Ser Duncan the Tall was a legendary Westerosi knight from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire universe, a lowborn orphan who rose to become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under King Aegon V Targaryen.

Who Ser Duncan Was

Ser Duncan, nicknamed “Dunk,” started life as an orphan in Flea Bottom, the poorest district of King’s Landing, and was taken on as a squire by the hedge knight Ser Arlan of Pennytree.

After Ser Arlan’s death, Dunk assumed his arms and name, presenting himself as a knight and eventually earning real fame through his courage, size, and strong sense of honor.

Role in Westeros History

Dunk wandered the Seven Kingdoms as a hedge knight and took on a bald young boy as his squire, not knowing he was Prince Aegon Targaryen, later King Aegon V “the Unlikely.”

Their adventures are told in the Dunk and Egg novellas, where Duncan’s choices at events like the Ashford tourney and the Blackfyre rebellions help shape the political future of Westeros.

Rise to Lord Commander

When Aegon V eventually took the Iron Throne, Duncan joined the Kingsguard and rose to become its Lord Commander, famed for being nearly seven feet tall and for his straightforward, chivalrous nature.

As Lord Commander, he fought in key conflicts such as the later Blackfyre rebellions and duels on behalf of the crown, reinforcing his reputation as a legendary champion of the realm.

Character and Legacy

Dunk is consistently depicted as humble, self‑doubting, and kind, more concerned with living up to the ideals of knighthood than with glory or titles, which makes him stand out in the often cynical politics of Westeros.

His story serves as a grounded, almost fairy‑tale counterpoint to the darker events of Game of Thrones , and in current adaptations and discussions he is often held up as the “true knight” fans wish they saw more of on screen.

Fate and Ongoing Relevance

Duncan is said to have died at the Tragedy of Summerhall, a mysterious fire that killed King Aegon V and many others, with accounts implying he died trying to save people from the flames.

With the new series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and ongoing lore videos and articles, “who was Ser Duncan the Tall” has become a trending question again, as viewers meet the humble hedge knight who grows into one of Westeros’s greatest legends.

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