Journeys of Blood and Fire: The Voyage of the Sun Chaser & Balerion’s Trip to Valyria

Two of the more remarkable, if relatively minor, episodes in the history of the Seven Kingdoms  took place during the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, the Conciliator, the Westerosi king who sat the Iron Throne longer than any other.

The voyage of the Sun Chaser and Lady Meredith (56-59 AC), and the journey of Balerion the Black Dread to Valyria and back again (54-56 AC). Please click for a larger version

Elissa Farman was the middle child of Lord Marq Farman of Fair Isle. Born in 29 AC, she had an elder brother, Franklyn, and a younger, Androw. From a young age Elissa loved the sea and learned to sail by the age of 14, circumnavigating Fair Isle to show her skill. By the age of 20, she had sailed her own ship as far north as Bear Island and as far south as the Arbor.

Fair and athletic, Elissa was a strong match for any noble house, but to Lord Marq’s regret, she seemed uninterested in marrying to strengthen the family’s fortunes. Her forthright manner seemed to “scare off” potential suitors, many of whom were unwilling to indulge her interest in the sea (and many of them came from castles inland, far from the sea, to Elissa’s horror). In 49 AC Elissa’s younger brother Androw married Princess Rhaena Targaryen, the widow of King Maegor the Cruel. Elissa and Rhaena became close, with more fanciful maesters speculating on the nature of their relationship. Lord Marq died in 50 AC and Franklyn became Lord of Faircastle, ordering Rhaena to leave (as he personally disliked her and the cost of maintaining her household and her dragon had become exorbitant). Elissa chose to leave with Rhaena; when Franklyn tried to stop her, ordering her to marry for the good of the family, he and his men were overpowered by Rhaena’s supporters (not to mention fear of her dragon). Elissa sailed Rhaena and her household to Dragonstone, a daring voyage right around Westeros, and remained there with her.

However, a rift had opened between Princess Rhaena and Elissa. Elissa, free of the responsibilities to her family, now expressed her heart’s desire: the fastest and greatest ship ever built, with the goal of crossing the Sunset Sea to find whatever lay on its far shores. Rhaena refused to indulge Elissa and they quarrelled. Elissa found in Princess Aerea, Rhaena’s younger daughter also kept likewise close to Rhaena’s side against her will, a kindred spirit. By 54 AC Elissa could no longer be kept cooped up and angrily petitioned Rhaena to be allowed to leave. Rhaena agreed, but Elissa’s departure was more dramatic than expected: shortly after taking ship for Pentos from Driftmark, it was discovered that she had stolen three dragon eggs from the clutch of Rhaena’s own steed, Dreamfyre. Learning of this event, King Jaehaerys was apoplectic with rage and sent hunters and representatives to the four corners of the known world searching for the dragons, to no avail.

The true story did not become clear until years later. Taking the name “Alys Westhill”, Alissa Farman had travelled by ship to Pentos and then overland to Braavos, itself an impressive feat (the overland route through the tall mountains north of the Velvet Hills is not for the faint-hearted). In Braavos she has gained an audience with the Sealord of Braavos, offering him the three dragon eggs in return for his help in building the greatest ship ever to set sail. The Sealord was unable to resist the lure of having his own dragons to defend the former Secret City, built to defy the Valyrian slavers and their dragons, and accepted.

The Braavosi ship builders, claiming to be the greatest in the world, bent themselves to the task of building a ship which had to be fast but also capable of carrying provisions for an extended trip away from land and surviving on the open ocean; the latter was unusual given that most captains hugged the coasts between destinations for safety and succour. Only the Summer Islanders and their great swan ships dared the open ocean away from the sight of land. It took over a year, but eventually the task was done and the great carrack Sun Chaser was completed. “Captain Westhill” took the ship south through the Stepstones, turning west for Oldtown.

By this time, Elissa’s departure had had unforeseen consequences. Princess Aerea Targaryen was heartbroken from her friend’s departure and traumatised when Androw Farman poisoned a large contingent of the castle in a jealous rage. Aerea begged to be allowed to leave Dragonstone for King’s Landing, and Queen Alysanne was happy to accept but Princess Rhaenys refused in a fury. Aerea’s anger finally broke. She made her way to the Dragonmont where the unclaimed dragons of House Targaryen laired and there seized a dragon mount for her own. But not just any dragon, but the greatest in the history of House Targaryen: Balerion the Black Dread, the former steed of King Aegon Targaryen the Conqueror and his son Maegor the Cruel, one of the largest and most powerful dragons to have ever flown. Although advanced in years, even by dragon standards, Balerion was still a great beast. He submitted to Aerea, and then took to the skies, bearing her away from Dragonmount late in 54 AC. The Targaryen dragonriders took to the skies to find Aerea and Balerion, but no trace could be found. They scoured both Westeros and Essos for news, but a few wild rumours aside, there was no credible lead.

The arrival of the Sun Chaser in Oldtown harbour late in 55 AC attracted some considerable comment, for “Captain Westhill” had a deep purse and a crazy ambition, to cross the Sunset Sea and return. The maesters of the Citadel were intrigued, as they agreed that the world was round and that it should be possible to cross the Sunset Sea to land on the far side…and even keep sailing and thus come to the lands of the Jade Sea and thence Essos and Westeros from the east, a total circumnavigation of the globe. The length was staggering (the maesters quibbled over the figures, but it was estimated to be well over twenty thousand miles and possibly much more) but it was at least possible. The fact that Westhill’s ship design was unproven and that no Westerosi ship had even made the much more modest 12,000-mile trip to Asshai and back in one voyage (and wouldn’t until Corlys Velaryon and the Sea Snake, roughly twenty-five years later), however, caused severe doubts amongst would-be crewmen.

As a result of these vacillations, it took Elissa several months to both crew and outfit her ship for the voyage. This was enough time for Lord Donnel Hightower to become suspicious (given that Jaehaerys had warned all his lords to be on the lookout for a rich female sailor with a hankering for the deep sea) and send his grandsons Eustace and Norman to investigate. Rather than arrest Farman, they instead became enamoured of her plan and pledged to support it, raising the funds for their own ships, the Lady Meredith and Autumn Moon, to join the expedition. The small fleet finally set sail from Oldtown on the 23rd day of the third moon of 56 AC. It did not take long for word of the expedition to reach the king, who realised what had happened.

The expedition’s departure was soon followed the resolution of the mystery of Princess Aerea and Balerion. Approximately three weeks later, on the 13th day of the fourth moon of 56 AC, Balerion the Black Dread’s unmistakable shadow fell over the city of King’s Landing. The dragon landed in front of the Red Keep and, to the considerable shock of all who saw him, was clearly wounded. A massive jagged gash a full nine feet long was visible in his side, still bleeding smoking blood. Aerea was clinging to Balerion’s back, but was gaunt and clearly dying. She was treated by Septon Barth and Grand Maester Benifer, but they had seen nothing like her symptoms before. She was being cooked from the inside out, and attempts to lower her temperature by putting her in a bath of ice did not prove effective. More disturbing were the “things” moving under her flesh, which seemed to be trying to burrow their way out. As Aerea died, these worm-like creatures succeeded in breaking out of her body…only to die smouldering in the ice. Barth and Benifer had all trace of the creatures destroyed and Aerea was cremated with rapid haste. Balerion was retired to the newly-built Dragonpit and put under guard whilst his own wounds were treated.

Meeting with the king and the small council, Barth and Benifer proposed an answer to the mystery. Aerea had had no destination in mind when fleeing Dragonstone, only an urgent desire to escape and find a home. It was known that dragons responded to their rider’s whims in a manner not fully understood, and Balerion may have responded by taking her home…his home, the smouldering volcanoes of Valyria under their ashen skies. Balerion had hatched in one of the Fourteen Fires, the great volcanic chain across the neck of the Valyrian Peninsula. When still young, he had travelled with the Targaryen family to distant Dragonstone, and thus survived the Doom, the simultaneous eruption of all of the Fourteen Fires, the greatest cataclysm in the history of the world. The destruction of Valyria had obliterated its empire in a single afternoon of blood, fire and death. Legends and stories of Valyria made mention of firewyrms, strange, horrible and hostile creatures lurking in the mines under the Fourteen Fires. The destruction of Valyria may have allowed these creatures to roam free across the surface of Valyria, where it was known that the Doom still held sway. Aerea had been “infected” with the creatures in some fashion and even Balerion had been injured by something in the ruins of the Freehold. It was a miracle that Aerea had survived long enough to reach home.

Whether this was the answer to the mystery was unclear, but King Jaehaerys soon issued a proclamation that has never been rescinded: no ship that has landed on or near Valyria, or sailed through the Smoking Sea, is permitted entry to any port in Westeros. Subjects of the Iron Throne are forbidden, on pain of absolute death, from trying to sail to Valyria, or from returning to Westeros thereafter. The ban was arguably not necessary – almost no captain in the known world was willing to go anywhere near Valyria – but it was cemented in law, and defied but rarely (Gerion Lannister, on his mad quest to find the lost Lannister sword Brightroar, may have been the last to try in 291 AC).

The fate of the Sun Chaser and Elissa Farman was less clear, but eventually the mystery was resolved. On the 7th day of the 1st moon of 59 AC, the Lady Meredith made landfall back in Oldtown harbour. The ship was battered and much-patched, and Ser Eustace Hightower and his crew were gaunt and clearly traumatised from all that they had seen. The crew had been augmented by sailors from the Summer Isles, to replace those lost earlier in the voyage. After seeking refreshment, Eustace told the tale to his grandfather.

The expedition had left Oldtown on the 23rd day of the 3rd moon of 56 AC, sailing south by southwest out of Whispering Sound. The voyage had been blessed with fair weather and good winds, and they had passed numerous fishing vessels and even, curiously, a whaler out of distant Ib. By the 12th day out of port, the flotilla was estimated to be as far south as the Summer Islands and further west than any sailor had sailed before. Celebrations were held, but these soon turned sour. For two weeks the fleet lost the wind and had to be towed by row boats, for slow and tedious progress. Then a massive storm broke, followed by another two days later, and then another. The Autumn Moon was destroyed in that third storm, set aflame by lightning and then swallowed by a monstrous wave (that some of the sailors on Lady Meredith swore blind was hiding a kraken within it). Ser Norman Hightower died in that catastrophe. Lady Meredith survived, but severely damaged. The Sun Chaser returned and helped the Meredith limp to a small group of three islands located just to the west. Elissa had discovered the islands several days earlier (Sun Chaser was considerably faster than the Hightower ships) and named them Aegon, Rhaenys and Visenya.

The three islands were beautiful. Blessed with fruit and food never before tasted by Westerosi, they were a genuine new discovery. Ser Eustace declared this was a discovery enough and vowed to return to Westeros. Elissa was incredulous; the three islands were small, the largest only a third or so the size of Dragonstone, and although impressive they were not going to justify the enormous cost of the trip, or the ruinous loss of life. She was pressing on. Ser Eustace wished her well, but knew his crew would never tolerate a further adventure, having seen the fate of their sister ship. The last Ser Eustace saw of the Sun Chaser it was fitting its name, sailing directly into the setting sun.

Ser Eustace’s voyage home, however, was far more traumatic even than the voyage out. One useful piece of new knowledge established by the expedition was that the prevailing current and winds on the southern Sunset Sea were oriented to the west; beating into the wind and current, Lady Meredith made miserable time heading north and east. A whale crashed into the ship, doing structural damage so severe that Eustace was unwilling to chance the long voyage to Oldtown, instead turning east for the Summer Islands. Finally, some months after leaving Aegon Island, Lady Meredith made landfall…on the north-western coast of Sothoryos. Their reckoning had been off and they had passed south of the Summer Islands, instead washing up on the shores of the ill-omened and barely-explored southern continent. It took more than a year to patch up Meredith sufficiently for the voyage home, and during that year most of the original crew died from horrible fevers, tick bites, wild animal attacks and other means to horrible to recount. It would not have been possible for them to leave, had a Summer Islander ship not happened across the stricken vessel and helped them limp to the islands. After a further refit (lasting months) at Tall Trees Town, the Meredith had finally left for home.

The tale spread across Westeros and was the wonder of the moon. A genuine voyage of adventure, discovery and exploration! For a time there was talk of claiming the three islands in the name of King Jaehaerys, or even sending other ships west after the Sun Chaser, but then the idea faded, replaced by some other news. The Hightowers and Targaryens both considered further adventures and dismissed them; reaching the islands was possible but it would be too easy to founder in storms or suffer the fate of the Autumn Moon and its crew.

The fate of the dragon eggs was a more pressing concern: in 57 AC, a year after the Sun Chaser expedition had set out but almost two before Lady Meredith returned, Septon Barth had been named Hand of the King and sent to Braavos; that Sun Chaser was of Braavosi manufacture was clear and it was also abundant clear that “Captain Westhill” was really Elissa Farman. Barth demanded that the Sealord of Braavos return the three dragon eggs immediately. The Sealord demurred any knowledge of said eggs, and threats were made, of dragonfire scouring the Free City of Braavos from the face of the known world, of cloaked figures with shifting faces stalking the streets of King’s Landing and the halls of the Red Keep. A compromise was made, whereby the Sealord of Braavos would ensure that no dragons would ever hatch from these eggs and the Iron Bank would forgive the Iron Throne’s (extremely considerable, at this time) debts, in return for the Seven Kingdoms agreeing not to visit fire and blood on the hundred isles of Braavos. The deal was struck and made, and the dragon eggs passed out of history…for two hundred and forty-one years. But that is another story.

