King Joffrey I Baratheon's wedding to Margaery Tyrell was a lavish affair, but it ended in chaos and death. The ceremony was officiated by the High Septon at the Great Sept of Baelor, and the reception took place in the Red Keep. The wedding was attended by various members of House Lannister, House Tyrell, and other nobility. During the reception, Joffrey mocked and tormented his uncle, Tyrion Lannister, and even tried to coerce him into joining a troupe of dwarves reenacting the War of the Five Kings. After a tense standoff, Margaery distracted everyone by announcing the arrival of the traditional pigeon pie. As Joffrey cut into the pie, he declared that he was thirsty and demanded Tyrion be his cupbearer. After taking a gulp of wine, Joffrey started coughing and choking, and soon fell to the ground, gasping for breath. He pointed accusingly at Tyrion, and Cersei Lannister, his mother, immediately ordered Tyrion's arrest, believing him to be the culprit. In the confusion, Sansa Stark, whose family was betrayed by Joffrey, was able to escape with the help of Dontos Hollard.
What You'll Learn
The wedding ceremony
On the morning of the wedding, Joffrey received many gifts from the nobility, including a wedding cloak from his mother, Queen Cersei Lannister, a bow of golden wood from Jalabhar Xho, riding boots from Lady Tanda Stokeworth, a jousting saddle from Ser Kevan Lannister, a scorpion brooch from Prince Oberyn Martell, silver spurs from Ser Addam Marbrand, a tourney pavilion from Lord Mathis Rowan, and a model of King Joffrey's Valor from Lord Paxter Redwyne.
Tyrion Lannister gifted Joffrey a copy of the illuminated Lives of Four Kings, while Lord Mace Tyrell gave him a seven-sided wedding chalice decorated with the sigils of the great houses: a ruby lion, emerald rose, onyx stag, silver trout, blue jade falcon, opal sun, and pearl direwolf. The most impressive gift came from Lord Tywin Lannister, who gave his grandson a Valyrian steel sword, which Joffrey named Widow's Wail. He then used the blade to destroy the book he received from Tyrion.
The marriage ceremony took place at midday, before statues of the Father and the Mother. After the ceremony, the royal procession travelled from the Great Sept to the Red Keep, where the wedding feast was held in the evening.
The wedding feast was a grand affair, with seventy-seven dishes planned for dinner. The entertainment included musicians, a trained bear, Pentoshi tumblers, sword swallowers, and a juggler. There were also performances by Hamish the Harper, Collio Quaynis, and the fools Moon Boy, Butterbumps, and Dontos Hollard. Galyeon sang a song of the Battle of Blackwater with seventy-seven verses. Dancers from the Summer Isles also performed during the wedding feast.
During the feast, Joffrey, who was drunk, repeatedly attempted to provoke his uncle Tyrion, a dwarf. A pair of dwarf jousters entered the throne room atop a dog and a sow and proceeded to mock the Starks and Joffrey's uncles, Renly and Stannis. Joffrey encouraged Tyrion to join them, but he refused and embarrassed the boy king. In retaliation, Joffrey emptied the large royal chalice of wine over Tyrion's head and ordered him to be his cupbearer.
As the feast continued, a large ceremonial pie was brought out, served by six cooks. Ser Ilyn Payne cut into the pie with his sword, releasing doves that flew out. After taking a gulp of wine from the chalice, Joffrey began to cough, each cough more violent than the last. Margaery noticed and shouted that he was choking. Joffrey lurched forward and fell to the ground, desperately gasping for breath and convulsing violently. Panic erupted among the guests, and Lady Olenna Tyrell shouted for the Kingsguard to help their king. Jaime and Cersei rushed to his side, but it was too late. With his last breath, Joffrey pointed accusingly at Tyrion, and Cersei, in her grief and rage, ordered the Kingsguard to arrest him for poisoning the king.
