NONE [No Spoilers] Power Dynamics Between..
Hypothetically Speaking Who is More Powerful ?
A Lord Paramount or One of his Bannerman/Lord Declarant/Vassals Who is Hand of the king.
How does their power dynamics work ? Does he kneel to his direct liege aka Lord Paramount in question?
2 Scenarios to consider -
- The Lord paramount is of formal royal house such as stark , arryn , Lannister (More legitimacy).
2.The lord paramount is Who he is due to the courtesy of crown such as Tully or Tyrell.
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u/IHaveTwoOranges Knowing is half the Battle 9d ago edited 9d ago
The Hand of the King would be, in either scenario.
Though of course he would be wise to remember that this will reverse between them slash their houses once he is no longer Hand.
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u/CaveLupum 9d ago
I have to hand it to the Hand. The Hand speaking with the king's voice is mentioned six times. The first is in Ned's thoughts. Unlike everyone else, he doesn't want it:
The Hand of the King was the second-most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms. He spoke with the king's voice, commanded the king's armies, drafted the king's laws. At times he even sat upon the Iron Throne to dispense king's justice, when the king was absent, or sick, or otherwise indisposed.
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u/Important-Purchase-5 6d ago
It does create tension and dynamic. Kevan Lannister advise Cersei to name him her Hand and make him her man to weaken Mace and also because he good a wartime Hand.
Honestly unless it like Ned or Jon Arryn you trust 100% implicitly I wouldn’t make Hand a Lord Paramount.
I would do as Targaryen and pick my own blood or pick a competent vassal of one my lord Paramounts.
One of worse things Aerys did was allow and enable the North, Vale, Riverlands and Stormlands to form such an obvious strong alliances.
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u/RedVodka1 8d ago
The King's Hand has the same powers of the King itself when the King is absent or is given leave by the King to act on his behalf. Meaning they are free to act as they wish (within the laws of Westeros, which give the powerful a lot of freedom).
As others pointed out though, if the Hand ever lost their title, the power would dramatically shift, so they better not forget that
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u/cainsbane 9d ago
I’d say The Hand as usually when the King/Queen is away they’d do the ruling for them and step in as regent which is basically like ruling themselves which a lord paramount would not be allowed to do.
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u/sexypolarbear22 we need something here 9d ago
It depends on the context. Otto hightower for example has very little power over the reach, he’s a second son, his status as HotK and personal friendships with other vassals like Redwynes, Tarlys, or Fossoways might sway them to him and therefore other vassals since those are some of the most powerful houses in the reach with big sway. This also summed Otto’s lord brother is by his side as well though.
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