Game of Thrones: The Kingswood Brotherhood, Explained

Game of Thrones

By Joshua Kristian McCoy

Published May 2, 2024

Game of Thrones frequently eschews or subverts classic fantasy tropes. Swords and sorcery certainly appear in the series, but they rarely have the same charm and whimsy of their usual tone. However, some stories in the Seven Kingdoms feel ripped straight from a Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Take the Kingswood Brotherhood, a band of brigands who inspired a heroic coming-of-age tale.

Game of Thrones should have limitless spinoff potential, despite the mess HBO made in its last chapter. Several lovable characters start the story at the end of a fascinating arc. Fans would love to see how powerful knights reached their positions. Everyone who has a personal legend could inspire a feature film about their experience before things went downhill. Game of Thrones isn't that kind of story, but it hides several of them in its lore.

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How did the Kingswood Brotherhood form?

The Kingswood Brotherhood was a band of outlaws who operated in the forest south of King's Landing. They began their criminal affairs during the reign of King Aegon IV Targaryen. Aegon earned the terrible nickname "Aegon the Unworthy" for his reputation as a selfish, gluttonous womanizer. He had countless mistresses, with whom he fathered endless heirs. One of his women slept with Ser Terrence Toyne, a celebrated knight serving in Aegon IV's Kingsguard. King Aegon had Terrence fed to his hounds for his crime, earning the wrath of Terrence's brothers. The two unnamed Toyne brothers attacked the king, but Aegon's brother, Aegon the Dragonknight, sacrificed himself to slay both would-be assassins. House Targaryen would swear enmity against House Toyne. 100 years after Aegon's death, Simon Toyne would gather a band of outlaws to terrorize their enemies and make a profit along the way. They kidnapped nobles, robbed the rich, and became a notable force in King's Landing.

Notable Kingswood Brotherhood members

Simon Toyne is the most iconic member of the Kingswood Brotherhood. He leads the band and lives on in stories told by knights and historians. The books don't record his relationship with the Toyne brothers or Terrence, but he's one of the final members of House Toyne. In between outlaw operations, Simon once competed in a formal tournament, but he lost a joust to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and returned to the forest in shame. Simon led the Kingswood Brotherhood, but several other outlaws ran with him. Some notable examples include:

Fletcher Dick: This archer from the Stormlands earned recognition from many as the greatest shot who ever lived.
Ulmer of the Kingswood: Fletcher's apprentice tells a fantastical story about pinning Kingsguard Commander Gerold Hightower's hand to steal a kiss and some jewels from a Dornish princess.
The Smiling Knight: Though his name never became public knowledge, this creepy figure killed the Lord of Highgarden's cousin. His reputation for madness and swordplay skills led many knights to seek confrontation with him.
Wenda the White Fawn: This young lady gained notoriety by branding those she captured with her sigil.
Big Belly Ben and Oswyn Longneck the Thrice-Hanged: These men have nothing other than their nicknames, but they made the list.

What happened to the Kingswood Brotherhood?

Ulmer and the Smiling Knight's stories held some weight. The death of one noble and the robbery of another may have been standouts among similar incidents. King Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King, finally decided to take action against the Kingswood Brotherhood. He charged Ser Arthur Dayne, Sword of the Morning, with gathering a band of warriors to eliminate the outlaws. His team included Kingsguard knight Ser Barristan Selmy and young Jamie Lannister, then a fifteen-year-old squire. Arthur Dayne was a wise and chivalrous soldier. He discovered the Kingswood Brotherhood's advantage by speaking to the local smallfolk. By advocating for the poor and low-born people of the woods, Ser Dayne earned their trust. The smallfolk, long infuriated by the Mad King's tyranny, supported attacks against the nobles as their only form of rebellion. Ser Dayne won them to his side, erasing the safety of the Kingswood and allowing them to hunt down the outlaws.

The Kingswood Brotherhood kidnapped Jeyne Swann of the Stormlands. Ser Barristan Selmy led a charge to save Lady Jeyne, defeating the Smiling Knight as he approached. He killed Simon Toyne in single combat, earning the lifelong admiration of Jamie Lannister. In their next engagement, Jamie briefly dueled the Smiling Knight. He survived, holding off the killer long enough to let Ser Arthur Dayne intervene. Dayne slayed the Smiling Knight with his legendary longsword, Dawn. Jamie also saved his mentor, Lord Crakehall, from Big Belly Ben. Ser Arthur Dayne knighted Jamie that day, putting him on his legendary path to the Mad King's Kingsguard. The final fate of many Brotherhood members remains unknown. Big Belly Ben escaped, while Simon and the Smiling Knight were not so lucky. Ulmer took the black and became a notable ranger of the Night's Watch. He's still around as Jon Snow takes over the crows, offering his services as an archer and his enjoyable stories.

The Kingswood Brotherhood is a fun band of outlaws that could make for a Robin Hood story. Their motivation isn't as tied to rage against the nobility as it could be, but Ser Dayne's solution demonstrates a dutiful understanding of class warfare. Jamie Lannister and Barristan Selmy may never have gotten where they did without this band of brigands. Game of Thrones is special, but it still has room for young heroes to become knights after defeating a group of forest bandits.