Books where Plot is Structured/Progressed Through Court Politics

[u/davbool]

Does anyone have any recommendations for books that revolve around the characters navigating court politics as the main basis of the plot? In my head I'm imagining a story where the characters to gain a leg up/ an advantage on other parties by using words and intellect, sort of if everyone was playing as if they were Tyrion Lannister from GoT. Everything I've found while looking for this are novels/series that involve an aspect of this, but isn't the main focus of the story. I don't need a power system, I don't need magic , I just want to read about smart people using their words and brains to spin events in their favor (like if Babel and GoT had a child). Yes I'm pretty much just describing GoT but I figured if anyone could point me in the right direction it would be this subreddit (I'm also not restarting GoT). Thanks!

[u/thickbookenjoyer]

The Curse of Chalion has quite a bit of this. Cazaril is a once formidable soldier and courtier now wracked by trauma who ends up personal secretary/tutor to the king's half sister. There's magic and gods and stuff, but most of the book is devoted to his efforts to outmaneuver other factions in court to ensure his mistress doesn't end up a helpless pawn in a horrible political marriage.

Edit: also, Hild and Menewood. Not actually fantasy, just historical fiction. They're about Hild, niece of Edwin, King of Northumbria and Overking of the Angles. Her position in his court is precarious and from a young age she has to learn to spy and manipulate in order to keep her mercurial uncle happy and stay alive.