One last interesting coda to this story. Corlys Velaryon, the heir to Driftmark, was but two years old when Elissa Farman struck out across the Sunset Sea. He grew up fascinated by the story, and by the design of the Sun Chaser, which he studied at some length and, some say, may have influenced the design of his own vessels, the Ice Wolf and later the more impressive Sea Snake. He took his ships north into the White Waste beyond even the Lands of Always Winter, searching for a way around the northern end of Westeros only to find none. He sailed the Shivering Sea to the Thousand Isles and Nefer, and became the first Westerosi to pass the Jade Gates and explore the Jade Sea. On his second voyage on the Sea Snake he sailed all the way to Asshai, the eastern-most port of the known world, some 6,000 miles east of King’s Landing. There, in that vast and strange harbour, crowded with ships from hundreds of ports, he spied a decrepit, battered and old ship that, he swore, could only be the Sun Chaser. He was unable to find the ship again or learn who owned it or what had become of his crew, but until his dying day he swore that Elissa Farman’s ship had – somehow – found its way to the far side of the known world, some 8,000 miles and more from where it was last seen, a quarter of a century or more later. How it got there we do not know…but we can speculate.

A highly speculative map of the planet of the A Song of Ice and Fire series (the red line marks the limit of the canonical maps). This map shows the vast amount of ocean between the west coast of Westeros and the eastern part of Essos. Click for a larger version

Mapping the Story

The Targaryen Islands – a new discovery in ASoIaF worldbuilding, courtesy of the book Fire and Blood – are three small islands located in the Sunset Sea. The islands are located south-by-southwest out of Oldtown and Whispering Sound. The Sun Chaser and her companion ships sailed on this bearing for twelve days, by which time they believed themselves to be further south than the Summer Islands, before being becalmed for two weeks. After three huge storms in four days, the surviving ships made landfall on the islands.

The ships travelling on the voyage were two older, more conventional vessels and the Sun Chaser, which is notable as it is described as a “carrack”. Carracks were built for speed and for durability, for long stays on the open sea, in contrast to earlier designs which were mean to stay close to the shore. They were relatively fast, travelling 80 miles per day, and were the predecessor to the later galleon. The Santa Maria, Columbia’s flagship for crossing the Atlantic, was a carrack (the two other ships in the fleet were caravels, considerably faster ships which may be more technologically advanced than any design in ASoIaF). The Lady Meredith and Autumn Moon‘s class of ship is not readily identified, but we know they were slower; Sun Chaser kept outdistancing them and having to stop to let them catch up. Due to reasoning that will become clear, I think it’s best to assume that Lady Meredith and Autumn Moon are “standard carracks” capable of hitting 80 miles per day and that the Sun Chaser is a “super carrack” capable of much faster speeds, maybe comparable to a caravel at 90-100 miles per day.

This creates a problem, as the southernmost tip of the Summer Islands is 1,800 miles south of the south coast of Dorne. To reach that far, the ships would have to be travelling at 150 miles per day, or considerably faster than even the fastest caravel afloat in the 15th Century. We might stretch that (a lot!) for the Sun Chaser, but for two ordinary Oldtown ships, that’s clearly impossible. More likely is that Eustace and Norman got the location of the Summer Islands wrong and thought they were either much smaller or further north (or both) than they really are. After all, although Summer Islanders visiting Westeros is noted as being commonplace, the reverse seems to be much less frequent, and their charts could be wrong.

Also slightly challenging is the description of the islands being “south by southwest” of Oldtown: there is no such cardinal direction. I’m assuming GRRM meant “southwest by south” as south by west, the other possibility, is so close as to dead south that it would not put the fleet as far west as the Lonely Light, although it helps get the ships further south towards the Summer Islands.

On this basis, I have placed the Targaryen Islands approximately 1,450 miles southwest-by-south from Oldtown. This puts them approximately 2,300 miles due west of the northern-westernmost tip of the Summer Islands. The nearest  known landfall is the Arbor, about 1,100 miles to the north-east.

Ser Eustace’s later attempts to return to Westeros suggest that he may not be the greatest sailor to ever set sail across the world’s oceans, although the misfortune he encountered did not help.

The question of how the Sun Chaser ended up in Asshai is an interesting one. Based on our previous explorations of the size of the planet, the distance from the western edge of the known world map – which is pretty much where the Sun Chaser vanishes, not far north of the equator – and the eastern edge of the map at the Saffron Straits, just east of Asshai, is approximately 18,500 miles, assuming no landmass in the way. Could the Sun Chaser make such a journey? Perhaps. Carracks could cross the Atlantic and later circumnavigated Africa, although such journeys were risky. Assuming good weather for a majority of the voyage and stops for resupply, Sun Chaser could do such a journey in about 200 days, let alone ~25 years. I think the inference Martin is leading us to make is that there are other landmasses out there in the Sunset Sea between Westeros and the far east of Essos, and Elissa Farman and her crew had many exciting adventures before the Sun Chaser made its way west, past the southern coast of Essos and to Asshai via the Saffron Straits. Whether it was Elissa who piloted it there or someone else, is something we are unlikely to learn the truth of any time soon.

There are other possibilities, though. Sun Chaser could have run into bad luck, the crew killed, and the ship swept south and east past Sothoryos and then up through the Jade Sea to Asshai that way, or captured by pirates and sailed on the Summer Sea as a raider before ending up in Asshai in a different manner, but that’s an altogether less interesting story.

As for the story of Aerea Targaryen, she and Balerion flew from Dragonstone to Valyria and back again, a distance of about 2,600 miles and 5,200 for the round trip. It is interesting that the firewyrms – if that’s what they were – hatched in Aerea on the day she returned to King’s Landing. This may have been a dramatic conceit but it may have also been triggered by the proximity to other living beings: the firewyrms waited until she was near other people and then tried to escape and infect others. Luckily Barth and Benifer’s attempts to save Aerea killed the firewyrms before they could be a threat to anyone else. The story does have interesting ramifications for other elements of the ASoIaF saga (including Euron Greyjoy’s claim to have walked ruined Valyria, which now seems unlikely at best).

 

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Historical Map 25: The Baratheon Reign

King Robert I Baratheon was crowned early in the year 284 AC. He married the Lady Cersei of House Lannister and the Seven Kingdoms rejoiced, hoping for a new age of peace and plenty following the depredations of the Mad King’s reign.

Robert I Baratheon (262-298, r. 283-298). Artwork by Amok.

Robert appointed his mentor and friend Jon Arryn as Hand of the King. Jon was a steady and reliable Hand, noted for his wisdom, diplomacy and judgement. When Prince Oberyn Martell, the feared Red Viper of Dorne, urged that his brother, the ruling Prince Doran, declare for Viserys and continue the fight, Jon Arryn visited Sunspear and made peace instead. Arryn also proved wise in his choice of counsellors and advisors. Noting the success of young Lord Petyr Baelish in collecting customs duties in Gulltown, Arryn brought him to King’s Landing and made him master of coin. Crown incomes under Baelish’s care soon tripled, which was useful because Robert Baratheon developed a fondness for great tourneys and feasts on an elaborate and expensive scale.

The war officially ended (according to some maesters) in 284 AC when Stannis Baratheon and Paxter Redwyne captured Dragonstone. It was a hollow victory, for Ser Willem Darry had already fled to the Free City of Braavos with the young Prince Viserys and the infant Princess Daenerys. The Sealord of Braavos gave them shelter and succour, but was careful not to offend the Seven Kingdoms, for important trading links lay between the Free Cities and Westeros. Also, although this was not revealed until some time later, Ser Willem signed a secret pact with Prince Doran Martell, who, despite his warm words to Jon Arryn, still hungered for revenge for the murder of his sister Elia. Doran pledged his daughter Arianne in marriage to Viserys, to take place at the right time. If Viserys could raise an army and land on the shores of Westeros, Dorne would declare for him. However, Viserys himself was never told of the agreement.

By the time Ser Willem died, in 289 AC, it was clear that the Seven Kingdoms was not going to rise for Viserys and his sister and they were put out of the house they had lived in. Viserys, now thirteen years old and claiming the title and name King Viserys III Targaryen, took his sister from Free City to Free City, asking for help and support. Although he was treated politely, none of the Free Cities listened to him. Viserys even petitioned the Golden Company, founded by mortal enemies of the Targaryens, for assistance but they would not accept his cause. Viserys’s increasingly desperate pleas for help soon earned him the mocking nickname, “The Beggar King”.

Back in Westeros, the realm prospered but there was already some disquiet. By becoming the King on the Iron Throne, Robert decided he should abdicate his position as Lord of Storm’s End and pass the title on to his brother. However, he decided that Stannis was needed to hold Dragonstone, so appointed him lord of that island and castle. Robert’s youngest brother Renly was made Lord of Storm’s End instead. For Stannis, who hated Dragonstone, this was a slight and one he could not forgive his brother for, even when Robert named him master of ships and commander of the Royal Fleet. Even worse was when, a couple of years after the Rebellion, Stannis was married to Lady Selyse of House Florent. During the wedding celebrations Robert deflowered Selyse’s cousin Delena in Stannis’s wedding bed (evidently Stannis and his wife were not present at the time) and got her with child. Stannis was outraged by the insult to his wife’s house. Robert recognised the child as his, Edric Storm, and sent him to Storm’s End to be raised. Stannis and his wife’s only child, Shireen, was born in 289.

The Greyjoy Rebellion saw Lord Balon Greyjoy of Pyke declare himself king and rebel against the Iron Throne. An early victory at Lannisport was undone with a defeat at Seagard, a major naval engagement lost off Fair Isle and the invasion of the Iron Islands by King Robert’s armies. Balon Greyjoy was forced to resubmit to the Iron Throne. The Iron Islands could muster only a maximum of 100 heavy warships in the Iron Fleet (although an estimated 500+ longships of limited utility against galleys), whilst the Royal Fleet alone consisted of over 210 warships of note. The Redwyne Fleet added 200 warships and the coast lords, Shield Islands and lords of the Mander could add several dozen to this number. Stannis and Paxter Redwyne are unlikely to have used every ship in both their fleets and a squadron was likely left at Dragonstone to defend the capital, but certainly the ironborn were significantly outnumbered.

Sitting in Pyke, in the Iron Islands, Lord Balon Greyjoy assessed the situation. King Robert had come to this throne through rebellion and war. He had overthrown the rightful king, and many in the realm still called him a traitor and upstart, if only in private. “Robert’s Rebellion” was also called “The War of the Usurper” in some quarters. Greyjoy also began to wonder how many of the houses would really rally to support Robert. In addition, the Targaryens had won the Seven Kingdoms with their dragons and maintained them after the loss of the dragons with political alliances and maintaining historical inertia. With that gone, there was no guarantee things would continue. Balon was also aware that he had come to power through the death of his father in a failed attack on the Reach during the Rebellion. He came to believe that he need to strengthen his rule through strength and bold action and military success.

Accordingly, in the year 289 AC Balon Greyjoy rebelled against the Iron Throne. He declared himself Balon IX Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands. In the five years since the Rebellion he had secretly ordered the construction of a new fleet of warships. Unlike the longships of the ironborn, which were excellent fast raiders but unsuited for combat with galleys and war dromonds (as they had learned at the Battle of the Mander), these new ships included galleons and multi-mastered warships which could match the Royal Fleet or the fleet of the Arbor. The Iron Fleet was formidable in battle and a tremendous force-equaliser.

The declaration was not taken well in King’s Landing and King Robert roused himself for war. He ordered his bannermen to march and his warships to sail, but Balon Greyjoy took the initiative. He sent the Iron Fleet under his brother Victarion’s command to attack Lannisport. Victarion destroyed the Lannister fleet at anchor and burned part of the harbour.

Balon also sent his eldest son, Rodrik, with a raiding force to attack Seagard, the primary port of the Riverlands on the west coast. Although Rodrik’s raiders inflicted some damage, the town was warned in time and Lord Jason Mallister was able to rally a defence. Mallister slew Rodrik in battle and threw the ironborn back into the sea. Despite this setback the Greyjoys continued their raids, attacking all along the coast of the Westerlands and Reach.

By now the Royal Fleet had sailed south, through the Stepstones and around the coast of Dorne to the Arbor. There Lord Stannis joined his strength to that of Lord Paxter Redwyne and sailed north along the coast of the Reach. More ships joined the armada, sailing out of Oldtown and the Shield Islands. This gave Stannis tremendous numerical superiority. He ordered part of the fleet to sail west, striking around the coast of Fair Isle, whilst he approached the straits between the island and the mainland.

As he had hoped, Victarion had spotted the incoming Royal Fleet and decided to attack directly. Stannis avoided giving battle for as long as possible, so the Iron Fleet was firmly within the Straits, before joining the engagement. Stannis’s flagship, the Fury, smashed the Golden Storm under the command of Aeron Greyjoy (Balon’s youngest brother). Aeron was fished out of the sea and later imprisoned under Casterly Rock until the end of the war. The ironborn fought ferociously, but the rest of Stannis’s fleet had circumnavigated Fair Isle and now took the Greyjoy fleet from the north, crushing it between the two forces. Some of the Greyjoy ships managed to escape, but the much-feared Iron Fleet was effectively destroyed in the engagement.

