- "No act done in the service of the Lord of Light can ever be a sin."
- ―Selyse Baratheon
Selyse Baratheon, née Florent, is a recurring character in the second and third seasons. Selyse is the wife of Stannis Baratheon. She was originally played uncredited by Sarah MacKeever and debuts in "The North Remembers". The role was recast for the third season with Tara Fitzgerald taking over.
Biography
Background
She is the wife of Stannis Baratheon, the Lord of Dragonstone and claimant to the Iron Throne. She was born into House Florent of Brightwater Keep, a noble house of the Reach and bannermen of House Tyrell.[1]
Selyse and Stannis have a single daughter, Princess Shireen Baratheon. The rest of Selyse and Stannis' offspring, Petyr, Tommard, and Edric, were all stillborn. She keeps their bodies in crystal containers filled with chemicals in her chambers.
Season 2
Queen Selyse is present at the ritual burning of the statues of the Seven on the shores of Dragonstone, standing at the side of her husband and King. When Stannis pulls the flaming Lightbringer from one of the statues, she kneels alongside the rest of the worshippers of the Lord of Light. After the ceremony is over, Stannis extends his hand and Selyse rises to her feet to walk after him.[2]
Melisandre notes that Selyse has failed to give Stannis a son, only stillborn boys, and that Selyse is sickly and often confined to her tower at Dragonstone.[3]
Stannis later recalls to Ser Davos Seaworth how his wife nearly died during the siege of Storm's End during Robert's Rebellion before Davos was able to breach the lines and bring supplies in.[4]
Season 3
Appearances
Template:Season Two Appearances Template:Season Three Appearances
Family tree
Template:House Florent family tree
Behind the scenes
Sarah MacKeever as Selyse in "The North Remembers"
Selyse was initially played uncredited by Sarah MacKeever who only appeared in the second season premiere "The North Remembers", standing in the crowd during the scene in which Stannis burns the idols of the Seven, though she has no dialogue and isn't identified on-screen.[2] The character was confirmed as returning for the third season in May 2012.[5] Tara Fitzgerald was announced in the role in July 2012.[6]
Actress Tara Fitzgerald has previously starred in the TV series The Body Farm along with Keith Allen, real life father of actor Alfie Allen.
In the books
In A Song of Ice and Fire, Selyse is Stannis' wife. They have a single child, their daughter Shireen. Selyse is tall and thin with sharp features, has the large ears typical of the Florents, pale eyes, sharp nose and hair growth on her upper lip. She is not considered attractive. She is a fanatical believer of the Lord of Light, and places great trust in Melisandre. Indeed, Selyse was actually the first member of Stannis' household that Melisandre converted to the eastern religion. This extends to the point that those of Stannis' followers who take up worship of the Lord of Light are nicknamed "Queen's Men", referring to Selyse - though some use this in a disparaging sense, referring to Melisandre as the "Queen", to point out that Stannis follows her counsel more closely than that of his wife. It is uncertain whether Selyse is aware that Stannis had sexual encounters with Melisandre, and if she cares.
There is no mentioning in the novels that Selyse ever gave birth to stillborn boys, nor that she is sickly and often confined to her tower.
References
See also
- Selyse Florent at A Wiki of Ice and Fire. (MAJOR spoilers from the books)
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