History Main / TheGoodChancellor

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': This series likes to remind us that [[GoodIsNotNice Good doesn't necessarily mean Nice]]. Or that being good for the realm means being on Team Good, either.

* Chinese myth has a few, but two stand out: Zhuge Liang (courtesy name Kong Ming) from the semi-historical RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms and Jiang Ziya from the similarly semi-mythological ''Literature/FengshenYanyi'', aka "Creation of the Deities".

* Grimble in Literature/MythAdventures, while engaging in power struggles with General Badaxe, has no desire to rule. He's an adversary of the protagonists primarily because the protagonists are trying to shake down the kingdom for every gold piece in the treasury and Grimble is trying to stop them.

* Grimble in ''Literature/MythAdventures'', while engaging in power struggles with General Badaxe, has no desire to rule.

* In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'', the Office of Vizieral Council is an [[PrestigeClass Eldritch Order]] dedicated to this trope, whose members make a [[MagicallyBindingContract magically binding Pledge]] to serve their rulers faithfully. However, most changeling Freeholds have a rotating group of seasonal rulers, who might be mortal enemies, and a Vizier is required to serve each one faithfully in turn...

** Tyrion serves as a much needed one to Joffrey during his brief but brilliant stint as acting Hand in Season 2. In no small part, the Lannister banner is sustained by his skill at administration and his ability to stare down Joffrey's cruelty, subvert Cersei's incompetence, and prepare the city for the inevitable siege. Varys even commends him as better than Ned Stark or Jon Arryn because he enjoys rather than disdains the game of thrones.

* During the Cultural Revolution in China, Zhou Enlai, the Premier of the [[RedChina PRC]] and widely considered to be Mao's NumberTwo, used his authority to save artists, intellectuals, and ancient treasures from the blood-thirsty Red Guards.

* Joseph, from the ''Literature/BookOfGenesis'' in Literature/TheBible. He serves under the Pharaoh as a Vizier, and unlike the [[NephariousPharaoh two infamous Pharaohs]] from ''BookOfExodus'', the Pharaoh in Genesis is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who genuinely appreciates Joseph's talents and his deeds.

* Ocato in ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', and particularly in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', where he actually plays a role bigger than being mentioned or just showing up in a short cutscene with no lines. The fact that the (good) Emperor spends the entire game dead in Uriel's case or not actually taken the throne [[spoiler:and later [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence becoming an avatar]]]] in Martin's probably helps.
** [[spoiler: ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' reveals that for ten years after the Oblivion Crisis, Ocato served as the ''de facto'' leader of the Empire while the Elder Council debated on who should take the throne. Unfortunately for the Empire, (and the rest of Tamriel in general), he was so good at keeping the peace that [[ScaryDogmaticAliens the]] [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]] decided to have him assassinated.]]

*** By the time of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', Bann Teagan has succeeded his brother and become the Arl of Redcliffe, but the ''Trespasser'' DLC indicates that he's serving as this for either of the possibly rulers of Ferelden.

* In the FanFic ''The Basalt City Chronicles'', Priest-Emperor Zaykar and The Guardian of the Crown Lord Kosgan do ''not'' get along well, at least on the surface. However, Lord Kosgan is actually utterly loyal to the Empire; his friction with the somewhat younger Priest-Emperor was originally to make sure that the Empire got a strong ruler

* In ''Disney/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar,'' Aladdin is promoted to Vizier in Jafar's place. Though you could easily miss this point, since he spends the rest of the movie, [[WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries the TV series]] and [[Disney/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves the sequel]] just battling villains and monsters instead of governmental work.

** He doesn't consider Aragorn to be the true heir though, since the Council of Gondor ruled out Isildur's line from having a right to the throne long ago, though Denethor conveniently ignores that Aragorn ''is'' Anárion's heir as well, though through the female line by marriage, not a direct male-line descendant. Denethor also ignores that, without Aragorn's tenuous relation, the House of Anárion is ''extinct'' (though the Kings of Rohan are distantly related), and Aragorn, as Isildur's heir, is also the heir of Elendil, who founded both kingdoms and fathered both Isildur and Anárion, giving him by far the strongest claim to the throne of Gondor, to the point where he is the only viable candidate.

