When she legitimised Gendry, Daenerys had not won the Iron Throne.
She died before her coronation
and Gendry was at the Great Council before
Bran was crowned King.
How was Gendry able to become Lord of Storm's End?
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Legitimise?Not really but - movies.stackexchange.com/questions/100507/…– Paulie_DCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:08
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62Power resides where men believe it resides.– Paul D. WaiteCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:25
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1Edward VII was king despite never being crowned - coronation is not a pre-requisite– Dale MCommented May 23, 2019 at 5:37
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5 Answers
Because she was Queen of the Seven Kingdoms under those that follow her. Those that were following Dany's claim and trying to dethrone Cersei acknowledged the claim. Those on Cersei's side probably didn't even know about it and if they did I doubt they would have recognised it as true, after all Cersei is the rightful queen not Dany, right?
In either case it doesn't matter, Daenerys won the war and became Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, it does not matter that she never made it to the coronation. Once she was queen she could pass it through as law and fact.
And anyway, those on the Great Council are also those that would support Gendry as a Baratheon and his claim to Storm's End, there would be nothing to gain really by questioning it. In fact it would only likely turn people against you rather than with you.
Lastly, it is quite convenient and fills a gap that people were unsure of what to do about. No one knew who was Lord of Storm's End and having a Baratheon, even a bastard born one, take the Lordship is the best option to appease those in the Stormlands as they wouldn't want some outsider taking the seat.
answered May 21, 2019 at 16:15
As far as Targaryen loyalists are concerned, Daenerys was the rightful and trueborn Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the Firstmen by birthright, she didn't need to sit on the throne to be that. She became Princess of Dragonstone (Heir apparent) the moment she was born and became the head of the Targaryen dynasty and the Queen when her brother Viserys third of his name died. Of course, by primogeniture, the de-facto law of Targaryen inheritance, Jon was the King by birthright. But Jon didn't know that, nobody did, so in absence of a male claimant, Daenerys claimed that right by both primogeniture and proximity.
Later, Jon Snow had sworn fealty to Daenerys so even that obstacle was removed from her path. She was well within her rights when she legitimised Gendry. At least as far as Targaryen loyalists are concerned, which at that time, Gendry was. All the people who assembled at the Great Council were effectively Targaryen sworn bannermen at that point.
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2@Amarth Renly didn't need to, he had the Lords behind him, there were no lands he had to parcel out or succession squabbles he needed to handle. Stannis however did, he raised Davos Seaworth to Lordship of Rainwood. A better counter-argument would be Rhaenyra Targaryen. She fought against her brother Aegon II for the crown. As self-styled Queen (Her brother sat the Iron Throne, wore the Conqueror's crown and bore the conqueror's sword), she legitimised Alyn and Addam Waters as Alyn and Addam Velaryon. She was defeated eventually and no one disputed Alyn's right to hold Driftmark– AegonCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:19
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3It all depends on if the winner of the war chose to dispute it or not. As for the specific case of Stannis, I believe a Great Lord can appoint Lords within their own land? Besides Davos was made Lord before the books begin iirc? My point is, he was also appointed to Hand of the King.– AmarthCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:26
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1@Amarth Sure it does. Everything at the end of the day is subjective. Aegon II needed Alyn Velaryon and his grandfather Corlys Velaryon so he didn't dispute it. Just as Bran and others did not dispute Gendry's legitimisation. Since Jon was tried and sentenced for regicide and Tyrion was tried for treason, this is an implicit acknowledgement of Daenerys being the rightful Queen.– AegonCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:32
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1@Aegon Who told you, Grey Worm? I wouldn't trust that guy in this particular matter :)– AmarthCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:42
Indeed it doesn't make much sense, but it all boils down history being written by the winners.
While the crown is being contested between Daenerys and Cersei, all who are appointed to titles can only count on keeping them as long as their side win and the winner is crowned Queen by the High Septon and sits on the Iron Throne.
So when Gendry accepted, it means he was betting his life on Daenerys winning the war. And she did, but there was never enough time after the battle to formally crown her. She won't count as a Queen of The Seven Kingdoms unless those writing the history see it fit to include her. The same goes for Cersei.
Now as it happens, there's none to contest Gendry's claim and nobody has a reason to. He fought on the winning side.
You don’t need to be crowned to acquire the powers of a monarch — you become the monarch as soon as your predecessor dies. Daenerys was legally Queen of the Seven Kingdoms as soon as Viserys died back in season 1. The United Kingdom still had a head of state between 6 February 1952 (when George VI died) and 2 June 1953 (when Elizabeth II was crowned). The coronation is a formality, not the moment when you become the monarch.
answered May 21, 2019 at 16:09
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1No it doesn't work like that while the title is being contested. Otherwise everyone appointed to various titles by the pretenders Stannis and Renly would still hold their titles. Davos would for example be Hand of the King.– AmarthCommented May 21, 2019 at 16:15
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1@Amarth If Stannis has won, then his appointment of Davos would have stood, even though it was made before he was crowned. The Great Council recognised Daenerys as the legitimate monarch during that period, so her acts remained valid. The only other choice would have been Cersei, after all. Commented May 21, 2019 at 16:23
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@MikeScott Stannis' appointment to Davos stood anyway I believe– TheLethalCarrot ♦Commented May 21, 2019 at 16:26
Daenerys wasn't able to legitimize Gendry.
As @PaulDWaite said in a comment on your question: "Power resides where men believe it resides" - and men do not believe it resides with some some nobody who walks down from the North. Not only would the lords of the Stormlands not recognize Gendry, they would not even be told about his claim. Hell, he wouldn't even been able to enter Storm's End, assuming the castellan and the guards are not asleep at their posts. They have absolutely no reason to entertain his delusions of grandeur.
In fact, even if Daenerys had not been assassinated she would have had trouble legitimizing Gendry. She has no proof except a bunch of Northmen and foreigners' say-so. I suppose she would be able to force Gendry down the Stormlanders' throats - with her hosts of foreign fighters - but "legitimacy through arms" takes a few generations to stick. Just think back to the rebellions during Aenys I's reign.
This is yet another example of ridiculously poor writing on the show - the end point of several years of deterioration in quality.
answered May 22, 2019 at 17:36
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"In fact, even if Daenerys had not been assassinated she would have had trouble legitimizing Gendry. She has no proof except a bunch of Northmen and foreigners' say-so." well not quite though; she can legitimize whomever she wants to. No one has to rely on what the Northmen say if the Queen just says "hey, Gendry is now a legitimate Baratheon and heir to Storm's End". If she hadn't been assassinated then there would be no need to prove what she had said back at Winterfell. Commented May 22, 2019 at 18:18
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Besides -- all the lordships are given by royal decree. It's not that crazy. Commented May 22, 2019 at 18:20
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Okay no you're right, I was wrong to say "all" -- however, we see time and time again in the books that modern lordships are shuffled around and handed out to friends whenever there's a turn of the tide at King's Landing. Commented May 22, 2019 at 20:41