Game Of Thrones: 10 Greatest Warriors In The History Of Westeros

2. Barristan Selmy

"...Every man in the Seven Kingdoms knows Barristan the Bold."

Even though he's about 60 by the time the events of Game of Thrones take place, Ser Barristan Selmy is still one of the greatest fighters in the realm, with few warriors who'd even dare to take up arms against him.

Just think, then, how incredibly gifted a fighter a Barristan Selmy in his prime must've been. He earned his nickname 'the Bold' at age 10, when he snuck into a tourney as mystery knight. He became a knight at the age of 16, and proved his worth in a tourney at King's Landing, unhorsing both Prince Duncan Targaryen and Lord Commander Duncan the Tall.

However, he truly made his name on the battlefield, during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, or Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion. There he cut through a swathe of Golden Company sellswords, before defeating the last Blackfyre Pretender, Maelys I (aka Maelys the Monstrous) in single combat.

While serving for Aerys II, he undertook a daring mission to rescue his King, who had been taken hostage in Duskendale. He snuck in at night, scaled castle walls, killed many men, and rescued Aerys despite suffering arrow wounds to the chest, on what seemed a foolhardy mission, which was so impressive that numerous songs were sung about it. Later, he'd fight against the Kingswood Brotherwood, battling the Smiling Knight and defeating their leader, Simon Toyne. He became Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard despite having served loyally for Aerys, led the attack for Robert in the Greyjoy Rebellion, and as we've seen on both page and screen has continued to be a fearsome opponent for men decades younger than him.