George R. R Martin’s extensive fantastical universe spans generations, wars, dragons, and everything in between. Game of Thrones holds up as one of the highest-rated television shows of all time, and The House of The Dragon is gaining just as much praise. Behind the shows is the book series, including A Game of Thrones and the book that brought HOTD to life, Fire and Blood. George R. R Martin has been commended for his writing, and how much dedication he puts into his various characters.
At the heart of this universe, is the desire to lead. Characters fight for power, the throne, and for peace. The world is mostly dominated by power-hungry men, but some incredible women stood up to them. Fans took to Reddit to discuss the strongest leaders, from the first Targaryen king to Northern powerhouses.
10. Stannis Baratheon
As one of three, Stannis (Stephen Dillane) differs greatly from brothers Robert (Mark Addy) and Renly (Gethin Anthony). He is known for his stoic and cold exterior while battling for the Iron Throne. Despite his failures and foul play, he lasts for a while, but it is his role in Robert’s rebellion that has fans convinced of his leadership skills.
Leegod threw Stannis’ name into the discussion, surprised that he hadn’t been mentioned. Robert entrusted Stannis to hold Storm’s End during the rebellion, and he kept control of a castle under siege. He then succeeded in taking Dragonstone, acting as a leader and general at 17 years old. Ultimately it did not come to pass, but Stannis might have made a good ruler one day.
9.Mance Rayder
This is one that might be missed in discussions of the best leaders. J_eronimo said: ”[Mance] shows true foresight, humility, fondness of his people, and respect and knowledge of his enemies.” Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds) is known as the King Beyond the Wall, and leader of the free folk.
He originated as a man of the Night’s Watch but left to join the wildlings. While he is presented as a villain, fans argue that Mance is not evil; his priority is his people. He has all the best leadership qualities, including strength, charisma, and trust. He unites the free folk in the face of the white walkers threat and remains calm in the face of opposition. An undoubtedly underrated leader.
8.Aegon the Conquerer
There is no discussion of Westerosi kings without mentioning the one who started it all. Aegon the Conquerer came over from old Valyria on dragonback, alongside his sisters/wives Visenya and Rhaenys. As his name suggests, he took Westeros and instilled himself as King, and his wives as Queens.
A Redditor included Aegon as one of the greatest leaders, and he particularly thrived during wartime because of his fighting abilities and of course, dragons. Dragons always help. He reigned for 36 years and united the Seven Kingdoms. Aegon set the precedent for the Kings that followed him, though some didn’t live up to his reputation.
7.Eddard Stark
Lord Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) of Winterfell is the first leader that viewers meet in Game of Thrones, before King Robert Baratheon shows up to whisk him away. Ships_of_mylae commented Ned as a “good contender for best ruler in the North.” He is a beloved Warden of the North, strong and determined.
Before his tragic downfall, Ned also serves as Hand of the King. He also steps in on Robert’s behalf when he is away. Ned is dedicated to his people, and respectful to everybody. Above all else, his honor makes him a dependable and courageous leader. Oh, what could have been…
6. Robert Baratheon
Moving on to another Baratheon brother, Robert is King when fans meet him in Game of Thrones season 1. By this point, he is often drinking and distracted from his duties. However, after rebelling against King Aerys Targaryen, he did succeed and kept the peace following the war. Almost_frederic said that he “held it all together without even trying.”
During the rebellion, Robert was fearless. He was an incredible military leader and was always fighting on the front line with his men. He was unforgiving of his enemies but granted mercy to anyone who bent the knee. Above all, he was charismatic and compelling. It’s no wonder he was tired of it by the time Game of Thrones started.
5.Jon Snow
Jon Snow (Kit Harington) follows in the footsteps of his father/uncle Ned Stark. As a Northerner, he is full of loyalty and honor. This works excellently for him when he becomes a brother of the Night’s Watch. After growing from his slightly arrogant behavior, Jon rises up the ranks with his respectful nature. He commands his brothers in times of unrest and unifies his people with the wildlings to fight against the Night King.
Included by Lomby85, Jon uses his intelligence to motivate his people, always seeing the best qualities in everybody. Jon ultimately becomes King in the North (briefly), despite not desiring more leadership. Despite that, he is the kind of man that people would want around during times of struggle.
4.Tywin Lannister
Dubbed the most feared man in Westeros, there would be no list of leaders without Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance). Tywin is a ruthless and evil leader, serving as Hand of the King under King Aerys and Head of House Lannister. He is fierce, intelligent, and focused. His first priority is his family, and he would do anything in his power to ensure House Lannister remains in control.
OriginalCoso said “He showed us both cunning and ruthless aggression, and he’s a fine strategist.” Tywin couldn’t be considered ‘good’, but he is powerful. He uses fear to achieve his goals, and it does work in his favor.
3.Bloodraven
Looking at another example of an evil leader, Bloodraven (portrayed by Max von Sydow in Game of Thrones) was a complex and dark character. His real name was Brynden Rivers, and he was a bastard son of King Aegon IV, eventually being legitimized. He served as Hand of the King, before being sent to the Night’s Watch where became Lord Commander.
Bloodraven was not a compassionate leader, similar to Tywin. He used fear and secrets to control people, as he had spies everywhere to give him an advantage. He also successfully stopped the Blackfyre rebellions. Despite his villainous nature, he was strong and used his wisdom to rule.
2.Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) was introduced to viewers as a scared young girl, with the men around her making her decisions. She endures a lot of pain and violence. Despite her hardships, she finds power from within herself and her dragons as she connects with her family’s legacy, and she falls into leadership with ease.
Lomby85 said that Daenerys has “grown to be the greatest of all,” and this rings true with her conquest of Astapor and Meereen. With her deep compassion, similar to Jon Snow, she rose up against unjust rulers and freed the slaves. Daenerys was in her element, learning from the mistakes of the men in her life. She became a tenacious ruler, which made her ending an even harder pill to swallow.
1.Jaehaerys I and Queen Alysanne
Jaehaerys I was the fourth Targaryen king on the throne, and he ruled for the longest at 55 years, known as the Conciliator and the Wise. However, Jaehaerys cannot be mentioned without his queen consort, Alysanne. Ships_of_mylae said they were respectively the best king and queen with “no contest.”
Jaehaerys had the difficult job of fixing what his predecessor Maegor the Cruel had done. He was a reasonable and adaptable leader, stopping uprisings and making Kings Landing a safer place to live. The pair also visited every corner of the realm, staying connected to their people. Queen Alysanne had frequent meetings with women of all statuses. Jaehaerys was king, but Alysanne had a lot of influence. They ruled as a team and did so successfully.
