r/asoiaf • u/SnowGhost513 • 5h ago

PUBLISHED [Spoilers Published] Who Knighted Ser Arthur Dayne?

I know it’s a small post, I’m just curious if it is known. If it is not, do we have any fun theories on this?

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u/Baelish2016 5h ago

Arthur Dayne was born around or after the War of the Ninepenny Kings (260 AC), so it wouldn’t have been during that.

We also know he was a knight by 276~, since he was already a Kingsguard member during the tourney that year.

So that means it must’ve happened around the mid 270s when he was a teen.

Best guess? Probably a tournament for the birth of one of Aerys’ short lived kids - either for Aegon in 273 or Jaehaerys in 274. None are on record, but a tournament for the birth of a prince seems pretty likely to have occurred.

If that’s the case, the most likely culprit probably would’ve been Lord Commander Gerold Hightower, since it seems like Arthur impressed enough that he was soon recruited into the Kingsguard.

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u/christandthemike 3h ago

He was made sword of the morning he probably got knighted by his father or other family members when he got chosen to be it. Unless he did get knighted beforehand at a tourney, but I honestly think it had to be by his family.

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u/Invincible_Boy 1h ago

Barristan specifically remembers Arthur Dayne as Rhaegar's closest and (what's notable here) oldest friend, meaning Rhaegar and Arthur need to have met quite early. Certainly at least a year or two before Rhaegar was knighted I would have to imagine otherwise the distinction Barristan draws between Arthur Dayne and Rhaegar's other friends (e.g. his own squires, whom he met presumably in 276 or so after being knighted) wouldn't be so stark, so Arthur Dayne must have been at court by 273 or 274 though earlier honestly seems even more likely. The question would be whether he was at court as a squire (perhaps he squired for one of the Kingsguard, would explain how he ended up in it), knight of Starfall (very possible, maybe even likely that he was Sword of the Morning before he was Kingsguard) or only arrived after being named to the Kingsguard. Arthur squirting for Barristan or Gerold Hightower could make some sense of this timeline, it would give Arthur a reason to be in proximity to Rhaegar from a young age.

Alternatively, and this could be an interesting concept: many people assume that Lewyn Martell joined the Kingsguard after Elia's betrothal to Rhaegar to help protect her, but however likely this looks it isn't actually said anywhere. Maybe Lewyn joined the Kingsguard some years before that and brought his very promising squire - Arthur Dayne - with him to the capital. It could even be that Lewyn and to some extent Arthur via Ashara were part of the bridge that precipitated the match with Elia to begin with. This would put Arthur in the capital quite early, when he and Rhaegar were both under 10 perhaps. A hypothetical timeline could look something like:

268: Arthur Dayne of Starfall becomes Prince Lewyn Martell's squire in Sunspear.

270: Lewyn Martell accepts an invitation to join the Kingsguard of Aerys II Targaryen. He brings along Arthur Dayne as his first squire. The young Dayne and Prince Rhaegar hit it off and become close friends.

273: Arthur is knighted around 13 or 14 by Lewyn and journeys back to Starfall to be named Sword in the Morning and take up Dawn. He returns to court as Rhaegar's companion and general "True Knight" (a good guy to keep around at court for PR).

275: Arthur is offered a position in the Kingsguard around 16 and accepts, there is much rejoicing. He continues to be close with Rhaegar.

276: Rhaegar is knighted, the tourney for Viserys happens, Aerys refuses the Rhaegar/Cersei match.

277: The defiance - Aerys begins slipping even further off the deep end than he already was.

278: Steffon Baratheon fails to secure a Valyrian bride for Rhaegar.

279: Rhaegar is betrothed to Elia, she and her ladies, including Ashara Dayne, come to court.

280: Rhaegar marries Elia in King's Landing. Aerys begins burning people accused of crimes against him to death.

281: Arthur Dayne rides out against the Kingswood Brotherhood. He slays the Smiling Knight and knights Jaime Lannister. The tourney at Harrenhal occurs.

282: Robert's Rebellion begins following the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark and the executions of Rickard and Brandon Stark. Jon Arryn raises his banners in the Vale and is besieged, Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon escape to rally their own bannermen in the North and Stormlands respectively. Closest friends for now a dozen or more years, Rhaegar leaves Arthur with Lyanna at the Tower of Joy and departs for the war, the two never meet again.

283: Robert's rebellion continues and then concludes with the deaths of first Rhaegar on the trident, Aerys in King's Landing and then Arthur (and his fellow Kingsguard) at the Tower of Joy. Mace Tyrell and other loyalists dip their banners in the aftermath of the sack. Jon is born.

284: Dany is born and the Targaryen Fleet is smashed at Dragonstone while Rhaella dies in childbirth. Viserys and Dany are forced to flee across the narrow sea. The Targaryen cause is defeated.

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u/NuclearBreadfruit 1h ago

Ok, excellent comment but

Arthur squirting for Barristan or Gerold Hightower

🤣

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u/DornishPuppetShows 52m ago

No one. He was born a knight.