Portrayed by Gwendoline Christie

Status: Alive

Origin: Evenfall Hall

Episode Appearances: 42

First Seen: ‘What Is Dead May Never Die’

Last Seen: ‘The Iron Throne’

BACKGROUND

Brienne is the sole surviving child and heir of Lord Selwyn Tarth of Evenfall Hall, on the island of Tarth, located in the Narrow Sea off the coast of the Stormlands. House Tarth is a bannerman to House Baratheon, the Lords Paramount of the Stormlands. 

Brienne's mother died when she was so young that she doesn't remember her. Brienne also had a single older brother, Galladon, who drowned when she was eight, as well as two younger sisters, both of whom died in infancy. As the sole heir of House Tarth, Brienne posed a fairly promising marriage prospect for men from other noble houses, but due to her physicality and personality has never seriously pursued a marriage alliance with another house, and remains a virgin. She is also called the “Maid of Tarth,” or, disparagingly, “Brienne the Beauty,” due to her unconventional appearance. Brienne is unusually tall and muscular for a woman by Westerosi standards and had begged Tarth's master-at-arms Ser Goodwin to teach her skill at arms. As her skills grew, so did her confidence. He made her get over her inability to inflict pain by slaughtering pigs. Brienne has grown up to become skilled at arms and dreams of becoming a knight.

At one point during her youth, Brienne met Renly Baratheon when he visited her island on a coming of age tour. He treated Brienne with courtesy and respect, and danced with her; as a result, she fell in unrequited love with him. When the War of Five Kings begins, with Renly and his older brother Stannis Baratheon both claiming the crown following their brother King Robert’s death, Tarth remains neutral, but Brienne gets her father's permission to go independently and declare for Renly.