsguard, he is sworn to celibacy. WordOfGod states that he ''did'' leave descendants and at least one of them has appeared in the book series already, [[http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/US_Signing_Tour_Dayton_OH/ claiming he'd given "a pretty strong hint" as to who it was.]]
* CombatPragmatist: During his [[TrialByCombat trial of seven]] against Prince Aerion he realizes that in a tourney "Ser Duncan the Tall" wouldn't stand a chance. In fact his skills with a lance and sword nearly get him killed. But it's the Prince who doesn't stand a chance against Dunk when things degrade into a brawl. "Dunk of Flea Bottom", a man who'd spent his childhood fighting just to survive another day, unceremoniously hands Aerion his ass.
* {{Determinator}}: When Dunk gets a bee in his bonnet, he doesn't stop doing what he's doing for ''anything'' short of major catastrophe. And, even then, it's iffy. Egg occasionally wishes to strangle him for this trait thanks to being rather more pragmatic with aspects of his morality (not that Egg is always one to talk about being bull-headed).
* DidNotGetTheGirl: Applies to ''The Sworn Sword'' but also his later life.
* DumbIsGood: Duncan is not actually dumb. He is, however, completely [[BookDumb uneducated and a simple sort]] to the majority of those around him (mostly educated nobles). He's also one of the most moral characters in the series. He's a FishOutOfWater most of the time. But, because of that, he can trip even the most sophisticated ManipulativeBastard up with his rather different moral perspective.
* TheFool: In his three stories (at the time of this writing), he somewhat stumbles into important events and thanks to good luck comes out successful (at least by Martin standards).
* ForegoneConclusion: Duncan eventually becomes Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and one of the most legendary knights of the realm. He also [[DoomedByCanon dies tragically]] during an attempt to hatch dragons.
** PosthumousCharacter: In ''A Song of Ice and Fire''.
* GentleGiant: He was quite a vicious little shit as a child, but serving as a squire to Arlan of Pennytree curbed his nasty side.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: His adventures in ''Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg''
* HonorBeforeReason: Several instances have Dunk putting himself in harms way because he believes it's the right thing to do. A notable example is when he came to the rescue of a puppeteer woman being assaulted by Prince Aerion Targaryen, breaking one of his teeth in the process. Whilst it was his duty as a knight, this action is essentially suicidal. At best he'd lose the hand that struck royalty (and a foot since he kicked him too) and at worst simply be executed. Fortunately Egg is able to help save him from this fate.
* HumbleHero: Very much. Dunk actively ducks praise, given the chance to. Or, just won't believe he got it when he does.
* KnightErrant: Hedge knight: roads, hedges, trees, ditches... and taverns (when/if he can afford them) are his ''thing'' -- particularly at the start of his career. Good deeds done and damsels rescued? Occasionally happened, yes. But, not entirely thanks to going out to do any of it (and, often by total accident and against his better judgement and sense of self-preservation).
* KnightInShiningArmor: One of the few in the series (although they were a bit more common in his era as opposed to the novels set in "the present").
* NeverLearnedToRead: Unsurprising, given his background.
* OddFriendship: The Hedge Knight originally from Flea Bottom and the Targaryen Princeling -- you can't really get an odder relationship. They might occasionally exasperate each other to the point of steam jutting out of various ears (particularly Dunk's), but they really do rub along and compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses. As Egg points out, they ''are'' both from King's Landing... In the rest of the Kingdom, that's actually something in ''common''.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Interesting variation. Egg assumes that Dunk is short for Duncan but Dunk himself considers this and notes that he's been called Dunk for so long he's not sure if it was a shorter version of an older, more elegant name. Nonetheless he decides to style himself "Ser Duncan the Tall" when he enters his name in the Ashford Tourney and the rest is history.
* OverlyNarrowSuperlative: His sobriquet is seen as humorous in one story because it comes across as one of these. Typically, knights have sobriquets that indicate a personal quality (i.e. Barristan the Bold, Garlan the Gallant), and so Dunk's chosen one implies that his height is the most notable thing about him.
** SelfProclaimedKnight: While he had the virtues a knight is supposed to have, ironically (appropriately?), Dunk is heavily implied to have never been knighted by the knight he squired for, a fact indicated by the fact that Dunk acts nervous or uses double talk whenever the issue of his knighthood comes up.
* TogetherInDeath: In a platonic version of the trope, he and King Aegon V (a.k.a. his former squire "Egg") perish together in the Tragedy at Summerhall.
* TookALevelInBadass: Goes from the bumbling brute we know in ''The Hedge Knight'' who has to resort to a good old fashion beatdown to win to the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard who personally kills the Blackfyre pretender Daemon III and defeats the goddamn Laughing Storm in single combat
* WhatTheHellHero: He tries this on Ser Eustace Osgrey during ''The Sworn Sword'' [[spoiler: after he finds out he's a traitor.]] Dunk gets an earful [[spoiler: about the transitory nature of treason.]]
* WorkingClassHero: One of the straighter examples of this trope in this series. He was a street kid at Flea Bottom who became a hedge knight and eventually rose to the become Lord Commander of Aegon V's Kingsguard.
* WrongGenreSavvy: A rather heartwarming example. Ser Duncan is surprised so many people showed up to watch him die at Prince Aerion's hands during the trial of seven. Thinking himself an upstart that the mob wants to see get his just desserts, he soon discovers to his shock that the crowds have come to cheer him on. He's actually the heroic underdog. When he asks why ("What am I to them?") he's informed that he's ''[[KnightInShiningArmor a knight who remembered his vows]].''