By now Robert had taken the field with significant strength of arms. Eddard Stark had ridden south with a sizable army and the Westerlands and Riverlands contributed substantial numbers of men. Stannis’s fleet ferried them across to the Iron Islands.

Balon IX Greyjoy (c. 258-299, r. 282 & 299 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Ser Barristan Selmy, now Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, led the attack on Old Wyk, whilst Stannis mounted a naval assault on Great Wyk. Orkmont was also attacked, and Harlaw as well. Finally, once the other ironborn forces and fleets had been neutralised, Robert’s army landed on Pyke. The castle of House Botley was destroyed along with the town of Lordsport early in the action, before Pyke was invested. Siege engines collapsed the main watchtower and part of the wall, killing Maron Greyjoy (Balon’s second son) who was rallying the defence.  The mad warrior-priest Thoros of Myr flung himself through the breach first with his flaming sword (coated in wildfire) and Jorah Mormont of Bear Island right behind him. Others, such as Jacelyn Bywater, also distinguished themselves in the fighting. The ironborn, badly outnumbered, were defeated with many great warriors and lords (such as Lord Blacktyde) killed.

Balon Greyjoy was overpowered and brought before King Robert in chains. Some urged him to execute the rebel or send him to the Wall, but Robert felt magnanimous (possibly because the rebellion had spiced up what was becoming a dull reign for him) and allowed Balon to knee and re-swear fealty in return for forgiveness. Robert took hostages from several of the ironborn families, with the young Lord Baelor Blacktyde sent to Oldtown. Most notably, Balon’s only surviving son Theon was given to Lord Eddard Stark to raise as a ward and hostage for his father’s good behaviour.

Rewards were given to those who distinguished themselves in the fighting: Jacelyn Bywater was knighted and, despite the loss of a hand, was given a place of command in the King’s Landing City Watch. Jorah Mormont was also knighted. In the great tourney at Lannisport to celebrate the victory, he met and successfully wooed Lynesse Hightower. Lord Leyton, surprisingly, consented to the match and Jorah and Lynesse were soon married. However, the marriage turned sour when Lynesse came to hate the poor, remote and wild Bear Island. Jorah’s attempts to keep her in the standards she was used to in Oldtown saw him driven into debt and he ended up dabbling in the slave trade. Word of this reached Eddard Stark, who stripped Jorah of his title. Jorah and Lynesse had already fled to the Free Cities, where Lynesse left him to become a noble’s consort in Lys. Jorah became a sellsword, wandering the Free Cities and other parts of Essos.

In the aftermath of the rebellion Balon ordered Lordsport, Pyke and the Iron Fleet to be rebuilt. He also began treating his daughter Asha as his effective heir, perhaps having already written off Theon so he could not be used against him in a future rebellion. When Balon’s brothers Euron and Victarion quarrelled, he exiled Euron. Soon Euron’s black-sailed ship, the Silence, became the terror of the seas from the Arbor to Asshai as he raided mercilessly and without conscience.

The lands north of the Seven Kingdoms. By 297 AC many of the wildling tribes and clans had been united by Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall (the location of some of the tribes is speculative).

A much more minor event happened after this time, although it had long-lasting consequences. Mance Rayder, a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch based at the Shadow Tower, was angered by the unyielding attitude of his order and its hostility towards the wildlings, whom Mance had come to regard as honourable and freedom-loving. Mance turned his cloak and went over to the wildlings. Gifted in music and oratory as well as a formidable warrior, Mance soon won the respect of several wildling tribes and was proclaimed their chief. Word soon came of a spreading terror from the north, a tide of cold and ice. The nature of this threat grew more serious and Mance determined to unite the wildlings against it. Over a decade or more he united dozens of tribes, from the northern valleys of Thenn to the Wall and from the Frozen Shore to the Bay of Seals. Late in the 290s he was proclaimed King-beyond-the-Wall and made no secret of his intention to take his people into the Seven Kingdoms. The Night’s Watch, under the command of Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, grew concerned and sent word to Eddard Stark, who began to wonder if he would need to summon a host and lead it north of the Wall to deal with the threat.

In King’s Landing the king and his beautiful queen had had three children: Joffrey (b. 286), Myrcella (b. 290) and Tommen (b. 291). However, their marriage was not a happy one. Robert was boisterous and fun-loving, but found his wife was cold and harsh towards him, and intolerant of his dalliances and his pining for the slain Lyanna Stark. Robert lived for excitement, fighting and celebrations and found the minutiae of day-to-day rule tedious in the extreme, which he took out in slighting and baiting his wife and her twin brother Jaime, a member of his own Kingsguard. He spent money unwisely, trusting to Jon Arryn and Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish to find more. Robert raised his youngest brother Renly to the position of master of laws and more than a few noted that Renly, although charismatic and brave like his brother, was also wiser and more level-headed. Renly also took care to cultivate friendships with other factions and houses, most notably the Tyrells of Highgarden and his own storm lord vassals. Stannis was regarded by all as dour, lacking in charisma and dangerously inflexible in his judgements.

Still, as the year 297 progressed war and disquiet seemed far away. Westeros basked in the heat of a long summer, the Hand of the King ruled wisely and well even if the king could be rash and intemperate, and the Seven Kingdoms prospered. The first tidings of the dark times to come were minor and innocuous: a Night’s Watch raiding party led by Ser Waymar Royce disappearing beyond the Wall; Lord Jon Arryn visting Stannis Baratheon with a book and certain questions over the lineages of the houses Lannister and Baratheon.

But, most forebodingly of all, in the Free City of Pentos, beyond the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen was married to Khal Drogo of the Dothraki, a warlord with an army of forty thousand skilled riders. Illyrio Mopatis, a Magister of the Free City, had arranged the match between Drogo and Viserys, with Drogo agreeing to mount an invasion of the Seven Kingdoms and give Viserys his crown in return for his sister’s hand in marriage. The Beggar King now had an army, more battle-hardened and experienced than any in Westeros.

To meet this threat, the Seven Kingdoms would need wise and strong leadership. But it was not to have it, for Lord Jon Arryn took ill suddenly and died unexpectedly. After a period of grieving, King Robert took to the Kingsroad for Winterfell, and the beginning of the end.

Historical Map 24: Robert’s Rebellion

Much has been written of the war that ended the reign of the Mad King and the Targaryen dynasty. All of the accounts agree that events were set in motion at the great Harrenhal tourney, which took place very late in the Year of False Spring, 281 AC. The great and the good of the realm announced they would attend – Lord Tywin Lannister excepted – and it was to be a gathering of such magnificence that the Seven Kingdoms had not seen in years.

The Great Houses and their areas of control just prior to Robert’s Rebellion.

Some believe that Lord Walter Whent had arranged the tourney because he was desperate for alliances. He and his wife Shella, a cousin from another branch of the family, had four sons and a daughter and was keen to find marriage matches for them. However, the Whents, like most houses that had held Harrenhal (leading to the myth of the “Harrenhal Curse”), had not prospered and seemed scarce able to afford to host such a large gathering. The fact that Lord Walter’s brother, Ser Oswell Whent, a knight of the Kingsguard and close friend of Prince Rhaegar, had visited him shortly before the tourney was announced has led to much theorising and gossip.

Some believe that Prince Rhaegar, distressed by the madness that was clearly now starting to eat away at his father, arranged the tourney in secret so it could act as an informal Grand Council, where he could test the mood for removing his father on the grounds of insanity and take over as regent. If so, it was a bold move. Although few in the realm could deny Aerys’s state of mind, there were many who had played on his paranoia and fears to win themselves high office: Wisdom Rossart,  Lucerys Velaryon (master of ships), Symond Staunton (master of laws) and Lord Qarlton Chelsted (master of coin) were foremost amongst this faction. Varys, master of whisperers, also held the king’s favour. Prince Rhaegar’s support came from a new, younger coterie of lords and knights: Lord Jon Connington of Griffon’s Roost, Ser Myles Mooton of Maidenpool and Ser Richard Lonmouth were foremost among this group.

The Kingsguard were supposed to be neutral in such matters, as they were sworn to protect the king, but all seven knights seemed to think well of Prince Rhaegar, who considered Ser Arthur Dayne to be his greatest friend. Ser Oswell Whent and Prince Lewyn Martell, Princess Elia’s uncle, were also in Rhaegar’s confidence.

Grand Maester Pycelle’s personal loyalty had been to Lord Tywin, but with him gone he set himself the task of mediating between the factions, believing that the risk of war, or at least civil unrest, was becoming greater. He was aided in this task by Lord Owen Merryweather, the Hand of the King, a man of a relatively steady hand and diplomatic mind, but not the most dynamic of men. When the Harrenhal tourney was announced and its scale became clear, Chelsted and Staunton urged that the king prohibit it from taking place, suspicious of the reasons for it occurring. Merryweather argued against this, saying that the commons loved tournaments and banning it would add to the king’s unpopularity. To the bemusement of all, King Aerys suddenly announced that he would attend the event in his royal person. Given that he hadn’t left the Red Keep since the Defiance of Duskdendale four years earlier, this was a startling move.

The tourney proved to be a great occasion for meetings and reunions. Eddard Stark, the second son of Lord Rickard Stark of Winterfell, had been sent to foster at the Eyrie at the age of eight, in 271. The eldest son of Lord Steffon Baratheon, Robert, had also been sent to the Eyrie to foster. The two boys were as different as could be imagined, Eddard being serious and thoughtful, Robert boisterous and loud. But they found in one another a true friend. For seven years they were inseparable companions, the halls of the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon ringing to their laughter, japes and adventures.

Under Lord Jon Arryn’s tutelage, both grew into fine men, both skilled at battle but Robert far more energetic and gifted at it. Jon also taught them both the art of governance, although Eddard was a better study at that, ironically for as a second son as it was not expected he would inherit lands or title.

In 278 Lord Steffon Baratheon was sent on a mission to the Free Cities. Robert decided to return to Storm’s End to greet his father on his return. Instead, he watched with horror from the castle as his father’s ship was smashed to pieces on the aptly-named rocks of Shipbreaker Bay. Robert Baratheon become Lord of Storm’s End at the age of sixteen.

The following year Eddard returned to Winterfell but, having come to love Lord Arryn as a second father, returned several times in the next two years to visit.

Robert was now one of the most powerful figures in the Seven Kingdoms and was as yet unwed. Lord Rickard Stark proposed that Robert marry his daughter Lyanna, Eddard’s younger sister, and unite their houses. Robert was delighted with the idea and a betrothal was set. Lyanna and Robert had met several times and Robert had fallen in love with her, admiring her headstrong spirit. Lyanna seemed to like Robert, but warned her brother that she knew he was not the sort of man to stay faithful. Still, she consented to the betrothal.

Several years earlier, in 276 AC, Lord Rickard had arranged for his eldest son and heir Brandon to be betrothed to the eldest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun, Catelyn. The betrothal upset Lord Hoster’s ward, Petyr Baelish. Hoster and Petyr’s father had fought together during the War of the Ninepenny Kings and Hoster had befriended the man. When he offered to take Petyr as a ward it was a tremendous honour, for House Baelish held a tiny spit of land on the Fingers and were the poorest of the nobility, barely a foot above merchants or simple landholders. Petyr grew up with Catelyn and came to love her, whilst in turn her sister Lysa had fallen in love with Petyr. However, these childish infatuations could not interfere in matters of state and politics. When Brandon came to visit Catelyn, Petyr challenged him to single combat. He lost, badly, but Brandon spared his life. Humiliated, Petyr returned to the Vale.

The Starks, Baratheons, Arryns and Tullys all travelled to the great tourney and there was much rejoicing and feasting. Robert and Eddard were reunited after some time apart and Eddard was smitten by Lady Ashara Dayne, one of Princess Elia’s handmaidens. There was excitement when a short mystery knight bearing the sigil of a smiling heart tree entered the lists and defeated three seasoned knights, demanding that they each teach discipline to their squires (who had committed some offence). The mystery “Knight of the Laughing Tree” then vanished. Irked and wondering if it was some plot against him, the Mad King ordered Prince Rhaegar to track down and identify him, but Rhaegar either failed or, if he did catch the knight, let him go.

Ser Jaime Lannister was given his gold cloak in front of the crowds, roaring with approval, and then abruptly dismissed by the king and ordered back to King’s Landing to protect the royal family. Jaime realised for the first time that maybe his honour was not such a great honour after all.

There was feasting and celebrations and much talk at the tourney, but the Mad King’s presence made it difficult for Prince Rhaegar to talk to anyone about a possible regency, if that had been his intent. Instead, he did his talking in the lists. Although certainly capable, Rhaegar was not regarded as the most outstanding warrior in the Seven Kingdoms, so it was a surprise when he defeated all comers, including Ser Barristan Selmy (who was beginning to advance in years but still utterly formidable). Rhaegar took the crown of love and beauty, a garland of blue roses, but rather than award them either to his wife or the presiding lord’s daughter (as custom dictated) he instead gave the crown to Lyanna Stark, a curious choice for he had – apparently – never met her before this day, although some had noted that Lyanna had found Rhaegar’s singing and musicianship beautiful in the preceding days.

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen names Lyanna Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty at the great Harrenhal tourney in the Year of False Spring. This seemingly innocuous courtesy set in motion a series of events that would lead to the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty. Artwork by Paolo Puggioni for The World of Ice and Fire.

Brandon and Eddard bristled at the insult to their sister, for Rhaegar was a married man and Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, but the incident, curious as it was, was soon dismissed.

