Who Was The Best King?

[Jane Bennet]

First of all, I want to assure you I like all the Kings of Narnia. And just because we might like one better than the others, that doesn't mean the others are bad. They're all nice. But which one is your personal favorite?

[Anfinwen]

That is a difficult question. I got my choices down to Caspian and Edmund. First I picked Edmund and then I changed to Caspian. Edmund was just, but Caspian was there for Narnia when they needed a king. He (with Aslan's help) established a whole line of kings who also reigned well and protected Narnia. He was brave but humble. And I really like Caspian.

[Eustace]

My personal favorite King is Edmund. But as in who ruled the best or made the best decisions I don't know. Mostly, because the books were not really telling us that. But I loved him as King in the Horse and His Boy.

[DamselJillPole]

Most definitely King Tirian for me
There's something sweet about him, such a gentleman and I love some of his minor sarcasm.

[King_Erlian]

I voted "Other", because my vote would be for King Frank. He shows his strength of character while still in London, and I think it's great that, while they're standing in the darkness before Narnia's creation began, he decides to cheer everyone up by singing a hymn. His conversation with Aslan is brilliant.

Since Rilian and Tirian were included in the poll, I assume it's OK to vote for Frank, even though this thread is in the "Movie" section and the films featuring those characters haven't been made yet...

[GlimGlum]

MOD NOTE: Moved this from the Cast and Character Discussion forum as kings other than those from the first 3 movies are included in the poll. At present, only the books have them all. King_Erlian noticed that.

[waggawerewolf27]

Thank you. I am another who voted for other. My ideal king was King Lune from Horse and His Boy. This character defined to his long-lost sone what is meant by a good king. To be first in attack and last in retreat. To laugh heartily over a scantier meal than any of his subjects in hardship among other things. And we saw that he had no easy task when his country was threatened not only by the White Witch (how was it she never did much to King Lune, I wonder?) but also by the Tisroc to the south. And it must have hurt him to lose his elder son, even though he was lucky to have that son's twin for ten years or more.

[PhelanVelvel]

I feel that King Peter is the High King for a reason. Although he doesn't appear many times, there is a feeling I get from him like, this guy is the real deal. I mean, for one, he lead the Narnians in one of the most important battles they ever had to fight, and he did it after being in Narnia for only a few days. I know the magic and air of Narnia changed him some, but really, at heart, he was still a boy, and for him to stand up to a responsibility like that, something he didn't sign up for, and still do it because it was right, that takes a lot of courage.

When he fights against Miraz, he is noble beyond what most people could be expected of, by not finishing off his enemy when he was down. And he is the first child, along with Susan, to be "banished" from Narnia. He is the eldest, but he never forgets their Narnian adventures and never tries too hard to be grown-up. He just strikes me as someone with courage, humility, kindness, and mercy. I would not fear the possibility of tyranny while living as a subject under Peter, nor would I fear incompetence. He just stands up to anything thrown at him, but never pushes anyone else down without a real reason.

I don't think he should be blamed for Edmund's treachery, I don't think he was too hard on Edmund. I think Edmund needed to hear that he was being a brat. His being scolded for being a brat just so happened to coincide with them stumbling upon a magical world in a wardrobe where, in an hour of weakness and immaturity, Edmund would be tempted. Peter's words were reasonable, I think, he was just trying to get Edmund to stop bullying Lucy, a rather kingly decision.

Also, don't get me wrong, I love Caspian. I like that he has faults and everything, I don't hold it against him, if anything, it makes me like him more. I also love Tirian, he is a great king even in the face of utter destruction. But Peter really has this demeanour about him, like, that he will be good and true and courageous in the face of any challenge.

[Louloudi the Centaur]

Quite honestly, I like the one true King of Narnia: Aslan. None of the human Narnian kings could ever compare to the great things that the Lion did Himself.

