Difference between revisions of "Purple Wedding"

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| name =Purple Wedding
 
| name =Purple Wedding
 
| conflict    =[[War of the Five Kings]]
 
| conflict    =[[War of the Five Kings]]
| date        = {{Date|300}}
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| date        =First day of {{Date|300}}
 
| place       =[[Red Keep]], [[King's Landing]]
 
| place       =[[Red Keep]], [[King's Landing]]
| result      =Death of King [[Joffrey Baratheon]]<br>
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| result      =Death of King [[Joffrey Baratheon]]<br>Arrest of [[Tyrion Lannister]]<br>Escape of [[Sansa Stark]] from King's Landing
Arrest of [[Tyrion Lannister]]<br>
 
Escape of [[Sansa Stark]] from King's Landing
 
 
| orchestrator  =Lord [[Petyr Baelish]]<br>Lady [[Olenna Tyrell]]
 
| orchestrator  =Lord [[Petyr Baelish]]<br>Lady [[Olenna Tyrell]]
 
| perpetrator  =Lady [[Olenna Redwyne]]<br>[[Dontos Hollard]]
 
| perpetrator  =Lady [[Olenna Redwyne]]<br>[[Dontos Hollard]]
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}}
 
}}
  
The '''Purple Wedding''' is the fan-given nickname for the wedding between King [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey I Baratheon]] and [[Margaery Tyrell]] on the first day of the new century, {{Date|300}}. The wedding is a lavish affair, but ends in disarray when Joffrey dies after drinking poisoned wine. Unlike the [[Red Wedding]], this wedding is not called so in the books.<ref name=EW>EW.com: [http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/04/13/george-r-r-martin-why-joffrey-killed/ George R.R. Martin on why Joffrey died THAT way], April 16, 2014.</ref>
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The '''Purple Wedding''' is the fan-given nickname for the wedding between King [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey I Baratheon]] and [[Margaery Tyrell]] on the first day of the new century, {{Date|300}}. The wedding is a lavish affair, but ends in disarray when Joffrey chokes to death. Unlike the [[Red Wedding]], this wedding is not called so in the books.<ref name=EW>EW.com: [http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/04/13/george-r-r-martin-why-joffrey-killed/ George R.R. Martin on why Joffrey died THAT way], April 16, 2014.</ref>
  
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
[[House Tyrell]] aligns itself with [[Renly Baratheon]] at the start of the [[War of the Five Kings]], with Renly marrying [[Margaery Tyrell]].{{ref|AGOT|69}} After [[siege of Storm's End (299)|Renly's death]], the [[small council]] sends Lord [[Petyr Baelish]] to negotiate an alliance between Houses Tyrell and [[House Lannister|Lannister]], supporting the claim of [[Joffrey Baratheon]].{{ref|ACOK|36}} After the [[Battle of the Blackwater]], Joffrey discards [[Sansa Stark]] and is betrothed to Margaery.{{ref|ACOK|65}} Her grandmother, [[Olenna Tyrell]], questions Sansa about Joffrey to see if the stories of the boy king's cruelty are true.{{ref|ASOS|6}} Instead of Joffrey, Sansa marries the king's uncle, [[Tyrion Lannister]].{{ref|ASOS|28}}
+
[[House Tyrell]] aligns itself with [[Renly Baratheon]] at the start of the [[War of the Five Kings]], with Renly marrying [[Margaery Tyrell]].{{ref|AGOT|69}} After [[siege of Storm's End (299)|Renly's death]], the [[small council]] sends Lord [[Petyr Baelish]] to negotiate an alliance between Houses Tyrell and [[House Lannister|Lannister]], supporting the claim of [[Joffrey Baratheon]].{{ref|ACOK|36}} After the [[Battle of the Blackwater]], Joffrey discards [[Sansa Stark]] and is betrothed to Margaery.{{ref|ACOK|65}} Ser [[Dontos Hollard]] tells Sansa she will be able to escape captivity during the upcoming wedding, and he gives her a silver hair net decorated with black [[amethyst]]s from [[Asshai]].{{ref|ACOK|65}} Dontos insists that Sansa wear the hair net during the wedding.{{ref|ASOS|16}}
 +
 
 +
After arriving in [[King's Landing]], Margaery's grandmother, [[Olenna Tyrell]], questions Sansa about Joffrey to see if the stories of the boy king's cruelty are true.{{ref|ASOS|6}} Instead of Joffrey, Sansa is forced by Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] to marry [[Tyrion Lannister]], Joffrey's uncle and Tywin's son.{{ref|ASOS|28}}
  
