Chapter 193: Lingol's Expedition (XV) Commander of the Divine Eye Lake

Commander of the God's Eye Lake?

Although the knights who participated in the tournament were confused about this position, they didn't care about it. What they cared about was the land, title, and bounty of Harrenhal. As for the position of the so-called Commander of the God's Eye Lake, they didn't care.

But Ringol and the princes around Viserys all changed their faces. The knights didn't know what this position meant, but the princes knew. To be precise, the princes of the "Silver Dragon Party" knew very well what the "Commander of the God's Eye Lake" meant.

Ringol also whispered to his two companions what this position meant. In today's Westeros, there is only one king, that is, the king of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men on the Iron Throne, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, and the Protector of the Realm. This title actually covers the scope and functions of the king's rule, especially the last Protector of the Realm, which represents the most important part of the king's royal power - military power.

When Aegon just ascended the throne, this title belonged to Daemon. After Daemon's death, this title belonged to Dragonzir. Having this title means that Daemon and Dragonzir can exercise royal power in military affairs, that is, when they hold the position of "Protector of the Realm", they can mobilize the armies of all the lords of Westeros.

After Aegon conquered Westeros, the royal families of the original countries retained their ruling rights over the original kingdoms after they bowed their knees. For example, the Stark family, who was once the King of the North, continued to rule the North with the de jure position of "Protector of the North" after Torrhen Stark surrendered the crown of the King of the North. The Arryn family was the "Protector of the East" and "Protector of the Valley", and the Lannister family was the "Protector of the West". There were some changes in the three families who became the feudal lords of their regions after the conquest war. Among them, the Baratheon family, which inherited the Durrandon family, did not change much. Their de jure title for ruling the Stormlands was "Protector of the Stormlands". After the Tyrells were granted the title of Highgarden, they were named "Governor of the Reach" and the Tullys were named "Governor of the Trident". These two governors also symbolize the legal right granted by the Iron Throne to these two families to rule the corresponding areas.

The same is true for the Governor of the Marches of the Vareses family and the Governor of the Turbulent River of the Dayne family. Before the three brothers Longzier came to Westeros, most of the Dorne Marches were controlled by the Stormlands and the Reach, but the title "Guardian of the Marches" symbolizing the ruling power of the Marches had long been inherited by the royal gardener family of the Reach Kingdom and their successors, the Tyrell family. As a result, this title could not be substantially realized for a long time and could only be used as an excuse for friction between the Stormlands and the Reach.

There are some very important positions below them, such as the hereditary position of Stone Road Guardian of the Yronwood family, two families that have now been destroyed, when Dorne was still an independent kingdom. This means that the Yronwood family has the duty to defend the Stone Road with arms. When the enemies of the Stormlands invade from the Stone Road, the Yronwood family must organize troops to resist, and they also have the power to mobilize the armies of nearby vassal states, such as the Weir family, which has also disappeared under the dragon flame. The same is true for the Fowler family, who are the hereditary guardians of the Prince's Pass. Unfortunately, when Longzel led his army south to attack the Weir family, the Yronwood family chose not to fulfill their responsibilities because of greed and short-sightedness, but actively prepared to become kings.

So Dorne lost everything.

The word "commander" is the most obvious in these positions, which is the position of "Frontier Commander" of the Cullens. The scholars of the Citadel believe that this position represents that in the distant past, the Cullens may have ruled this territory as the king of the borderland, or they may be important vassals of the Durrandon family in managing the borderland. In short, the Cullens who hold this position are indeed a powerful family in the Borderlands, and they have indeed organized armies many times in history to resist the Gardener King of the Riverlands and the Dornish army heading north from the Prince's Pass.

And this "Commander of the God's Eye Lake" is a position similar to the "Commander of the Borderlands". If this position was set up when the Fair Folk, Mudd and Teague families ruled the entire Riverlands as kings, then the significance of this position would be very important. Referring to the location of the God's Eye Lake, this position would be responsible for defending against the Stormlanders crossing the Blackwater River, the Vale cavalry rushing from the Bloody Gate, and controlling the east-west communication in the Riverlands through the special location of the God's Eye Lake in the center of the Riverlands.

Here we have to introduce the situation of the Riverlands in detail. The Trident River flows through this fertile land, leaving not only fertile plains, but also a warring land that is like a virgin taking off her clothes. For a long period of time in history, the Riverlands have always been in a state of fragmentation. There are kingdoms of all sizes here, and they all call themselves "Kings of Rivers and Hills". The Mooton family of Maidenfount, the Blackwood family of Raventree, and the Bracken family of Stonehedge have all enjoyed the crown. But the only one who can really be called this title is Tristen Mudd IV, the "Hammer of Justice". Shortly after his death, the Mudd dynasty fell, and the Andal kings ruled this land.

