Renly

Biodata

Background / History

Renly was still a child during Robert’s rebellion. After the war, Robert granted him Storm’s End, House Baratheon’s ancestral castle, while assigning Dragonstone to Stannis. Stannis resented the settlement after having held Storm’s End through a year-long siege 77 115.

By his first appearance, Renly served as Master of Laws on Robert’s Small Council. He openly mocked the crown’s financial difficulties and exchanged barbs with Stannis. Before the Stepstones expedition, he returned to Storm’s End to muster the Stormlands’ vassals, though his youth and lack of wartime experience weighed against his suitability for overall command 55 77.

Renly accompanied Robert aboard the royal flagship during the expedition. When lightning exposed an enormous shadow above the fleet, Eddard Stark ordered a retreat to protect the king. Afterward, Renly contributed to discussions of the capital’s defenses by citing the weapons Oldtown had prepared against Maegor I and his dragon 82 94.

Appearance

• Hair: Black, falling to his shoulders 55.
• Face and bearing: Handsome and clean-shaven, with a reassuring smile and polished manners 138.
• Court dress: Favors expensive, expertly tailored velvet. His clothing includes a dark green doublet embroidered with twelve golden Baratheon stags and a silver-gray coat worn with a golden rose at the collar 55 146.
• Campaign attire: Wears gleaming silver armor and a green velvet cloak during the siege of King’s Landing 200.

Personality

Renly cultivates an easy, sociable manner, using humor, elegant hospitality, and personal attention to win support. His warmth is widely praised among nobles and commoners; crowds greet his arrival at Highgarden with flowers and acclamations. At court, however, his wit frequently becomes cutting sarcasm, including jokes at the expense of the crown’s finances and his elder brothers 55 146 173 174.

His charm conceals a strong ambition for the Iron Throne. News of Robert’s death quickly prompts thoughts of kingship, while Robert’s newly legitimized children become obstacles he bitterly resents. He rejects the legitimization proclamation and orders Edric Storm confined rather than acknowledge a rival claim 173.

Renly can also be vindictive and ruthless when challenged. He delights in Eddard’s humiliation, seeks to stop his investigation, and later watches coldly as his knights slaughter believers who resist his authority outside the Great Sept 147 153 203.

Abilities & Skills

Political Alliance-Building

Renly links the Stormlands’ military strength with House Tyrell’s wealth and influence 111 174.

• Encourages the Tyrells to distinguish themselves in the Stepstones campaign and help pay the crown’s indemnity, securing Robert’s favor 111.
• Contributes one hundred thousand Golden Dragons toward ransoming captured nobles 111.
• Wins the oaths of assembled Stormlands and Reach nobles and reinforces their alliance through marriage to Margaery 174.

Court Intrigue and Intelligence

Renly uses intermediaries, private negotiations, and confidential information to advance his position 111 147 200.

• Sends proposals to Highgarden through Loras Tyrell and plans to sound out Eddard using Margaery’s portrait 111.
• Forms a verbal alliance with Littlefinger to undermine Eddard and promote Mace Tyrell as Hand 147.
• Receives Littlefinger’s intelligence about King’s Landing’s food shortage and wildfire defenses 200.
• Limitation: His effort to enlist Eddard instead strengthens Eddard’s suspicions and contributes to the exposure of his scheme 138 153 154.

Siege Warfare

Renly captures King’s Landing through blockade and unrest rather than a direct assault 200 201 203.

• Camps a league from the walls after learning of the defenders’ wildfire preparations 200.
• Sends Randyll Tarly and Loras west with twenty thousand elite troops to block Tywin’s reinforcements 200.
• Uses catapults to throw food into the starving city, provoking desperate scrambles while the authorities lose control 201.
• Enters after the population overthrows the Lannister regime and opens the gates 203.

Relationships

• Robert Baratheon — Elder brother and king. Renly serves on his council but repeatedly provokes him; Robert eventually dismisses him as Master of Laws and orders him back to Storm’s End 55 150 154.
• Stannis Baratheon — Elder brother and rival claimant. Their council exchanges are antagonistic, and Renly blames Stannis for revealing his queen-replacement scheme to Eddard. Stannis later rejects Renly’s royal claim 55 147 175.
• Margaery Tyrell — Wife and queen. Originally intended by Renly to replace Cersei as Robert’s wife, she instead marries Renly at Highgarden. Their lack of a child becomes a political vulnerability 111 174 194.
• Loras Tyrell — Squire and intimate companion whose closeness to Renly fuels court rumors. Margaery later notes that Renly increasingly spends his nights in Loras’s tent. Loras reacts to the destruction of King’s Landing by charging toward the flames 111 174 200 206.
• Mace Tyrell — Partner in the plan to make Margaery queen. Mace’s collapse under questioning helps convince Robert that the conspiracy is real 111 154.
• Olenna Tyrell — Principal ally at Highgarden. She supports his coronation despite Mace’s captivity and works to protect the marriage alliance from rumors about his ability to produce an heir 174 200.
• Petyr Baelish — Co-conspirator and intelligence source. Littlefinger proposes removing Eddard as Hand in exchange for land and a title, then later supplies Renly with military intelligence 147 200.
• Eddard Stark — Initially a potential supporter, later an adversary. Eddard investigates Renly’s scheme and publicly accuses him of poisoning Jon Arryn, although Renly’s private thoughts establish that he did not commit the murder 127 138 147 153.
• Cersei Lannister — Target of Renly’s effort to replace the queen. After the plot becomes public, she develops a deep hatred of Renly and the Tyrells 111 154 172.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Plot to Replace Cersei