 
==Breakfast==
 
==Breakfast==
Breakfast for [[House Lannister]], the men of [[House Tyrell]], and other nobility is held in the Queen's Ballroom within the [[Red Keep]]; the Tyrell women break their fast separately with Margaery. Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] gives Joffrey a wedding cloak which has been passed down from her mother, [[Joanna Lannister|Joanna]]. The king receives a bow of golden wood from [[Jalabhar Xho]], riding boots from Lady [[Tanda Stokeworth]], a jousting saddle from Ser [[Kevan Lannister]], a scorpion brooch from [[Oberyn Martell]], silver spurs from Ser [[Addam Marbrand]], a tourney pavilion from Lord [[Mathis Rowan]], and a model of ''[[King Joffrey's Valor]]'' from Lord [[Paxter Redwyne]].
+
On the morning of the royal wedding, breakfast for [[House Lannister]], the men of [[House Tyrell]], and other nobility is held in the Queen's Ballroom within the [[Red Keep]]; the Tyrell women break their fast separately with Margaery. Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] gives Joffrey a wedding cloak which has been passed down from her mother, [[Joanna Lannister|Joanna]]. The king receives a bow of golden wood from [[Jalabhar Xho]], riding boots from Lady [[Tanda Stokeworth]], a jousting saddle from Ser [[Kevan Lannister]], a scorpion brooch from [[Oberyn Martell]], silver spurs from Ser [[Addam Marbrand]], a tourney pavilion from Lord [[Mathis Rowan]], and a model of ''[[King Joffrey's Valor]]'' from Lord [[Paxter Redwyne]].
  
Tyrion gives Joffrey a copy of the illuminated ''[[Lives of Four Kings]]'', while Lord [[Mace Tyrell]] gives the king a seven-sided wedding chalice decorated with great houses: [[House Lannister|ruby lion]], [[House Tyrell|emerald rose]], [[House Baratheon|onyx stag]], [[House Tully|silver trout]], [[House Arryn|blue jade falcon]], [[House Martell|opal sun]], and [[House Stark|pearl direwolf]]. Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] gives his grandson a [[Valyrian steel]] sword; Joffrey names it [[Widow's Wail]] and then uses the blade to destroy the book he received from Tyrion.{{ref|ASOS|59}}
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Tyrion gives Joffrey a copy of the illuminated ''[[Lives of Four Kings]]'', while Lord [[Mace Tyrell]] gives the king a seven-sided [[wedding chalice]] decorated with great houses: [[House Lannister|ruby lion]], [[House Tyrell|emerald rose]], [[House Baratheon|onyx stag]], [[House Tully|silver trout]], [[House Arryn|blue jade falcon]], [[House Martell|opal sun]], and [[House Stark|pearl direwolf]]. Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] gives his grandson a [[Valyrian steel]] sword; Joffrey names it [[Widow's Wail]] and then uses the blade to destroy the book he received from Tyrion.{{ref|ASOS|59}}
  
 
==Marriage Ceremony==
 
==Marriage Ceremony==
The marriage of Joffrey and Margaery occurs at midday in the [[Great Sept of Baelor]], before statues of [[Father (the Seven)|the Father]] and [[Mother (the Seven)|the Mother]]. The [[High Septon (Tyrion's)|High Septon]] performs the ceremony.{{ref|ASOS|60}}
+
The marriage of Joffrey and Margaery occurs at midday in the [[Great Sept of Baelor]], before statues of [[Father (the Seven)|the Father]] and [[Mother (the Seven)|the Mother]]. The [[High Septon (Tyrion's)|High Septon]] performs the ceremony. Afterward, the royal procession travels from the Great Sept to the [[Red Keep]].{{ref|ASOS|60}}
  
 
==Wedding Feast==
 
==Wedding Feast==
 
[[File:RobotDelEspacio Joff death.jpg|400px|thumb|King [[Joffrey Baratheon]] dies of the poison © Josu Hernaiz]]
 
