Small Council

The small council is a body which advises the King of the Seven Kingdoms and institutes policy at his command. It is the inner (thus "small") council of the King, essentially forming the "government cabinet" of the Seven Kingdoms. Members are appointed to their position by the King; theoretically they can be dismissed at will by the King, however in practice this might lead to undesirable political fallout.

The king serves as the head of the council and takes note of its recommendations, but only the king can make the council's decisions into law. The Hand of the King is the leading advisor on the council and serves as the king's proxy when he is not present, in which case the Hand chairs the meeting. If the king is a minor, then by default the appointed Regent will act in place of the king on the council.

The small council meets at the capital city of King's Landing in the Red Keep, in the same building as the Iron Throne courtroom.

Composition
Members of the small council are appointed and dismissed by the King, in theory as the King wills. In practice, of course, appointments or dismissals may have undesired political consequences which the King must consider.

The small council usually consists of seven non-hereditary positions (possibly to reflect the traditions of the Faith of the Seven). Long vacancies sometimes occur for one of these positions, i.e. during time of war, though this is considered undesirable.

Hand of the King: Chairs the small council, serves as the King's proxy during his absences.

Master of War: The title was Initially an invention of Cersei Lannister, But Has Since Been Adopted.

Master of Coin: The realm's chief treasurer and bookkeeper.

Master of Whisperers: The realm's chief intelligence advisor and spymaster, supervising covert activities and information gathering, both at home and abroad.

Master of Laws: The realm's chief legal advisor, who also manages the Red Keep's dungeons, and supervises law enforcement.

Master of Ships: The realm's chief naval officer, supervising the Royal Fleet and coordinating the realm's maritime defenses.

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: The realm's chief military advisor, particularly in regards to land-based warfare. While the King personally appoints knights to the Kingsguard at his whim, once chosen they are lifetime appointments, which cannot legally be removed. In theory, however, a King may demote the Lord Commander back to being a regular member, and elevate one of the other six Kingsguard to Lord Commander (though it is unknown if this has ever happened).

Grand Maester: The Maester assigned to the Red Keep, and thus to the realm. Like all maester assignments, the Grand Maester is appointed by the Conclave of Archmaesters at the Citadel, not the King. While controversial, the King and the Hand of the King have the authority to exclude the Grand Maester from the Small Council, and even imprison him, but cannot replace him as Grand Maester. This makes the Grand Maester unique as the only member of the council not specifically chosen by the King.

Member for Dorne: A position created by Tywin Lannister for Oberyn Martell and Dorne in general. Intended to be taken up by Oberyn's nephew Trystane Martell, the heir of the Prince of Dorne Doran Martell, following his death, but he ends up dying before he could.

If the Regent of an underage King does not already possess one of these positions, then they are included in the small council as the King's proxy.

The Commander of the City Watch is not, strictly speaking, a position in the small council, however the Commander frequently attends small council meetings to report on conditions in the capital city. Janos Slynt is given an official seat on the council as one of his rewards for the role he played in the betrayal and arrest of Eddard Stark, though he was subsequently removed by acting Hand Tyrion Lannister.

The council may on occasion extend invitations to other lords to occupy a seat on the council, despite there being no actual "office" for them to fill (serving as advisors who function as ministers without portfolio).

Under Aerys II
The positions and members of the King's small council under Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King, included:

The Hand of the King

Lord Tywin Lannister served as Aerys's Hand for twenty years, during which he held the realm together during Aerys's spiral into insanity. Tywin resigned in protest some years before the end of Aerys's reign.

Lord Jon Connington

Lord Qarlton Chelsted

Wisdom Rossart

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Coin: (unknown)

Master of Laws: (unknown)

Master of Ships: (unknown)

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: Ser Gerold Hightower, known as "the White Bull"

Under Robert Baratheon
The positions and members of the King's small council under Robert I are:

The Hand of the King:

Lord Jon Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, Lord Paramount of the Vale, and Warden of the East. Appointed to the position when Robert ascended to the throne, and retained it for most of Robert's subsequent seventeen year reign.

Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Lord Paramount and Warden of the North. Chosen to replace Jon Arryn after the former's sudden death, serving during the last few months of King Robert's reign.

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Coin: Lord Petyr Baelish, known as "Littlefinger"

Master of Whisperers: Varys, known as "the Spider"

Master of Laws: Lord Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands

Master of Ships: Lord Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone

Traditionally, as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan Selmy would have had a seat on the small council. However, because Barristan had been a Kingsguard for Aerys Targaryen, Robert did not like to include him in discussions of strategy, so he usually held small council meetings without him. Barristan did not mind being left out, because he did not enjoy politics.

