![]() | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Robert Baratheon | |
---|---|
A Song of Ice and Fire character Game of Thrones character | |
![]() Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon | |
First appearance |
|
Last appearance |
|
Created by | George R. R. Martin |
Adapted by | D. B. Weiss & David Benioff (Game of Thrones) |
Portrayed by | Mark Addy |
In-universe information | |
Aliases |
|
Gender | Male |
Title |
|
Occupation | King War general and revolutionary figure |
Family | House Baratheon |
Spouse | Cersei Lannister |
Children |
|
Relatives |
|
Robert Baratheon is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin and its television adaptation Game of Thrones, where he is portrayed by English actor Mark Addy.
Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Robert is the eldest son and heir of Lord Steffon Baratheon. He is a close friend to Ned Stark, both wards of Lord Jon Arryn. After his betrothed Lyanna Stark was allegedly kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Robert, Ned, and Jon started a rebellion against the "Mad King" Aerys II Targaryen. After crushing the Targaryen dynasty and winning the war, during which Lyanna died, Robert took the Iron Throne. He married Tywin Lannister's daughter, Cersei, to ensure political stability. Although Robert's reign is relatively peaceful, he proves to be an ineffective ruler. He is unhappy in his marriage to Cersei, whom he abuses, and his responsibilities as king, and lives a life of infidelity and wanton excess. He fathers many bastards and is unaware that his three children with Cersei had been fathered by her twin brother Jaime Lannister.
Although Robert dies in the first novel, the legacy of his rebellion and reign continues to have a great impact on the contemporary events of Westeros. His death creates a power vacuum in which his brothers and Cersei's eldest son, Joffrey, fight for control of the Seven Kingdoms while Robb Stark and Balon Greyjoy fight for secession, known as the War of Five Kings.