[[File:RobotDelEspacio Joff death.jpg|400px|thumb|King [[Joffrey Baratheon]] dies of the poison © Josu Hernaiz]]
The wedding feast takes place in the throne room in the [[Red Keep]]. Seventy-seven dishes are planned for the dinner. [[Hamish the Harper]] is the first performer, premiering "[[Lord Renly's Ride]]" and also singing "[[A Rose of Gold]]", "[[The Rains of Castamere]]", "[[Maiden, Mother, and Crone]]", and "[[My Lady Wife]]". Hamish is followed by a trained bear and [[Pentos]]hi tumblers. [[Collio Quaynis]] sings "[[The Dance of the Dragons (song)|The Dance of the Dragons]]", a song of the [[Doom of Valyria]], "[[Bessa the Barmaid]]", and another version of "The Rains of Castamere". The fools [[Moon Boy]], [[Butterbumps]], and [[Dontos Hollard]] also perform for the guests. Further entertainment comes from [[pyromancer]]s, pipers, trained dogs, sword swallowers, and a juggler. [[Galyeon]] sings a song of the [[Battle of the Blackwater]] with seventy-seven verses. Dancers from the [[Summer Isles]] also perform during the wedding feast.
+
The wedding feast takes place in the evening within the throne room of the [[Red Keep]]. Seventy-seven dishes are planned for the dinner. [[Hamish the Harper]] is the first performer, premiering "[[Lord Renly's Ride]]" and also singing "[[A Rose of Gold]]", "[[The Rains of Castamere]]", "[[Maiden, Mother, and Crone]]", and "[[My Lady Wife]]". Hamish is followed by a trained [[bear]] and [[Pentos]]hi tumblers. [[Collio Quaynis]] sings "[[The Dance of the Dragons (song)|The Dance of the Dragons]]", a song of the [[Doom of Valyria]], "[[Bessa the Barmaid]]", and another version of "The Rains of Castamere". The fools [[Moon Boy]], [[Butterbumps]], and [[Dontos Hollard]] also perform for the guests. Further entertainment comes from [[pyromancer]]s, pipers, trained dogs, sword swallowers, and a juggler. [[Galyeon]] sings a song of the [[Battle of the Blackwater]] with seventy-seven verses. Dancers from the [[Summer Isles]] also perform during the wedding feast.{{ref|ASOS|60}}
  
Tyrion is seated several seats away from the other [[House Lannister|Lannister]] attendees along with Sansa. Joffrey, while drunk, continually attempts to provoke his uncle, who is a [[dwarf]]. A pair of dwarf jousters enter the throne room atop [[Crunch|a dog]] and [[Pretty Pig|a sow]] and proceed to mock the [[House Stark|Starks]] and Joffrey's [[House Baratheon|Baratheon]] uncles, [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]] and [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis]]; Joffrey encourages Tyrion to join them. After Tyrion refuses and embarrasses the boy king, Joffrey empties the large royal chalice of wine over his uncle and orders him to be his cupbearer. [[Alaric of Eysen]] is scheduled to perform, but the great ceremonial pie arrives, served by six cooks. Ser [[Ilyn Payne]] cuts the pie, allowing doves to fly free from it.
+
Tyrion is seated several seats away from the other [[House Lannister|Lannister]] attendees along with Sansa. Joffrey, while drunk, continually attempts to provoke his uncle, who is a [[dwarf]]. A pair of dwarf jousters enter the throne room atop [[Crunch|a dog]] and [[Pretty Pig|a sow]] and proceed to mock the [[House Stark|Starks]] and Joffrey's [[House Baratheon|Baratheon]] uncles, [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]] and [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis]]; Joffrey encourages Tyrion to join them. After Tyrion refuses and embarrasses the boy king, Joffrey empties the large royal chalice of wine over his uncle and orders him to be his cupbearer. [[Alaric of Eysen]] is scheduled to perform, but the great ceremonial pie arrives, served by six cooks. Ser [[Ilyn Payne]] cuts the pie with his new greatsword, allowing doves to fly free from it.{{ref|ASOS|60}}
  
At some point during the feast, Joffrey's wine is [[poison]]ed. After deeply drinking wine from the wedding chalice, and eating several handfuls of the pie, Joffrey begins to cough, each one more violent than the last. Chaos descends upon the feast, as guests struggle to get out. The knights [[Garlan Tyrell]], [[Meryn Trant]], and [[Osmund Kettleblack]] run to the aid of Joffrey while the court scatters, some fleeing and others looking on. Joffrey points at Tyrion in his dying moments; Tyrion empties the remainder of the chalice on the floor. After Joffrey is confirmed dead, his mother, Queen [[Cersei Lannister]], orders the arrest of Tyrion and Sansa.{{Ref|aSoS|60}}{{Ref|aSoS|67}}
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After deeply drinking wine from the wedding chalice, and eating several handfuls of the pie, Joffrey begins to cough, each one more violent than the last. The knights [[Garlan Tyrell]], [[Meryn Trant]], and [[Osmund Kettleblack]] run to the aid of the choking Joffrey while the court and guests scatter, some fleeing and others looking on. Joffrey points at Tyrion in his dying moments; Tyrion empties the wine remaining in the chalice onto the floor. After Joffrey is confirmed dead, Margaery is consoled by her mother, [[Alerie Hightower|Alerie]], that the boy choked to death. Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] insists that her son was [[poison]]ed, however, and orders the [[Kingsguard]] to arrest Tyrion and Sansa,{{Ref|ASOS|60}} although the scared girl had already fled from the feast.{{ref|ASOS|61}}
  
