Miraz

Miraz is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. He was the main antagonist in the book Prince Caspian, and is the uncle of the book's protagonist. Miraz is the false king of Narnia, having killed his brother, Caspian IX, in order to assume the throne just after the birth of his nephew. The relationship between Miraz and his brother's son, Prince Caspian, resembles that of Claudius and Hamlet in Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

Miraz, a descendant of the Telmarines who had invaded Narnia hundreds of years before, is a cruel and unpopular ruler. Most notorious for banning the teaching of Narnia's pre-Telmarine history, he also levies high taxes and enacts harsh laws. He initially tolerates Caspian as his heir, taking the title of "Lord Protector" for himself, before ascending the throne while Caspian is a small child. Many years later, his wife, Prunaprismia, bears a son. Miraz is then ready to kill Caspian too, in order to clarify the succession.

Caspian, warned in the nick of time by his tutor, flees Miraz's Castle and forms an alliance with the "Old Narnians", after three of them rescue him after he is knocked out in a fall from his horse. Caspian's horse heads back to his stable at Miraz's castle, causing Miraz to send his army out to track down Caspian.

Civil war ensues, culminating in Peter Pevensie defeating Miraz in a duel. Miraz is then killed in an act of treachery by his counselor Lord Glozelle (planned by him and Lord Sopespian (the true main antagonists of the book)), as an act of revenge for Miraz branding him a "coward" saying that he was talking "like an old woman" when suggesting reasons not to fight King Peter.