Edwell Celtigar

"Though Maegor stamped out the fires of rebellion, his cruelty and fear only scattered more tinder over the realm until even the smallest ember could set the realm alight. One day, the Faith Militant emerged from the shadows, and the lords sent to quash it joined it instead. His Hand resigned and retired to his island home."

- Varys

Lord ​Edwell Celtigar​was the Lord of Claw Isle and Hand of the King to King Maegor Targaryen.

​History
Maegor Targaryen fought to wipe out the Faith Militant uprising, though the cruelty and fear he inspired only inspired more people to rise up against him, with even the lords that he sent to combat the Faith Militant joining forces with them. It was due to this that Edwell resigned and returned home to Claw Isle.

In the books
In The World of Ice & Fire, Edwell was named Hand of the King by King Maegor Targaryen in 44 AC, following the execution of the previous Hand, Lord Lucas Harroway. Maegor left Edwell to rule King's Landing alongside his wife, Queen Tyanna of the Tower, when the king went to combat the Faith Militant uprising in 45 AC.

In 47 AC, Maegor had no heir and Edwell suggested that he take another wife to increase his chances of producing one. Edwell suggested his own maiden daughters Prunella and Prudence, who were twelve and thirteen at the time. Maegor did take another, but did not select either of Edwell's daughters. He resigned as Hand and returned in Claw Isle in 48 AC when even previously loyal lords began to turn against Maegor.

King Jaehaerys I Targaryen later ascended to the Iron Throne and Edwell was pardoned and named lord treasurer and Master of Coin by Lord Rogar Baratheon, the new Hand of the King. The wars that Maegor had fought had almost bankrupted the crown and Edwell enforced taxes upon the smallfolk such as tripling the port fees in King's Landing, Lannisport and Oldtown. He placed upon the smallfolk for fear of offending the high lords. The taxes made Elwell a hated figure among the smallfolk and resulted in a decline in business, with some ignoring his demands that the fees be raised.

Elwell was dismissed by King Jaeharys when he returned to King's Landing for his sixteenth nameday, thanking him for his services. Three days later, Jaeharys undid most of the taxes that Elwell had introduced, which was very popular among the smallfolk.

A disease known as the Shivers afflicted Westeros in the winter of 59 AC, Lord Elwell was one of the first high lords to die once it reached The Crownlands.

In 130 AC during the Dance of the Dragons, Elwell's descendant Lord Bartimos Celtigar was Master of Coin to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and reinstated the unpopular taxes that Elwell has once imposed.