Selyse Florent
   LadySelyse Florent | |
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 by Daria Tuzova © | |
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| Alias | Selyse Baratheon[1] |
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| Predecessors |
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| Culture | Reach |
| Born | Brightwater Keep[2] |
| Father | Ryam Florent |
| Spouse | Stannis Baratheon |
| Issue | Shireen Baratheon |
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| Played by |
Sarah MacKeever (Season 2) Tara Fitzgerald (Season 3 - Season 5) |
| TV series | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 |
Selyse Florent, also known as Selyse Baratheon,[1] is a noblewoman of House Florent, a niece of Lord Alester Florent of Brightwater Keep. She is the wife of Lord Stannis Baratheon of Dragonstone, together they have one daughter, Shireen Baratheon.[3][4]
In the television adaptation Game of Thrones she is portrayed by Sarah MacKeever and Tara Fitzgerald.
Contents
Appearance and Character
- See also: Images of Selyse Florent
Selyse is not a particularly attractive woman. She is as tall as her husband, thin, and has the Florent trait of too-large ears. Selyse has pale eyes, a sharp nose, and suffers from hair growth on her upper lip. Her mouth is stern and her voice a whip.[5][6]
Selyse is married to Lord Stannis of House Baratheon of Dragonstone. It is a loveless marriage, and the two have little patience for each other. They have one daughter, Shireen, a sad little girl bearing a disfigurement from greyscale.[5]
Selyse wears jewels[5] and an ermine mantle.[7]
History
Selyse married Stannis in either 286 AC or 287 AC.[8] During their wedding Stannis's elder brother, King Robert I Baratheon, deflowered Delena Florent, a cousin of Selyse, in the bed made for the newlyweds.[9] Delena became pregnant and gave birth to a boy, Edric Storm. Selyse later said to her husband that because of this they were cursed and they had no sons.[6]
Stannis is not fond of his wife.[10] They seldom sleep together and despite their hopes they have no sons, only a daughter, Shireen.[3]
Some years before the start of A Song of Ice and Fire, Lord Varys informed Robert's small council that Selyse had taken up with a red priestess, Melisandre of Asshai, in Dragonstone.[10]
Recent Events
A Clash of Kings
When Melisandre attached herself to Stannis, Selyse became her most fervent supporter and immediately took to worshiping R'hllor, the Lord of Light. Selyse's uncle, Ser Axell Florent, soon converts as well.[11] Selyse becomes Stannis's queen after he claims the Iron Throne. Within the ranks of those who follow Stannis, those who believe in R'hllor are named queen's men after Selyse.[9] Selyse's crown matches that of Stannis, red gold with points in the shape of flames.[11]
In order to discredit Stannis, the small council of King Joffrey I Baratheon spreads rumors that the father of Selyse's daughter, Shireen, is not Stannis, but instead the fool Patchface.[10]
When Stannis sails for Storm's End, he leaves Selyse and her uncle, Ser Axell Florent, on Dragonstone.[12] Selyse's influence on her husband becomes greater after Renly Baratheon is killed at Storm's End and Selyse's family from House Florent go over to Stannis. Selyse's brother, Ser Imry Florent, leads his fleet. Their hopes are shattered when the fleet is destroyed during the Battle of the Blackwater.[13]
A Storm of Swords
After the Battle of the Blackwater and the subsequent flight by Stannis's forces to Dragonstone, Stannis remains enclosed in the Stone Drum, unwilling to speak with anyone. Selyse, with the help of her uncle, Lord Alester Florent, now the Hand of the King, holds court during Stannis's self-imposed silence.[14] Alester is later imprisoned for treason, however.[15]
Selyse tries to help Melisandre persuade Stannis to sacrifice Robert I Baratheon's bastard, Edric Storm. The sacrifice of Edric would supposedly wake the stone dragon statue on Dragonstone. Davos Seaworth, Stannis's new Hand, prevents this and has the boy shipped off to the Free Cities.[16]
Davos advises that the real enemy is in the north, based on a letter from Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch. Stannis agrees and travels with Selyse and most of his remaining army to the Wall. Selyse and Shireen remain at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea while Stannis travels west to save Castle Black from the invading wildlings.[17]
A Feast for Crows
Selyse remains at Eastwatch while Stannis is at Castle Black.[18]
A Dance with Dragons
Selyse is unhappy with her accommodations at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea and her treatment by its commander, Cotter Pyke. She demands that she be allowed to move into the Nightfort that was to be given to Stannis when repaired. When it is found that the Nightfort is habitable she leaves Eastwatch for Castle Black with her daughter, Shireen; the fool, Patchface; her serving girls and lady companions; and a retinue of knights, sworn swords, and men-at-arms fifty strong. She is given the royal chamber in the King's Tower of Castle Black.[11] Jon Snow, the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, thinks the flame-like crown she wears is the only warmth Selyse has.
Selyse arranges the wedding of Gerrick Kingsblood's three daughters to her Hand of the Queen, Ser Axell Florent, and her knights, Ser Brus Buckler and Ser Malegorn of Redpool. She claims that Gerrick is the true King of the Wildlings, descended in an unbroken male line from Raymun Redbeard, a great King-Beyond-the-Wall. However, Tormund states Gerrick is descended from Raymun Redbeard's younger brother, not the king, and the kingship among the free folk is not hereditary. Selyse also wants Val to marry Ser Patrek of King's Mountain, but is rebuffed.[19]
Quotes by Selyse
Selyse: No man may withstand him!
Stannis: Be quiet, woman. You are not at a nightfire now.[20]—Selyse and Stannis Baratheon, regarding R'hllor
Selyse: Robert and Delena defiled our bed and laid a curse upon our union. This boy is the foul fruit of their fornications. Lift his shadow from my womb and I will bear you many trueborn sons, I know it. He is only one boy, born of your brother's lust and my cousin's shame.
Stannis: He is mine own blood. Stop clutching me, woman.[6]—Selyse and Stannis Baratheon, regarding Edric Storm
A queen should be mistress beneath her own roof.[11]
—Selyse to Jon Snow
Let them die.[19]
Quotes about Selyse
The red woman had won her, heart and soul, turning her from the gods of the Seven Kingdoms, both old and new, to worship the one they called the Lord of Light.[5]
—thoughts of Cressen
You'd have to be a fool to want to bed Selyse Florent.[21]
—Petyr Baelish to Pycelle
There must have been a blizzard the day she and Stannis wed. Huddled beneath her ermine mantle and surrounded by her ladies, serving girls, and knights, the southron queen seemed a frail, pale, shrunken thing. A strained smile was frozen into place on her thin lips, but her eyes brimmed with reverence. She hates the cold but loves the flames. He had only to look at her to see that. A word from Melisandre, and she would walk into the fire willingly, embrace it like a lover.[22]
—thoughts of Jon Snow
You lied about her beard. That one has more hair on her chin than I have between my legs.[1]
This queen never fails to disappoint.[19]
—thoughts of Jon Snow
Afraid of being carried off, is she? I hope you never said how big me member is, Jon Snow, that'd frighten any woman. I always wanted me one with a mustache.[19]
Family
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 53, Jon XI.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Selyse Florent.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 50, Daenerys VIII.
- ↑ See the calculation for Stannis Baratheon's wedding to Selyse Florent
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 10, Davos I.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 15, Tyrion III.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 44, Jon IX.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 42, Davos II.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 26, Arya VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 10, Davos II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 25, Davos III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 63, Davos VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 75, Samwell IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 69, Jon XIII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V, p 597.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 15, Tyrion III.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 49, Jon X.
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