 
==Aftermath==
 
==Aftermath==
 +
A drunken Ser [[Dontos Hollard]] helps [[Sansa Stark]] escape the [[Red Keep]], and [[Oswell Kettleblack]] rows them into [[Blackwater Bay]]. When they reach a waiting ship, however, Lord [[Petyr Baelish]] has Dontos killed by Ser [[Lothor Brune]]'s men.{{ref|ASOS|61}} Petyr and Sansa sail on ''[[Merling King]]'' to the [[Fingers]]. Once at [[Drearfort|Petyr's tower]], Sansa learns that her silver hair net secretly contained poison within its amethysts. [[Olenna Tyrell]] took the poison from an unsuspecting Sansa when she straightened the girl's hair during the celebration. Sansa determines that the poison was then put into Joffrey's wine, and Petyr explains he had plotted Joffrey's death so that [[Margaery Tyrell]] could marry Joffrey's younger brother, [[Tommen Baratheon]].{{ref|ASOS|68}} According to [[George R. R. Martin]], the conspirators wanted Joffrey to appear to die accidentally by choking, rather than a public assassination like the [[Red Wedding]].<ref name=EW/>
  
The murder of Joffrey is revealed as a murky plot organized by the Tyrells and [[Petyr Baelish]]. According to [[George R. R. Martin]], the conspirators want Joffrey to appear to die accidentally by choking, rather than a public assassination like the [[Red Wedding]].<ref name=EW/> The poison is the [[strangler]], smuggled into the feast in the hair net of an unsuspecting [[Sansa Stark]]. The silver hair net with purple amethysts from [[Asshai]] had been given to her by the fool, Ser [[Dontos Hollard]]. Sansa escapes to the [[Drearfort|Fingers]] with Petyr, who has Dontos murdered by [[Lothor Brune]]'s men to hide his involvement.{{ref|ASOS|61}}{{ref|ASOS|68}}
+
[[Tyrion Lannister]], Sansa's husband, is also falsely implicated. While in custody, he believes that Sansa had poisoned Joffrey with other conspirators.{{ref|ASOS|66}} At the start of his trial, Tyrion states that Joffrey had accidentally choked to death on the pie.{{ref|ASOS|66}} Maesters [[Ballabar]] and [[Frenken]] concur that Joffrey was poisoned, however, and Grand Maester [[Pycelle]] testifies that Tyrion killed the king with the [[strangler]].{{ref|ASOS|66}} Lady [[Taena Merryweather]] swears she saw Tyrion drop something into Joffrey's [[wedding chalice]], and Lord [[House Estermont|Estermont]], [[Josmyn Peckledon]], [[Galyeon of Cuy]], and [[Morros Slynt|Morros]] and [[Jothos Slynt]] all recall having seen Tyrion empty the chalice of wine while the king died.{{ref|ASOS|66}}
  
[[Tyrion Lannister]], Sansa's husband, is also falsely implicated. Taken into custody, he is put on trial for Joffrey's death{{ref|ASOS|66}} and found guilty after Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] defeats [[Oberyn Martell]] in [[trial by combat]].{{ref|ASOS|70}} Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] and Lord [[Varys]] free Tyrion, however. After Jaime tells his brother about [[Tysha]], the angry Tyrion falsely claims responsibility for Joffrey's death.{{ref|ASOS|77}}
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Tyrion eventually insists upon [[trial by combat]], but he is found guilty after Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] kills [[Oberyn Martell]].{{ref|ASOS|70}} Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] has Lord [[Varys]] help him free Tyrion from the [[black cells]] the night before his execution, however. After Jaime tells his brother about [[Tysha]], the angry Tyrion falsely claims responsibility for Joffrey's death. Before escaping the castle, Tyrion kills his father, Lord [[Tywin Lannister]].{{ref|ASOS|77}}
  
