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I’m nearing the end of the second book of “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin. Exactly who was behind the death of Joffrey is a little muddled. I’d like to submit for consideration that Varys and Illyrio Mopatis were the main orchestrators of his downfall.

Consider this: Petyr Baelish returns from courting Lysa Arryn after Stannis’ host is broken outside of King’s Landing. Once Sansa is put aside by Joffrey, she meets up with Ser Dontos in the godswood. It is then that he gives her the hair net of amethysts with at least one stone that is actually the crystallized “Strangler” poison. He tells her that it is “vengeance for her father”, so Dontos knows what he’s giving her, and what it is to be used for.

At this time, house Tyrell has bound itself to house Lannister. Mace has taken a seat on the Small Council. Loras is a new-made member of the Kingsguard. Margaery is betrothed to Joffrey in much the same way that Sansa was; but they have been away from King’s Landing pretty much the whole time Joffrey has been king and don’t know that he’s “a monster”.

So we know that Littlefinger had a hand in the death of Joffrey, and he claims that the Queen of Thorns (Lady Olenna, Mace’s mother) actually did the deed. We saw her mess with Sansa’s hairnet, so that makes sense.