Miraz is a fictional character from C. S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...

's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...

. He is the main antagonist

Antagonist

An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...

 in the second book Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, written in late 1949 and first published in 1951. It is the second-published book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, although in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.-Plot summary:While standing on a...

, and is the uncle of the book's protagonist.
Miraz is the false king

Usurper

Usurper is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally...

 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

Caspian X

Caspian X, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and Emperor of The Lone Islands, also called Caspian the Seafarer and Caspian the Navigator, is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. He is featured in three books in the series: Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn...

, resembles that of Claudius

King Claudius

King Claudius is a character and the antagonist from William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. He is the brother to King Hamlet, second husband to Gertrude and uncle to Hamlet. He obtained the throne of Denmark by murdering his own brother with poison and then marrying the late king's widow...

 and Hamlet

Prince Hamlet

Prince Hamlet is a fictional character, the protagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius and son of the previous King of Denmark, Old Hamlet. Throughout the play he struggles with whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and...

 in Shakespeare's play Hamlet

Hamlet

The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...

.

Miraz 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

Lord Protector

Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...

" for himself, before ascending the throne while Caspian is a small child. Many years later, his wife, Prunaprismia

Prunaprismia

Queen Prunaprismia was the wife of King Miraz I, the former king of Telmarine-ruled Narnia , the usurper of the throne from King Caspian IX, and the foe of the true Narnian king, Caspian X. Prunaprismia deeply loved her husband, but was a strong opponent of her relatives, including her...

, 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

Miraz's Castle

Miraz's Castle was home to the early Telmarine Dynasty of the Kingdom of Narnia. The castle was built by Caspian VI and was home to him and his successors, including Caspian VII and Caspian VIII. The last permanent ruler of the palace by the name of "Caspian" was Caspian IX, who was murdered and...

 and forms an alliance with the "Old Narnians."

Civil war

Civil war

A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....

 ensues, culminating in Peter Pevensie

Peter Pevensie

Peter Pevensie is a major fictional character in the children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Peter appears in four of the seven books; as a child and a principal character in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy...

defeating Miraz in a duel. Miraz is then killed in an act of treachery by his counselor Lord Glozelle, as an act of revenge for Miraz saying that he was talking "like an old woman" when suggesting reasons not to fight King Peter.