The false spring was already breaking and temperatures were plummeting. The lords and knights and their retinues broke camp and returned home. Some lingered longer than others. Brandon Stark was due to shortly wed Catelyn Tully at Riverrun, so some of the family remained at Harrenhal a while longer. Lord Rickard Stark was marching south with a retinue for the wedding, so Eddard took advantage of the delay to visit the Eyrie with Robert Baratheon. The year turned and winter hardened, with King Aerys reaching King’s Landing and commanding that huge wildfires be lit to stave off the worst of the cold.

Prince Rhaegar was not with him. He had returned by stealth to Harrenhal and chanced upon Lyanna Stark not thirty miles from the castle. According to some, he abducted her by force. According to others, she went willingly. But this was the falling pebble that started the avalanche.

Word of the abduction reached Harrenhal and ravens were sent bearing the news to Riverrun. Lord Hoster Tully counselled caution, but Brandon Stark flew into a rage at the news. He gathered a retinue of those close friends and allies present at the castle, including his squire Ethan Glover, Kyle Royce, Jeffory Mallister and Ser Elbert Arryn, and they rode for King’s Landing like the fires of the Seven Hells were at their heels. Lord Rickard received the word on the road and likewise rode south for King’s Landing, but some days behind his son.

Reaching the Red Keep, Brandon demanded that Rhaegar come forth to answer for his crime. But Rhaegar was not there. Instead, on King Aerys’s order, Brandon and his cohorts were arrested and thrown into the Red Keep’s infamous dungeons, the black cells. Lord Rickard, arriving shortly afterwards, demanded an explanation. King Aerys told him that his son stood accused of treason for threatening the prince’s safety. He refused to produce Lyanna or order his son to turn her over. Rickard offered trial by battle and Aerys agreed, but when Rickard came forth in his armour he found only a blaze waiting for him: the champion of House Targaryen, the Mad King said, was fire. Brandon Stark was brought into the chamber with a Tyroshi strangling contraption placed around his neck and forced to watch as his father was roasted to death. Brandon chocked himself trying to rescue his father. Brandon’s other compatriots were executed apart from Ethan Glover, who was spared because of his young age.

Word came to the Eyrie of these events, followed by a royal command from King Aerys demanding that Eddard and Robert be turned over to him. Lord Jon Arryn ignored and the letter and summoned his banners; Eddard and Robert sent ravens to Winterfell and Storm’s End ordering the same. Suddenly three of the Great Houses were in open rebellion against the Iron Throne.

They were shortly joined by a fourth. Eddard Stark offered to marry Catelyn Tully in his brother’s stead. House Mallister urged Lord Hoster to accept for the murder of their own son and others followed. Lord Hoster agreed and Riverrun summoned its banners as well.

The factions at the onset of Robert’s Rebellion in 282 AC: yellow represents those houses that swore fealty to Robert Baratheon, red those that remained loyal to Aerys II Targaryen. White areas were neutral or undeclared at the start of hostilities. The Iron Throne commanded a potential pool of around 160,000 troops whilst the rebels slightly more at around 170,000*. However, the relative rapidity of the fighting and the dismal weather conditions (the war began in a renewed and savage winter) meant that neither side came close to raising its full military potential (particularly the North). The closest was at the Trident when the royal faction managed to raise around 40,000 troops and the rebels slighty less.

More than half of the realm was now in open rebellion and it fell to the Hand of the King to deal with the crisis. Lord Merryweather ordered the other houses to summon their banners and prepare to move against the rebels. House Tyrell complied quickly, beginning to gather a large army, but House Martell, insulted by Rhaegar’s actions, was slower to act. It was only when King Aerys sent a not-too-subtle message that Princess Elia, her daughter Rhaenys and her newborn son Aegon were under his protection that Sunspear began to move with greater speed.

The ironborn, as usual, took no part. But from Casterly Rock there was only an imposing silence. Lord Tywin Lannister was not minded to help his ungrateful and conniving king and hoarded both his counsel and his military might.

The weight of numbers was (slightly) against King Aerys, but he held an advantage that his foes were scattered. The armies of the North would be slow to gather in the renewed winter and House Baratheon’s forces were cut off in the Stormlands from their allies. The king also held an advantage in authority: he sent word to every castle in the Seven Kingdoms ordering them to maintain their allegiance to the Iron Throne, even in rebellion against their lords. Marq Grafton, the Lord of Gulltown, heeded the king’s command and fortified the city, refusing Lord Arryn’s command to surrender. Eddard Stark had to cross the Mountains of the Moon to the north coast of the Vale and sail across the Bite with a fisherman to get home to take command of his army, whilst Jon Arryn and Robert Baratheon had to batter down the gates of Gulltown and retake the city. That done, Jon moved his forces to the Bloody Gate whilst Robert sailed for Storm’s End.

In the Stormlands Lords Grandison, Cafferen and Fell rebelled against Robert and declared for the king. They decided to combine their forces at Summerhall before marching on Storm’s End, hoping to end the war before it could even really begin. However, Robert moved too fast and defeated them in three battles fought on the same day. Lord Fell was slain and his famous warrior son, Silveraxe was taken captive. Here Robert won a famous diplomatic victory, for he won back the allegiance of all three houses with his wit and charm.

Lord Eddard Stark had reached White Harbor. He marched to Winterfell to find that, despite the weather, his brother and master of arms had already assembled a large host. Taking command, he marched swiftly down the Kingsroad and was able to join with Jon Arryn’s armies near the Trident.

By now Lord Mace Tyrell had assembled the martial strength of the Reach and was marching east against Robert. Although he was massively outnumbered, Robert chose to give battle. Leaving his brother Stannis in command at Storm’s End, Robert marched west and intercepted the Tyrell army at Ashford. However, Robert suffered a significant defeat. Lord Randyll Tarly, whose reputation as the most formidable battlefield general in the Seven Kingdoms was already taking shape, drove Robert from the field with his vanguard before Mace’s main force even arrived. Robert retreated north, perhaps hoping to lure the Tyrell army away from Storm’s End and towards the Riverlands where Robert could reinforce.

However, the Tyrell tactical victory turned into a strategic mistake when Mace was ordered to press on to Storm’s End to lay siege. The Tyrell fleet, commanded by Paxter Redwyne of the Arbor, had by now sailed around Dorne and through the Stepstones. It blockaded Storm’s End by sea as the huge Tyrell host invested the castle. Stannis ordered the garrison to switch to emergency rations, since he knew the chances of relief were slim. His task now was to keep the Tyrell host pinned down and unable to send aid to King’s Landing.

Lyanna Stark’s kidnap outside Harrenhal (1) very early in 282 AC set the scene for the rebellion, although it didn’t formally begin until a few weeks later, when Rickard and Brandon Stark were executed by the Mad King (2). Jon Arryn called his banners but Lord Grafton refused, forcing Jon and Robert Baratheon to storm Gulltown (3). Robert sailed home, raised an army and defeated three royalist armies on the same day at Summerhall (4). He then marched west to confront the Tyrells but was defeated at the Battle of Ashford by Randyll Tarly (5). Whilst the Tyrells invested Storm’s End, Robert fled north and took refuge in Stoney Sept. Jon Connington’s army stormed the town in an attempt to kill him, but was defeated at the Battle of the Bells by a Tully-Arryn-Stark host led by Eddard Stark (6). The rebels regrouped north of the Trident and then defeated Prince Rhaegar Targaryen at the ruby ford (7). Tywin Lannister led a westerlands army to the gates of King’s Landing, professed loyalty to the Mad King, but then sacked the city (8). The ironborn joined the conflict late, attacking the Reach, but were then defeated at the Battle of the Mander by warships from the Shield Islands (9). Eddard Stark lifted the Siege of Storm’s End (10) before killing the last of the royalist Kingsguard at the Tower of Joy (11). Although the Rebellion was mainly fought between early 282 and early 283 AC, some maesters hold it not to have formally ended until Dragonstone surrendered to Paxter Redwyne and Stannis Baratheon in early 284, after the flight of Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen to Essos (12).

By now Lord Merryweather’s slowness to act had come to Aerys’s attention. Realising that he now faced the greatest threat to Targaryen rule since the Blackfyre Rebellions, Aerys realised he needed a younger and more dynamic man to command. Merryweather was stripped of his title and exiled. He was replaced by Lord Jon Connington of Griffin’s Roost.

Connington took a host from King’s Landing, planning to intercept and destroy Robert’s army before it could link up with the Starks, Arryns and Tullys. Robert’s forces had become strung out on the rapid march north and he was cut off near the upper Blackwater. He took refuge in the town of Stoney Sept. Connington’s army surrounded the town and threatened to sack it if Robert was not handed over, but the townsfolk – sworn to Riverrun – were not inclined to aid him. The matter became desperate when Lords Tully, Stark and Arryn brought their assembled might to bear against Connington. Badly outnumbered, he threw his men into the town in a desperate attempt to kill Robert. Connington failed, was severely injured and forced to flee. His army was destroyed in the Battle of the Bells, named for the bells the septons rang to warn the townsfolk to take cover. Shortly after the battle Eddard Stark and Catelyn Tully were married in a double ceremony, with Catelyn’s younger sister Lysa marrying the aged Lord Jon Arryn.

In the aftermath of the battle Connington was stripped of his title and sent into exile in the Free Cities. Lord Qarlton Chelsted was appointed Hand in his stead. Prince Rhaegar returned from the south and asked his father to beg Lord Tywin for aid, even as he gathered as many men as he could for one decisive battle. Aerys sent Queen Rhaella, who was pregnant, to Dragonstone but decided to keep Elia and her children close to ensure Rhaegar’s loyalty, and that of the Dornish. Ser Lewyn Martell arrived from Dorne at the head of ten thousand Dornish spears.

Events came to a head at the Battle of the Trident. The combined Arryn-Baratheon-Stark-Tully host had marched north of the river (possibly to meet reinforcements from the North and the Vale) and turned south, planning to follow the Kingsroad south to the capital. By this time the rebels had decided that Aerys and Rhaegar must be deposed and executed. After briefly considering installing a regency behind the young Prince Viserys, they instead decided that Robert should claim the Iron Throne himself as a great-grandson of King Aegon V.

Prince Rhaegar’s host met them at the main ford over the river, not far from Lord Harroway’s Town and the Inn at the Crossroads.

The result was the Battle of the Trident. The royal host numbered just over forty thousand, the rebels slightly less. Rhaegar’s troops were mostly fresh and unengaged, but Robert’s troops were bloodied and experienced. Prince Rhaegar’s men fought valiantly but were overmatched. Prince Lewyn suffered a mortal wound before he faced Ser Lyn Corbray, wielding his Valyrian steel blade Lady Forlorn. Corbray killed Lewyn and took the glory for it, although his foe was already severely wounded and the match was deemed unchivalrous. Of the other Kingsguard Ser Jonothor Darry was killed, not far from his birthplace, and Ser Barristan Selmy was badly wounded. Seeing him fall on the battlefield, Lord Robert commanded that Selmy be spared and taken to the maesters to be treated.

Finally, in the swirling waters of the ford itself, Robert came face to face with Rhaegar Targaryen. If they exchanged words, none heard of it in the clamour and din. What is known is that Rhaegar inflicted several wounds on Robert before Robert’s massive warhammer crushed his chest, spilling the rubies from his armour into the river. The crossing was later named the “ruby ford” in memory of the duel.

Robert Baratheon defeats Rhaegar Targaryen at the Battle of the Trident in 283 AC. Artwork by Mike S. Miller.

Seeing Rhaegar fall, the royal army broke and ran. The rebels quickly reformed and prepared to march after them, but Robert had been injured in the fighting. He gave command to Lord Eddard Stark whilst he followed more slowly. King’s Landing was vulnerable and defenceless, but still almost four hundred miles away. Reinforced by the army of House Frey, which had reached the battlefield only after the day was done (leading Lord Hoster to dub Old Walder as “the Late Lord Frey”, to his fury), the rebels force-marched on the capital.

In King’s Landing word of Rhaegar’s death and the defeat of his army triggered panic on the streets. King Aerys commanded that Wisdom Rossart place caches of wildfire at strategic points across the city. Lord Chelsted discovered Aerys’s plot to burn the city to deny it to the rebels and, aghast, resigned the Handship. He was burned alive as a traitor and Rossart named Hand.

In Pyke Lord Quellon Greyjoy was confronted by his sons: Balon, Euron and Victarion. Balon demanded that they be allowed to join the fray, now it was clear that the rebels would win. With House Lannister still undeclared, Quellon agreed to lead a large raid on the Reach, which still held for Aerys. However, in a furious naval engagement at the mouth of the Mander the ironborn longships were overcome by the warships of the Shield Isles. Lord Quellon was killed and the ironborn forced to withdraw. Balon Greyjoy was now Lord of the Iron Islands, but the manner in which he came into the title was lacking in glory.

The rebel army beared down on King’s Landing but was beaten to the prize. An army of twelve thousand westermen had reached King’s Landing, the Lannister and Targaryen banners fluttering at their head. Lord Tywin professed loyalty to the Iron Throne and demanded that his forces be allowed to reinforce the city’s defence. Lord Varys objected, suspecting a trap, but Grand Maester Pycelle convinced the king into opening the gates and allowing the Lannister forces to enter the city.

Once inside the gates, Lord Tywin commanded his troops to kill the defenders and sack the city savagely. Thousands died as the Lannisters bled the streets and elite forces led by the savage, huge Ser Gregor Clegane and Ser Amory Lorch assaulted the Red Keep.