* Literature/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms has a few of these:

** Kevan Lannister is the loyal lieutenant to his ruthless brother [[EvilChancellor Tywin]], de facto ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Unlike his brother, he is a good and honest man, though [[YesMan not very assertive]], and too willing to carry out Tywin's darker commands such as [[RapePillageAndBurn burning the Riverlands]]. However, in ''A Dance with Dragons'', he has to become regent and Hand for the underage King after every other viable Lannister candidate is dead, disgraced or otherwise unavailable, and he proves to be nearly as capable as Tywin and far more kind about it. He's ''so'' good, in fact, that he might be the one man who could keep the Lannister regime from falling apart. [[spoiler: Which is why Varys has him murdered, because Varys wants the realm to keep decaying until [[RightfulKingReturns the Targaryens can return to retake the throne]].]]
** In ''[[Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg The Hedge Knight]]'', Prince Baelor Breakspear is a straight example. [[spoiler:Until he's accidentally killed in a [[TrialByCombat Trial Of Seven]] by his brother Maekar]].
* Paul Kidd's TalkingAnimal novel ''Literature/TheFangsOfKaath'', has the Grand Vizier of the Kingdom of Osra who is seemingly the only good hearted member of the court outside Prince Raschid. In fact, given that the Shah is callously indifferent to his own son, the Vizier is effectively much more a father to the naive prince than his biological one. Even Raschid's love, the cynical Sandhri, is the first to defend the Vizier when Raschid suspects him of jailing her without cause. When the villains magically drive him to his death, Raschid learns he is singled out for an inheritance, but his only request is the honor of carrying his beloved friend's ashes to his tomb at the funeral.

* In the Literature/VorkosiganSaga, Lord Admiral Aral Vorkosigan was appointed Regent for five year old Emperor Gregor, serving loyally for fifteen years when most of his enemies thought he would make a grab for the throne. Upon Gregor's ascension to the throne, he stepped down and continued in the role as the Emperor's Prime Minister. The page quote is Gregor's explanation for why [[spoiler:he insisted on being one of the pallbearers at Aral's funeral.]]

* In ''Series/TinMan'' Ambrose is all over this trope and has the exact same position in the [[spoiler: Ozian court as his Scarecrow counterpart]]. When the {{Mooks}} march into the Queen's garden, he literally stands between them and his Queen, ready to die for her. [[spoiler: Of course, is isn't killed, but he is given a alchemical lobotomy and tossed into the wild, taking the name "Glitch." His loyalty and service to the Queen is one of the very few things he will never forget.]]

* Ocato in ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', but particularly in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', where he actually plays a role bigger than being mentioned or just showing up in a short cutscene with no lines. The fact that the (good) Emperor spends the entire game dead in Uriel's case or not actually taken the throne [[spoiler:and later [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence becoming an avatar]]]] in Martin's probably helps.

* While he's technically the seneschal of Vigil's Keep, Varel functions as this trope in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening''. Prior to the start of the story, Varel was imprisoned by Arl Rendon Howe for attempting to counteract the worst of his lord's atrocities. When the Grey Wardens are awarded the arling of Amaranthine, he is re-appointed as seneschal and is a helpful ally.

* The Chancellor of Figaro, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', seems to be this in the few appearences he makes.

* Impa from ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' is portrayed as always looking out for the best interests of Princess Zelda and the Kingdom of Hyrule. Occasionally, she is even shown as a ParentalSubstitute for Zelda. Even in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'', where Zelda is not a princess and there is no Kingdom of Hyrule to be a chancellor in, she manages to fulfill the same role.
* Cristo/Kiryl in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'' / ''Dragon Warrior IV'' is completely loyal (and has a crush on his kingdom's princess, which doesn't hurt the loyalty thing one bit.)

