Iron Throne

A Song of Ice and Fire

In the series, the Iron Throne is both a physical seat and a metonym for the monarchy. Martin establishes that after seizing six of the Seven Kingdoms, Targaryen ruler Aegon the Conqueror had a throne made from the swords of his vanquished enemies, fused by dragonfire. Aegon established King's Landing as the royal capital, and the throne sits in the Red Keep. According to legend, Aegon kept the blades sharp so no ruler should ever sit comfortably; centuries later, kings still cut themselves on the throne, a common belief that this happens to rulers unfit to rule.

Purportedly made from a thousand swords and knives, the throne is a massive, asymmetrical tangle of jagged and twisted blades in which reclining is impossible. Martin has noted repeatedly that none of the previous media representations—including books, games, and the TV series—closely resemble what he had in mind. The attempt closest to his vision was by French artist Marc Simonetti for a Mexican edition of A Game of Thrones. Martin worked with Simonetti to get an image he calls absolutely right, which appears in the 2014 companion book The World of Ice & Fire.

Martin said that from now on, this would be the reference he gives to every other artist tackling a throne room scene. Various depictions of the throne include the title page of The Art of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire (2005) by Michael Komarck, the cover of the 2014 Random House México edition of A Game of Thrones by Marc Simonetti, the art The Targaryen Kings in The World of Ice & Fire by Marc Simonetti, the box cover of the A Game of Thrones: Genesis video game (2011) by Marc Simonetti, and several cards from A Game of Thrones: The Card Game by artists Alex Aparin, Veronica V. Jones, Chris Dien, Tiziano Baracchi, and Magali Villeneuve.

Television adaptation

The Iron Throne as seen in the HBO series Game of Thrones, which first aired in 2011, was designed by production designer Gemma Jackson and built by prop maker Gavin Jones. The show’s widespread popularity turned this specific throne into a recognizable symbol of the entire franchise, leading to parodies in magazines and use in merchandise. Multiple promotional replicas of the throne travel globally for fan events and show-sponsored exhibits. In June 2014, Queen Elizabeth II visited the Belfast set and was photographed looking at the throne prop, but she chose not to sit in it.

Author George R.R. Martin initially felt the HBO version did not match his own vision, but by 2013 he praised its design as “terrific” and said he owned every commercial replica. The later HBO series House of the Dragon, based on Martin’s book Fire & Blood, features a larger throne that more closely matches his original description. A photo of actor Sean Bean as Ned Stark seated on the throne appears on the covers of the Season 1 DVD and Blu-ray sets, which came out in March 2012.

In June 2021, a statue of the Iron Throne was added to the Scenes in the Square sculpture trail in London’s Leicester Square, celebrating ten years since the first episode aired.

Merchandising

Since the show first aired, HBO has allowed companies to use the Iron Throne's design on products like T-shirts and small statues. In June 2012, the network started selling full-sized, custom versions for thirty thousand dollars. A year later, Brewery Ommegang released a blonde ale named after the throne. Other official items include a seven-foot-two-inch replica, a fourteen-inch version from ThinkGeek, a seven-inch model by Dark Horse and Gentle Giant Studios, a construction set from McFarlane Toys, a bookend, an ornament, a stocking holder, and various T-shirts.