Horror-struck, the Mad King gave his last command: “Burn them all”. Wisdom Rossart hurried to obey, but was instead cut down by Ser Jaime Lannister, who had no intention of seeing the city destroyed. Then, realising that Aerys could simply give the command to someone else, he cut down King Aerys at the foot of the Iron Throne. Moments later, Lannister loyalists burst into the throne room, preventing Jaime from disavowing knowledge of who did the deed.

At around the same time, Amory Lorch and Gregor Clegane broke into Maegor’s Holdfast with a band of loyal men. There, they brutally – too brutally – killed Princess Elia Martell and her children, Rhaenys and Aegon.

The rebel army found the city of King’s Landing screaming when they arrived. Lord Eddard commanded that order be restored. He accepted Lord Tywin’s oath of loyalty to Robert Baratheon, but he found the manner in which he had dealt with the Targaryen children and the Mad King to be distasteful. When Robert arrived a few days later, Eddard urged Robert to punish Tywin and Jaime as oathbreakers and traitors, but Robert rejected the idea since they had delivered the crown and the capital to him. Furious, Eddard left the city with a strong host and marched south to fight the last battles of the war.

Storm’s End had withstood siege for nigh on a year. The garrison had been reduced to eating rats and boiling shoe leather. The castle may have fallen, had not a smuggler named Davos broken the blockade with a single ship packed with onions, which allowed the castle to hold out just a few more weeks. Eddard Stark’s host arrived and he treated with Lord Mace Tyrell. Convinced that his cause was hopeless, Mace dipped his banners and swore fealty to King Robert Baratheon, the First of His Name. Storm’s End was relieved. In aftermath Stannis rewarded the smuggler Davos with title and lands, but also took several of his fingers as a punishment for smuggling.

That was not quite the end of the matter. Queen Rhaella had fled to Dragonstone with Prince Viserys and a bodyguard commanded by the formidable Ser Willem Darry. The Royal Fleet remained loyal to the dragon banner, so Stannis and Paxter Redwyne were commanded to raise a fleet large enough to take the island once and for all. Also, to the growing alarm of the rebels, the famed Kingsguard knights Ser Gerold Hightower, Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Oswell Whent remained missing.

The movements of Eddard Stark (in black) and Robert Baratheon (in orange) during Robert’s Rebellion. Both started at the Eyrie, where they were staying with Lord Jon Arryn when the Mad King called for their heads after executing Eddard’s brother and father. Eddard had considerably greater ground to cover, but had the benefit of mostly moving unhindered through friendly territory. It’s also likely he set out for the North weeks before Jon and Robert attacked Gulltown, as Jon had to spend time assembling his army.

For his part, Lord Eddard rode on…but not in force. Instead he picked six loyal companions – Howland Reed, Lord Willam Dustin, Ethan Glover (freed from the black cells), Martyn Cassel, Theo Wull and Ser Mark Ryswell – and rode south and west, through the Dornish Marches. By close questioning of certain survivors at the Trident and in King’s Landing, Eddard had discovered the place where Rhaegar had secreted his sister, a nondescript tower located south of Nightsong in the Prince’s Pass, with the Red Mountains of Dorne in the background.

There Eddard found his sister under the guard of the three missing Kingsguard knights. They met in battle, seven against three, and the Kingsguard proved their valour and legendary prowess. Only Eddard Stark and Howland Reed survived the fight. Eddard found his sister dying in the tower, having been struck down with an illness. He was in time to hear her last words, but not do anything more to save her.

After the battle, Eddard tore down the tower so he could use the stones to create burial cairns. He also took his sister’s bones, so she might be laid to rest in the crypts of Winterfell with her forefathers. But before doing that, he visited Starfall so he might return Ser Arthur Dayne’s great sword, Dawn, to his sister Ashara. Ashara and Eddard had met at the Harrenhal tourney and, according to some, had had a tryst there. Not long after the end of the war, Ashara committed suicide for reasons that remain debatable.

When Eddard Stark finally returned from war to greet his new wife Catelyn he brought a surprise: a baby, Eddard’s bastard son, Jon Snow. Eddard refused to disclose where the baby had come from, but some spoke of Eddard’s relationship with Ashara Dayne, or her serving lady Wylla, or the daughter of the fisherman who carried him home from the Vale to the North. Catelyn was furious and upset, as her and Eddard’s own son Robb had not long been born, but accepted her husband’s order that Jon be raised with them at Winterfell.

In early 284, eight months after the Sack of King’s Landing, the greatest storm in the history of Westeros came rushing up the Narrow Sea. The royal fleet was smashed to kindling in the waters around Dragonstone. As the storm reached its peak, Queen Rhaella gave birth to a daughter, Daenerys Targaryen, and died in the process. With no choice, Ser Willem Darry and the last loyal retainers took Viserys and the stormborn princess and fled across the Narrow Sea into exile. Although the bulk of the fighting had taken place in a period of around a year, some maesters hold that the war did not end until 284, when Dragonstone surrendered to Stannis and Redwyne’s fleet, and Robert Baratheon was crowned on the Iron Throne.

The coronation was accompanied by a wedding, for Lord Tywin Lannister had finally gotten his wish: his daughter Cersei sat at Robert’s side and was named Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The smallfolk cheered for the cessation of hostilities and the rise of a new dynasty, but in this victory so the seeds for a future war were sown.

* For more on estimated military strength, see here.

Timeline of Robert’s Rebellion

Few facets of A Song of Ice and Fire have been more vigorously debated over the years than the timeline of Robert’s Rebellion. This is because George R.R. Martin developed the broad strokes of the rebellion at first and then added more details later on (for example, it does not appear that the Battle of the Bells was developed before the writing of A Storm of Swords, or Eddard Stark’s brief stay on the Sisters until A Dance with Dragons). Some of these details do not dovetail perfectly with previously-established information.

Established facts about the Rebellion include:

• The Harrenhal Tourney took place in the Year of False Spring, 281 AC.
• The Rebellion itself began in 282 AC.
• The Rebellion ended “about a year later”.
• Aerys II Targaryen died in 283 AC.
• Robb Stark and Jon Snow are born at or near the end of the Rebellion and are already 14 when the main storyline of A Game of Thrones commences in 298 AC. Robb is 15 when A Clash of Kings begins.
• Daenerys Targaryen is born about eight months after Aerys’s death. Her newly-pregnant mother was evacuated to Dragonstone a week to two weeks before the Sack of King’s Landing. Daenerys is 13 when A Game of Thrones starts and turns 14 during its length. However, Daenerys’s storyline in A Game of Thrones is completely disconnected from everything else and it is possible-to-likely that it begins somewhat earlier, in late 297. There is precedent for this: based on the dates given elsewhere, the Game of Thrones prologue definitely takes place in mid-to-late 297. Daenerys turning 14 in early 298 – or even late 297! – is therefore possible.
• Lands of Ice and Fire confirms the distances that Daenerys has to cover in the first three books are significantly larger than had previously been assumed, with the Red Waste being particularly huge. Given that it would take a good couple of months (maybe more) to cross the Waste, following by a long and dreary, multi-month stay in Qarth and then a long sea voyage to Slaver’s Bay, starting Daenerys’s story as early as possible becomes desirable to make these journeys and long stays plausible.
• The appearance of the Red Comet in A Game of Thrones‘ closing chapters and the the opening ones of Kings appears to closely tie events in the Red Waste and Winterfell together. However, the Red Waste is 2,000+ miles south of Winterfell, so it is possible for the comet to appear to Daenerys considerably earlier than to the rest of the characters, depending on the comet’s trajectory and orbit respective to the planet.
• Previously it was assumed that many months or even more than a year passed between the Harrenhal Tourney and Lyanna’s abduction. However, The World of Ice and Fire reduced this timespan significantly, stating that the tourney concludes in the closing weeks or even days of 281. It also indicates that Lyanna is abducted near Harrenhal having stayed there for some time after the tourney. The reason for this is unclear but potentially related to her brother Rickard’s impending marriage to Catelyn Tully. There is no real reason for her to remain at Harrenhal, however, compared to Riverrun or perhaps visiting the Eyrie with Eddard and Robert. The only possibility I can think of is that Harrenhal is much closer to the crossing over the Trident and Lyanna may be waiting for her father’s retinue to arrive from Winterfell (although the faster route from Winterfell to Riverrun is via the Twins, Rickard may have preferred to take a longer route precisely to meet up with Eddard and Lyanna along the way, or he rejected Walder Frey’s crossing fees as exorbitant).
• Due to this information, Robert’s Rebellion appears to begin in the spring of 282, end in the spring of 283 and Daenerys is born very early in 284. Further information from Martin in future volumes may clarify things further.

Historical Map 22: The War of the Ninepenny Kings & The Fall of Castamere

In 258 AC nine great warlords, exiles, sellsword captains and pirates met in the Disputed Lands, under the Tree of Crowns, and made alliance. They swore an oath that they would support one another in their claims to lands, kingdoms and territories, so they might achieve together what none could alone. They became known as the Band of Nine.

The War of the Ninepenny Kings began in 258 AC when nine warlords of Essos made a formal pact under the Tree of Crowns. These were: Alequo Adarys of Tyrosh; Maelys Blackfyre of the Golden Company; Ser Derrick Fossoway, a sellsword captain; Liomond Lashare, Lord of Battles; Nine Eyes, a pirate captain; the Old Mother, a pirate queen; Xhobar Qhoqua, the Ebon Prince of the Summer Isles; Samarro Saan of Lys; and Spotted Tom the Butcher. They invaded and sacked Tyrosh before seizing several of the Stepstones, including Bloodstone. King Jaehaerys II sent his armies against the Band of Nine in 260, with Ser Barristan Selmy defeating and killing Maelys the Monstrous in single combat. The rest of the Band were destroyed over the next six months, with only Adarys surviving in Tyrosh. He was killed by his own wife in 266, ending the pretensions of the Ninepenny Kings.

Foremost in military reputation amongst their armies was the Golden Company, made up of exiled knights and warriors from Westeros. Their great commander, Bittersteel, had died seventeen years earlier but the company remained intact and its reputation formidable. Their commander was Maelys Blackfyre, the last surviving descendant of House Blackfyre in the male line. Maelys, a huge and ugly man said to have swallowed his twin in the womb (he had a vestigial second head growing out of his shoulder) had seized command of the company by tearing the head of his cousin Daemon from his shoulders and had a reputation for savagery and bloodlust that had tainted the honour of the company. Still, the opportunity to return home and seize the Seven Kingdoms could not be ignored.

Word came to the Red Keep of the pact. Prince Duncan Targaryen joked that crowns were being “sold nine a penny.” The name stuck and spread, with the Band of Nine becoming known as the Ninepenny Kings.

Prince Duncan, his father King Aegon V and their great friend and protector Ser Duncan the Small, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, all perished in the great fire at Summerhall the following year. Aegon’s second son and heir apparent, Prince Jaehaerys, assumed the Iron Throne as the Second of His Name, whilst Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull, became Lord Commander. Shocked by the deaths of his father and brother, Jaehaerys was ill-prepared to deal with the news that arrived not long after.

Jaehaerys II Targaryen (225-262, r. 259-262 AC). Artwork by Amok.

The Band of Nine had marched and then sailed. Several of their number, including Nine Eyes, the Old Mother and Samarro Saan, were great sea captains and had landed their forces on the island of Tyrosh. In short order the Ninepenny Kings had seized one of the greatest of the Free Cities, sacked it and turned it over to the rule of Alequo Adarys, the Silvertongued. They then seized several more of the islands. The news was momentous, for it was assumed that the Free Cities would have dealt with the problem before it became so great. Now an army numbering in the many thousands was sitting less than a hundred leagues off the coast of Westeros.

Early in 260 King Jaehaerys II made a great call to arms. He would not sit idly by and let these upstarts invade his kingdom. His plan was to launch a pre-emptive assault on the Stepstones and destroy the Ninepenny Kings before they could regroup for an invasion of Westeros.

He planned to lead the assault himself, but he was the least militarily-minded of Aegon’s children. His Hand and brother-in-law, Lord Ormund Baratheon, dissuaded him of the idea. Instead, Ormund assumed command of the mission and began raising a great host.

Ormund summoned troops from across Westeros, from the Westerlands, the Riverlands and the Vale of Arryn, as well as his own host from the Stormlands and many more besides. The size of the host was in the tens of thousands: eleven thousand men marched from the Westerlands alone, under the command of Ser Jason Lannister (Lord Gerold’s youngest son), and thousands more came from the other regions. Lord Quellon Greyjoy was commanded to provide a fleet of one hundred longships from the Iron Islands to support the attack and large transport ships were sourced from the Royal Fleet and elsewhere.

The Greyjoy longships and other vessels swept through the Stepstones, engaging and destroying most of the Band’s ships. Then the Westerosi forces landed on three of the islands, including Prince Daemon Targaryen’s old stronghold of Bloodstone, and engaged the enemy.

The son of the Laughing Storm, who had always believed in leading from the front, Ormund Baratheon was one of the first off the ships and onto the beaches, leading the storming of the fortified defences where Maelys the Monstrous held the command. This proved to be unwise, as he was killed almost immediately. Ormund perished in the arms of his young son, Ser Steffon of Storm’s End. Lord Commander Gerold Hightower quickly assumed command and restored the momentum of the attack.

