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Commander of Gods Eye?
Although the knights participating in the tourney were puzzled by this position, they didn't care about it. What they cared about were the lands of Harrenhal, the titles, and the bounty. As for the so-called Commander of Gods Eye, they didn't care.
But Rhaegor, and the lords around Viserys, all changed their expressions. The knights didn't know what this position meant, but the lords did. More precisely, the lords of the "Silver Dragon Party" clearly understood what the "Commander of Gods Eye" entailed.
Rhaegor also quietly explained to his two companions what this position meant. In Westeros today, there is only one King, and that is the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men on the Iron Throne, the Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, the Warden of the Realm. This title actually covers the King's scope of rule and functions, especially the last part, Warden of the Realm, which represents the most important part of the King's royal authority—military power.
When Aegon the Conqueror first ascended the throne, this title belonged to Daemon. After Daemon's death, it belonged to Dragonzel. Possessing this title meant that Daemon and Dragonzel could exercise royal authority militarily, meaning they could mobilize the armies of all lords in Westeros when holding the position of "Warden of the Realm."
After Aegon the Conqueror conquered Westeros, the original royal families of the various kingdoms retained their right to rule their former kingdoms after bending the knee. For example, the Stark family, once Kings of the North, after Torrhen Stark surrendered his crown as King of the North, his legal position to continue ruling the North was "Warden of the North." The Arryn family became "Warden of the East" and "Guardian of the Vale." House Lannister was "Warden of the West." However, there were some changes for the three families who became feudal lords of their respective regions only after the Conquest. The Baratheon family, who inherited the Durrandon family, saw no major change; their legal title for ruling the Stormlands was "Warden of the Stormlands." The Tyrell family, after being granted Highgarden, was enfeoffed as "Governor of the Reach." The Tully family was "Governor of the Trident." These two Governor titles also symbolized the Iron Throne's legal grant of authority to these families to rule their respective regions.
The same applied to the Varezes family's Frontier Governor and the Dayne family's Storm River Governor. Before the three Dragonzel brothers came to Westeros, most of the Dorne Borderlands were controlled by the Stormlands and the Reach. However, the title symbolizing the rule of the Borderlands, "Guardian of the Borderlands," had long been hereditary within the Gardener King's royal family of the Reach, and their successors, the Tyrell family. As a result, this title was never substantially realized and merely served as an excuse for friction between the Stormlands and the Reach.
Beneath them were some very important positions, such as when Dorne was still an independent kingdom, the now-extinct Ironwood family held the hereditary position of Guardian of the Stone Road, meaning the Ironwood family had the duty to militarily defend the Stone Road. When enemies from the Stormlands invaded via the Stone Road, the Ironwood family was to organize an army to resist, and they also had the power to mobilize the armies of nearby lords, such as the Weel family, who also perished under dragonflame. Similarly, the Fowler family, who held the hereditary position of Guardian of Princes Pass, followed the same principle. Unfortunately, when Dragonzel led his army south to attack the Weel family, the Ironwood family, due to greed and shortsightedness, chose not to fulfill their responsibilities and instead actively prepared to declare themselves king.
Thus, Dorne lost everything.
The term "Commander" in these positions is most clearly exemplified by the Caron family's "Frontier Commander." Scholars at the Citadel have verified that this position indicates that in ancient times, the Caron family might have ruled this territory as Kings of the Borderlands, or perhaps were important vassals of the Durrandon family managing the Borderlands. In any case, the Caron family, holding this position, was indeed a powerful family in the Borderlands and had indeed historically organized armies multiple times to resist the Gardener King of the Reach and the Dornish armies advancing north from Princes Pass.
And this "Commander of Gods Eye" is a position similar to "Frontier Commander." If this position was established when the former Fairman family, House Mudd, and House Teague ruled the entire Riverlands as kings, then the significance of this position would be very important. Considering the location of Gods Eye, this position would be responsible for defending against Stormlanders crossing the Blackwater River, Vale knights rushing from the Bloody Gate, and, through Gods Eye's special central location in the Riverlands, controlling the east-west communication within the Riverlands.
Here, we must elaborate on the situation in the Riverlands. The Trident flows through this fertile land, not only leaving behind a rich, vast plain but also a land of four battles, like a stripped virgin. For a long time in history, the Riverlands remained fragmented, with kingdoms of varying sizes, all claiming to be "Kings of the Rivers and Hills." House Mooton of Maidenpool, the Blackwood family of Raventree Hall, and House Bracken of Stone Hedge all once held crowns. But only Tristifer IV Mudd, "the Hammer of Justice," could truly claim this title. Soon after his death, the Mudd Dynasty fell, and the Andal kings ruled this land.
