Renly Baratheon is a fictional character in the ''
A Song of Ice and Fire
''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is a series of high fantasy novels by the American author George R. R. Martin. Martin began writing the first volume, ''A Game of Thrones'', in 1991, and published it in 1996. Martin, who originally envisioned the ser ...
'' series of
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
novels by American author
George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation ''
Game of Thrones
''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...
''.
Introduced in 1996's ''
A Game of Thrones'', Renly is the youngest of the three sons of
Lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage o ...
Steffon Baratheon and Cassana Estermont, and the younger brother of
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
and
Stannis Baratheon. He is Lord of
Storm's End and
Lord Paramount
A lord paramount is a term of art in feudal law describing an overlord who holds his own fief from no superior lord. It thus describes a person who holds allodial title, owing no socage or feudal obligations such as military service. This was d ...
of the
Stormlands. He served as master of laws in his eldest brother's small council, before crowning himself king in the wake of Robert's death with the support of the
Reach and the
Stormlands, an act that helps kick off the
War of Five Kings. This brings him into conflict with his older brother Stannis, whose claim is greater.
Renly's
homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...
relationship with
Loras Tyrell is alluded to in the books and is made clearly evident in the television show. Both men are among Martin's most prominent LGBTQ characters, although Renly and Loras' adapted relationship and the show's portrayal of the latter has received mixed criticism.
Renly Baratheon is portrayed by
Gethin Anthony in the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
television adaptation.
Character description
Renly Baratheon is the younger brother of King
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
and of King
Stannis. He is a handsome and charismatic man that wins friends easily, which makes him popular with the smallfolk. He is thought to look extremely similar to his older brother Robert, albeit smaller and slimmer, inheriting the Baratheon height and long black hair. Although he is well-liked and charismatic, many powerful lords at court secretly consider him to be vain and frivolous. He is described as disdainful of reading, although he enjoys hunting and
jousting
Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism.
The term is derived from Old French , ultim ...
. Renly is also a
closeted gay man engaged in a relationship with
Loras Tyrell.
Renly is not a
point of view character in the novels, so his actions are witnessed and interpreted through the eyes of other people, such as
Ned and
Catelyn Stark. He is also often mentioned and remembered by
Brienne of Tarth, who had fallen in love with him at a young age. Renly is mostly a background character in the novels.
Storylines
Renly Baratheon is the youngest of the Baratheon brothers and Lord of Storm's End. He is described as handsome and charismatic, winning friends easily. Renly serves on Robert's council as Master of Laws. After Robert dies, Renly declares himself King of the Seven Kingdoms in ''A Clash of Kings'', wins the support of the Baratheon bannermen as he is their Lord Paramount, and seals an alliance with
House Tyrell by marrying
Margaery Tyrell. Before he can march on the capital though, he hears Stannis is besieging Storm's End. Renly marches there, intending to kill his brother in battle, and turning down an offer to become Stannis' heir. Before the battle he is assassinated by a shadow conjured by
Melisandre, though it is unclear if Stannis is aware of this or not.
TV adaptation

Renly Baratheon is played by the British actor
Gethin Anthony in the television adaptation of the series of books.
Gethin Anthony on his character: "The reason why I like playing him is I think he's a fantastic man who believes in Westeros being a cultured and enlightened place. His major advantage, and why he gets on well in the world, is that he gets on well with people."
Season 1
Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, is the youngest brother of King Robert and Master of Laws in the Small Council. He is popular with the people because he is handsome, jovial, and throws extravagant balls and masquerades. He is not fond of fighting or bloodshed, and would rather make friends than kill enemies. He is secretly the lover of Ser
Loras Tyrell, the Knight of the Flowers, who convinces him that those qualities make him better ruling material than either of his older brothers. While Robert lies dying, Renly attempts to convince Ned of this, and that the two of them should kidnap Joffrey and rule the realm themselves. However, Ned refuses, so Renly, Loras, and their followers flee south. Once Joffrey becomes King and has Ned executed, Renly challenges his alleged nephew's claim to the throne.
Season 2
Renly declares himself King of the Seven Kingdoms during Season 2 and wins the support of the Baratheon bannermen and the support of other houses, despite Stannis' better claim. He also seals an alliance with the powerful House Tyrell and its bannermen (including Randyll Tarly, father of
Samwell Tarly) by marrying Margaery Tyrell. He leads his massive army slowly through southern Westeros, biding his time. Catelyn Stark tries to convince Renly and Stannis to put aside their differences and unite against the Lannisters but it fails as both brothers refuse to give up their claim for the throne. On the night before a battle between his and Stannis' forces, Renly agrees to allow Robb Stark to keep the title "King in the North" and rule the North and Riverlands, but on the condition that he swear fealty to Renly as King on the Iron Throne. Before Catelyn can offer a real negotiation, Renly is assassinated by
Melisandre, who gives birth to a shadow demon and sends it to kill Renly in order to remove him from Stannis' path. Stannis is initially unaware of the exact nature of Melisandre's crime, and is later visibly shocked and saddened of the role he played in his brother's death, which he visibly regrets.
Season 5
Renly is later avenged in the
Season 5 finale when Brienne of Tarth executes his brother Stannis after the battle outside Winterfell against the
Boltons, spitefully telling Stannis that Renly was the rightful King.
Family tree of House Baratheon
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baratheon, Renly
A Song of Ice and Fire characters
Fictional murdered people
Literary characters introduced in 1996
Fictional gay men
Fictional kings
Fictional LGBTQ characters in drama television series
Fictional lords and ladies
Orphan characters in literature
Fictional revolutionaries
Fiction about fratricide
Male characters in literature
Male characters in drama television series
Fiction about regicide
Fictional LGBTQ characters in literature
Television characters introduced in 2011
Fictional knights