Hand's tourney

The Hand's tourney[1][2][3] is a tourney held in King's Landing to celebrate the naming of Eddard Stark as Hand of the King to Robert I Baratheon.
Contents
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
The tournament contests of a joust, melee and archery contest. The prizes are forty thousand gold dragons for the winner of the joust, twenty thousand dragons for the runner-up of the joust, twenty thousand dragons to the winner of the melee, and ten thousand dragons to the winner of the archery contest. Lord Eddard Stark, the new Hand of the King, disapproves of the high winnings commanded by King Robert I Baratheon.[4] The surrounding roads, inns,[5] and the city of King's Landing[1] become busy. Lady Lysa Arryn forbids the participation of the knights of the Vale.[3] Eddard and Ser Barristan Selmy convince Robert not to participate in the melee.[6]
Joust
Jory Cassel defeats Ser Horas Redwyne
Jory Cassel defeats a member of House Frey
Lothor Brune jousts Jory Cassel. After three tilts Lothor is awarded the victory.
Ser Meryn Trant defeats Harwin of Winterfell
Ser Balon Swann defeats Alyn of Winterfell
Ser Jaime Lannister defeats Ser Andar Royce
Ser Jaime Lannister defeats Lord Bryce Caron
Ser Barristan Selmy defeats an unnamed rider
Ser Barristan Selmy defeats another unnamed rider
Ser Jaime Lannister defeats Ser Barristan Selmy
Ser Gregor Clegane defeats an unnamed rider
Ser Gregor Clegane defeats Ser Hugh of the Vale, killing him
Ser Gregor Clegane defeats Ser Balon Swann
Sandor Clegane defeats Lord Renly Baratheon
Lord Beric Dondarrion defeats a hedge knight in a checkered cloak, after the knight disgraces himself by killing his horse
Thoros of Myr defeats Lord Beric Dondarrion
Ser Aron Santagar jousts against Lothor Brune, but after three tilts they are awarded a draw
Lord Jason Mallister defeats Ser Aron Santagar
Ser Robar Royce defeats Lothor Brune
Ser Loras Tyrell defeats Ser Meryn Trant,[6] knight of the Kingsguard.
Ser Loras Tyrell defeats another knight of the Kingsguard
Ser Loras Tyrell defeats a third knight of the Kingsguard
Ser Loras Tyrell defeats Ser Robar Royce
Semi-Finals
Ser Loras Tyrell defeats Ser Gregor Clegane in the semi-final tilt. Loras rides a mare in heat that distracts Gregor's stallion.
Sandor Clegane defeats Ser Jaime Lannister in the semi-final tilt
Final
Sandor Clegane is supposed to face Ser Loras Tyrell in the final tilt, but Loras, in gratitude to the Hound for saving his life from his brother Gregor, yields the match.[2]
Archery Competition
Anguy of the Dornish Marches defeats Ser Balon Swann and Prince Jalabhar Xho at a hundred paces after all other competitors are defeated at shorter ranges.[6]
Mêlée
Thoros of Myr wins the mêlée after a brutal three-hour fight against nearly forty other competitors. His sword, lit with wildfire, tends to frighten the mounts of the other competitors.[6]
Other Participants
Ser Danwell Frey
Ser Emmon Frey
Ser Hosteen Frey
Ser Jared Frey
Ser Perwyn Frey
Ser Theo Frey
Patrek Mallister
Ser Hobber Redwyne
Martyn Rivers
Lord Yohn Royce
Other Attendees
Lord Petyr Baelish
Prince Joffrey Baratheon
Princess Myrcella Baratheon
King Robert I Baratheon
a member of House Brax (the purple unicorn)
a member of House Crakehall (the brindled boar)
Lord Edric Dayne
Queen Cersei Lannister
Lancel Lannister
Tyrek Lannister
a member of House Marbrand (the burning tree)
a member of House Massey (the triple spiral)
a member of House Mertyns (the horned owl)
Moon Boy
Septa Mordane
a member of House Piper (the dancing maiden)
Jeyne Poole
a member of House Prester (the red ox)
a member of House Rambton (the white ram)
Arya Stark
Lord Eddard Stark
Sansa Stark
Joss Stilwood
a member of House Wyl (the black adder)
Quotes
Jory: The talk in the yard is we shall have a tourney, my lord. They say that knights will come from all over the realm to joust and feast in honor of your appointment as Hand of the King.
Eddard: Do they also say this is the last thing in the world I would have wished?[7]—Jory Cassel and Eddard Stark
As if the expense and trouble were not irksome enough, all and sundry insisted on salting Ned's wound by calling it "the Hand's tourney," as if he were the cause of it. And Robert honestly seemed to think he should feel honored![1]
—thoughts of Eddard Stark
The splendor of it all took Sansa's breath away; the shining armor, the great chargers caparisoned in silver and gold, the shouts of the crowd, the banners snapping in the wind ... and the knights themselves, the knights most of all.[2]
—thoughts of Sansa Stark
King Robert had staged it in her father's honor. High lords and fabled champions had come from all over the realm to compete, and the whole city had turned out to watch. She remembered the splendor of it: the field of pavilions along the river with a knight's shield hung before each door, the long rows of silken pennants waving in the wind, the gleam of sunlight on bright steel and gilded spurs. The days had rung to the sounds of trumpets and pounding hooves, and the nights had been full of feasts and song. Those had been the most magical days of her life, but they seemed a memory from another age now.[8]
—thoughts of Sansa Stark
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 27, Eddard VI.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 29, Sansa II.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 34, Catelyn VI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 20, Eddard IV.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 28, Catelyn V.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 30, Eddard VII.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 22, Arya II.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 2, Sansa I.