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Vocabulary

erratic [adj] - unpredictable and crazy
prosper [v] - do well / become rich
the royal coffers [n] - the place where money and gold are kept
unnerved him [exp] - made him nervous
for all parties [exp] - for everyone
an ally [n] - a friend
rub salt in one's wounds [exp] - make a bad situation worse
a lifetime appointment [exp] - a job that must be kept for all one's life
renounce [v] - state that something is not your right or possession anymore
family holding [n] - family wealth, property and possessions
name an heir [exp] - choose someone to inherit your wealth and property
provocation [n] - something done to make someone very angry
delusion [n] - belief in something that is not true
paranoia [n] - being very scared
blades [n] - swords and knives
proved to be his undoing [exp] -

[n] - noun, [v] - verb, [adj] - adjective, [exp] - expression

Background

This story is being told by Tywin Lannister.
King Aerys Targaryen (the Mad King) is the king of the Seven Kingdoms.
Prince Rhaegar is King Aerys' son.
The Lannisters are a family that rule Casterly Rock for King Aerys.
Tywin Lannister was King Aerys top advisor (the Hand of the King)
The Kingsguard are the soldiers who protect the king.
Wildfire is a chemical like gasoline - it burns and is very dangerous.

Questions

This story is being told by ____.
Maester Luwin
Robert Baratheon
Tywin Lannister
King Aerys was acting more and more ____.
unpredictable
violent
sleepy
Tywin served King Aerys ____.
until he died
with help from the Starks
for 20 years
Because of Tywin, the realm (the Seven Kingdoms) was ___ and ___.
rich
peaceful
in chaos
Ser Ilyn Payne was ____.
the captain of Tywin's guard
the captain of Aerys' guard
a Kingsguard
King Aerys had Ser Ilyn Payne's tongue ripped out because ____.
he tried to kill King Aerys
he insulted Rhaegar
he said Tywin was the real ruler
Tywin wanted Prince Rhaegar to marry ____.
his daughter Cersi
Lyanna Stark
Elia Martell
King Aerys chose ____ to marry Prince Rhaegar.
Cersi Lannister
Lyanna Stark
Elia Martell
Jamie Lannister was ____.
Tywin's brother
Tywin's father
Tywin's son
Tywin was angry when King Aerys made Jamie Lannister a Kingsguard because ____.
Jamie couldn't inherit Casterly Rock
Jamie was too young
Jamie became more loyal to Aerys than to Tywin
Tywin returned to _____ because he was angry at King Aerys.
Castlery Rock
King's Landing
Dorn
King Aerys ____ so that Tywin would not join Robert's Rebellion.
gave Tywin lots of gold
sent an army to Casterly Rock
kept Jamie close to him
King Aerys became obsessed with ____.
Jamie Lannister
living forever
wildfire
King Aerys wouldn't allow anyone to carry swords around him except for ____.
Prince Rhaegar
the Kingsguard
Ilyn Payne

Script

As Aerys Targaryen's behavior grew more and more erratic, the task of ruling the Seven Kingdoms fell to me, Tywin Lannister. I had served Aerys for nearly 20 years and as a result the realm had prospered. The royal coffers were full, the land was at peace.

But Aerys grew increasingly hostile - jealous of the success many credited to me. My power and influence unnerved him. The captain of my personal guard, Ser llyn Payne, was once overheard making offhand comments regarding who was the true ruler of Westeros. When the king was given this information, he had llyn Payne's tongue ripped out with hot pincers.

It was my desire to unite the Houses of Lannister and Targaryen through marriage. My daughter, Cersei, would marry Aerys' eldest son, Prince Rhaegar. Such a union made perfect sense for all parties. However, Aerys' senses had begun to leave him quite some time earlier. Instead of uniting the royal family with its most loyal and powerful ally, Aerys chose instead to insult my family, indicating that such a match was beneath Rhaegar. Instead, he chose Elia Martell of Dorne to be Rhaegar's wife.

As if to rub salt in my wounds, Aerys appointed Jaime, my son, to the Kingsguard. The Kingsguard may be an honor for lesser families than ours, but it is a lifetime appointment that forces him to renounce all family holdings. This creates a difficulty in naming an heir to Casterly Rock. But Aerys knew all that.

I had grown tired of the king's constant provocation. Thus, I resigned my post as Aerys' Hand and returned to Casterly Rock with my considerable forces.

When Robert Baratheon rebelled against the throne, Aerys grew fearful that I would join with Robert's forces and rise against him. He thought himself clever, and kept Jaime very close, as if warning me.

He sunk deeper and deeper into delusion, paranoia and violence. I've heard it said he became obsessed with wildfire - a substance which, once lit, cannot be extinguished. Convinced he had enemies all around him, he wouldn't allow blades in his presence, save for those of his Kingsguard. Alas, that proved to be his undoing.

Mad King Aerys (3)

Published: 8.14.2017

Level 5 | Time: 2:57

Accent: British

Source: Game of Thrones

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Vocabulary

Background

Questions

Script