Amyrilan Life Span

[KrisAnton]

I was reading the timeline on the wot wiki site, here . I noticed something almost immediately as I'm sure anyone who took the time to read it would have. When the New Era begins, about every 30 years we have a new Amyrilan. These are women who live for hundreds of years, yet after being nominated to the Seat, they die on average every 30 years. The timeline doesn't give information as to where the women came from before being selected to the Seat, but even if we assume they are ALL Sitters, isn't this a short time to serve? Even if it wasn't, there should be some large variations between Amyrilans, yet almost to a woman they are dead on average within 30 years. It breaks down as thus, by Ajah:

 

• Amyrilan Lifespan, by Ajah
  
• Gray (8 Amyrilans) =30.1 years
  
• Blue (8 Amyrilans) = 24.1
  
• Green (7 Amyrilans) = 25.5 years
  
• Brown (5 Amyrilans) = 35.6
  
• White (4 Amyrilans) = 37.5 years
  
• Yellow (2 Amyrilans) = 21 years
  

 

This averages out to be 28.9 years per Amyrilan. Some are a little higher, some a little lower. I ordered them from the most Amyrilans to come from an Ajah to the least. The Yellow has had the least amount of Amyrilans and also has the least amount of years served per Amyrilan. Whites live the longest on the Seat, followed by the Browns. I half expected the Blues to have the most Amyrilans and/or the longest life spans, but they have the second lowest life span.

 

I purposely left out the Red Ajah because they have had only two Amyrilans, both of whom were prematurely removed from office: Bonwhin after serving 145 years before being deposed and Elaida was deposed after serving about one year. These two average 73 years. Adding these two Amyrilans in raises their life span to 35.2 years, but my theory about this is that something has been happening during the New Era that has led to the deaths of the Amyrilans.

 

I'm still looking into this, I'm starting a re-read of the series after I finish New Spring, but my initial thought was that the Red Ajah is holding a grudge after Bonwhin. I don't have much evidence to support this, but the Red Ajah does have a history of breaking the rules to achieve its agenda, several times leading to major events in the world. My gut tells me that the Black Ajah is behind this, we have no idea if there has been a Black to have gained the Seat in the New Era. I'm sure there are other theories out there, but I definitely believe that something is causing these women to die so soon.

 

In a world such as the Wheel of Time where the core element is the cyclical nature of time, I think it is interesting to see something like this. To me, it is an obvious clue given by Robert Jordan. Every thousand years there is a huge force of Trollocs, Dreadlords, and other Shadowspawn that advances upon the world, which is probably the works of Ishmael. As we draw to a close of this era, we have a new Amyrilan from the Green Ajah to lead us into the New Age. Will Egwene succumb to statistics and die within 25-30 years or will events at Shayol Ghul prevent any more (allegedly) premature deaths?

[yoniy0]

Very interesting. Amyrlins are usually very experienced when they take office, so one wouldn't expect them to hold it for hundreds of years, but an average of 30 years does seem fishy.

[Sid]

I don't think they all died. Some of them were ousted for incompetence and some may have retired, vacating the position.

 

But it is strange that there are so many around the 20-40 year mark. It might very well be the BA's instructions upon its creation to remove or kill Amyrlins that were competent at their work after so many years so that the White Tower never really had a chance to become the pillar of society it had the potential for, like back in the AOL. If someone like Egwene or even Siuan was in charge for 50-60 years, things would probably be going in a direction the BA would find harder and harder to stop as the years went by.

 

I never noticed that trend before. I wonder if there's something in RJ's historical notes about it.

[fikkie77]

Interesting trend and I agree that this must be the BA's doing.

 

Of course these are not close to all the Amyrlins. I would guess that earlier Amylins were in office longer, in absence of an organised Black Ajah.

[Ananta]

I was reading "The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time" yesterday and I noticed the same thing. I wonder what's up with that.

[KrisAnton]

I don't think they all died. Some of them were ousted for incompetence and some may have retired, vacating the position.

 

But it is strange that there are so many around the 20-40 year mark. It might very well be the BA's instructions upon its creation to remove or kill Amyrlins that were competent at their work after so many years so that the White Tower never really had a chance to become the pillar of society it had the potential for, like back in the AOL. If someone like Egwene or even Siuan was in charge for 50-60 years, things would probably be going in a direction the BA would find harder and harder to stop as the years went by.

 

I never noticed that trend before. I wonder if there's something in RJ's historical notes about it.

 

 

There are specific notations as to when an Amyrilan is murdered or ousted. Bonwhin was deposed, then about 350 years later the children murdered an Amyrilan. I forget the name, I just got home from work. There may be some clues in the 13th Depository, but the main timeline seems to only tell about the more remarkable events that led to a new Amyrilan. Counting the three Amyrilans before Siuan was raised, we have six new Amyrilans within the last 30 years or so. My hope is that Egwene can break this cycle by either working with the Hall or by helping to defeat the Black Ajah and Shaitan at the Last Battle.

[Agitel]

At some point in the series it's pointed out that most Amyrlins are selected when they're much older. I think traditionally Aes Sedai didn't become sitters until they were 100 and, what was it, 150 for Amyrlins? That's getting pretty old for most Aes Sedai under the oaths, though maybe it was a little younger than that, at selection.

 

Anyway, being Amyrlin is also a dangerous job, putting you in danger of assassination, etc... which has certainly happened plenty of times, perhaps skewing the averages. I think my point is that traditionally Amyrlins are much older than we've seen when selected. The selection of such a young Amyrlin in Siuane was because the previous Amyrlins had died early in their careers, and perhaps other more suspicious reasons (maybe the Black Ajah wanted someone younger and more 'inexperienced'?).