King Robert was notoriously uninterested in matters of governance, letting his small council run the realm while he ate, drank, hunted, and whored. Robert's own two brothers served on his small council, but they were also annoyed at how little he paid attention to the council. His youngest brother Renly, as well as Pycelle, lamented that he ignored all of Jon Arryn's sound financial advice, ultimately plunging the realm an astonishing 6 million Gold Dragons in great debt. According to Tywin Lannister, Robert appeared at only three small council meetings in his entire seventeen year reign (though he might not have been aware of Robert's appearance at some of the more recent council meetings with Eddard Stark).

Under Joffery Baratheon
The positions and members of the King's small council under Joffrey I are:

Queen Regent: Cersei Lannister, King Joffrey's mother

The Hand of the King: Lord Tyrion Lannister, serving as acting Hand instead of his father Tywin Lannister.

Grand Maester: Pycelle. Removed by Tyrion and imprisoned in the dungeons of the Red Keep. However, Tyrion did not have the authority to replace him as Grand Maester. The position was functionally vacant for several months.

Master of Coin: Lord Petyr Baelish

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Master of Laws: Orys II Baratheon

Master of Ships: Orys II Baratheon

Joffrey himself barely came to meetings of his own small council, unless it was insisted upon. His mother Cersei, as Queen Regent, typically took his place.

With the departure of Renly and Stannis Baratheon, who declared themselves rival claimants to the Iron Throne, the offices of Master of Laws and Master of Ships were left vacant. Cersei and Joffrey either could not find suitable candidates or simply didn't bother to appoint replacements. But Joffery Later Named His Younger Brother, Orys II Baratheon, as Master Of Ships and Master of Laws.

Cersei and Joffrey's first edicts were to name Tywin Lannister as Hand of the King, to unlawfully dismiss Ser Barristan Selmy from the Kingsguard, and to name Cersei's brother Jaime his replacement as Lord Commander. Tywin, however, did not assume the office for a full year because he was busy personally directing the war in the Riverlands. Because he could not go to the capital in person, Tywin sent Tyrion in his stead as acting Hand to try to rein in the royal court. Jaime did not arrive in the capital either, but was instead captured during the Battle of the Whispering Wood, after which he spent over a year as a prisoner of the Starks, and another year slowly making his way back to King's Landing through the devastated Riverlands. Jaime was technically Lord Commander during this time period but the position was functionally vacant. Moreover, Tyrion removed Pycelle from the council and imprisoned him in the dungeons of the Red Keep, after discovering that he was spying on him (albeit for Queen Regent Cersei, his own sister). Tyrion did not have the authority to appoint a new Grand Maester, so the position was also vacant for several months. Also, while the Commander of the City Guard is not a full member he usually sits at council meetings, but in disgust, Tyrion exiled Janos Slynt to the Wall. As Varys pointed out, for a time the "small council" was growing smaller by the day: four out of the seven main offices were vacant, the regent but not the king sat at most meetings, and the Hand was technically only an acting Hand.

After the Battle of the Blackwater, Tywin Lannister re-assumed his duties as the Hand of the King, and sought to restore order to the council. Petyr Baelish was rewarded by being named Lord of Harrenhal, and departed for the Vale of Arryn to woo Lady Lysa Arryn into a marriage-alliance and secure the Vale's loyalty to the Iron Throne. Tyrion Lannister, who had been relieved of his position as acting Hand, was then promoted back to Master of Coin to fill Baelish's absence. Cersei secured Pycelle's release from the dungeons before the battle, and afterwards Tywin reinstated him to the council. As a display of his dominance, Tywin decided to start holding council meetings in the Tower of the Hand, adjacent to his own chambers. The composition of Joffrey's small council after the Battle of the Blackwater is:

The Hand of the King: Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Lord of Casterly Rock, and Warden of the West, King Joffrey's grandfather.

Queen Regent: Cersei Lannister, King Joffrey's mother

Grand Maester: Pycelle. Reinstated by Tywin Lannister after the Battle of the Blackwater.

Master of Coin: Lord Tyrion Lannister

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Master of Laws: (vacant)

Master of Ships: (vacant)

Joffery Would Relieve His Brother of His Positions Out of Spite.

Under Tommen Baratheon
Following Joffrey's death, the composition of the small council remains mostly unchanged, except for Tyrion Lannister, who is imprisoned under charges of regicide. Tywin also offers a seat to Prince Oberyn Martell, the younger brother of Doran Martell, the Prince of Dorne, and Dorne in general. Oberyn was not given a specific office, and was not interested in asking for one. Tommen's council members are:

The Hand of the King: Lord Tywin Lannister.