[[Smallfolk]] tell various stories about Joffrey's death, including that Tyrion slit the boy's throat with a dagger and drank his blood from a chalice,{{ref|ASOS|62}} or that Sansa killed Joffrey with a [[magic|spell]] and then escaped the Red Keep by turning into a wolf with the leather wings of a bat.{{ref|ASOS|74}}
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[[Smallfolk]] tell various stories about Joffrey's death, including that Tyrion slit the boy's throat with a dagger and drank his blood from a chalice,{{ref|ASOS|62}} or that Sansa killed Joffrey with a [[magic|spell]] and then escaped the Red Keep by turning into a [[wolf]] with [[bat]] wings.{{ref|ASOS|74}}
  
With the exception of his mother, [[Cersei Lannister]], Joffrey is not particularly mourned by anyone; even his biological father, Jaime, feels that Joffrey deserved his fate.{{ref|ASOS|72}} Tyrion states that Joffrey would have become a worse king than the Mad King, [[Aerys II Targaryen]].{{ref|ASOS|77}} Ser [[Arys Oakheart]] thinks that the only good thing that could be said of Joffrey was that he was tall and strong for his age.{{ref|AFFC|13}} With poison in mind, Jaime orders Ser [[Boros Blount]] to taste all of King [[Tommen Baratheon|Tommen I Baratheon's]] food.{{ref|ASOS|67}}
+
With the exception of his mother, [[Cersei Lannister]], Joffrey is not particularly mourned by anyone; even his biological father, Jaime, feels that Joffrey deserved his fate.{{ref|ASOS|72}} Tyrion states that Joffrey would have become a worse king than the Mad King, [[Aerys II Targaryen]].{{ref|ASOS|77}} Ser [[Arys Oakheart]] thinks that the only good thing that could be said of Joffrey was that he was tall and strong for his age.{{ref|AFFC|13}} With poison in mind, Jaime, the [[Lord Commander of the Kingsguard]], orders Ser [[Boros Blount]] to taste all food for King Tommen I.{{ref|ASOS|67}}
  
 
==Influences==
 
==Influences==
[[George R.R. Martin]] revealed that the inspiration for the Purple Wedding came from the death of [[w:Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne|Eustace IV]], Count of Boulogne. King [[w:Stephen, King of England|Stephen of England]], Eustace's father, had usurped the crown from his cousin, Empress [[w:Empress Matilda|Matilda]], leading to [[w:The Anarchy|the Anarchy]]. War would have been passed down to the second generation, as both Stephen and Matilda had sons. However, Eustace choked to death at a feast, helping to bring an end to the English civil war. Historians have debated whether Eustace actually choked or was poisoned.<ref name=EW/>
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[[George R. R. Martin]] revealed that the inspiration for the Purple Wedding came from the death of [[w:Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne|Eustace IV]], Count of Boulogne. King [[w:Stephen, King of England|Stephen of England]], Eustace's father, had usurped the crown from his cousin, Empress [[w:Empress Matilda|Matilda]], leading to [[w:The Anarchy|the Anarchy]]. War would have been passed down to the second generation, as both Stephen and Matilda had sons. However, Eustace choked to death at a feast, helping to bring an end to the English civil war. Historians have debated whether Eustace actually choked or was poisoned.<ref name=EW/>
  
 
==Terminology==
 
==Terminology==
The wedding of Joffrey and Margaery has been dubbed the Purple Wedding by fans.<ref name=EW/> The poison used to kill Joffrey is smuggled to the wedding in the purple amethyst hairnet of Sansa Stark, while the wine the king drinks is described first as dark red and soon after as purple. Joffrey's face turns red and then darker as he chokes from the poison.{{ref|ASOS|60}} Purple is also a color often associated with royalty.
+
The wedding of [[Joffrey Baratheon]] and [[Margaery Tyrell]] has been dubbed the Purple Wedding by fans.<ref name=EW/> The [[strangler]], the poison used to kill Joffrey,{{ref|ASOS|66}} is smuggled to the wedding in the deep purple [[amethyst]]s in [[Sansa Stark]]'s silver hair net,{{ref|ACOK|65}} and the [[wine]] the king drinks is described first as dark red and soon after as purple. Joffrey's face turns red and then darker as he chokes from the poison.{{ref|ASOS|60}} Purple is also a color often associated with royalty.
  