In the bitter fighting that followed a new generation of Westerosi knights and captains won renown and honour: Ser Tywin Lannister, the young son of Lord Tytos, and his brothers Kevan and Tygett; Ser Brynden Tully, who became known as the Blackfish; his elder brother Ser Hoster Tully, heir to Riverrun; Lord Baelish of a modest smallholding on the Fingers, who fought alongside Ser Hoster and earned his respect; and Prince Aerys Targaryen, not a noted warrior but he distinguished himself ably on the battlefield.

Ser Barristan Selmy battles Maelys the Monstrous, the last of the Blackfyre Pretenders, during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. After Barristan killed Maelys, he was named to the Kingsguard by Jaehaerys II and served with honour in its ranks for the next thirty-eight years. Artwork by Jose Daniel Cabrera Pena in The World of Ice and Fire.

However, the most famous hero of the war was one who was already fast becoming a legend. Having fought his first tourney at the age of ten and won his spurs at sixteen, the twenty-three-year-old Ser Barristan Selmy cut a bloody path through several of the greatest warriors of the Golden Company and engaged Maelys the Monstrous in combat. The huge and overpowering Maelys was slain there and then, the mad dreams of Bittersteel and the hopes of House Blackfyre dying with him.

The War of the Ninepenny Kings raged on for another half a year. The Westerosi forces cleared the rest of the three islands they had landed on and made sure that the other Ninepenny Kings had been routed before returning home. The other Free Cities finished off the pretensions of the remaining claimants, but it wasn’t until 266 that Alequo Adarys was finally poisoned to death by his wife and the Archon of Tyrosh restored.

Ser Barristan Selmy, Barristan the Bold, was inducted into the ranks of the Kingsguard shortly after the war. Lord Commander Gerold Hightower hung the white cloak from his shoulders and King Jaehaerys II named him to his position from the Iron Throne. It was all the young warrior had ever wanted, and he gave up his claim to Harvest Hall and his planned betrothal for it.

Jaehaerys II’s reign began with great promise but it soon turned sour. There was an attempted rebellion in the Westerlands against the lawful rule of House Lannister of Casterly Rock within months of the War of the Ninepenny Kings ending.

Lord Tytos Lannister, the Laughing Lion, and his eldest son and heir Tywin as a young man. Art by Magali Villeneuve for The World of Ice and Fire.

The roots of this rebellion went deep. In 233, during the Peak Uprising, Tywald Lannister, the eldest son and heir of Lord Gerold, the Golden Lion, died in battle at Starpike. Tywald’s wife was the formidable and ambitious Lady Ellyn Reyne, of the Red Lions of Castamere, who had dreamed of becoming Lady of the Rock. She convinced Tywald’s younger brother, the new heir Tion, to marry her instead. Tywald and Tion’s youngest brother, Tytos, married Lady Jeyne Marbrand in a double wedding.

With Lord Gerold elderly and failing, Lady Ellyn convinced her husband to heap honours on her family, House Reyne of Castamere Castle. However, three years into their marriage Tion was killed in the Battle of Wendwater Bridge during the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion. Tytos was now heir to Casterly Rock and Lord Gerold rallied in his final years to instil the virtues of rule and leadership in his weak-willed son. Lady Jeyne now became the dominant female power in Casterly Rock. At her urging, Lady Ellyn was found a new marriage match – Lord Walderen Tarbeck of Tarbeck Hall – and forced to leave the Rock.

In 244 AC Lord Gerold Lannister died and Tytos became Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport and Warden of the West. Lady Jeyne had given him his first son, Tywin in 242, and soon many more children followed: Kevan (b. 244), Genna (b. 245), Tygett (b. 250) and Gerion (b. 255). However, Tytos was not a strong ruler. He was amiable and amenable, easy to flatter and please, and too trusting by far. He forgave debts rather enforce them, let insults slide as harmless banter and was slow to claim taxes or enforce laws. He became known as the Laughing Lion, but also as the Toothless Lion.

In 252 Genna Lannister was married to Emmon Frey, a son of Walder Frey, Lord of the Crossing. Only ten years of age, Tywin considered this match to be far below his house and mocked his father to his face at the wedding ceremony, stunning the room. Shortly afterwards the embarrassed Laughing Lion sent his eldest son to King’s Landing, to serve as cupbearer at the court. There the young Tywin met and befriended Prince Aerys Targaryen.

In 255 Lady Jeyne died from complications birthing her last son, Gerion. Tytos was heartbroken and miserable. Lonely and his already-questionable judgement lapsing further, he allowed himself to be seduced by various mistresses, more interested in his money and his influence than himself. His interest in his realm waned, to the point of civil disorder breaking out. Three times knights were sent by the Iron Throne to restore the King’s Peace, but Lord Tytos seemed unable to focus on the problems at hand. Finally, in mid-260 Tywin, Kevan and Tygett returned from the War of the Ninepenny Kings, all now knighted and respected warriors. More than five hundred bloodied knights from the Westerlands had fought on the Stepstones and formed the core of a new Lannister army that Ser Kevan took command of to drive out the outlaws and robbers from the hills.

Ser Tywin assumed command of Casterly Rock, letting his father retire with his current mistress. He ordered the vassals of House Lannister to repay the loans they had taken out. Those who could not comply were ordered to hand over hostages. Lord Harys Swyft of Cornfield was one of those who could not afford to repay the debts and instead surrendered his young daughter Dorna to Ser Kevan’s custody. As she was a child and nobly born, Ser Kevan treated her honourably. Many years later they fell in love and later married, having four children: Lancel (b. 282), the twins Martyn and Willem (b. c. 286) and Janei (b. 297).

Others were less cooperative. Lord Reyne of Castamere refused to obey outright and Lord Walderan of Tarbeck Hall rode directly to Casterly Rock to beg for Lord Tytos to forgive his debts. Tywin had him arrested and thrown into Casterly Rock’s much-feared underground cells. Lady Ellyn Tarbeck took vengeance by kidnapping three Lannisters, including Tywin’s cousin Stafford, and threatening them with harm.

During the troubled rule of Tytos Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock (244-267 AC), many of his vassals took liberties and built up massive debts. In 260 his sons Tywin, Kevan and Tygett returned from war to set things right. House Reyne of Castamere and House Tarbeck of Tarbeck Hall proved resistant and rebelled against the Golden Lion banner. The following year, Tywin destroyed both houses, root and branch, both dismaying and impressing the realm. Upon his ascension to the Iron Throne in 262, King Aerys II Targaryen named Tywin as Hand of the King.

Lord Tytos roused himself to meet the Tarbeck demands. Lord Walderan was freed and his debts forgiven, to Tywin’s utter fury. Words of forgiveness were uttered and all seemed well, but Tywin merely bided his time. He waited until his father was once again distracted and then sent word to Castamere and Tarbeck Hall, ordering that their lords present themselves at Casterly Rock for justice. Judging that Tywin would again be restrained by his father, they instead chose defiance and rebellion.

Tywin Lannister had prepared for this. An army of five hundred knights and three thousand men-at-arms marched from Casterly Rock. They descended on Tarbeck Hall in a sudden fury. Lord Walderan ill-advisedly rode forth to meet the Lannister host, but he was too badly outnumbered and Tywin was too canny a battlefield commander. The Tarbeck host was butchered, Lord Walderan was beheaded and the castle invested. Lady Ellyn chose to seal the gates and wait for relief from Castamere, but Tywin lacked the patience for a siege. The castle’s walls were strong and thick, rebuilt with the money the Tarbecks had borrowed from Casterly Rock, but the actual keep had not been rebuilt to the same standards. A boulder hurled from a siege engine brought the entire keep crumbling to the ground, Lady Ellyn crushed to death in the process.

Lord Roger Reyne arrived at Tarbeck Hall with only two thousand men, leaving him seriously outnumbered. He trusted to surprise and launched a furious charge into Tywin’s camp. However, Tywin’s men, veterans of the Stepstones, were too well-drilled and experienced. They counter-attacked with remarkable speed and Reyne was forced to flee, leaving half his men dead and a crossbow bolt sticking from his shoulders. His brother Ser Reynard assumed command and fortified Castamere. Like Casterly Rock, most of the “castle” was actually an old mine located below ground, making it a nightmare to assault.

Ser Tywin did not even try a direct attack. He razed the castle entrance, sealed up the tunnels leading into the mines and diverted a nearby river into them. More than three hundred people drowned to death in the cold and the dark under Castamere.

The Seven Kingdoms reeled, with lords and smallfolk alike divided between horror at Tywin’s utter ruthlessness and admiration at how he had taken command of the situation and resolved it decisively. Bards even created a song to commemorate the occasion, the “Rains of Castamere”.

In 262 AC King Jaehaerys II, never the most robust of men, sickened and died. He was only thirty-seven years old and had been king for barely three years. His son took the Iron Throne as Aerys II Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.

Aerys II Targaryen (244-283, r. 262-283 AC). Art by Amok.

Aerys II was only eighteen years old but he was young and vital compared to his sickly father. He had already distinguished himself ably (if not spectacularly) in the War of the Ninepenny Kings and had already sired his first son, Rhaegar. His coronation and that years that followed coincided with the birth of a new generation of nobility for the Seven Kingdoms.

Aerys’s cousin Steffon Baratheon was now Lord of Storm’s End, and within months of the coronation Steffon’s wife Cassana Estermont had given birth to a healthy and robust son, Robert. Just over a year later, in early 264, a second son, Stannis, followed (and in 277 a third, Renly).

In the North, Lord Rickard Stark and Lady Lyarra celebrated the birth of their eldest son, Brandon. A second son, Eddard, followed in 263, followed by a daughter, Lyanna, in 266, and a third son Benjen, in 267.

In Riverrun Lord Hoster Tully had married Lady Minisa Whent and they had three living children: Catelyn (b. c. 265), Lysa (c. 268) and Edmure (c. 270).

Lord Quellon Greyjoy had nine sons, but only four survived to adulthood: Balon (b. c. 260), Euron, Victarion and Aeron.

In Highgarden, Lord Luthor Tyrell and the famously acerbic Lady Olenna Redwyne had several children, the most notable of which was Mace (b. c. 256). Mace married Lady Alerie Hightower and they in turn had four children: Willas (b. c. 270), Garlan (b. 277), Loras (b. 282) and Margaery (b. 283). Mace came to the rule of Highgarden young, as his father rode off a cliff whilst hawking and not paying attention to what he was doing.

In Dorne the ruling Princess of Dorne had given birth to three children who survived to adulthood: Doran Martell (b. c. 248), Elia (c. 257) and Oberyn (c. 258).

In the Vale, things were less secure. Lord Jon Arryn had married twice, but survived both wives and neither provided him with living children. He eventually appointed his hale and hearty young nephew, Ser Elbert Arryn, as his heir.

But the family King Aerys took the most interest in were the Lannister. A friend of Tywin’s, Aerys had been knighted by him in the war on the Stepstones. Deeply impressed by his handling of the Tarbecks and Reynes, Aerys named Tywin as Hand of the King at just the age of twenty. Tywin accepted the honour. A year later Tywin married his cousin Joanna, whom he loved deeply. It was said that Lady Joanna was the only person who could make Tywin smile. In 266 she made him smile greatly by giving birth to beautiful twins, a girl and a boy, Cersei and Jaime. But in 273 the smiles of Tywin Lannister died altogether along with his wife in childbirth. The child, a son, survived, but he was a misshapen dwarf. If he had been born a peasant Tywin would have left him to die in the woods. He despised the child for the death of his wife, but he also knew the value of a second son for marriage purposes. He named the child Tyrion and did his best to ignore the infant.

These were the names that would resonate strongly in the years ahead. For, although none could guess it on that promising day in 262 AC when the young, handsome and charismatic Aerys Targaryen sat on the Iron Throne, the Targaryen Dynasty had entered its twilight. Ahead lay the days of wrath and fury, when madness and insanity would lay low the kingdom that Aegon the Conqueror had fought to unite.

Geographic Note: The Stepstones

Only two of the Stepstones have been named: Bloodstone, a large northern island, and Grey Gallows, a considerably smaller island just to the south. Both islands are likely significant since they’ve been named. Bloodstone was Daemon Targaryen’s stronghold during his reign as King of the Narrow Sea, so it’s possible that Maelys the Monstrous chose it as his stronghold during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. We know Jason Lannister died fighting on Bloodstone during the war, so this is a credible but not watertight conclusion. However, I have not definitively said the battle where Maelys died was fought on Bloodstone, only that a battle was fought there. It is a reasonable supposition that Grey Gallows was one of the other islands attacked during the war, but again this is unconfirmed. Tyrosh was not one of the three islands attacked, as Tyrosh was not liberated until six years after the war ended. The Tree of Crowns is likely a neutral meeting spot deep in the Disputed Lands, possibly near its centre, the furthest away from any of the cities feuding over the territory.

Geographic Note: Location of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall

Castamere and Tarbeck Hall are both said (in A Storm of Swords) to be located relatively close to the Crag. Marching (presumably north) from Casterly Rock, Tywin’s host reaches Tarbeck Hall first. Castamere is a three-day march from Tarbeck Hall for an army of several thousand men laden with siege engines and equipment, so it’s likely considerably less than 100 miles. I have according placed the two locations as shown on the map above. This also puts Castamere on the site of an unnamed mine noted in the map of the Westerlands in The World of Ice and Fire, which also matches up nicely.