** Tywin Lannister served as Hand to ''the Mad King'' for twenty stable and prosperous years, which ended almost immediately upon his dismissal. He takes up the position again in Season 3 and stabilizes the Lannister regime by cowing his sadistic grandson and his quarrelsome children.

* The kirin of TheTwelveKingdoms are ostensibly this. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] though due to their StupidGood natures. Good rulers learn when to heed their kirin and when to disregard their advice because compassion alone cannot administer a nation.

** Davos serves as this to Stannis Baratheon, which helps counterbalance the influence Melisandre has on him.

* ''WebComic/GirlGenius'': Vanamonde von Mekkhan has, after taking up the mantle of seneschal to House Heterodyne from his grandfather, proven himself to be a capable administrator, organiser, spymaster and tactician, and completely devoted to the welfare of the House Heterodyne and the people of Mechanicsburg. His grandfather Carson served both Seamus Heterodyne and Seamus' sons Bill and Barry with similar skill and loyalty, but given the elder Heterodyne's character (not to mention Carson's youthful days as a volunteer in said elder Heterodyne's marauding horde) it's a bit unclear where on the Good-Evil axis he falls.

* In the Literature/VorkosiganSaga, Lord Admiral Aral Vorkosigan was appointed Regent for five year old Emperor Gregor, serving loyally for fifteen years when most of his enemies thought he would make a grab for the throne. Upon Gregor's ascension to the throne, he stepped down and continued in the role as the Emperor's Prime Minister.

* In the [[Literature/HorusHeresy past]] of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', Malcador the Sigillite. The Emperor's right-hand man and regent when away from Terra, he is the greatest politician, administrator, and (non-PhysicalGod) human psyker of all time, as the Emperor is the [[PsychicPowers greatest]] [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking everything]] [[EmperorScientist else]].

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
** The various Hands of the King all seem to be this. Jon Arryn and Ned Stark work very hard to support the rule of King Robert, while Tyrion and Tywin did the same for Joffrey. The only possible exception is the aforementioned Tywin, who helped depose the mad King Aerys, but only after he'd been sacked. Before that he was Aerys's best friend, leading Westeros through twenty years of peace and prosperity before Aerys got jealous and sacked him in anger. Lord Stannis, Robert's brother, tried to be this as well. Despite being only Master of Ships and [[ReassignedToAntarctica Lord of the small island of Dragonstone]] he was one of the main helpers to Jon Arryn.

** Ned Stark struggles constantly to get King Robert to do good, sensible, moral things and to mitigate the damage whenever his advice is ignored. He also tries to reduce the realm's debt and orders the execution of a band of psychopathic marauders led by Gregor Clegane.

* Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor Sir UsefulNotes/ThomasMore might, or might not, be an example. He was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church for his refusal to ratify his king's breach with Catholicism, but he is regarded by some non-Catholics as a monster for his persecution of heretics when his king was still a Catholic.
* A case can be made for Henry VIII's Secretary Thomas Cromwell and More's predecessor as Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey - both were hated by pretty much everyone but they ran things pretty well for Henry. There's a reason Henry later regretted having Cromwell executed.

** Prospero to ConanTheBarbarian as well.

* Despite not having any official position (and that's purely because Arthur is extremely WrongGenreSavvy), {{Series/Merlin}} qualifies for this trope quite well. He's one of the wisest characters in the cast, gives consistently good advice,and helps the oppressed magical people. It's extremely telling that when [[SpoiledSweet Princess Mithian]] wanted to marry Arthur, she went to Merlin to ask for his support, noting that Arthur valued his opinion above all others. This was after being in Camelot for a total of one day.

* Joseph, from the ''Literature/BookOfGenesis'' in Literature/TheBible. He serves under the Pharaoh as a Vizier. And unlike the [[NephariousPharaoh two infamous Pharaohs]] from ''BookOfExodus'', the one in Genesis is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who genuinely appreciates Joseph's talents and his deeds.

* Joseph, from the book of Genesis in Literature/TheBible.

*** Over a century and a half before Ned Stark became Hand, his ancestor Cregan Stark was Hand for a single day, and was such a {{Badass}} that they called his tenure "The Hour Of The Wolf"