 
==Quotes==
 
==Quotes==
{{quote|[[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]] and [[Margaery Tyrell|Margaery]] shall marry on the first day of the [[300 AC|new year]], which as it happens is also the first day of the new century. The ceremony will herald the dawn of a new era.{{ref|ASOS|4}}| [[Tywin Lannister]] to [[Tyrion Lannister]]}}
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{{quote|[[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]] and [[Margaery Tyrell|Margaery]] shall marry on the first day of the [[300 AC|new year]], which as it happens is also the first day of the new century. The ceremony will herald the dawn of a new era.{{ref|ASOS|4}}|[[Tywin Lannister]] to [[Tyrion Lannister]]}}
 +
 
 +
{{Quote|'''Joffrey''': It's, kof, the pie, noth—kof, pie. I, kof, I can't, kof kof kof kof ...<br>
 +
'''Margaery''': He's choking.<br>
 +
'''Olenna''': Help the poor boy! Dolts! Will you stand about gaping? Help your king!{{ref|ASOS|60}}|[[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey I Baratheon]], [[Margaery Tyrell]], and [[Olenna Tyrell]]}}
 +
 
 +
{{Quote|'''Alerie''': He choked. We all saw.<br>
 +
'''Cersei''': He did not choke. My son was [[poison]]ed.{{ref|ASOS|60}}|[[Alerie Hightower]] and [[Cersei Lannister]]}}
  
{{Quote|My own wedding is looking much better in hindsight.{{ref|asos|60}}|[[Tyrion Lannister]]'s thoughts of the [[Red Wedding]] and the Purple Wedding}}
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{{Quote|[[Cersei Lannister|My sister]] outdid herself, I'm told. Seventy-seven courses and a [[regicide]], never a wedding like it.{{Ref|ASOS|62}}|[[Jaime Lannister]] to [[Tywin Lannister]]}}
  
{{Quote|My sister outdid herself, I'm told. Seventy-seven courses and a [[regicide]], never a wedding like it.{{Ref|aSoS|62}}|[[Jaime Lannister]] to [[Tywin Lannister]]}}
+
{{Quote|Weddings have become more perilous than battles, it would seem.{{Ref|ASOS|63}}|[[Stannis Baratheon]] to [[Melisandre]]}}
  
{{Quote|Weddings have become more perilous than battles, it would seem.{{Ref|aSoS|63}}|[[Stannis Baratheon]] to [[Melisandre]]}}
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{{Quote|Whenever she closed her eyes she saw [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey]] tearing at his collar, clawing at the soft skin of his throat, dying with flakes of pie crust on his lips and [[wine]] stains on his doublet. And the wind keening in the lines reminded her of the terrible thin sucking sound he'd made as he fought to draw in air.{{ref|ASOS|68}}|thoughts of [[Sansa Stark]]}}
  
{{Quote|The [[Sansa Stark|northern girl]]. Winterfell's daughter. We heard she killed [[Joffrey Baratheon|the king]] with a spell, and afterward changed into a wolf with big leather wings like a bat, and flew out a tower window. But she left [[Tyrion Lannister|the dwarf]] behind and [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei]] means to have his head.{{Ref|aSoS|74}}|[[Polliver]] to [[Sandor Clegane]]}}
+
{{Quote|The [[Sansa Stark|northern girl]]. Winterfell's daughter. We heard she killed [[Joffrey Baratheon|the king]] with a spell, and afterward changed into a wolf with big leather wings like a bat, and flew out a tower window. But she left [[Tyrion Lannister|the dwarf]] behind and [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei]] means to have his head.{{Ref|ASOS|74}}|[[Polliver]] to [[Sandor Clegane]]}}
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 07:29, 6 November 2022

Purple Wedding
The Purple Wedding Fin.JPG
Artist depiction of the Purple Wedding by Conor Campbell©
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date First day of 300 AC
Place Red Keep, King's Landing
Result Death of King Joffrey Baratheon
Arrest of Tyrion Lannister
Escape of Sansa Stark from King's Landing
Orchestrator Lord Petyr Baelish
Lady Olenna Tyrell
Perpetrator Lady Olenna Redwyne
Dontos Hollard
Target King Joffrey Baratheon
Victims King Joffrey Baratheon
Perpetrator casualties Dontos Hollard
Captives Tyrion Lannister (arrested)


The Purple Wedding is the fan-given nickname for the wedding between King Joffrey I Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell on the first day of the new century, 300 AC. The wedding is a lavish affair, but ends in disarray when Joffrey chokes to death. Unlike the Red Wedding, this wedding is not called so in the books.[1]

