King Baelor I Targaryen, called Baelor the Blessed, was the ninth king of the Targaryen dynasty to sit on the Iron Throne of Westeros.
Early life[]
Baelor was the youngest son of King Aegon III and the brother of Daeron I. Baelor was quiet and bookish, and strong in the Faith of the Seven. He wished to become a septon, but his father refused to indulge this whim, instead insisting that he marry his sister Daena in the traditional Targaryen manner. Baelor obeyed, but extremely reluctantly and refused to consummate the marriage.
When Daeron was killed on campaign in Dorne, Baelor was crowned king.
Reign[]
Baelor began his reign by walking the Boneway barefoot and going into a viper's nest to rescue his cousin Aemon, who had been captured by the Martells during the war. The vipers would not bite him because he was so holy. However, according to some sources, this is actually a parable for Baelor simply going to Sunspear (a nest of enemies) and negotiating his cousin's release. Other sources say the story is true, but the vipers did bite Baelor and drove him insane for the rest of his reign.
Whatever the truth, Baelor returned home having made a strong peace with Dorne and ensuring peace between Dorne and the Seven Kingdoms. Baelor had secured the release of his brother and also an alliance with Dorne by marrying his grand-nephew Daeron to Princess Myriah Martell. With his newfound authority, Baelor dissolved his marriage to his sister-wife Daena, but was still troubled by lustful thoughts of his sisters. To ensure he was free of temptation, he locked not just Daena but also his younger sisters Rhaena and Elaena in a chamber in the Red Keep, which became known as the Maidenvault and they as the Princesses in the Tower. They were only 16, 14 and 11 at this time, respectively.
The remainder of Baelor's reign was spent in prayer and piety. His uncle Viserys continued to order and run the realm as the King's Hand. Baelor was indeed named a septon by the Faith, but their hopes that he would rearm them and restore the holy warrior orders were dashed as he believed that faith and piety alone were weapons enough, and in fact wished to disarm all of Westeros. His uncle prevented this and other outlandish notions from getting too far. Baelor spent a long time praying over the last three dragon eggs, hoping they would hatch, to no avail. Baelor was embarrassed when Daena escaped from the Maidenvault and returned pregnant, refusing to say who the father was. For this, she became known as 'Daena the Defiant'.
The last year of Baelor's life saw his religious fervour increase markedly, and he started to fast to purge himself of lustful thoughts. He went too far and starved himself to death. He was succeeded by his uncle, Viserys. For his piety and devotion to the Faith he was named 'Baelor the Blessed' and the Great Sept of King's Landing was renamed as the Great Sept of Baelor in his honor.
Character and appearance[]
Baelor was a peaceful, devoted and pious man. He was a pacifist and believed in words and faith rather than swords and threats. He could be fervent, occasionally passionate in his beliefs, and also stubborn to the point of recklessness, such as on the occasion that saw him lose his life. One of his most renowned tendencies was fasting himself to fatal degrees, often out of sorrow for the sins of others. He despised his own weaknesses and punished himself for his carnal and lustful thoughts, to the point that he imprisoned all three of his sisters in the Maidenvault in order to avoid being tempted by them. This fact, as Jaime Lannister at one point reflects, led to the conception and birth of Daemon I Blackfyre and caused the realm to bleed for decades to come.
However, he was beloved by the Faith and by the smallfolk, who were inspired by his holiness. While his lords and courtiers in majority grew to despise him, some believing him to be the feeblest king to ever sit on the Iron Throne, he is remembered very fondly by the common people, whom he had an undying love for. There are some who believe that he was a rare soul, untouched by the evils of the world - in a certain way, the opposite is true, as he was ruled by his fear of the evils of the world.
Baelor would come to be known as Baelor the Blessed among the commoners and lords alike, and created a rather immortal reputation as a king who was far more peaceful than his combative older brother Daeron, and his lustful cousin Aegon. He also solidified his legacy with the construction of the Great Sept of Baelor, which became an almost legendary place of worship throughout the Seven Kingdoms, and where rested many of his successors after Baelor died.
Baelor was handsome, but also very thin (due to repeated fasts). He smiled a lot and had long hair and a beard. He disdained royal clothing, instead preferring a simple septon's white robe. He rarely travelled anywhere without a copy of The Seven-Pointed Star and other holy books of learning to hand. He disdained any of the ormental Targaryen crowns, preferring to wear a simple circlet woven out of flowers and vines.