Renly proposes that Robert set Cersei aside and marry Margaery Tyrell. The plan draws on Baelor Hightower’s claim that Margaery resembles Lyanna Stark, whose memory still holds Robert’s affection. Olenna approves the proposal and helps organize the Reach’s support for the Stepstones campaign to improve House Tyrell’s standing 111.

Renly arranges for a discreet portrait of Margaery, ideally concealed inside a pendant, to show Eddard. His first opportunity disappears when Eddard leaves King’s Landing before Renly can visit. He also rejects Loras’s suggestion to send Margaery directly to court, citing her youth and the danger of Cersei persecuting her 111 127.

He eventually shows Eddard the portrait and asks whether Margaery resembles Lyanna. Eddard denies the resemblance and recognizes that Renly intends to exploit Robert’s attachment to his dead sister 138.

Jon Arryn’s Murder Accusation

Eddard receives a warning about Renly’s scheme from someone appearing as Stannis, followed later by an unsigned letter accusing Renly of Jon Arryn’s murder. Eddard reasons that Jon would have opposed replacing Cersei and therefore considers Renly the suspect with the strongest motive 118 136.

Littlefinger informs Renly of Eddard’s suspicions. Renly knows himself innocent of the murder but fears exposure of the genuine queen-replacement plot. He accepts Littlefinger’s proposal to undermine Eddard and install Mace as Hand 146 147.

After Robert orders Eddard imprisoned over Jon’s parentage, Eddard publicly accuses Renly of plotting against Cersei and poisoning Jon Arryn. Renly demands proof, but Mace faints under pressure. Robert dismisses Renly as Master of Laws and banishes him from court to Storm’s End 153 154.

Coronation at Highgarden

Following Robert’s death, Renly rejects the official claim that Eddard murdered the king and blames the Lannisters. He also declares Robert’s legitimization of his bastards invalid, orders Edric confined, and summons his vassals 173.

At Highgarden, Olenna pledges support despite Tywin holding Mace captive. Renly announces his claim before the assembled Stormlands and Reach nobility, receives their oaths, and is crowned the following morning in the Great Sept. He marries Margaery in the same ceremony 174.

Succession Rumors and Wavering Support

Tanya Merryweather witnesses evidence that Renly consummates his marriage, contradicting rumors that he has no interest in women. Nevertheless, the absence of a pregnancy allows doubts about his fertility to persist 175 194.

Tywin exploits these doubts with secret offers to Renly’s bannermen. Orton Merryweather, Parmen Crane, and others consider changing sides, fearing that a childless Renly would leave their alliance without a secure succession. Nearly four months into the marriage, Olenna pressures Margaery to conceive by another man; Margaery asks to defer the matter until King’s Landing falls 193 194 200.

Capture of King’s Landing

Renly’s hundred-thousand-strong army blockades the capital. By the thirtieth day, hunger and unrest overwhelm the defenders, and the ensuing uprising leaves Joffrey’s head displayed at the gates 200 201 203.

Renly enters and orders food distributed, but the High Sparrow publicly denies his right to rule. Renly responds by ordering the crowd arrested and any resistance killed. His knights massacre the believers, and the High Sparrow is taken to the Red Keep’s dungeons 203.

Inside the Red Keep, Renly sits on the Iron Throne, cutting his hand on one of its blades. He orders Margaery brought to the castle and commands a search for Cersei, Tyrion, and the remaining Lannister loyalists 204.

Death and Aftermath

While Renly begins appointing his Small Council, explosions shake the Red Keep. He runs to a terrace and sees green wildfire consuming the capital. The flames engulf him, his followers, and the castle 205.

His death destroys the political bond between the Stormlands and the Reach. The Stormlands proclaim Edric king, while Highgarden subsequently crowns Gendry. The Reach invokes Renly’s death among its reasons for seeking vengeance against the Lannisters 207 208.

Notable Quotes

“To the eternal alliance between Baratheon and Tyrell, and to the future of the Seven Kingdoms!” 174

“Seize this rebel impersonating the High Septon! Arrest them all! Kill anyone who dares resist!” 203