Tywin Lannister

Tywin Lannister
A Song of Ice and Fire character Game of Thrones character
Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister
First appearance	Novel: A Game of Thrones (1996) Television: "You Win or You Die" (2011)
Last appearance	Novel: A Storm of Swords (2000) Television: "The Wars to Come" (2015)
Created by	George R. R. Martin
Portrayed by	Charles Dance (Game of Thrones)
Information
Gender	Male
Title	Lord of Casterly Rock Warden of the West Hand of the King Lord Paramount of the Westerlands
Family	House Lannister
Spouse(s)	Joanna Lannister (also his cousin)
Children	Jaime Lannister Cersei Lannister Tyrion Lannister
Relatives	Tytos Lannister (father) Jeyne Marbrand (mother) Kevan Lannister (brother) Genna Lannister (sister) Tygett Lannister (brother) Gerion Lannister (brother)
Kingdom	The Westerlands The Crownlands

Tywin Lannister is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones.

Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Tywin Lannister is the eldest son of Tytos Lannister. He subsequently appeared in Martin's A Clash of Kings (1998) and A Storm of Swords (2000).

Tywin is portrayed by Charles Dance in the HBO television adaptation.

Tywin Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West. He is a calculating, ruthless, and controlling man.

In his youth, Tywin was dismayed by his father Tytos, who overlooked numerous slights from his bannermen (most notably Houses Reyne and Tarbeck) in order to win their affection. When the Reynes and Tarbecks eventually revolted against the Lannisters' rule, Tywin personally led the Lannister army in exterminating the rebellious vassals, placing the bodies of their entire families on display at Casterly Rock. Impressed with his decisive action in ending the rebellion, Tywin's friend Aerys II Targaryen appointed him as Hand of the King. Despite his ruthlessness, Tywin proved himself a capable leader and his tenure was marked by peace and prosperity. The relationship between Aerys and Tywin grew bitter and he resigned as Hand after Aerys appointed his first son Jaime to the Kingsguard, directly denying him as his heir. Aerys grew increasingly insane, for which he was known as the Mad King.

Tywin eventually married his first cousin Joanna. When she died giving birth to their dwarf son Tyrion, he was devastated and it is said that "the best part of Tywin died with her." He never remarried. Tywin loves his children Cersei and Jaime, but he despises Tyrion for his dwarfism and promiscuity and blames him for Joanna's death. When Tywin discovered that the young Tyrion had eloped with a peasant's daughter, he fell into a cold rage, believing that a Lannister should never stoop so low as to marry lowborns. He had Tyrion's marriage annulled, telling him that the entire love affair was a plot by Jaime to get Tyrion to lose his virginity, his "love" being nothing more than a prostitute. Tywin then had the entire garrison of Casterly Rock gang-rape the girl.