A Prince of Pentos beds the Maids of the Field and Seas
- "But, if a crop should fail or a war be lost, the Magisters will slit the Prince's throat and choose another."
- ―Jorah Mormont
The Prince of Pentos[1] is the nominal ruler of the Free City of Pentos. He is chosen by the Magisters of the city from among the Pentoshi noble families.
The Prince supposedly holds the powers of trade, justice, and war, and on every new year he must deflower the Maid of the Field and the Maid of the Seas to bring good fortune to the city. However, the title is mostly ceremonial; should a crop fail or a war be lost, the Magisters slit the current Prince's throat and choose a new Prince.[2]
History[]
House of the Dragon: Season 1[]
During the late reign of King Viserys I Targaryen, Reggio Haratis was the Prince of Pentos.[3]
In the books[]
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Prince of Pentos has a mostly ceremonial function and presides over balls and feasts. He rides through the city in a palanquin of ivory and gold, with three heralds before him carrying the Golden Scales of Trade, the Iron Sword of War, and the Silver Scourge of Justice.
It appears that the chosen Prince has no choice if selected. When the Tattered Prince (the leader of the Windblown mercenary company) was twenty-three, he was chosen almost immediately after the Magisters had beheaded the previous Prince. Instead of taking the mantle and becoming the Magisters' disposable puppet, the young man fled the city never to return.
References[]
- ↑ House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 6: "The Princess and the Queen" (2022).
- ↑ "The Free Cities"
- ↑ "The Princess and the Queen"