The ancestors of the Tully family, the first Edmure Tully, were once vassals of Tristifer IV. After the fall of the Mudd Dynasty, Edmure bent the knee to the Andal conqueror Armistead Vance. Armistead granted the lands where Riverrun now stands to Edmure Tully. Soon, Riverrun's strategic location in the Riverlands made the Tully family one of the most important families in the Riverlands.
Every King of the Rivers and Hills needed the Tully family's Riverrun as an outpost and fortress to defend against invasions from the West. After all, the impassable Golden Tooth, leading to the western mountains, was in the hands of House Lannister, and once the lions emerged from the mountains, only the trout protected by the rivers could block their claws.
After the Teague Dynasty was overthrown in the bloody War of Six Kings, the Storm King still valued the Tully family. The head of the Tully family held many important positions during the three centuries of the Durrandon Dynasty, remaining a crucial military force consistently defending against the West.
Scholars speculate that the hereditary position of the Tully family at that time might have been "Commander of Riverrun" or "Commander of the Red Fork."
Perhaps because of this, during the Durrandon Dynasty's rule over the Riverlands, the Tully family's name was not among the Riverlands lords who raised rebellion.
Of course, the Storm King did not completely trust the Tully family either. According to scholars' speculations, House Frey was very likely a 'nail' placed by the Storm King at the Twins, partly to defend against invasions from the North, and partly to monitor the lords of the Riverlands, especially the Blackwood family, House Bracken, and House Tully.
This might be the fundamental reason why House Frey is unpopular.
After the Ironborn invasion, House Hoare unified the Riverlands and the Iron Islands through bloody means, establishing the Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers. The Tully family, along with the Blackwood family, resisted during the Ironborn invasion but were ambushed by House Bracken and ultimately defeated. However, during House Hoare's rule of the Riverlands, the Tully family did not suffer significant damage, also due to the strategic location of Riverrun.
"Black Harren" Hoare noticed the disunity among the Riverlands lords, especially those in the Riverlands, most of whom had once worn crowns and had long resisted invasions from the West, possessing considerable military strength. To counterbalance the lords of the Riverlands and to weaken them and satisfy his own desires, Harren Hoare built Harrenhal on the shores of Gods Eye.
"So, Legan, Ailarion, do you understand the reason for Harrenhal's location now?" Rhaegor said with a frown. "Harrenhal is both the center of the Riverlands and the hub of the east and west Riverlands. Establishing a Commander of Gods Eye here, appointed by the royal family—"
This is not a time of war among the Seven Kingdoms. Establishing a military position here is absolutely not to defend against invasions from the Stormlands, Crownlands, or Vale.
Then there is only one reason.
This position is meant to dilute the power of the Governor of the Trident.
Through this position, King's Landing can remotely control the Riverlands lords influenced by Harrenhal.
"What exactly does Viserys want?" Rhaegor didn't understand Viserys's reason for establishing this position.
Does he want to push the Riverlands lords to oppose him?
Does he truly believe that the royal family can influence the Riverlands lords through a new noble with no foundation?
Rhaegor could already clearly see Lord Kermit, Lord Frey, and Lord Benjicot's expressions turning sour.
And Lord Bracken.
Quite rarely, the Blackwood family and House Bracken were both grim-faced.
This is not funny.
Rhaegor finally gradually understood his father's concerns in other areas.
"Then us..." Legan whispered.
"We'll take it one step at a time." Rhaegor's expression gradually calmed. He said coldly, "These matters are not for us to worry about."
The tourney quickly began.
Indeed, with no famous knights or prominent figures participating, the competition was completely without suspense. Even Albin was only unhorsed after knocking down a knight from the Crownlands. Kane, moreover, unhorsed several knights consecutively before being defeated.
Not to mention Rhaegor and his companions; it was a completely one-sided battle. However, the three of them were very cautious, leaving the field after winning one round and choosing to observe the entire tourney from the sidelines. After all, Viserys was too familiar with Rhaegor and his companions, and they were worried about being recognized.
Rhaegor felt both embarrassed and worried that exposing his identity would interfere with his "watching the show," so he chose to observe with a cold eye.
Ser Lucas was indeed very brave. He unhorsed seventeen knights consecutively, including even Ser Oscar Tully, Lord Kermit's brother. Only then did he ride around the tourney grounds, seeking challenges.
Viserys watched the scene before him with satisfaction. Just then, Igaras, who had been lying beside him somewhat puzzled, suddenly nudged Viserys as if he had discovered something.
"What's wrong, Igaras?"
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