The Citadel

House Cole

General Information

The only member of the house to be mentioned is Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard for Viserys I and Aegon II. While King Viserys lay dying, he convinced Aegon to seize the throne despite the fact that it was known that Viserys preferred his eldest child, Rhaenyra, to succeed him. Cole eventually paid for this with his life, and apparently that of his House as well as it seems clear that they no longer exist. He was known as the Kingmaker, and seems to have been seen as one of the greatest and one of the worst of the Kingsguard to ever serve.

Various motivations are ascribed to him for pushing Aegon as he did. It may have been pure ambition, as Aegon was more tractable, or he may have been upholding the ancient Andal tradition of preferring sons to daughters in the succession. Some rumors claim that he was Rhaenyra’s lover before he joined the Kingsguard, and was spurned by her after he took the white, leading him to act out of revenge.