Queen Regent: Cersei Lannister

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Coin: (vacant)

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Master of Laws: (vacant)

Master of Ships: Lord Mace Tyrell

Member for Dorne: Prince Oberyn Martell (new position)

King Tommen's small council changes dramatically after the trial by combat of Tyrion Lannister, in which Oberyn Martell fights as his champion and dies, and the assassination of Tywin Lannister, which also results in Tyrion Lannister and Varys fleeing the city.

With most positions vacant, Queen Regent Cersei seizes control over the council, and stacks it with sycophants. She pointedly leaves the position of Hand of the King vacant until Tommen is older and decides otherwise, while sitting in the Hand's chair at meetings. The office of Master of Laws, empty since Renly left the capital, is still left vacant. Cersei makes Mace Tyrell the new Master of Coin, in addition to his current post as Master of Ships. Controversially, Cersei makes the disgraced former maester Qyburn the new Master of Whisperers, over Pycelle's objections, a blunt and disproportionate reward for displaying loyalty to her. Cersei also makes up the new title "Master of War" - basically at whim, and despite the fact that it contradicts the title Protector of the Realm - and offers it to her uncle Kevan Lannister. Kevan, however, refuses to become her patsy and goes back to Casterly Rock. As Kevan points out, Cersei is only the Queen Mother now, and technically doesn't have the right to do any of this: she is no longer even the Queen Regent, because Tommen has come of legal age, marrying Margaery Tyrell. Jaime Lannister remains as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but he volunteered for a secret mission outside the capital to Dorne, which for the moment reduces the Small Council to only four people including Cersei herself. After all of this, Tommen's council members are:

The Hand of the King: (vacant)

Queen Mother: Cersei Lannister

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Ships & Master of Coin: Lord Mace Tyrell

Master of Whisperers: Qyburn

Master of Laws: (vacant)

After Cersei's imprisonment by the Faith, Grand Maester Pycelle sends a raven to Casterly Rock asking for Kevan to take the role of Hand of the King, to which Kevan agrees, reorganizing the small council as such:

The Hand of the King: Ser Kevan Lannister, Protector of the Realm and Commander of the Lannister Armies

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Ships & Master of Coin: Lord Mace Tyrell

Master of Whisperers: Qyburn

Master of Laws: (vacant)

In order to seal the alliance with Dorne, Jaime Lannister promises to have Trystane Martell, Prince Doran's heir, appointed to his uncle's seat on the Council. However, since Trystane's murder, his seat is vacant once more. Moreover, Kevan Lannister removes Qyburn from Council, and he offers a seat to Lady Olenna Tyrell, to which she agrees. After all of this, Tommen's council members are:

The Hand of the King: Ser Kevan Lannister, Protector of the Realm and Commander of the Lannister Armies

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Ships & Master of Coin: Lord Mace Tyrell

Master of Whisperers: (vacant)

Master of Laws: (vacant)

Advisor: Lady Olenna Tyrell

Since failed action against the Faith Militant, Lady Olenna Tyrell abandons King's Landing, at the instigation of her granddaughter. Currently, Tommen's council members are:

The Hand of the King: Ser Kevan Lannister, Protector of the Realm and Commander of the Lannister Armies

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Ships & Master of Coin: Lord Mace Tyrell

Master of Whisperers: (vacant)

Master of Laws: (vacant

Under Cersei Lannister
After the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor and Near Extinction of House Baratheon of King's Landing, Queen Mother Cersei Lannister crowns herself as the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Kevan Lannister and Mace Tyrell were killed in the explosion at the Sept along with many others, and Pycelle was assassinated by Qyburn and his little birds. Cersei's council members are:

The Hand of the Queen & Master of Whisperers: Qyburn

Grand Maester: (unknown)

Commander of the Lannister Army: Jaime Lannister

Commander of the Lannister Fleet: Euron Greyjoy

Master of Coin: (unknown)

Master of Laws: (unknown)

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: (unknown)

After Jaime leaves Cersei, following her refusal to aid the North, the composition of the small councils is as follows:

The Hand of the Queen & Master of Whisperers: Qyburn

Grand Maester: (unknown)

Commander of the Lannister Army: (vacant)

Commander of the Lannister Fleet: Euron Greyjoy

Master of Coin: (unknown)

Master of Laws: (unknown)

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: (unknown)