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The wedding feast
During the feast, Joffrey, drunk, repeatedly tried to provoke his dwarf uncle, Tyrion. A pair of dwarf jousters entered the throne room atop a dog and a sow and proceeded to mock the Starks and Joffrey's Baratheon uncles, Renly and Stannis. Joffrey encouraged Tyrion to join them, but Tyrion refused and embarrassed the boy king. In response, Joffrey emptied a large royal chalice of wine over his uncle's head and ordered him to be his cupbearer.
A large ceremonial pie was then brought out, served by six cooks. Ser Ilyn Payne cut the pie with his new greatsword, allowing doves to fly free from it. After drinking deeply from the wedding chalice and eating several handfuls of the pie, Joffrey began to cough, each cough more violent than the last. The knights Garlan Tyrell, Meryn Trant, and Osmund Kettleblack rushed to aid the choking Joffrey, while the court and guests scattered. Joffrey pointed at Tyrion in his dying moments, and Tyrion emptied the remaining wine from the chalice onto the floor.
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Joffrey's cruel entertainment
King Joffrey Baratheon's wedding to Margaery Tyrell was a lavish affair, but it ended in chaos and death. The wedding was a political move to secure the support of the powerful House Tyrell after House Lannister's victory in the Battle of the Blackwater and the Red Wedding.
The wedding ceremony was conducted by the High Septon at the Great Sept of Baelor, and was followed by a feast in the throne room of the Red Keep. The entertainment included musicians, a bear, tumblers, singers, pyromancers, pipers, trained dogs, sword swallowers, and a juggler.
Joffrey's cruelty continued throughout the feast as he repeatedly attempted to humiliate Tyrion, even going so far as to pour wine over his head and demand that he be his cupbearer. Tyrion refused to kneel to his nephew, further enraging the young king.
The cruel entertainment reached its peak with the arrival of a large pie. Joffrey cut into the pie with his sword, releasing a flock of live pigeons. He then demanded that Tyrion serve him more wine, and it was at this moment that he was poisoned. He began to cough and choke, pointing accusingly at Tyrion in his final moments.
Joffrey's death caused panic and confusion among the guests. His mother, Cersei Lannister, immediately accused Tyrion of poisoning her son and had him arrested. In the chaos, Sansa Stark, whose hairnet or necklace was used to smuggle the poison, was able to escape with the help of Dontos Hollard.
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Joffrey's choking
King Joffrey Baratheon's wedding to Margaery Tyrell was a lavish affair, but it ended in chaos and death. The ceremony took place at midday in the Great Sept of Baelor, before statues of the Father and the Mother, with the High Septon officiating. The wedding feast was held in the evening in the throne room of the Red Keep.
Joffrey's death caused panic and confusion, with Cersei immediately accusing Tyrion of poisoning her son and ordering his arrest. Sansa, who was also suspected, managed to escape with the help of Dontos Hollard.
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Tyrion's arrest
At the wedding feast of King Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell, the former chokes to death after drinking poisoned wine. In his dying moments, Joffrey points at his uncle, Tyrion Lannister, who is then arrested by the Kingsguard.
Tyrion is subsequently charged with regicide and confined to the dungeons awaiting trial. Cersei, Joffrey's mother, is convinced of Tyrion's guilt and prepares a strong case against him. She believes that Tyrion, who had often argued with Joffrey, poisoned her son. However, unbeknownst to Cersei, it was actually Olenna Tyrell, Margaery's grandmother, who conspired with Petyr Baelish to have Joffrey murdered.
Tyrion's trial is a mere show trial, with all the witnesses against him being either his enemies or those who have been bribed or cajoled by Cersei or his father, Tywin Lannister. Tyrion is not allowed to cross-examine the witnesses, and it is clear that he has no chance of acquittal. Ultimately, Tyrion demands a trial by combat, a decision that has dire consequences.
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Frequently asked questions
King Joffrey Baratheon chokes to death on poison.
Olenna Tyrell poisons Joffrey by slipping a crystalized form of "the strangler" into his wine.
Cersei Lannister, Joffrey's mother, accuses Tyrion Lannister of poisoning her son and has him arrested. Sansa Stark, who was also in attendance at the wedding, escapes with Dontos Hollard.