Prince of Pentos
The Prince of Pentos is chosen from the forty families; he has a mostly ceremonial function and presides chiefly over balls and feasts.
Contents
About
The prince rides about the city in a palanquin of ivory and gold. Three heralds go before him with:
- The golden scales of trade
- The iron sword of war
- The silver scourge of justice.
On the first day of every New Year, the Prince must deflower the maid of the fields and the maid of the seas. However when the Pentoshi believe the gods are angry at them - such as after loss in a war or a crop failure - they sacrifice the prince by cutting his throat to appease the gods and then choose a new prince from amongst the forty families. [1]
It appears that the chosen prince has no say in whether he wants to be Prince of Pentos or not.
Years ago a prince fled Pentos when he was selected. When the Windblown’s Tattered Prince was twenty-three the magisters of Pentos chose him to be their new prince almost right after they have beheaded the previous one. Instead of accepting their offer he fled to the Disputed Lands and never returned to Pentos.
Illyrio Mopatis grew so respectable that a cousin of the Prince of Pentos let him wed his maiden daughter. After Illyrio married his second wife the palace gates were closed to him thereafter, but he did not care, the price was small enough, for Serra.
It is likely that most princes do not live that long.
Past Princes of Pentos
- Nevio Narratys, who bribed the Braavosi to accept peace with Pentos after a victorious battle
- The Tattered Prince, who fled Pentos to avoid being made a sacrifice
- The cousin of Illyrio Mopatis' first wife.
Current Prince of Pentos
The identity of the current prince is not known.
Quotes
– Tyrion Lannister, to Illyrio Mopatis
References and Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 1, Tyrion I.