Faith Militant

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Faith Militant
Tim DurningTheFaithMilitant.jpg
Faith Militant - by Tim Durning. © Fantasy Flight Games
Seat Starry Sept (original Faith Militant)
Great Sept of Baelor (reformed Faith Militant)
Allegiance Faith of the Seven
Current Leader High Sparrow
Disbanded 48 AC (original Faith Militant)
Reorganized 300 AC (reformed Faith Militant)

The Faith Militant was the military arm of the Faith of the Seven, under the command of the High Septon. It was composed of two military orders, the Warrior's Sons and the Poor Fellows, known as the "Swords" and the "Stars" for their respective symbols. The Faith Militant is therefore also known as the Swords and Stars[1] or Stars and Swords.[2]

History

The Warrior's Sons were knights who renounced their titles, lands, gold, and possessions to fight for the Seven. They swore their swords to the High Septon. They wore inlaid silver armor over hair shirts, rainbow cloaks, and swords with star-shaped crystals in their pommels. They developed a reputation for fanaticism and implacable hatred for enemies of the Faith.

The Poor Fellows were a more humble order generally for commoners and women. Acting as a militant counterpart to begging brothers, Poor Fellows wandered the realm and escorted pilgrims between septs. They were lightly-armed footmen, who carried whatever weapons they could make or find, often axes or cudgels, and wore star badges, red on white.

The Faith Militant supported House Teague when they tried to suppress the worship of the old gods by House Blackwood. Houses Tully and Vance supported the Blackwoods, however, and the resulting war led to the control of the riverlands by the Storm Kings of House Durrandon.[3]

The Faith Militant uprising against House Targaryen began during the reign of King Aenys I Targaryen after several events the Faith took as slights.[4] His successor, King Maegor the Cruel, outlawed armed holy men and took brutal steps to put down the rebelling orders and the houses supporting them, including offering bounties for their heads.[1] Not even the death of the High Septon and his replacement for a more passive one stopped the determination of the Faith Militant.[2]

After Maegor's death, his successor, Jaehaerys the Conciliator, offered amnesty to the rebels in exchange for the disbandment of the Faith Militant.[5]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

The Faith of the Seven and its followers are incensed by attacks on holy men and women and the sacking of septs and septries carried out by foragers, such as the Brave Companions, during the War of the Five Kings. The new High Septon, known as the High Sparrow, manipulates Queen Regent Cersei Lannister into overturning Maegor's law and the Faith Militant is born again.[6]

Quotes

The Faith Militant reborn ... that would be the answer to three hundred years of prayer, Your Grace. The Warrior would lift his shining sword again and cleanse this sinful realm of all its evil. If His Grace were to allow me to restore the ancient blessed orders of the Sword and Star, every godly man in the Seven Kingdoms would know him to be our true and rightful lord.[6]

The Swords and Stars troubled even the Targaryens.[1]

Behind the Scenes

The Faith Militant are loosely inspired by crusading orders.[7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
  3. The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
  4. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I.
  5. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 28, Cersei VI.
  7. So Spake Martin: Faith Militant's Inspiration and Ice and Fire Dream Cast, April 15, 2008