Tywin Lannister was one of the most powerful and feared characters in Game of Thrones. As patriarch of House Lannister, Tywin controlled the wealthiest house in Westeros and served as Hand of the King for multiple rulers. Known for his ruthless pragmatism and cunning political maneuvers, Tywin was not a man prone to sentiment or emotional attachments. However, even the cold-hearted Tywin Lannister had a small circle of loved ones that he cared for deeply.
His Children
First and foremost, Tywin loved his three children – Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion. Though his love was often expressed through harsh lessons and discipline, he wanted his children to carry on the Lannister legacy and maintain their grip on power in the Seven Kingdoms. Here’s an overview of Tywin’s complex relationships with each of his children:
Cersei Lannister
As Tywin’s only daughter, Cersei had a special place in her father’s plans and ambitions. Though women were barred from inheriting lands or titles in their own right, Tywin hoped to use Cersei’s beauty and cunning to secure greater power for House Lannister through marriage. When she was still a young girl, Tywin arranged for Cersei to marry Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, which would have made her the future Queen of Westeros. However, after Rhaegar married Elia Martell of Dorne instead, Tywin betrothed Cersei to King Robert Baratheon following Robert’s Rebellion. As Robert’s queen, Cersei was able to influence the Iron Throne and further Tywin’s political goals from behind the scenes.
Tywin recognized Cersei’s talent for political maneuvering and desire for power. He allowed her room to exercise authority, trusting her to make decisions that would strengthen House Lannister. Cersei craved her father’s validation and approval. During the War of Five Kings, when Tywin assumes his position of Hand of the King to Joffrey Baratheon, Cersei resents having to share power with her father. However, she also seeks to prove herself worthy of the trust and responsibility Tywin grants her.
Jaime Lannister
As Tywin’s eldest son and heir, Jaime was expected to live up to his legacy and responsibilities as the next Lord of Casterly Rock. Tywin arranged for Jaime to be squire to Ser Barristan Selmy and groomed him to take his place as head of House Lannister. However, Jaime complicated Tywin’s careful plans when he joined the Kingsguard at the age of 16 to be close to his sister Cersei. This meant Jaime had to forswear marriage, lands, or fathering children – effectively removing himself as heir to Casterly Rock.
Tywin was furious at Jaime’s decision and viewed it as a deliberate insult and betrayal. He saw Jaime as throwing away his Lannister birthright for a life of glorified bodyguard duty. Their relationship was strained for many years. However, when Jaime loses his sword hand to Locke, Tywin still views him as his heir and wants him to leave the Kingsguard to assume his role as Lord of Casterly Rock. Over time, Tywin’s anger softens and he remains confident in Jaime’s fighting abilities and loyalty, even after he loses his dominant sword hand.
Tyrion Lannister
As a dwarf, Tyrion was an embarrassment and disappointment to Tywin from the moment he was born. Tywin blamed Tyrion for killing his beloved wife Joanna during childbirth. He viewed Tyrion as unfit to be a Lannister and referred to him as a “creature” and “monster.” Tywin was ashamed of Tyrion’s drinking, whoring and joking, which he felt brought shame to the family name. He ordered Tyrion’s first wife Tysha to be gang raped by his guards and made Tyrion watch, to teach them a cruel lesson about the consequences of debasing themselves. When Tyrion is accused of poisoning Joffrey, Tywin readily assumes his guilt and puts him on trial, showing his eagerness to be rid of the son he sees as a stain on the Lannister legacy.
Despite Tywin’s lifelong disgust and mistreatment of Tyrion, there are rare glimpses of concern and attachment. Tywin recognizes Tyrion’s intelligence and political acumen, appointing him as Acting Hand of the King while Tywin leads his armies in the field. Tywin also reluctantly admires Tyrion’s cunning and survival instincts, as when Tyrion manages to evade execution after being tried for Joffrey’s murder. Somewhere deep down, perhaps Tywin also recognized Tyrion as his truest son – cunning, ruthless and willing to do whatever it took to defend the Lannister family, much as Tywin himself was.
His Siblings
In addition to his three children with Joanna, Tywin also had a complex relationship with his two younger brothers:
Kevan Lannister
Kevan was Tywin’s trusted younger brother and his closest advisor and confidant. As children, Tywin took Kevan under his wing, teaching him about warfare and politics to help him realize his potential. Unlike their proud, unpredictable brother Tygett, Kevan never challenged Tywin’s authority. He was completely loyal to his older brother and content serving as his right hand. When Tywin is Hand of the King to Aerys II, he relies on Kevan to rule Casterly Rock in his absence. During the War of the Five Kings, Kevan dutifully follows Tywin’s orders and proves an able military commander and leader. Kevan understands and complements Tywin perfectly. Of all his siblings, Tywin trusts, respects and perhaps even loves Kevan the most.