Historical Map 21: Three Kings, Many Rebellions

Aerys I Targaryen, the second son of Daeron II, took the Iron Throne in 209 AC. He was not particularly suited to the task, preferring books and intellectual pursuits to ruling. He appointed Brynden Rivers, popularly called Bloodraven, as his Hand and retired to his library.

The third century after the conquest saw numerous rebellions and minor wars: Dagon Greyjoy’s raids along the coast (210-212), the Second Blackfyre Rebellion at Whitewalls (211), the struggle at Winterfell between the “She-Wolves” (212), the Third Blackfyre Rebellion and Bittersteel’s rescue at sea (219), King-beyond-the-Wall Raymun Redbeard’s invasion and defeat at Long Lake (226), the Peake Uprising (233), the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion and defeat at Wendwater Bridge (236), the rebellion of Storm’s End after the betrayal of Prince Duncan (239), and the great Tragedy at Summerhall (259).

Bloodraven proved a capable administrator and he certainly did all he could for the realm, but he was also mistrusted. A former master of whisperers, his spies were rumoured to exist throughout the Seven Kingdoms, feeding reports and intelligence to their master. The common folk spoke of his “thousand eyes and one”, and his astonishing ability to ferret out secrets anywhere.

Aerys I was an ineffective ruler but not a tyrannical or bloody one. His reign may have been a quiet one, had not he risen to the throne during the Great Spring Sickness. The realm was left devastated, with certainly hundreds of thousands and maybe millions dead. In the wake of the Spring came a horrendous drought. Lasting more than two years, it saw harvests across the south fail. The smallfolk blamed their lacklustre new king and his sinister Hand.

The combination of the plague and drought made the ironborn bold. In 210 Lord Dagon Greyjoy launched a ferocious series of raids along the west coast of the continent, hitting the coasts of the North, the Reach and the Westerlands particularly hard. By 211 Houses Stark and Lannister had made common cause to coordinate a defence against the ironbon. Lord Beron Stark and Lord Tybolt Lannister raised ships and armies, and by 212 had defeated the ironborn, forcing them back to their islands.

House Greyjoy resubmitted to the King’s Peace, but Dagon’s enemies did not long enjoy their victory: Lord Tybolt was dead by the end of 212, his daughter and heir Cerelle surviving him only by a year before her own untimely death and the succession of her uncle Gerold. In the North Lord Beron had been mortally wounded and soon died, plunging House Stark into a brief crisis as the “She-Wolves of Winterfell” contested the inheritance.

Donnor Stark won the inheritance but did not rule for long: he died without issue a few years later and was succeeded by his brother Willam. In 226 Willam received word that a wildling chieftain, Raymun Redbeard, had declared himself the King-beyond-the-Wall and raised an army. Willam expected the Night’s Watch to delay their advance and send warning of their movements, but Lord Commander Jack Musgood’s arrangements were lax and Raymun’s army was able to scale the Wall and quickly march south. Willam joined with Lord Harmond Umber and they met the wildlings in battle on the shores of Long Lake. The engagement was won but Willam was slain, beheaded in the middle of the fighting. His brother Artos, known as the Implacable for his ferocity in battle, killed Raymun and sent the wildlings fleeing. The late-arriving Night’s Watch was ordered to dig burial pits for the bodies and the Lord Commander was given the withering nickname “Sleepy Jack” for his laxity.

Aerys I Targaryen (c. 174-221, r. 209-221 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Meanwhile, more than sixteen years had passed since the Redgrass Field when the black dragon rolled the dice again. In 211 the third-eldest son (but eldest surviving) of Daemon Blackfyre, Prince Daemon the Younger, styling himself Daemon II Blackfyre, crossed the Narrow Sea from Tyrosh in disguise. He made his way to Whitewalls, the seat of House Butterwell in the Riverlands, where a clandestine gathering of Blackfyre loyalists was taking place.

Lord Gormon Peake, who had lost two of his house’s three castles in the Blackfyre Rebellion, was the mastermind of this gathering. His plan was to launch a rebellion from the heart of the Riverlands and take the king and his Hand completely by surprise. However, their plans were betrayed to Bloodraven, who soon arrived with a strong army. Peake was executed, Butterwell lost most of his and his castle, which was demolished, and Daemon II was imprisoned in the Red Keep. He died in captivity a few years later.

Bittersteel had not supported Daemon’s plan, deciding it was reckless and foolhardy. In the wake of Daemon’s capture, he made new arrangements. With support for the Blackfyres in Westeros itself uncertain, in 212 he founded his own private army out of Westerosi sellswords, fellow exiles and knights who had crossed the Narrow Sea in search of adventure. He named his army the Golden Company, selling its swords to one or other of the Free Cities to keep it financed.

In 215 Rhaegal, Aerys I’s younger brother (the third son of Daeron II), choked to death at a feast. His son Aelor became the heir apparent to the Iron Throne, but two years later he was slain by his twin sister and wife Aelora in a mishap. These events left Aerys’s only surviving brother, Maekar, as the heir to the Iron Throne.

In 219 the Golden Company invaded Westeros in force with Bittersteel at its head, supporting the claim of Daemon II’s younger brother, Haegon. They rallied some local support but in the end were defeated by Bloodraven. Prince Maekar Targaryen and his sons Aerion Brightflame and Prince “Egg” played key roles in the fighting. Haegon was defeated, surrendered his sword and was then killed, which may have been wise but unchivalrous. Bittersteel was captured, however, and stood trial. He was found guilty of high treason and should have been executed, but King Aerys spared his life and allowed him to take the black.

Although honourable, this proved unwise. Warships hired by the Golden Company intercepted the galley bearing Bittersteel to the Wall and rescued him, bearing him back to Tyrosh. Haegon’s eldest son was crowned as Daemon III Blackfyre before the year was done, once again imperilling the realm.

Maekar I Targaryen (c. 176-233, r. 221-233 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Aerys I Targaryen died of natural causes in 221, not yet fifty years of age. He was succeeded by his younger brother Maekar. Maekar was a fierce warrior who had won renown in the First and Third Blackfyre Rebellions, but was troubled by quarrelsome and controversial sons. His eldest son Daeron was a drunk and wastrel, whilst his second son Aerion was an accomplished warrior but also prone to bouts of cruelty and insanity. Maekar’s third son Aemon had joined the Citadel and become a maester. This left only his youngest son Aegon (or “Egg”), who had become a squire to the hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall.

Daeron the Drunkard, as he was unkindly named, died from a pox caught from a prostitute. In 232 Aerion, in one of the more infamous examples of Targaryen madness, became convinced he would be reborn as a dragon if he drank wildfire. Instead, it transformed him into a corpse. Both left behind issue, but Daeron’s daughter Vaella was simple-minded and Aerion’s son Maegor was young and, it was feared, may have inherited his father’s madness.

In 233 House Peake of Starpike rose in rebellion against the Iron Throne. Long-standing supporters of the Blackfyres, the Peakes finally grew tired of waiting for their return and tried to take matters into their own hands. This appeared a folly, with the rest of the realm likely to turn on them, but in the end it was a partially successful one: King Maekar I Targaryen was slain during the final assault on Starpike, his head crushed by a rock, along with Lord Robert Reyne and Ser Tywald Lannister. Roger Reyne, Robert’s son, executed seven Peake captives in furious vengeance before being restrained on the order of Prince Aegon Targaryen.

Maekar’s death left the succession in doubt: Aerion’s son Maegor was an infant just a year of age, Daeron’s daughter Vaella was a simpleton and Aemon made it clear he wished to remain as a maester. Bloodraven, still serving as King’s Hand, called a Great Council in King’s Landing to debate the matter.

The obvious contender was Prince Aegon, but his years spent wandering the Seven Kingdoms as a squire to Ser Duncan the Tall had left him “half a peasant”, according to some, and they despised his desire to help the smallfolk with planned reforms. Surprisingly, another claim was put forwards: Aenys Blackfyre, the fifth of Daemon’s seven sons, wrote from Tyrosh asking to present his case with words and diplomacy. Bloodraven, surprisingly, agreed and allowed him safe passage. But no sooner had Aenys entered King’s Landing then he was arrested and executed.

Aegon V Targaryen (200-259, r. 233-259 AC). Artwork by Amok.

The Great Council declared Aegon V Targaryen as the King on the Iron Throne. As the fourth son of a fourth son, he was dubbed Aegon the Unlikely. Taking the throne, his first act was to order the arrest of Bloodraven for betraying his oath and bringing dishonour to House Targaryen. Bloodraven accepted the judgement, saying he had sacrificed his honour to help the Iron Throne. Bloodraven was sentenced to death, but offered the chance to take the black to atone for his dishonour. Bloodraven agreed and set sail for the Wall. With him into exile went two hundred of his personal guard, the Raven’s Teeth. Maester Aemon also decided to absent himself from the toxic poison of court politics and take up the role of maester at Castle Black. Bloodraven would rise high in the ranks of the Night’s Watch, becoming Lord Commander in 239 and serving with distinction until he was lost in a ranging beyond the Wall in 252 at the age of seventy-seven. Although his precise fate is not known, his age, of course, means that he is long since dead.

Aegon V took the throne in the middle of a brutal six-year winter, the worst in a century. The North suffered terribly, and some of the southern realms also suffered from the long nightmare. The winter finally lifted, to the relief of the realm, in 236, but almost immediately a fresh crisis arose. King Daemon III Blackfyre, accompanied by the aged-but-still-hale Bittersteel and his Golden Company, landed on Massey’s Hook and struck inland, hoping to reach King’s Landing and seize the city before resistance could be organised.

King Aegon V rode out to meet them, his three young sons – Prince Duncan, Prince Jaehaerys and Prince Daeron – at his side. With them also went Ser Duncan the Tall, now of the Kingsguard, and many warriors of the Crownlands and Stormlands. They met the Blackfyres in battle at Wendwater Bridge. In a brutal engagement the Blackfyres were defeated. Daemon III was slain by Ser Duncan the Tall, but Bittersteel managed to withdraw the Golden Company in good order. Five years later Bittersteel finally died, at the age of sixty-nine, fighting in the Disputed Lands.

Aegon V’s reign became one of patience-testing defiance. Aegon sought to introduce peaceful reforms to improve the lot of the commons, but his lords defied him, horrified at any suggestion they would lose some of their own power and privileges (however slight). Aegon’s own sons then caused problems: Prince Duncan fell in love with a peasant girl, Jenny of Oldstones, whom some people said was a witch. He broke his betrothal with the daughter of Lord Lyonel Baratheon, the Laughing Storm who had taken Ser Duncan the Tall’s side during the Ashford Tourney, to wed Jenny in 239.

Ser Duncan the Tall of the Kingsguard faces Lord Lyonel Baratheon in single combat in 239 AC, after the insult done to the lord’s daughter by Prince Duncan Targaryen. Artwork by Chase Stone for The World of Ice and Fire.

Lord Lyonel was incensed by the insult of his daughter being passed over for a peasant and rebelled against the Iron Throne, declaring himself the Storm King. Ser Duncan the Tall challenged his old comrade to single combat to settle the matter without bloodshed. Noted for his chivalry, Lord Lyonel agreed. After a furious battle, Ser Duncan emerged victorious but chose not to kill the self-styled Storm King. Prince Duncan apologised by abdicating his position as heir to the Iron Throne, and King Aegon offered his daughter Rhaelle in marriage to Lyonel’s son Ormund. Lyonel pronounced that honour was satisfied and returned to the King’s Peace.

In 240 Prince Jaehaerys, now heir to the Iron Throne, married his sister Shaera in secret. Aegon had developed a belief that it was incestuous unions of the Targaryens which contributed to the occasional bout of madness seen in the line, but Jaehaerys and Shaera did not share this belief. Shaera had been betrothed to Luthor Tyrell of Highgarden and Jaehaerys to Celia Tully of Riverrun, and both houses were again sorely insulted. In 244 Jaehaerys and Shaera had their first son, Aerys, and then a daughter, Rhaella, two years later. Jaehaerys determined to have them marry one another when they came of age, to Aegon’s frustration.

Aegon hoped his youngest son Daeron would keep to his betrothal to Lady Olenna Redwyne of the Arbor, but even in this he was thwarted. Daeron repudiated the match in 246, apparently preferring the company of dashing young knights, and died in 251 crushing a minor rebellion.

King Aegon’s reign continued to be blighted by arguments, defiance and dissent. Aegon was oft-said to complain bitterly that he had no dragons, for with dragons he could forge new laws and force the reluctant lords to obey them, as Aegon I and Jaehaerys I had done. The last dragons had left behind several eggs when they died a century earlier and Aegon now demanded that the maesters and other learned men find how to hatch them. According to legend, some brave men even took ship for Asshai to find books of knowledge there.

The Great Fire of Summerhall, sometimes called the Tragedy. A great fire destroyed the Targaryen summer palace in 259, killing King Aegon V, his eldest son Prince Duncan and the legendary Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Duncan the Tall. During the fire Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was born to Princess Rhaella and Prince Aerys. Artwork by Marc Simonetti for The World of Ice and Fire.

Eventually Aegon concluded that the eggs could only hatch if they were placed in a great fire. He gathered the blood of the dragon together at Summerhall in 259, along with seven dragon eggs, and the fire was lit. But it got out of control. The great Targaryen palace caught fire and was destroyed. Duncan the Tall, now Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and still hale in his sixties, helped several people escape, but he was unable to save his king and best friend, nor his son and namesake. King Aegon V, Prince Duncan and Lord Commander Duncan were all killed, along with several other courtiers and lords of note.