Under Daenerys and Daemon II Targaryen
Once Daenerys Targaryen decides to rule over Meereen as its Queen and enforce her abolition of slavery on Slaver's Bay, she assembles her own ad hoc small council, composed of advisors and representatives of the various factions under her rule:

Advisor and General: Ser Jorah Mormont

Commander of the Second Sons: Daario Naharis

Commander of the Unsullied: Grey Worm

Advisor and Lord Commander of the Queensguard: Ser Barristan Selmy

Advisor, Translator, and Personal Handmaiden: Missandei

After being exposed as a spy, Jorah Mormont is exiled. Then, Daenerys decides to include a representative for each of the major factions in the population: the former slave masters and the former slaves. Hizdahr zo Loraq, a nobleman at her service, represents the former, while the latter are briefly represented by Mossador, one of the first Meereenese slaves to rise up for her:

Representative of the former Great Masters: Hizdahr zo Loraq

Representative of Meereen freedmen: Mossador

Commander of the Unsullied: Grey Worm

Commander of the Second Sons: Daario Naharis

Advisor and Lord Commander of the Queensguard: Ser Barristan Selmy

Advisor, Translator, and Personal Handmaiden: Missandei

During the struggle against the Sons of the Harpy, Mossador is executed for killing a captive foe without a trial, and Barristan Selmy dies defending the Unsullied from an attack, in which Grey Worm sustains heavy injuries. In order to restore peace, Daenerys decides to reopen the fighting pits and marry Hizdahr zo Loraq. Eventually, Tyrion Lannister arrives from Westeros as Jorah's captive, and convinces the Queen to take him into her service. During the reopening of the Great Games at Daznak's Pit, the Sons of the Harpy lead a massacre that results in the death of many, including Hizdahr, and Daenerys herself escapes from Meereen on Drogon's back. In her absence, her followers decide that, while Jorah and Daario track her down, Tyrion will lead the council, as he is the only one with experience governing a city. As Commander of the Unsullied, Grey Worm will enforce the legitimacy of the council, and Missandei, who is Dany's closest confidant, will serve as the queen's voice. In addition, the former Master of Whisperers for the Iron Throne, Varys, joins the Council, bringing his spy network with him. Shortly before Daenerys' return, he temporarily leaves to gain alliances in Westeros. During this time, her council members are:

Leader of the Council: Tyrion Lannister

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Commander of the Unsullied: Grey Worm

Commander of the Second Sons: Daario Naharis

Advisor, Translator, and Personal Handmaiden: Missandei

After the Second Siege of Meereen, Daenerys' forces are joined by a fraction of the Iron Fleet led by Yara and Theon Greyjoy. Before she leaves Meereen with her army setting sail for Westeros, she asks Daario Naharis to stay in Meereen and she names Tyrion Lannister as Hand of the Queen. Varys returns to Meereen with allies from Dorne and House Tyrell. After all of this, Daenerys' council members are:

The Hand of the Queen: Tyrion Lannister

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Commander of the Unsullied: Grey Worm

Commander of the Iron Fleet: Queen Yara Greyjoy

Representative of Dorne: Ellaria Sand

Representative of The Reach: Lady Olenna Tyrell

Advisor, Translator, and Personal Handmaiden: Missandei

During her Invasion of Westeros, Olenna, Elleria and Yara are all captured or killed by the Lannister/Greyjoy alliance and Grey Worm and the Unsullied are stranded at Casterly Rock. However, Daenerys gains an alliance with the King in the North Jon Snow by permitting and aiding him in mining dragonglass to be turned into weapons against the White Walkers. After her enormous victory at the Battle of the Goldroad and the return of Jorah Mormont, Daenerys' council members are:

The Hand of the Queen: Tyrion Lannister

Master of Whisperers: Varys

Commander of the Unsullied: Grey Worm

Representative of the North and the Vale: King Jon Snow

Additional Representative and Advisor: Ser Davos Seaworth

Advisor, Translator, and Personal Handmaiden: Missandei

Advisor and General: Ser Jorah Mormont

Jon eventually bent the knee to Daenerys after she saved him and his band Beyond the Wall, renouncing his title as King and accepting her offer of becoming Warden of the North. He and Davos still remain on her small council and they are currently traveling north to fight in the Great War.

Under King Rhaegar I Targaryen
Hand of The King: Lord Jon Connington

Master of Ships: Viserys Targaryen

Master of Laws: Lord Stannis Baratheon

Master of Whispers: Lord Varys

Dornish Representative: Prince Oberyn Martel

Grand Maester: Pycelle

Master of Coin: Lord Tyrion Lannister