Background

House Tyrell aligns itself with Renly Baratheon at the start of the War of the Five Kings, with Renly marrying Margaery Tyrell.[2] After Renly's death, the small council sends Lord Petyr Baelish to negotiate an alliance between Houses Tyrell and Lannister, supporting the claim of Joffrey Baratheon.[3] After the Battle of the Blackwater, Joffrey discards Sansa Stark and is betrothed to Margaery.[4] Ser Dontos Hollard tells Sansa she will be able to escape captivity during the upcoming wedding, and he gives her a silver hair net decorated with black amethysts from Asshai.[4] Dontos insists that Sansa wear the hair net during the wedding.[5]

After arriving in King's Landing, Margaery's grandmother, Olenna Tyrell, questions Sansa about Joffrey to see if the stories of the boy king's cruelty are true.[6] Instead of Joffrey, Sansa is forced by Lord Tywin Lannister to marry Tyrion Lannister, Joffrey's uncle and Tywin's son.[7]

Breakfast

On the morning of the royal wedding, breakfast for House Lannister, the men of House Tyrell, and other nobility is held in the Queen's Ballroom within the Red Keep; the Tyrell women break their fast separately with Margaery. Queen Cersei Lannister gives Joffrey a wedding cloak which has been passed down from her mother, Joanna. The king receives a bow of golden wood from Jalabhar Xho, riding boots from Lady Tanda Stokeworth, a jousting saddle from Ser Kevan Lannister, a scorpion brooch from Oberyn Martell, silver spurs from Ser Addam Marbrand, a tourney pavilion from Lord Mathis Rowan, and a model of King Joffrey's Valor from Lord Paxter Redwyne.

Tyrion gives Joffrey a copy of the illuminated Lives of Four Kings, while Lord Mace Tyrell gives the king a seven-sided wedding chalice decorated with great houses: ruby lion, emerald rose, onyx stag, silver trout, blue jade falcon, opal sun, and pearl direwolf. Lord Tywin Lannister gives his grandson a Valyrian steel sword; Joffrey names it Widow's Wail and then uses the blade to destroy the book he received from Tyrion.[8]

Marriage Ceremony

The marriage of Joffrey and Margaery occurs at midday in the Great Sept of Baelor, before statues of the Father and the Mother. The High Septon performs the ceremony. Afterward, the royal procession travels from the Great Sept to the Red Keep.[9]

Wedding Feast

King Joffrey Baratheon dies of the poison © Josu Hernaiz

The wedding feast takes place in the evening within the throne room of the Red Keep. Seventy-seven dishes are planned for the dinner. Hamish the Harper is the first performer, premiering "Lord Renly's Ride" and also singing "A Rose of Gold", "The Rains of Castamere", "Maiden, Mother, and Crone", and "My Lady Wife". Hamish is followed by a trained bear and Pentoshi tumblers. Collio Quaynis sings "The Dance of the Dragons", a song of the Doom of Valyria, "Bessa the Barmaid", and another version of "The Rains of Castamere". The fools Moon Boy, Butterbumps, and Dontos Hollard also perform for the guests. Further entertainment comes from pyromancers, pipers, trained dogs, sword swallowers, and a juggler. Galyeon sings a song of the Battle of the Blackwater with seventy-seven verses. Dancers from the Summer Isles also perform during the wedding feast.[9]

Tyrion is seated several seats away from the other Lannister attendees along with Sansa. Joffrey, while drunk, continually attempts to provoke his uncle, who is a dwarf. A pair of dwarf jousters enter the throne room atop a dog and a sow and proceed to mock the Starks and Joffrey's Baratheon uncles, Renly and Stannis; Joffrey encourages Tyrion to join them. After Tyrion refuses and embarrasses the boy king, Joffrey empties the large royal chalice of wine over his uncle and orders him to be his cupbearer. Alaric of Eysen is scheduled to perform, but the great ceremonial pie arrives, served by six cooks. Ser Ilyn Payne cuts the pie with his new greatsword, allowing doves to fly free from it.[9]

After deeply drinking wine from the wedding chalice, and eating several handfuls of the pie, Joffrey begins to cough, each one more violent than the last. The knights Garlan Tyrell, Meryn Trant, and Osmund Kettleblack run to the aid of the choking Joffrey while the court and guests scatter, some fleeing and others looking on. Joffrey points at Tyrion in his dying moments; Tyrion empties the wine remaining in the chalice onto the floor. After Joffrey is confirmed dead, Margaery is consoled by her mother, Alerie, that the boy choked to death. Queen Cersei Lannister insists that her son was poisoned, however, and orders the Kingsguard to arrest Tyrion and Sansa,[9] although the scared girl had already fled from the feast.[10]