The ancestor of the Tully family, the first Edmure Tully, was once a vassal of Tristen IV. After the fall of the Mudd dynasty, Edmure knelt and surrendered to the Andal conqueror Armistead Vanth, and Armistead rewarded Edmure Tully with the territory where Riverrun is now. Soon, Riverrun's strategic location in the western riverlands made the Tully family one of the most important families in the riverlands.

Every king of rivers and hills needs the Tully family's Riverrun as an outpost and fortress to resist the invasion of the Westerlands. After all, the natural barrier of the Golden Tooth leading to the mountains of the Westerlands is in the hands of the Lannister family. When the lion comes out of the mountain, only the trout protected by the river can stop the lion's claws.

After the Teague Dynasty was destroyed in the bloody War of the Six Kings, the Storm King still valued the Tully family. The patriarch of the Tully family held many important positions during the three centuries of the Durrandon Dynasty and continued to serve as an important military force to resist the Westerlands for a long time.

Scholars speculated that the hereditary position of the Tully family at that time might be "Commander of Riverrun" or "Commander of the Red Fork".

Perhaps because of this, when the Durrandon Dynasty ruled the Riverlands, the name of the Tully family was not among the riverland lords who raised the banner of rebellion.

Of course, the Storm King did not completely trust the Tully family. According to the speculation of the scholars, the Frey family was most likely a nail that the Storm King assigned to the river crossing. On the one hand, it was to resist the invasion of the North, and on the other hand, it was to monitor the lords of the West Riverlands, especially Blackwood and Bracken, as well as Tully.

This may be the fundamental reason why the Frey family is unpopular.

After the invasion of the Ironmen, the Hall family unified the Riverlands and the Iron Islands with bloody means and established the River Islands Kingdom. The Tully family insisted on resisting together with the Blackwood family during the invasion of the Ironmen, but was attacked by Bracken and eventually defeated. However, during the period when the Hall family ruled the Riverlands, the Tully family did not suffer much damage, also because of the strategic position of Riverrun.

"Black Heart" Harren noticed the centrifugalism of the lords of the Riverlands, especially the lords of the West Riverlands. Most of them had worn crowns and had long resisted the invasion of the West. Their military force was also considerable. In order to check and balance the lords of the West Riverlands. It is also to weaken the lords of the Riverlands and satisfy their own desires. Harren Hall built Harrenhal on the shore of the God's Eye Lake.

"So, Rhaegon, Elarion, do you know the reason for Harrenhal's location?" Ringol frowned and said, "Harrenhal is not only the center of the riverlands, but also the hub of the east and west riverlands. A God's Eye Lake Commander appointed by the royal family is set up here." Now is not the time for the Seven Kingdoms to fight. Setting up a military position here is definitely not to resist the invasion of the Stormlands, the Crownland or the Vale.

Then there is only one reason.

This position is used to dilute the power of the Governor of the Trident River.

Through this position, King's Landing can remotely control the river lords under the influence of Harrenhal.

"What does Viserys want to do?" Ringol did not understand the reason why Viserys set up this position.

Did he want to push the river lords to the opposite side of himself?

Did he really think that the royal family could influence the river lords through a new noble with no foundation?

Ringol could clearly see that the faces of Duke Kermit, Lord Frey and Earl Benjico had become not so good.

And Lord Bracken.

It was very rare that Blackwood and Bracken both had dark faces.

This was not funny.

Ringol finally gradually understood his father's concerns in other areas.

"Then we," Regen whispered.

"We'll take it one step at a time." Ringol's face gradually calmed down, and he said coldly: "These things are not our turn to worry about."

The tournament started soon.

In fact, without any famous knights or prominent figures participating, the game was not suspenseful at all. Even Albin was knocked off his horse after knocking down a king's knight. Cain even defeated several knights in a row before he was defeated.

Not to mention Ringol and his team, it can be said that it was a one-sided battle. However, Ringol and his team were very cautious. They left the venue after winning a round and chose to watch the entire tournament. After all, Viserys was too familiar with Ringol and his team, and they were also worried about being recognized.

Ringol felt embarrassed and worried that exposing his identity would interfere with his "watching the show", so he chose to watch coldly.

Sir Lucas was indeed very brave. He defeated seventeen knights in a row, including Sir Oscar Tully, the brother of Duke Kermit. Finally, he rode his horse around the arena, seeking challenges.

Viserys looked at the scene in front of him with satisfaction. At this moment, Igarath, who had been lying beside him with some doubts, suddenly touched Viserys as if he had discovered something.

"What's wrong? Igarath?"