Tygett Lannister
Tywin’s relationship with his impetuous younger brother Tygett was much more strained. Tygett resented living in Tywin’s shadow and having to follow his lead. He tried to defy Tywin’s authority on several occasions. First, Tygett tried to claim the sword of the famed Lannister ancestor Damon Lannister, only for Tywin to take it for himself. Tygett later attempted to marry a widow that Tywin had rejected, only for Tywin to quash those plans as well. The brothers’ rivalry caused a rift between them that lasted for much of Tygett’s life. However, when Tygett died of an illness at a relatively young age, even the stern Tywin was saddened by the loss of his brother.
Joanna Lannister
Though Tywin cared deeply for his children and siblings, the one person he seemingly loved above all others was his late wife Joanna. By all accounts, Tywin and Joanna shared a happy, devoted marriage – a rarity in the political breeding matches of the Westerosi nobility. Tywin smiled more as a young man with Joanna at his side. Her warmth softened his stern, cold edges. Joanna was Tywin’s most trusted counsel, the only one who could truly influence and calm him. He remained in mourning for her for the rest of his life after she died giving birth to Tyrion.
Losing Joanna devastated Tywin. It hardened his heart and removed any lingering joy or lightness within him. Without her gentle influence, he became the feared, brutal political mastermind remembered today. Joanna’s death also permanently poisoned his relationship with Tyrion, the son who Tywin irrationally blamed for his wife’s passing. Joanna was Tywin’s only true love. Her loss haunted Tywin until his final days, leaving a profound mark on his character and dynastic legacy.
Aerys II Targaryen
For most of their lives, Tywin’s closest friend and confidant was actually King Aerys II Targaryen. Aerys and Tywin grew up together, with Tywin squiring for Aerys’ father King Jaehaerys II as a young man. When Aerys became king, he relied heavily on his childhood friend Tywin, naming him Hand of the King. In the beginning, Aerys and Tywin made an excellent political team. Under their leadership, the Seven Kingdoms prospered more than they had for decades. Tywin hoped his daughter Cersei would marry Aerys’ heir Rhaegar to cement Lannister control through royal marriage.
However, Aerys’ growing madness and jealousy ultimately destroyed their friendship. Aerys refused the Cersei-Rhaegar marriage after hearing rumors that Tywin was the true power in Westeros. At one point, Aerys crudely joked about claiming the lord’s right to sleep with Joanna on her wedding night. Tywin was forced to resign as Hand when Aerys refused to let Cersei marry Rhaegar. By the time of Robert’s Rebellion, Tywin utterly resented and despised his former friend. When Tywin brutally sacked King’s Landing, he ordering the deaths of Aerys and his family as the ultimate revenge.
Still, traces of affection may have remained between the two former friends. When told the forces of House Lannister were at the gates of King’s Landing, Aerys initially refused to believe Tywin would truly turn against him. That misplaced trust and friendship led to Aerys’ demise. Despite their bitter falling out, Tywin seems to have retained some measure of sentimental attachment to the Aerys he grew up with, before the king’s madness overtook him entirely.
Alayaya
In addition to his familial relationships, Tywin did show glimpses of affection for at least one other individual – the prostitute Alayaya, who worked at Littlefinger’s brothel in King’s Landing. When Tyrion is serving as Hand of the King, he secretly moves the prostitute Shae into the Red Keep, disguised as a handmaiden.
When Cersei discovers this subterfuge, she wrongly assumes Alayaya is Tyrion’s lover (rather than Shae). In retaliation, she has Alayaya seized by the City Watch and savagely whipped. When Tyrion finds out, he is incensed and swears revenge against his sister. Surprisingly, even the normally reserved Tywin criticizes Cersei for being excessive and short-sighted in punishing the wrong whore.
Some speculate this shows Tywin had secretly been sleeping with Alayaya himself. He had forged some sort of personal connection to her that made him uncharacteristically defensive and critical of his favorite daughter Cersei, when anyone else harmed Alayaya. Whilebrief, this incident provides a glimpse of affection from Tywin toward another living person besides Joanna or his own blood kin.
Conclusion
Though Tywin Lannister was legendary for his stern pragmatism and lack of sentiment, he did genuinely care for a select few. First and foremost were his three children, particularly Cersei and Jaime, whom he groomed to further the Lannister family legacy. He also held his brother Kevan in high esteem, trusting him above all his other siblings. But Tywin’s one true love was his late wife Joanna, whose loss forever changed Tywin for the worse. Joanna’s death also poisoned his relationship with their son Tyrion, for whom Tywin reserved only disgust. The other relationship that hints at uncharacteristic warmth from Tywin was with the prostitute Alayaya, whose suffering provoked Tywin’s anger against his beloved daughter Cersei. While limited in scope, Tywin’s human side was most evident in his devotion toward his wife, children, and siblings – flawed as those relationships often were.
