Difference between revisions of "Barth"

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{{Quote|It has been three days since the [[Aerea Targaryen|princess]] perished, and I have not slept. I do not know that I shall ever sleep again. The Mother is merciful, I have always believed, and the Father Above judges each man justly... but there was no mercy and no justice in what befell our poor princess. How could the gods be so blind or so uncaring as to permit such horror? Or is it posible that there are other deities in this universe, monstrous evil gods such as the [[Red priest|priests]] of Red [[R'hllor]] preach against, against whose malice the kings of men and the gods of men are naught but flies?<br> I do not know. I do not want to know. If this makes me a faithless septon, so be it.{{Ref|fab|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}|Barth in his account on the death of Princess Aerea Targaryen.}}
 
{{Quote|It has been three days since the [[Aerea Targaryen|princess]] perished, and I have not slept. I do not know that I shall ever sleep again. The Mother is merciful, I have always believed, and the Father Above judges each man justly... but there was no mercy and no justice in what befell our poor princess. How could the gods be so blind or so uncaring as to permit such horror? Or is it posible that there are other deities in this universe, monstrous evil gods such as the [[Red priest|priests]] of Red [[R'hllor]] preach against, against whose malice the kings of men and the gods of men are naught but flies?<br> I do not know. I do not want to know. If this makes me a faithless septon, so be it.{{Ref|fab|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}|Barth in his account on the death of Princess Aerea Targaryen.}}
  
{{Quote|The lords of Westeros are proud men, and the septons of the Faith and the maesters of the Citadel in their own ways are prouder still, but there is much and more of the nature of the world that we do not understand, and may never understand. Mayhaps that is a mercy. The Father made men curious, some say to test our faith. It is my own abiding sin that whenever I come upon a door I must needs see what lies upon the farther side, but certain doors are best left unopened. Aerea Targaryen went through such a door.{{Ref|fab|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}|Barth in his account on the death of Princess Aerea Targaryen.}}
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{{Quote|The Father made men curious, some say to test our faith. It is my own abiding sin that whenever I come upon a door I must needs see what lies upon the farther side, but certain doors are best left unopened.{{Ref|fab|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}|Barth in his account on the death of Princess Aerea Targaryen.}}
  
 
{{Quote|Death comes out of the dragon’s mouth, but death does not go in that way.{{Ref|aDwD|57}}|Barth in ''[[Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History]]''}}
 
{{Quote|Death comes out of the dragon’s mouth, but death does not go in that way.{{Ref|aDwD|57}}|Barth in ''[[Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History]]''}}

Revision as of 19:11, 9 January 2019

FaithStar.png
Barth
FaithStar.png
Titles
Allegiances
Died In 99 AC
Books

Barth was a septon who served as Hand of the King for Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

History

Barth was described as plain spoken but possessing of a brilliant mind. He was common-born, his father a blacksmith. After he joined the Faith, his intelligence was plain for all to see and saw his appointment to oversee the Red Keep's library a position he excelled in, attending to the king's books and records.

King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, who loved to read, became acquainted with Barth and the pair developed a friendship. The king saw Barth's worth and eventually named him his Hand of the King. Many lords of long and noble lineage were aghast at the appointment of a smith's son to this prestigious office. Barth excelled at the office, however, and served as Hand until his death. The forty years he was Hand are generally referred to as synonym for prosperity, much like the reign of Jaehaerys I.[1][1]

With Barth's aid Jaehaerys reformed the realm more than any king who lived before. Jaehaerys created a unified code, so that from the north to the Dornish Marches the realm would share common law. Great works were implemented to improve King's Landing, such as sewers, drains and wells. Barth believed fresh water and the flushing away of offal and waste are essential to a city's health.

