Game of Thrones: The Trial of Seven EXPLAINED

The Andals’ Origin

Before we get into this religious justice system, we have to explain the culture behind it - the Andals. They originated in Essos thousands of years ago, potentially coming from the Axe peninsula, then settling in Andalos, on the northern tip of the River Rhoyne. The Andals had feudal social structures, creating Knighthood and being ruled by kings, but also war chiefs and warlords. They were some of the greatest craftsmen of their era, building fortified settlements and impressive ships. Legend says their gods, the Seven, once crowned Hugor of the Hill as their first king, alongside promising them vast kingdoms in foreign lands. You may remember Tyrion calling himself Hugor Hill early in his book five villain arc.

The Andal Migration

They eventually migrated to Westeros sometime between six and two thousand years ago, depending on who you ask, landing in the Vale. This is a direct parallel for the real-life Anglo-Saxon invasions of England. It wasn’t always violent, and they eventually allowed the locals to practice their old gods after initial opposition. They established many new kingdoms, then gradually culturally integrated with Westeros. It was easy for them, given they had iron tools while Westeros’ First Men only had simple bronze. It’s unclear why they came; it was partially due to the promise made to Hugor, alongside the growth of Valyria. The Valyrian Freehold was then in its prime, and they made the rest of Essos suffer with dragons and forced subjugation.

The Faith of the Seven

With them, they brought the Faith of the Seven, the now dominant religion in Southern Westeros. Of course, the north still practices the Old Gods, and the Iron Islanders the Drowned God, but all other Westerosi Kingdoms primarily follow the new gods. The ambiguity means you could argue that all gods in Westeros are the same entity, or that they’re all fictional. Despite the name, the Seven are different aspects of the same god, but many people, both within and outside the universe, misinterpret this. Priests of the faith are called septons and septas, with the High Septon leading the religion much like the Pope. If you hadn’t already guessed, it’s clearly inspired by Catholicism, which similarly believes God has three aspects.

The Mother & The Father

One of the more popular aspects is the Mother, who represents motherhood and mercy. You may assume she’s gentle, but when someone needs protecting, she can be one of the ferocious aspects. Ser Duncan believes meeting Egg was the Mother’s doing, as a way of repaying the gods for Ser Arlan’s kindness towards him. There’s also the Father, who is the aspect of justice. The two come together for weddings, plus they each get their own special day, which is the case for all seven aspects. So if you need defending in battle, the Father might be your deity of choice. If you want to protect a loved one, then choose the Mother.

The Maiden & The Crone

The next aspect is the Maiden, who represents maidenhood. Most prayers to the Maiden are made to help young women, as shown when Catelyn prays for Sansa and Arya’s safety. Legends claim she brought the fabled Hugor of the Hill a bride, then the Mother made her so fertile she birthed 44 sons. This was foreseen by the Crone, who is the polar opposite of the Maiden. She’s one of the lesser-mentioned aspects who is claimed to bring wisdom to her followers. The Crone always gets depicted carrying a lamp, highlighting her nature as a guiding figure.

The Warrior & The Smith

Next up is the Warrior, whose name tells you almost everything about him. People pray for him so they might become braver, with him being most popular before battles. In a trial by combat, he’s the one you ask for courage. The Smith is also pretty self-explanatory. He’s always seen with a hammer and represents not just blacksmiths but any craftsmen, including farmers and fishermen. Supposedly, he’s the reason they have horses. If you spot someone wearing an iron hammer necklace, there’s a strong chance the Smith is their favorite aspect. The adored Davos Seaworth is a massive fan of the Smith, praying to him every time a new ship sets sail.

The Stranger

Finally, one of the most interesting aspects - the Stranger. Unlike the others, people don’t like him much, and barely ever pray to him. He’s their equivalent of the Grim Reaper, responsible for guiding souls to the afterlife. His identity is ambiguous, with him generally being considered only half-human. According to the Faceless Men, the Stranger is one face of the Many-Faced God, who similarly represents all gods of death. Unlike the Faith of Seven, the Faceless Men consider death a gift, so they view these death gods in a far more positive light than their western counterparts.

Trial By Combat

Now we’ve got a solid grasp on the religion, we can discuss one of their most famous customs - the trial by combat. It’s inspired by a real-life medieval practice established by the Germanic peoples. It’s believed that if you won the trial, it was the gods showing your innocence. Anyone on trial can request one, but only knights can’t be denied the request. If you’re not a skilled fighter, you can have someone else stand in as your champion. It can be anyone, as long as you’re not a member of the Royal Family, then it must be a member of the Kingsguard. So, if Cersei Lannister were on trial, her best bet would be Jamie, or failing that, make a zombie join the Kingsguard.

Trial of Seven

One famous but rare variation of the custom is the trial of seven. The regular trial by combat is a one versus one, but this is a seven versus seven. It’s believed that having seven combatants increases the likelihood of divine intervention, therefore making the trial more valid. It began way back in Andalos, but the tradition is rarely practiced in Westeros. It ends if the accuser decides to withdraw their accusation, or if they’re instead killed. If, conversely, the accused dies or yields, they are considered guilty. An accused can also fail the trial before it even begins if they can’t get six more men to fight by their side.

Famous Trials

Since Aegon’s Conquest, almost 3 centuries before “Game of Thrones,” there have only been 2 known trials of seven. The first came in 42 AC, when the Faith Militant revolted against the crown. One devout follower, Damon Morrigen, a member of the Warrior’s Sons, challenged King Maegor Targaryen to a trial of seven. It was accepted, then ended with everyone involved dying except Maegor, who passed out for weeks after. The second noteworthy trial happened in 209 AC, but if you want to find out more about that, you’ll have to catch up with the tales of Dunk and Egg.

Did you learn anything today, or did you already know everything discussed today? Let us know in the comments below, and maybe drop a fun fact about the Seven if you have any!