Melisandre

A Red Priestess from Asshai who births shadows, burns rivals, and seeks the Lord of Light through fire and blood.

Melisandre is a fictional priestess from Asshai serving R'hllor, the Lord of Light. Introduced in A Clash of Kings (1998), she travels to Westeros believing Stannis Baratheon is Azor Ahai reborn. Often called the Red Woman due to her hair, clothes, and red eyes, she wields fire and shadow magic while wearing a ruby choker that hides her true age. She acts as a close advisor to Stannis during his campaign for the Iron Throne, offering prophecies and performing rituals like the shadow birth that kills Renly Baratheon.

Quick Facts

Series

A Song of Ice and Fire character; Game of Thrones

Portrayed by

Carice van Houten

Creator

George R. R. Martin

First

Novel:
A Clash of Kings (1998)
Television:
"The North Remembers" (2012)

Last

Television:; "The Long Night" (2019)

Also known as

The Red Priestess, The Red Woman

Gender

Female

Nationality

Unknown; Came from Asshai to Westeros

Lore & Background

Melisandre was likely born with the name 'Melony' and sold as a child slave to the Red Temple. She possesses magical abilities to cast glamour, manipulate fire and shadow, and see visions in flames. In A Clash of Kings, she converts Stannis's wife Selyse and survives a poison attempt by Maester Cressen. Believing Stannis is Azor Ahai, she convinces him to impregnate her, birthing a shadow demon that assassinates Renly Baratheon at Storm's End. She later births another demon to kill Ser Cortnay Penrose. During A Storm of Swords, she leeches Stannis and burns them to curse Balon Greyjoy, Robb Stark, and Joffrey Baratheon, all of whom die soon after. In A Dance with Dragons (2011), she switches Mance Rayder's identity with Rattleshirt to save him from burning, then sends the real Mance to Winterfell.

Reader's Guide

Melisandre appears in A Clash of Kings (1998), A Storm of Swords (2000), and A Dance with Dragons (2011). She has a single point-of-view chapter in the fifth novel, with George R. R. Martin confirming her return as a viewpoint character in The Winds of Winter. In the HBO series, she is portrayed by Carice van Houten, who received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Her prophecies guide the narrative but are often misinterpreted; she sees 'Snow' instead of Azor Ahai and warns Jon of 'daggers in the dark.' Her actions range from saving lives via identity switches to ordering child sacrifices, driven by her militant stance against other religions.

Did You Know?

Tywin Lannister indirectly referred to her as 'a shadowbinder from Asshai' after the Battle in the Whispering Wood.
She rarely sleeps or eats, unlike most humans.
Her ruby choker is a magical glamour that masks a body centuries older than her appearance.