Difference between revisions of "Shivers"

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Jump to: navigation, search
(Victims)
(History)
Line 10: Line 10:
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
 +
 +
The winter of 59-60 AC was especially cruel, and lead to widespread famine in prelude to the epidemic.  The preceding winter had ended barely two years before, and many lords had not put aside enough harvests to provide adequate stockpiles.  The preceding winter began in 56 AC, but ended by 57 AC when Prince Baelon was born in spring.  It was already summer when Jaehaerys and Alysanne made a royal progress to Winterfell in 58 AC - meaning that summer then autumn rapidly passed by 59 AC when winter suddenly began, taking the realm by surprise.
 +
 
The first cases of the Shivers started in the lands around [[Blackwater Bay]], even before [[King's Landing]].  The first major lord to die from it was [[Edwell Celtigar]] on [[Claw Isle]], followed by his son and heir, and then is struck [[House Staunton]] of [[Rook's Rest]].   
 
The first cases of the Shivers started in the lands around [[Blackwater Bay]], even before [[King's Landing]].  The first major lord to die from it was [[Edwell Celtigar]] on [[Claw Isle]], followed by his son and heir, and then is struck [[House Staunton]] of [[Rook's Rest]].   
  
The Shivers spread across the realm already weakened by a harsh winter, and gutted the population of Westeros.  [[Oldtown]], the largest city at that time, lost a quarter of its population.  King's Landing, the rapidly built new capital city that hadn't existed 60 years prior, was hit hardest of all.  Half of Jaehaerys's small council died, along with many of the lords of the Great Houses, as well as a third of the maesters of the Citadel, and the High Septon.  Jaehaerys's own six year old daughter Princess Daenerys was struck dead in a single day.
+
The Shivers spread across the realm already weakened by a harsh winter famine, and gutted the population of Westeros.  [[Oldtown]], the largest city at that time, lost a quarter of its population.  King's Landing, the rapidly built new capital city that hadn't existed 60 years prior, was hit hardest of all.  Half of Jaehaerys's small council died, along with many of the lords of the Great Houses, as well as a third of the maesters of the Citadel, and the High Septon.  Jaehaerys's own six year old daughter Princess Daenerys was struck dead in a single day.
  
 
More died in subsequent food riots.  So many of the City Watch died of the Shivers, particularly their commanders, that King's Landing became truly lawless outside of the Red Keep.  Also, many foreigners were set upon and killed in the port cities by mobs who blamed them for spreading the plague - even perfectly healthy men who didn't have the Shivers.   
 
More died in subsequent food riots.  So many of the City Watch died of the Shivers, particularly their commanders, that King's Landing became truly lawless outside of the Red Keep.  Also, many foreigners were set upon and killed in the port cities by mobs who blamed them for spreading the plague - even perfectly healthy men who didn't have the Shivers.   

Revision as of 15:14, 21 December 2018

The Shivers was a catastrophic plague that ravaged Westeros during the terrible winter of 59 AC to 60 AC.[1]

Characteristics

Many suspected that the plague was spread by rats, the small brown kind that sneak aboard sailing ships. It was clear that the disease was not native to Westeros, but spread from some foreign land, as it started in the ports of Westeros. Maesters had also heard of similar diseases elsewhere about a century before. Nonetheless, the maesters of the Citadel never conclusively determined if rats were the vector of transmission.

The disease quickly progressed through several stages: first a chill, then shivering that got progresively worse, until it was so bad the teeth were chattering and the arms and legs convulsing uncontrollably. When the lips turn blue and the victim begin to cough up blood, the end was near.

The course of the Shivers was remarkably swift: once the first chill was felt, death could come within a single day. Old and young were most vulnerable, though even men in the prime of life could wake up healthy one morning and be struck dead by the next. No more than one in five of those who caught the Shivers ever recovered.

History

The winter of 59-60 AC was especially cruel, and lead to widespread famine in prelude to the epidemic. The preceding winter had ended barely two years before, and many lords had not put aside enough harvests to provide adequate stockpiles. The preceding winter began in 56 AC, but ended by 57 AC when Prince Baelon was born in spring. It was already summer when Jaehaerys and Alysanne made a royal progress to Winterfell in 58 AC - meaning that summer then autumn rapidly passed by 59 AC when winter suddenly began, taking the realm by surprise.

The first cases of the Shivers started in the lands around Blackwater Bay, even before King's Landing. The first major lord to die from it was Edwell Celtigar on Claw Isle, followed by his son and heir, and then is struck House Staunton of Rook's Rest.

The Shivers spread across the realm already weakened by a harsh winter famine, and gutted the population of Westeros. Oldtown, the largest city at that time, lost a quarter of its population. King's Landing, the rapidly built new capital city that hadn't existed 60 years prior, was hit hardest of all. Half of Jaehaerys's small council died, along with many of the lords of the Great Houses, as well as a third of the maesters of the Citadel, and the High Septon. Jaehaerys's own six year old daughter Princess Daenerys was struck dead in a single day.

More died in subsequent food riots. So many of the City Watch died of the Shivers, particularly their commanders, that King's Landing became truly lawless outside of the Red Keep. Also, many foreigners were set upon and killed in the port cities by mobs who blamed them for spreading the plague - even perfectly healthy men who didn't have the Shivers.

Victims

Small Council:

  • Albin Massey, Master of Laws
  • Grand Maester Benifer (who had served 15 years, since Maegor's day)
  • Qarl Corbray, Commander of the City Watch, along with many of his men
  • Daemon Velaryon nearly died of the Shivers on Driftmark, but he was one of the few who managed to recover. However, the plague did kill his second son and three of his daughters.
  • Rego Draz, Master of Coin - killed by food rioters, mobbed on his palanquin in Flea Bottom, because he was rich and a foreigner. His head was smashed in with the very cobblestones he himself had helped pay for, and his fingers were cut off to steal his jeweled rings.

Also in the crownlands, Lord Edwell Celtiger (the former Master of Coin) as well as Lords Bar Emmon, Rosby, and Staunton died.

Great Houses:

  • Princess Daenerys, eldest daughter of King Jaehaerys, six years old
  • Lord Prentys Tully and his wife Lucinda
  • Lord Lyman Lannister
    • His bannermen, Lords Marbrand, Tarbeck, and Westerling
  • Lord Rogar Baratheon was untouched, though both of his children Boremund and Jocelyn caught it, yet they were among the few who survived. Rogar's brother Ronnal died of it, as did the wives of both of his brothers
  • Lord Bertrand Tyrell - also died, though technically he was actually one of the few who survived the plague, but as he was recovering he fell drunk out a window (he was a notorious sot).
  • Lord Donnel Hightower
    • Eustace Hightower survived, but his wife and children did not.
    • Oldtown lost a quarter its population, including the High Septon and two-score of the Most Devout, as well as a third of the Citadel (including a third of the Conclave).

It is unclear how badly the Shivers affected the more isolated regions of Westeros with smaller or less dense populations: Dorne, the North, the Iron Islands, or the Vale. In the North, so many people died of famine from the winter beforehand that there apparently wasn't much left for the plague to spread through, compared to population centers like Oldtown. During the Great Spring Sickness a century and a half later, Dorne and the Vale managed to avoid a plague by closing their mountain passes, but it is unknown if the same occurred during the Shivers (Dorne's population was still sparse after the First Dornish War 50 years before).

References

  1. Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.