Aftermath

A drunken Ser Dontos Hollard helps Sansa Stark escape the Red Keep, and Oswell Kettleblack rows them into Blackwater Bay. When they reach a waiting ship, however, Lord Petyr Baelish has Dontos killed by Ser Lothor Brune's men.[10] Petyr and Sansa sail on Merling King to the Fingers. Once at Petyr's tower, Sansa learns that her silver hair net secretly contained poison within its amethysts. Olenna Tyrell took the poison from an unsuspecting Sansa when she straightened the girl's hair during the celebration. Sansa determines that the poison was then put into Joffrey's wine, and Petyr explains he had plotted Joffrey's death so that Margaery Tyrell could marry Joffrey's younger brother, Tommen Baratheon.[11] According to George R. R. Martin, the conspirators wanted Joffrey to appear to die accidentally by choking, rather than a public assassination like the Red Wedding.[1]

Tyrion Lannister, Sansa's husband, is also falsely implicated. While in custody, he believes that Sansa had poisoned Joffrey with other conspirators.[12] At the start of his trial, Tyrion states that Joffrey had accidentally choked to death on the pie.[12] Maesters Ballabar and Frenken concur that Joffrey was poisoned, however, and Grand Maester Pycelle testifies that Tyrion killed the king with the strangler.[12] Lady Taena Merryweather swears she saw Tyrion drop something into Joffrey's wedding chalice, and Lord Estermont, Josmyn Peckledon, Galyeon of Cuy, and Morros and Jothos Slynt all recall having seen Tyrion empty the chalice of wine while the king died.[12]

Tyrion eventually insists upon trial by combat, but he is found guilty after Ser Gregor Clegane kills Oberyn Martell.[13] Ser Jaime Lannister has Lord Varys help him free Tyrion from the black cells the night before his execution, however. After Jaime tells his brother about Tysha, the angry Tyrion falsely claims responsibility for Joffrey's death. Before escaping the castle, Tyrion kills his father, Lord Tywin Lannister.[14]

Smallfolk tell various stories about Joffrey's death, including that Tyrion slit the boy's throat with a dagger and drank his blood from a chalice,[15] or that Sansa killed Joffrey with a spell and then escaped the Red Keep by turning into a wolf with bat wings.[16]

With the exception of his mother, Cersei Lannister, Joffrey is not particularly mourned by anyone; even his biological father, Jaime, feels that Joffrey deserved his fate.[17] Tyrion states that Joffrey would have become a worse king than the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen.[14] Ser Arys Oakheart thinks that the only good thing that could be said of Joffrey was that he was tall and strong for his age.[18] With poison in mind, Jaime, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, orders Ser Boros Blount to taste all food for King Tommen I.[19]

Influences

George R. R. Martin revealed that the inspiration for the Purple Wedding came from the death of Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne. King Stephen of England, Eustace's father, had usurped the crown from his cousin, Empress Matilda, leading to the Anarchy. War would have been passed down to the second generation, as both Stephen and Matilda had sons. However, Eustace choked to death at a feast, helping to bring an end to the English civil war. Historians have debated whether Eustace actually choked or was poisoned.[1]

Terminology

The wedding of Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell has been dubbed the Purple Wedding by fans.[1] The strangler, the poison used to kill Joffrey,[12] is smuggled to the wedding in the deep purple amethysts in Sansa Stark's silver hair net,[4] and the wine the king drinks is described first as dark red and soon after as purple. Joffrey's face turns red and then darker as he chokes from the poison.[9] Purple is also a color often associated with royalty.

Quotes

Joffrey and Margaery shall marry on the first day of the new year, which as it happens is also the first day of the new century. The ceremony will herald the dawn of a new era.[20]

Joffrey: It's, kof, the pie, noth—kof, pie. I, kof, I can't, kof kof kof kof ...

Margaery: He's choking.

Olenna: Help the poor boy! Dolts! Will you stand about gaping? Help your king![9]

Alerie: He choked. We all saw.
Cersei: He did not choke. My son was poisoned.[9]

My sister outdid herself, I'm told. Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it.[15]

Weddings have become more perilous than battles, it would seem.[21]

Whenever she closed her eyes she saw Joffrey tearing at his collar, clawing at the soft skin of his throat, dying with flakes of pie crust on his lips and wine stains on his doublet. And the wind keening in the lines reminded her of the terrible thin sucking sound he'd made as he fought to draw in air.[11]

—thoughts of Sansa Stark

The northern girl. Winterfell's daughter. We heard she killed the king with a spell, and afterward changed into a wolf with big leather wings like a bat, and flew out a tower window. But she left the dwarf behind and Cersei means to have his head.[16]

References