Iron Throne (A Song of Ice and Fire)
A massive, asymmetrical throne of a thousand swords.
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The Iron Throne is the seat of the monarch of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros in George R. R. Martin's *A Song of Ice and Fire* novels, and the term also stands for the monarchy itself. In *A Game of Thrones*, Martin explains that after conquering six of the Seven Kingdoms, Targaryen ruler Aegon the Conqueror had the throne forged from the swords of his defeated enemies, fused together by dragonfire. It sits in the Red Keep in King's Landing, the royal capital he established. According to legend, Aegon kept the blades sharp so no ruler could sit comfortably; centuries later, kings still cut themselves on it, and it is believed this happens to those unfit to rule.
The throne is said to be made from a thousand swords and knives, forming a massive, asymmetrical tangle of jagged, twisted blades that makes reclining impossible. Martin described it as huge, ugly, and asymmetrical, like a great beast towering over the room. It has iron steps, and a king seated on it is about ten feet above everyone else, looking down. He noted that none of the earlier depictions in books, games, or the TV series matched what he imagined. The closest version, in his view, was by French artist Marc Simonetti for a Mexican edition of *A Game of Thrones*. Martin worked with Simonetti to produce an image he called "absolutely right," which appears in the 2014 companion book *The World of Ice & Fire*. He said this would be the reference for all future artists. The image shows a massive, ugly, asymmetric throne made of half-melted, broken, twisted swords, with steps and height, symbolizing conquest and intended to be uncomfortable.
The HBO series *Game of Thrones*, which premiered in 2011, made its version of the throne an icon of the franchise. The design was created by production designer Gemma Jackson and built by prop maker Gavin Jones. This version has been parodied in magazines, used in merchandise, and several promotional thrones travel the world for exhibits and fan events. In June 2014, Queen Elizabeth II visited the Belfast set and was photographed examining the throne.
Quick Facts
- Source
- A Song of Ice and Fire
- Source Type
- Novels
- Company
- Bantam Books
- First
- Literature: / A Game of Thrones (1996) / Television: / "Winter Is Coming" (2011)
- Creator
- George R. R. Martin
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Uses
- Monarchy and the physical royal throne of Westeros
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the series, the Iron Throne is both a physical seat of office as well as a metonym for the monarchy of Westeros. Martin establishes in A Game of Thrones (1996) that after seizing control of six of the Seven Kingdoms, Targaryen ruler Aegon the Conqueror had made a throne for himself from the swords of his vanquished enemies, fused by dragonfire. Aegon had established King's Landing as the royal capital, and the Iron Throne itself sits in the Red Keep. Martin writes that according to legend, Aegon kept the blades sharp so that no ruler should ever sit comfortably. Centuries later, kings still cut themselves on the throne; it is a common belief that this happens to rulers who are unfit to rule.
Purportedly made from a thousand swords and knives, the Iron Throne is a massive and asymmetrical tangle of jagged and twisted blades, in which reclining is impossible. Martin commented in 2014 that the throne is huge, towers over the room like a great beast, is ugly and asymmetric, and that a king sitting on it is like 10 feet above everybody else, looking down on everyone.
Reader's Guide
The Iron Throne is a central symbol in A Song of Ice and Fire, representing both the physical seat of power and the monarchy itself. Martin has repeatedly noted that none of the previous media representations—including books, games, and the TV series—closely resemble what he had in mind when writing his novels. The depiction he called 'absolutely right' was by French artist Marc Simonetti, appearing in Martin's 2014 companion book The World of Ice & Fire. The HBO television adaptation's version, designed by production designer Gemma Jackson and constructed by prop maker Gavin Jones, became an icon of the entire media franchise due to the show's popularity. Martin acknowledged in 2013 that for millions of television viewers worldwide, the HBO Iron Throne is THE Iron Throne, and that saying 'Game of Thrones' makes people think of the HBO version. The HBO series House of the Dragon later included a larger iteration more closely resembling Martin's vision. The throne has been widely merchandised, including life-size replicas sold for $30,000, and a statue was unveiled in Leicester Square, London in June 2021.
Did You Know?
- The throne is purportedly made from a thousand swords and knives, fused by dragonfire.
- Queen Elizabeth II visited the Belfast set of Game of Thrones in June 2014 and was photographed examining the Iron Throne set piece, though she declined to sit on it.
- Martin called Marc Simonetti's depiction of the throne in The World of Ice & Fire 'absolutely right'.
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Elsewhere in A Song of Ice and Fire
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