Seven Great Lords of Narnia facts for kids

The Seven Great Lords of Narnia are important characters in The Chronicles of Narnia books by C. S. Lewis. They are mentioned briefly in Prince Caspian and are a big part of the story in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

In Prince Caspian, King Caspian takes back his throne from his evil uncle, Miraz. Later, in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, King Caspian sails off on an adventure. His goal is to find these seven noble lords. They were sent away by Miraz to explore lands far across the Eastern Ocean.

Why the Lords Disappeared

King Miraz wanted to get rid of anyone loyal to the old King, Caspian's father. Doctor Cornelius, a wise teacher, explained how Miraz made the lords disappear. Some were killed in fake hunting accidents. Others were sent to fight giants and never returned. Some were falsely accused of treason and executed. Two brothers were even locked up, said to be mad.

Finally, Miraz persuaded the seven noble lords to sail away. These lords were brave and not afraid of the sea. Miraz hoped they would never come back, and for a long time, they didn't. King Caspian sets out to find them and bring them home.

Finding the Seven Noble Lords

King Caspian and his friends, including Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and the brave mouse Reepicheep, sail on the ship Dawn Treader. Their journey takes them to many mysterious islands as they search for the lost lords.

Lord Bern: The First Discovery

Lord Bern was the first of the lords found by the Dawn Treader crew. They landed on Felimath, one of the Lone Islands. Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and Reepicheep were captured by slave traders there.

Caspian was bought as a slave by Lord Bern. Bern recognized something special about Caspian. Caspian then revealed he was the son of Bern's old King. Lord Bern explained that he had settled on the Lone Islands, married, and stayed. He quickly joined forces with Caspian to rescue the others from the slave traders.

Caspian learned that the Lone Islands' government was corrupt. Slavery was even allowed! Using his power as Emperor of the Lone Islands, Caspian made Lord Bern the new Duke. Bern stayed on the island of Doorn to bring order back. Slavery was made illegal in Narnia, and all slaves were set free.

Lord Octesian: A Dragon's Mystery

The Dawn Treader stopped at Dragon Island for repairs after a big storm. Here, a bracelet with Lord Octesian's family symbol was found.

No one ever truly found out what happened to Lord Octesian. There are two main ideas:

• He might have been eaten by a dragon already living on the island.
• He might have turned into a dragon himself.

In the movie version of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Edmund, Caspian, and Eustace find a human skeleton. It is wrapped around gold and jewels. This suggests Octesian might have been killed by another dragon. Or perhaps he starved to death, tempted by the island's treasures.

Lord Restimar: A Golden Statue

Lord Restimar's body was found on Deathwater Island. This island was also called Goldwater Island for a time. He had dived into a lake there, not knowing its waters turned everything to solid gold.

Reepicheep found him after Edmund discovered Restimar's armor. Caspian later recognized the golden body as Restimar. A wise star named Coriakin told them that Restimar was the only lord missing when the other four arrived at Duffer Island.

Lord Rhoop: Trapped in Nightmares

Lord Rhoop was found on the Dark Island. This place was also known as "the island where dreams come true." But for Rhoop, it meant his worst nightmares came to life. He had been trapped in these terrible dreams for seven years.

By the time he was rescued, Rhoop was a broken man. The crew took him to Ramandu's Island. There, he fell into a peaceful, enchanted sleep without dreams. He stayed asleep until Reepicheep sailed to the very end of the world. At that moment, Rhoop and the other three sleeping lords woke up. It's not clear if he ever fully recovered from his ordeal. He was the only lord who saw the Dark Island.

Lords Mavramorn, Revilian, and Argoz: The Sleeping Lords

These three lords were the last ones found. They were discovered on Ramandu's Island. Their hair had grown very long, and they were in a deep sleep. No one could wake them.

Ramandu's daughter explained what happened. Seven years earlier, the three lords argued about what to do next. One of them, in anger, picked up the knife that the White Witch had used long ago to kill Aslan. Touching this sacred object in anger caused them to fall into an enchanted sleep.

Caspian and his friends learned how to wake them. Someone had to sail willingly to the very end of the world. At least one crew member had to stay behind. The Dawn Treader sailed east for a long time. Then, Aslan appeared. He told Caspian that Reepicheep, Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace should continue to the end of the world. The rest of the crew had to turn back.

Reepicheep bravely sailed on to the end of the world, just as he had always wished. The three children returned to England. Caspian married Ramandu's daughter. And with the quest fulfilled, the three lords woke up from their long sleep. Lord Rhoop was there to greet them.

Who Played the Lords?

The Seven Great Lords have appeared in different TV shows and movies based on The Chronicles of Narnia.

1989 BBC Adaptation

• Lord Bern was played by Pavel Douglas.
• Lord Rhoop was played by Christopher Godwin.

2010 Film

• Lord Bern was played by Terry Norris.
• Lord Rhoop was played by Bruce Spence.