Barth was sent to Oldtown to forge a lasting agreement between the Iron Throne and the Faith of the Seven. This agreement took away the right of the Faith to conduct criminal trials while at the same time Jaehaerys pledged upon the Iron Throne that the crown would always defend the Faith. The great schism between crown and faith were healed by this accord.[2]

While it was said that Queen Alysanne Targaryen was Jaehaerys's great love, Barth was his greatest friend. No man of humble birth ever rose so high as the plain spoken but brilliant septon.[2]

Writings

Barth wrote an important corpus about dragons, Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History. When Jaehaerys I Targaryen was dying, his caregiver Alicent Hightower read to him; among the books were the writings of Barth.[3] His enemies always claimed he was more sorcerer than septon.[4] Barth's writings were ordered destroyed by King Baelor I Targaryen when he came to the Iron Throne, although some fragments have survived. However, it is unlikely that any of Barth's work found its way across the narrow sea.[4]

Barth claimed that dragons were neither male nor female.[5] He ruled out that dragons are vulnerable through their mouths. Barth, Munkun and Thomax hold markedly divergent views on the mating habits of dragons.[4]

He also speculated that the bloodmages of Valyria used wyvern stock to create dragons.[6]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

When Davos Seaworth feels insecure about his new position as Hand of the King to Stannis Baratheon due to his low birth, Maester Pylos reassures him by explaining the prosperous and peaceful tenures of the humbly-born Septon Barth and his time as Hand to illustrate that high birth does not equal ability.[1]

A Feast for Crows

In Braavos, the dying Maester Aemon hears the talk of Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons emanating from Qarth. He tells Samwell Tarly that Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke and that the dragons prove it. Aemon explains to Sam that no one ever looked for a girl, it was a prince that was promised, not a princess. He tells Sam that dragons are neither male nor female; Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame.

Aboard the Cinnamon Wind Aemon's wits wander and his talk is all a jumble. He asks Sam to read for him from a book by Septon Barth, whose writings had been burned during the reign of Baelor the Blessed.

A Dance with Dragons

Aboard the Shy Maid while writing his dragonlore Tyrion Lannister thinks of the various books about dragons he would like to get his hands on. He is not hopeful concerning Septon Barth's Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History. He recalls that Baelor the Blessed had ordered all Barth's writings destroyed when he came to the Iron Throne. Ten years ago, he had read a fragment of Unnatural History that had eluded the Blessed Baelor, but he doubts that any of Barth's work found its way across the narrow sea.

Later, outside of Meereen on his way to the camp of the Second Sons, the escaped slave Tyrion sees that the Yunkai besiegers are making preparations in case Drogon should return. He knows how hard dragons are to kill and is scornful of these would-be dragonslayers, remembering Barth's writings in Unnatural History.[7]

Quotes

It has been three days since the princess perished, and I have not slept. I do not know that I shall ever sleep again. The Mother is merciful, I have always believed, and the Father Above judges each man justly... but there was no mercy and no justice in what befell our poor princess. How could the gods be so blind or so uncaring as to permit such horror? Or is it posible that there are other deities in this universe, monstrous evil gods such as the priests of Red R'hllor preach against, against whose malice the kings of men and the gods of men are naught but flies?
I do not know. I do not want to know. If this makes me a faithless septon, so be it.[8]

—Barth in his account on the death of Princess Aerea Targaryen.

The Father made men curious, some say to test our faith. It is my own abiding sin that whenever I come upon a door I must needs see what lies upon the farther side, but certain doors are best left unopened.[8]

—Barth in his account on the death of Princess Aerea Targaryen.

Death comes out of the dragon’s mouth, but death does not go in that way.[7]

Quotes about Barth

As for birth, the dragonkings oft chose Hands from their own blood, with results as various as Baelor Breakspear and Maegor the Cruel. Against this you have, Septon Barth, the blacksmith's son the Old King plucked from the Red Keep's library, who gave the realm forty years of peace and plenty.[1]


What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise! The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame. The language misled us all for a thousand years.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Jaehaerys I.
  3. The Rogue Prince.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 14, Tyrion IV.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV.
  6. The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: Sothoryos.
  7. 7.0 7.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 57, Tyrion XI.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.