A raven came to Winterfell to inform the Northerners that Robert was riding North, along with his family. His visit could only mean one thing – to persuade his best friend, Lord Eddard Stark, to be his hand. The man that rode off the horse was nothing like the tall, muscular, handsome and clean-shaven Robert we’d heard of. He had become fat. Robert kicked off by snubbing his wife, Queen Cersei Lannister, in front of the whole pack of northerners. There’s more to Robert than occasional spars with Cersei.
Drunken King With No Interest In Ruling
After Robert’s Rebellion and successive crowning, King Robert became the first from House Baratheon to sit on the Iron Throne. He was nothing like Robert before the war; tall, muscular and humorous. Robert was a drunk, he was indulgent and he had an awkward walk. Robert was wed to Cersei of House Lannister, a hateful marriage that consumed both of them. Robert had an odd temper which he frequently displayed. He was more into drinking, hunting, and philandering than serving his kingdom. His hand Jon Arryn presided small council meetings. Robert barely attended to the welfare of his subjects, his small council jokingly called themselves lords of small matters.
Beggared The Realm
Even though Robert’s reign was peaceful, with the minor exception of the Greyjoy rebellion, his other vices were a worry. Robert’s love for tourneys and melees were well known. He loved feasting and drinking. In season 1, when he rode North, the royal visit cost a lot according to Maester Luwin.
Robert’s lavish ways had beggared the Realm. The overflowing coffers were getting emptied at his expense. He instructed Renly to stage a tournament in honor of Lord Stark as Hand of the King with a total expense of eighty-thousand gold dragons. Ned was shocked to learn the crown owed Twyin three-million gold dragons. The crown was six million in debt total.
Hit Cersei
It wasn’t an easy road for Ned as soon as went South. An injured Ned Stark woke up to Cersei and Robert standing beside his bed. As always, Cersei instigated Robert to take action against Ned for abducting one of her brothers and attacking the other. She went on and on about how Lord Stark was returning drunk from a brothel when he attacked Jaime.
Cersei’s, “I took you for a king,” was met with “Quiet woman” by Robert. But as soon as she said she should wear the armor and Robert the gown, he slapped her hard in the face. Cersei said she would wear the slap like a badge of honor.
“Wear it in silence. Or I’ll honor you again,” said Robert.
Ordered Lady To Be Killed
Cersei falsely claimed Arya and the butcher’s boy Mycah attacked Prince Joffrey Baratheon. The incident had taken place earlier in the day in “The Kingsroad.” Joffrey told his parents Arya and Mycah hit him with clubs while Arya set her wolf on him. Even though Robert called for Sansa to tell the truth, stating it was a great crime to lie to a king. Sansa’s false testimony and Cersei’s constant pressurizing led Robert to order Lady be killed.
Whispered “Lyanna”
Robert claimed to be in love with Lyanna Stark. Lyanna was the only daughter of Lord Rickard Stark and Lady Lyarra Stark. Even though Robert claimed otherwise, Barristan Selmy was convinced Prince Rhaegar loved his Lady Lyanna, and thousands died for it. Robert, on the other hand, could never get over Lyanna. Naturally, his marriage to Tywin Lannister’s daughter Cersei was a sham.
In “You Win or You Die,” Cersei admits to worshipping Robert Baratheon before their marriage. Every girl in the Seven Kingdoms wanted him but he was hers by oath. On their wedding night, Robert was drunk and whispered Lyanna’s name in Cersei’s ear as they consummated the marriage. Robert had loved a corpse more than his living wife.
Never Knew Lyanna As A Person
Lyanna was politically promised to Robert Baratheon. She knew of his sexual exploits. Ned Stark always felt Robert never knew Lyanna as a person. He only saw Lyanna’s surface beauty and “not the iron underneath.” Robert was only deeply infatuated with her.
What man in love would lay with women as often as he could? At the bottom of her heart, Lyanna knew Robert would be unfaithful to her in their marriage.
Robert’s Rebellion Didn’t Stop Him
You’d think Robert raised banners against the Targaryens because he was angered over Lyanna Stark’s abduction. Rebellions, wars and the Seven Kingdoms couldn’t keep him from philandering. In “The Kingsroad,” Robert suggests Ned and he get a couple of tavern wenches to warm their beds that night. One thing leads to another, Robert starts gleefully talking about his sexual exploits during the rebellion. A common girl, Becca, recalls Robert. Ned corrects her name – Bessie.
Robert’s explanation for philandering is they were at war. None of them knew if they were going to go back home again.
A Knife, Perhaps.. And A Bold Man To Wield It
At the Kingsroad, a rider in the night informs Ned and Robert that Daenerys Targaryen had wed some Dothraki horse lord. Ned jokingly asks if they should send her a wedding gift. Robert replies by saying a knife, perhaps. A good sharp one, and a bold man to wield it. It’s appalling how a king should suggest the murder of a child. He immediately goes back to the days of rebellion, recalling what Rhaegar Targaryen did to Lyanna.
Varys Looked After Edric
Varys looked after Robert’s and Delena Florent’s bastard son Edric Storm. Delena was Selyse Florent’s cousin. Robert couldn’t keep his hands off Stannis’s wife’s cousin and it happened on Stannis’s wedding night.
Edric was sent to Storm’s End to foster with his younger uncle, Renly Baratheon. This was because Delena was a noblewoman, so the child deserved better. Each year, on his name day, Edric was sent a gift from King Robert. Edric would write to his father thanking him for the gifts. Robert would laugh at his letters and ask Varys what he had sent that year.
Gave Storm’s End To Renly
Storm’s End, the seat of Baratheon household should have gone to Stannis Baratheon. Instead, Robert gave it to Renly, the youngest. First off, Robert and Stannis never really got along. According to Cersei, giving Storm’s End to Renly was a punishment for Stannis. Could it be Robert was disappointed with Stannis’s role in the rebellion? Stannis was instead made Lord of Dragonstone. This very well had strategic implications too, since Dragonstone was the seat of Targaryens. Who better than Stannis to guard it for the realm?
Although, years after the war, Storm’s End continued to be Renly’s seat.
