Game of Thrones begins....

[Viking]

Targaryens continued with polygamy after the conquest

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Targaryen_Polygamy/

June 06, 2001
Targaryen Polygamy

First off all I want to thank you for the one of the best fantasy novels I ever read. Then I would like to ask one question: In the SOS Jora Mormont told to Dany that Aegon The Dragon had two wives and she could take two husbands. The question is if there were any other precedents of polygamy among Targaryens besides Aegon the First.

Yes, there were.

Maegor the Cruel had eight or nine wives, I seem to recall, though not all of them were simultaneous. He beheaded a few of them who failed to give him heirs, a test that all of them ultimately failed.

There might have been a few later instances as well. I'd need to look that up... (or make that up, as the case might be).

So, yes there was Targaryen polygamy and if you can't find evidence that is just because Martin has created it yet.

The other marriage/elopement in the story (Tyrion-Tysha) has a drunken anonymous septon. I think that is foreshadowing to which is enough precedent to make Jon legitimate.

Note, Rhaegar could not have married Lyanna after Elia of Dorne was dead on the simple grounds that by the time Amory Lorch kills her Rhaegar is himself already dead. Jon is posthumous. This is naturally assuming that Rhaegar is not Mance and Elia is not Septa Lemore (nor anybody else).

[Solmyr]

A king can legitimize a bastard too, this is mentioned several times in the books. Now we just have to decide which king will do it.

[Martinus]

The only true and rightful king, of course: Aegon VI.

[Viking]

A king can legitimize a bastard too, this is mentioned several times in the books. Now we just have to decide which king will do it.

Robb legitimized (or was about to legitimize) Jon (but the letter hasn't arrived) and Stannis has offered to legitimize Jon.

[Queequeg]

I can't think of a single example in pre-Industrial history of an army landing amphibiously and then storming a major series of fortifications. The lack of complex siege weapons would probably make it impossible.  King's Landing is about the size of Constantinople, and it should have *way* more impressive fortifications. 

[Jaron]

Perhaps a lack of historical threats contributed to the weak defenses of KL.

[Queequeg]

Perhaps a lack of historical threats contributed to the weak defenses of KL.

I think it is more likely that the city is primarily the outgrowth of a military settlement, unlike Constantinople.  The central keep would be able to stand against siege for some time, presumably, meaning that the matter at hand is defending the city against sacking rather than the complete collapse of Lannister power in the east.  I haven't read the books, so I don't know. 

[Queequeg]

You know, I'd expect a man as crafty as Davos to know of an incoming Tyrell-Lannister force.  Is this addressed in the books?  They really should have retreated after the first encounter with the super-Greek Fire. 

[Jaron]

KL has a bitchin' keep, but I don't recall the city's growth or defenses being very detailed in the books. I think the city is relatively new and was built maybe 300 years prior to the start of the novels. There might have been a village or something there, but the Targaryens custom built it, much like Constantinople.

[Queequeg]

Constantinople is a city with walls.  That's very different from what every image of King's Landing makes it look like-an outgrowth of a military settlement. 

[Habbaku]

You know, I'd expect a man as crafty as Davos to know of an incoming Tyrell-Lannister force.  Is this addressed in the books?  They really should have retreated after the first encounter with the super-Greek Fire.

Did you even pay attention to him this episode?  The ship he was on exploded and he's not seen at all after it.  When, exactly, would he have given the order to retreat?  Or used his apparent knowledge of an incoming Tyrell-Lannister force?

[Queequeg]

Did you even pay attention to him this episode?  The ship he was on exploded and he's not seen at all after it.  When, exactly, would he have given the order to retreat?  Or used his apparent knowledge of an incoming Tyrell-Lannister force?

I think that proves my point.  Good intelligence prior to the battle would have indicated that a massive Tyrell-Lannister force was marching across the entirety of a continent to be at King's Landing, and that the Lannisters were prepared to use fireships.  The entire battle plan was sloppy, though it is obvious that Davos has some better idea of what the odds are than anyone we know of in Stannis' party.

[Jaron]

I think you may have a point about the Tyrell force. One of the largest armies in Westeros marching to the capital would most certainly gather attention -- The Lannister force arrived rather last minute - due to a stroke of fortune that wasn't covered in the series at all.

I haven't seen the episode, but yes -- I recall Tyrion doing some kind of training with the city defenders to be sure they wouldn't drop the jars. I suppose it is not completely unthinkable that no one actually knew what he was doing. The production of wildfire was a pretty guarded secret.

Then again, Stannis is holed up on an island, so maybe it isn't easy to pass secrets to his camp. 

[Siege]

In the book the clans from the mountains of the moon kept killing stannis recon assets, and allowed the Tyrell-Lannister force to maximize the element of surprise.
Also, Garlan the Gallant wore Renly's suit of armor and freaked out stannis' men-at-arms. Appearenly Loras is the only Tyrell on sight so far, so he wore the little antlers on his helmet.

[viper37]

I think that proves my point.  Good intelligence prior to the battle would have indicated that a massive Tyrell-Lannister force was marching across the entirety of a continent to be at King's Landing, and that the Lannisters were prepared to use fireships.  The entire battle plan was sloppy, though it is obvious that Davos has some better idea of what the odds are than anyone we know of in Stannis' party.

Stannis is convinced he is the Real King.  Stannis men are convinced the people of KL will welcome them with open arms, and so is Stannis in a certain way.
Stannis is also convinced that his new God will give him victory.  I don't think he, nor anyone else knows that the Tyrells have joined forces with Tywin Lannister.

And I don't think Stannis is the kind of man that want to deal with spies as much as a man like Varris would rely on them.