[waggawerewolf27]

Ooh, Aslan would be the best king of course. But the others have their good points. And whilst it is best to have a head of state to hold a place together, there needs to be a representative of that head of state whilst the head honcho is away, which is why we have all these kings. And Aslan has other responsibilities besides looking after Narnia.

I've often wondered why there needed to be 4 kings and queens of Narnia. High King Peter is a bit like the Apostle Peter in the Gospels. I'd imagined that everyone looks up to him, and the others deputise for him when he is away fighting giants, or go on diplomatic missions for him. I like Edmund, who reminds me of poor Edmund Ironside from whom all of UK's kings and queens are descended, apart from the first 2 Williams. Why are Susan and Lucy rulers in their own right, along with their brothers, I wonder, when traditionally women weren't expected to hold much power?

I also like King Frank and King Lune as both give a good idea of what is required of a suitably good king. Whilst I am sure that Caspian was a good king, I'm not at all sure that the job wasn't a bit too much for him, especially when his wife died. I think he paid a terrible price for being a good king.

Do you think that all these kings have something to teach about how to conduct oneself and manage one's own affairs in real life? What about the bad kings and 1 bad governor? Do they have something to teach by their bad examples?

[De_De]

I agree with Wagga that of course Aslan is the best, but in respect of Human Kings, I think that Peter is the best. I know we don't really hear a lot about his rule, but it was during his reign that Narnia knew it's Golden Age. We know from LWW and HHB that King Peter was just and kind. We also see his wisdom and integerty in PC. I mean it's no wonder he was the High King.

A very close second is King Tirian. I mean he was the last king of Narnia, and he was faithful till the end.

Oh yes Wagga, I think that all of the Narnian kings had something to them. Something that stood out, and something that you could learn from. I think that lewis made sure that all the good kings in Narnia we special. And even though you can see that they are humans, just like you and me, they each have this kingly quality to them. Something that makes them stand out from other people.

[Louloudi the Centaur]

Well, of course Aslan was bound to be the best. However, of the human and human-like kings, I really liked Tirian. He fought until the very end in the name of Aslan.

Rilian, I can't really judge, since most of the story he is escaping the Underworld.

[waggawerewolf27]

Poor Rilian the Disenchanted! At first he seemed a bit frivolous, and really he should have been assisting his Dad, instead of going off on maying trips. But when we finally meet him for real, once he shook off the LOTGK, he did seem a bit better.

He must have married for Tirian to be the 'seventh in line' from him (LB p.50), and at the end of SC, we are told he ruled well, though it was sort of like the lull before the storm, as Puddleglum would have said. I doubt that Rilian went on any maying expeditions for the rest of his life.

What do we know of King Erlian? Tirian seems to have thought rather well of him.

[Varnafinde]

I chose Caspian mainly because of what we hear about the land of Narnia while he is King.

He must have managed to unite the Telmarines and the Old Narnians well enough that after a few years, everything goes smoothly and he can leave on a year's mission to look for the Seven Lords. He has subdued the Giants in the north, and everything is peaceful.

Later, when tragedy strikes and he loses his wife and (temporarily) his son, his rule is well enough established that, after ten years, he can again leave on a ship, this time to ask for Aslan's advice, and leave the government to Trumpkin. And some months later, things are still peaceful, and people are enjoying the great snowball dance.

[AnimalOfNarnia]

I don't have a particular opinion at this point.

[wild rose]

When I saw the vote, the first thought that passed through my mind was "Peter of course" haha. Of course, it's rather hard to choose between kings, because each has their good and bad sides, and in reality, all those kings were good and the best in their own situation. But of all of them, I like King Peter the best, I mean, there was a reason why he is the High King and why during his reign Narnia had it's golden age (well, yes, he did have his brother and sisters to advise and help him, but well, work with me ) I mean, he wasn't called King Peter the Magnificant for nothing

(and of course, Aslan is the best of all kings, that's why he remains the high king over all high kings of Narnia, but I am talking about the human kings who reigned for a certain period of time, so of all those kings, I think Peter is the best. )