Westeros Notorious Rulers and Families

Renly Baratheon

Lord Renly was also known as Lord of Storm's End, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, Master of Laws, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms (claimant), the King in Highgarden, and the King in the South, he is the son of Steffon Baratheon and Cassana Estermont, born in 277 AC.

Lord Renly married Margaery Tyrell, they had no children.

Lord Renly is sultan by an animated shadow conjured by Melisandre in 299 AC, he was 22 years of age.

History: Born in 277 AC, Renly was the youngest of the three sons of Lord Steffon Baratheon and Lady Cassana Estermont.Renly's parents died when their ship Windproud, returning from the Free Cities, sank in a storm in Shipbreaker Bay.

Renly grew up at Storm's End. Only a young boy at the time of Robert's Rebellion, he spent the war under siege in Storm's End, together with his older brother, Stannis, where he was witness to the desperation of the starving garrison.

As a boy, Renly loved bright colors and fabrics. He loved games as well and would run laughing through the halls of Storm's End.

By his older brother, King Robert I Baratheon, Renly was eventually granted the seat of Storm's End and named Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, upsetting Stannis, who felt that, as the elder of the two, Storm's End was his by right.

When Renly turned sixteen, he made a lord's progress across the stormlands to mark his coming of age. During this progress, he also visited the isle of Tarth, where Renly courteously danced with Brienne of Tarth. Princess Arianne Martell recalls that Renly also visited Sunspear once. She had tried her best to seduce Renly but remembered that he had seemed more bemused than inflamed by her attempts.

During his time as Lord of Storm's End, Renly took Loras Tyrell as his squire. Eventually, Renly and Loras became lovers. Although not widely known, various others in court are aware of their forbidden relationship.

Renly was eventually named to the small council, where he occupied the position of master of laws. While he is at court, his castellan at Storm's End is Ser Cortnay Penrose, who raises King Robert's bastard son, Edric Storm, for them. Brella runs Renly's household in King's Landing for him. Renly has thirty men in his guard at the capital.

Recent Events: While King Robert I Baratheon's procession is returning from Winterfell, Renly meets up with them, accompanied by Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and the King's Justice, Ser Ilyn Payne. Deeply amused by Prince Joffrey Baratheon's accusations against Arya Stark's dire wolf Nymeria, Renly is forced to leave the room at Darry, laughing at the thought of Joffrey being disarmed and beaten by a girl smaller and younger than him.

Renly performs well in the Hand's tourney, losing to the Hound, Sandor Clegane. Renly shows Lord Eddard Stark a painted portrait of Margaery Tyrell and asks if she looks like Lyanna Stark; Eddard is puzzled by this but states the girl looks nothing like his late sister Lyanna. Renly and Ser Loras Tyrell want Robert to take Loras's sister, Margaery, as his new queen and they think if Margaery looks like Lyanna it would make the plan easier. When the small council learns that Daenerys Targaryen is pregnant, Renly advises Robert to have the exiled girl assassinated.

Renly joins Robert when the king goes hunting in the Kingswood for a white hart. While Robert lies dying after being gored by a boar, Renly approaches Eddard and suggests they seize control of the royal children before Queen Cersei Lannister can strike. Eddard refuses the offer, however, and Renly flees King's Landing along with Loras.

After Robert's death, Renly is among the nobles ordered to swear fealty to King Joffrey I, Renly's nephew. Rumors spread that Eddard had murdered Robert and that Renly then avenged his brother, or that Renly had killed Robert in a drunken quarrel.

Renly manages to win the support of powerful House Tyrell and many of their bannermen through a secret love affair with Loras and a marriage to his sister Margaery. Renly is crowned Lord of the Seven Kingdoms at Highgarden.

Renly's crown of soft gold depicts a ring of roses. On its front is a stag's head made of dark green jade, with golden eyes and antlers

Through his charisma with and ties to House Tyrell and familiarity with his Stormlands bannermen, Renly's claim to the Iron Throne is backed by the largest army in the War of the Five Kings, despite his elder brother Stannis having the better claim. Renly takes to wearing the stag of Baratheon but in the colors of House Tyrell. Lord Mace Tyrell, the father of Margaery Tyrell, serves as Renly's Hand of the King. Because the Kingsguard is already serving Joffrey, Renly creates the Rainbow Guard in honor of the Seven. Renly appoints his lover, Ser Loras Tyrell, as their Lord Commander.

Renly spends a great deal of time moving through the Reach, gaining support and men at castles such as Horn Hill while waiting for the right moment to strike. He hosts tourneys for his men, including a great melee at Bitterbridge, and blocks the supply of food on the rose road to King's Landing, causing the capital to suffer starvation. All the while he waits for the Lannisters and Starks to wear each other down. Brienne of Tarth, who is infatuated with Renly, joins the Rainbow Guard to be close to him.

Robb Stark, the young King in the North, sends his mother Catelyn to Bitterbridge to negotiate an alliance with Renly against Lord Tywin Lannister, who is fortified at Harrenhal. Renly states he might allow Robb to keep his title, but he refuses to allow the North to secede from the Seven Kingdoms.

Renly's plan goes awry, however, when Stannis unexpectedly besieges Storm's End, forcing Renly to respond. Catelyn convinces the brothers to parley outside Storm's End, but Renly makes light of the situation, refusing to back down from his claim and advising his older brother to give up and eat a peach. Renly also denies Catelyn leaves to return to Riverrun, so she may witness the fate of "rebels". While preparing for battle with Stannis's forces the next dawn, however, Renly is slain by an animated shadow conjured by his brother's sorceress adviser, Melisandre.

After learning of Renly's death, an enraged Loras slays three of the king's guards, including Ser Emmon Cuy and Ser Robar Royce of the Rainbow Guard. Stannis is troubled by terrible nightmares. Rumors spread that Renly was killed by a knight of his Rainbow Guard, Stannis, Brienne, Catelyn, or a spurned lover. Most of Renly's lords join Stannis's host, although prominent nobles like Loras, Arwyn Oakheart, Mathis Rowan, and Randyll Tarly refuse and instead return to Bitterbridge. Ser Cortnay Penrose, the castellan of Storm's End, disbelieves that Renly has died, but his body goes missing before it can be presented as proof. Cortnay refuses to surrender Storm's End and his charge, Edric Storm, but the castellan is also assassinated by a shadow. During the Battle of the Blackwater, Renly's famous green armor is seen leading the van for Lords Mace Tyrell and Tywin Lannister. Renly kills Ser Guyard Morrigen and a dozen other knights, causing many of the men in Stannis's host who had once been Renly's to again change sides.

Following King Joffrey I Baratheon's wedding to Renly's widow, Margaery, Hamish the Harper performs "Lord Renly's Ride" during the wedding feast. Hamish sings of Renly's ghost repenting from his attempt to usurp his nephew, returning to this world to defend the realm from Stannis, and then returning to Highgarden to see his true love's face one last time, which brings tears to Margaery's eyes.

Ser Loras tells Ser Jaime Lannister that he buried Renly in a place they knew from when he was a squire at Storm's End, where no one else could ever find and disturb his remains. Loras reveals that his brother, Ser Garlan Tyrell, wore Renly's armor at the Blackwater to make it appear that Renly's ghost had returned for vengeance against the kin slaying Stannis. Jaime advises Loras to speak with Brienne and be assured that she has not assassinated Renly.

Taena of Myr tells Queen Regent Cersei Lannister that she was in attendance for Renly's wedding to Margaery Tyrell at Highgarden, and she questions Margaery's claim that the marriage was never consummated.

King Tommen I Baratheon names Lord Renly, one of Cersei's dromonds, after his late uncle.