If the ashes of the great fire had heralded the passing of one generation, it also announced the birth of the next. Princess Rhaella, the teenage daughter of the newly-inherited King Jaehaerys II Targaryen, had given birth to her son during the chaos of the night. She and Aerys decided to name him Rhaegar.

The death of King Aegon V and so many other notables in such a tragedy shocked the entire realm. But soon it had to recover. A year earlier word had come that nine notable lords of Essos had joined forces to assist one another in claiming thrones they could not take themselves. Prince Duncan japed that thrones were being sold “nine a penny”, and the name stuck. Just weeks after the Tragedy at Summerhall, word came that the so-called Band of Nine, the Ninepenny Kings, had conquered Tyrosh and invaded the Stepstones. With them was Maelys Blackfyre, the last surviving descendant of Daemon Blackfyre in the male line, and he intended to seize the Iron Throne.

Historical Map 20: The First Blackfyre Rebellion & The Great Spring Sickness

Daemon Blackfyre, bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen, claimed the Iron Throne of Westeros in 196 AC. His claim was based on the report that his half-brother Daeron was actually the bastard son of Queen Naerys and her brother, Ser Aemon the Dragonknight, and thus not the true heir to the Iron Throne. Daemon, who had been legitimised by Aegon IV on his deathbed, was thus the rightful King of Westeros.

The houses engaged in the First Blackfyre Rebellion (196 AC). Houses in red fought for King Daeron II Targaryen and those in black fought for King Daemon I Blackfyre. The area in yellow technically fought for Daeron, but in actuality many houses sat out the war or waited to choose sides. The Greyjoys and Starks appear to have played no role, due to their remoteness or lack of interest.

Daemon’s claim was supported by many individual knights and lords of note: Ser Quentyn “Fireball” Ball, Ser Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers, Lord Gormon Peake, Ser Robb Reyne, Lord Strickland, Lord Sunderland, Manfred Lothston, Ser Eustace Osgrey and more. Knights and heroes, known for their skill at arms, including many young men eager for adventure. Whether they believed Daemon’s claim or simply hungered for a chance at glory is unknown. They answered Daemon’s claim in the their thousands.

The Brackens declared for the black dragon, as did the Costaynes and the Oakhearts, the Tarbecks and the Butterwells. Even the Hightowers did for a time, before they changed their minds and submitted to the red dragon. Worthy and strong houses, but not great ones. The Arryns, Lannisters, Tullys, Baratheons and Tyrells all supported Good King Daeron. Some houses proved hesitant, the Starks citing their remoteness, whilst the Greyjoys of Pyke took no side. But none of the Great Houses declared for Daemon, and no matter how many men he raised from lesser families and the smallfolk, that ultimately doomed Daemon to failure.

The Blackfyre Rebellion – later called the First Blackfyre Rebellion – lasted over a year. According to some, the realm was riven in two, with half declaring for Daemon and half for Daeron. This may be technically accurate given the accounting of the houses directly involved in the war, given that the vassals of many of the Great Houses were divided, but it seems a little poetic. Daemon was almost certainly outnumbered (at least moderately), but by remaining mobile, launching surprise attacks and trying to draw the Good King into a pitched battle where he could bring superior forces to bear, he attempted to win a victory.

In this he was disappointed. King Daeron did not take the field, as his allies and generals were formidable in their own right. His son and heir Prince Baelor was a great field commander as well as a strong knight. Prince Maekar was not far behind him in skill. Brynden “Bloodraven” Rivers commanded the finest intelligence network in the realm and also led his own unit of elite archers, the Raven’s Teeth.

Battles in the Blackfyre Rebellion were fought in the Vale, the Westerlands, the Riverlands and the Reach. Ser Quentyn Ball raided the Westerlands, killing Lord Lefford Lannister at the gates of Lannisport and the defeating Lord Damon Lannister. At a pitched battle at a crossing over the Mander, Ball also defeated Lady Penrose’s sons, slaying all but the youngest. Lord Leo Tyrell sortied from Highgarden, raised a substantial force and drove the black dragon’s supporters from the Reach.

Daemon soon faced a severe depletion of men and morale. Manfred Lothston betrayed the Blackfyres and went over to Daeron. Lord Bracken hired an army of elite Myrish crossbowmen, but were delayed by storms. The noted thief Quicksilver attempted to steal some of the dragon eggs left behind by the last dragon in the reign of Aegon III, but failed.

One notable success for Daemon Blackfyre had been diplomatic. He had convinced Lord Yronwood to rise in rebellion against the Martells of Sunspear. Yronwood’s rebellion had been substantial and Prince Maron Martell spent months in crushing it. This prevented him from riding to Daeron’s aid, but as soon as Yronwood had submitted he dispatched several thousand Dornish spearmen to King’s Landing.

The Battle of Redgrass Field ended the First Blackfyre Rebellion. At the start of the battle, House Targaryen met House Blackfyre near a ridgeline. The Targaryens planned to pin the Blackfyres and allow an outflanking manoeuvre by the Raven’s Teeth, hoping that Baelor Breakspear’s Dornish troops would relieve them. In the event, the Blackfyre charge was so ferocious (1) that the reserves under Gwayne Corbray had to be committed much earlier than expected (2). If it hadn’t been for Daemon and Gwayne’s epic battle-within-a-battle, the Blackfyres may have won the day. The Raven’s Teeth then attacked, killing Daemon Blackfyre and throwing the black dragon’s forces into confusion (3). Bittersteel led a rally to engage Bloodraven, but by this point Baelor had arrived and the battle was won for the Targaryens (4).

The final battle of the Blackfyre Rebellion was fought on the Redgrass Field in late 196 AC. Reports of the battle are scattered and confused, but it appears that Daemon had finally managed to combine his disparate supporters and form an army large enough to threaten the capital. The newly-appointed King’s Hand, Lord Hayford, and Prince Maekar had managed to assemble an army of roughly equal size to Blackfyre’s. Bloodraven joined them with the Raven’s Teeth, and Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard, a knight of formidable reputation. Prince Baelor had ridden south to link up with the Dornish, and there was a question on how soon they could arrive. However, the Blackfyres had stolen a march on the Tyrells, who were unable to reach the battlefield in time.

For the Blackfyre host, Lord Daemon commanded the centre with Lord Costayne on the left and Lord Shawney on the right with Bittersteel. For the Targaryens, Lord Donnel Arryn commanded the vanguard, with Prince Maekar on the left. Bloodraven absented himself and his men from the battlefield just as the engagement began.

Daemon Blackfyre led an all-out attack, commanding a massive charge that shattered the vanguard. Lord Donnel survived, but his force was overwhelmed. Wyl Waynwood and the Knight of Ninestars were slain in personal combat by Daemon himself. Prince Maekar ordered in reinforcements under Ser Gwayne Corbray, who came face-to-face with Blackfyre. The knight of the Kingsguard was the wielder of Lady Forlorn, a Valyrian steel blade of storied history. The swords Lady Forlorn and Blackfyre crashed together, their wielders each other’s equal in battle. According to the legend, the two men fought for a full hour as the battle swirled around them before Blackfyre got the upper hand, striking Corbray senseless.

Moved by the valour of his foe, Blackfyre ordered Corbray taken from the field. However, Bloodraven had taken advantage of the distraction. His Raven’s Teeth had gained the Weeping Ridge overlooking the battlefield and now sent wave after wave of arrows into the melee. How many friendly troops they killed is unknown, but it is known that Prince Aegon Blackfyre, the eldest of Daemon’s twin sons was killed in the first volley. As Daemon struggled to help his son, he was struck by seven shafts and died on the field. His younger son Aemon tried to help him and also died.

The rebels began to rout, but Bittersteel led a charge that restored their morale. He reached the Weeping Ridge and Bloodraven was forced to resort to sword-to-sword combat. Prince Daeron had given his bastard half-brother the Valyrian steel blade Dark Sister, but even so Bloodraven was nearly outmatched, losing an eye to his half-brother before he rallied and defeated him, driving him bloodied from the field.

By now Prince Baelor had reached the field with the Dornish spearmen and a host of stormlanders, which he deployed like a hammer. Maekar rallied the rest of the Targaryen host into the “anvil” and the two hosts crushed the Blackfyres between them. The slaughter was tremendous. Although some rebels surrendered, many chose not to give any quarter and were killed.

Ten thousand men died on the Redgrass Field, making the bloodiest battle since at least Daeron I’s invasion of Dorne (and possibly the Dance of Dragons). The blood seeped into the ground and turned the grass red, giving the battlefield its name.

The Blackfyre Rebellion ended with King Daeron II confirmed in his rule of the Seven Kingdoms, but the threat was not ended. Bittersteel had escaped from the battlefield. He fled to the Free Cities with numerous supporters, including Lord Strickland, and Daemon’s five other sons, all claimants to the Blackfyre name (and thus the Iron Throne). Daemon’s widow and the mother of his children was Rohanne of Tyrosh, and she was able to secure a new home in that city.

The remainder of Daeron II’s reign was peaceful. He treated those who had followed Daemon and surrendered with respect, but not forgiveness. Many of the families who declared for the Blackfyres found that they had lost land, titles and castles. House Peake, a proud and powerful Marcher house of the Reach with three castles to its name, found itself reduced to one. Lord Osgrey, whose forefathers had lost their castle at Coldmoat to House Webber after challenging Maegor the Cruel’s treatment of the Faith Militant, was reduced to a single towerhouse named Standfast. Other lords also suffered badly. For the rest of Daeron’s reign and into his son’s, the question “Were you for the red or the black?” was a dangerous one, depending on who was asking.

Still, the realm survived, endured and prospered. Daeron’s reign remained peaceful, aside from a rebellion on the island of Skagos. Lord Barthogan Stark crushed the rebellion quickly, but lost his life in the process.

Daeron’s eldest son and heir Baelor, already a great warrior and a hero of the Redgrass Field, became noted as his father’s son, famed for his diplomatic skills and wisdom as well as his martial strength. He was named Hand by his father and made a huge success of the role. His combination of battlefield prowess and wisdom in rule was said to have been unmatched by any since Aegon the Conqueror, and some began to say that Baelor Breakspear could be the greatest king of the age.

Alas, it was not to be.

Ser Duncan the Tall met “Egg”, the future Aegon V Targaryen, in 209 AC. Their adventures together became a thing of legend and their lives remained inextricably entwined for the next fifty years. Art by Marc Simonetti.

In 209 AC, thirteen years after the Redgrass Field, the divisions in the realm were finally healing. Lord Ashford, a rich lord of the Reach, called a great tourney on Ashford Meadow, near his castle and town. He challenged the great lords of Westeros to compete for the honour of naming his daughter the Queen of Love and Beauty.

The tourney attracted the great and the good from across the realm. Ser Samwyle Tarly, the heir to Horn Hill, came, as did Ser Gunthor Estermont and Manfred Dondarrion. Lord Pearce Caron and Lord Gawen Swann came to represent the Marches and Ser Franklyn Frey and Bennifer Blackwood for the Riverlands. Great lords also came: Damon Lannister of Casterly Rock, Leo Tyrell of Highgarden, Medgar Tully of Riverrun and most notably Lyonel Baratheon of Storm’s End, called the Laughing Storm, a warrior of great honour, accomplishment and chivalry.

Impressively, the royal family turned out in force. Prince Baelor and Prince Maekar, both now in their thirties with large families of their own, attended. Baelor hoped his son Valarr would distinguish himself in the tourney, whilst Maekar hoped his own sons would make names for themselves. He brought his eldest two sons, Daeron and Aerion, and his fourth, Aegon. However, Daeron and Aegon slipped away from their escort so Daeron could get raging drunk at an inn. Aegon, who had shaved his head to hide his distinctive Targaryen hair, was impressed by an arrival at the inn, a huge hedge knight named Ser Duncan, who hoped to make a name for himself. Aegon, taking the name “Egg”, attached himself to Duncan as a squire.

What followed is told far better elsewhere. Suffice to say that Ser Duncan struck Prince Aerion of the blood royal to save the honour of a young lady, Prince Aerion took offence and, upon realising he had no hope of defeating the far larger knight in single combat, proposed a trial of seven champions against seven. Prince Baelor, moved by Ser Duncan’s honour and chivalry, volunteered to join his side. Prince Maekar joined Aerion’s. Two cousins of House Fossoway took opposing sides, Ser Raymun for Ser Duncan and Ser Steffon for Prince Aerion. This resulted in the famous splitting of the house and the founding of the green-apple Fossoways by Ser Raymun.

From that battle Ser Duncan emerged the victory. He forced Prince Aerion to yield and it was declared that the gods had decided in Ser Duncan’s favour. But after the battle it was discovered that Prince Baelor had been fatally wounded by a mace blow to the head from his own brother. Prince Baelor died, taking with him the hopes of his family.

Prince Maekar Targaryen was horrified at what he had done, even accidentally. He also felt shamed by his sons: Daeron the Drunk and Aerion the woman-beater. He sent Aerion to Lys for a few years, hoping it would make a man of him. The only one of his sons to show any real spirit was Aegon. Reflecting on where privilege and power had gotten his elder sons, he gave Aegon into the care of Ser Duncan the Tall, telling him to raise him incognito as his squire on the road.

Much of the adventures of “Dunk and Egg” are written elsewhere. But tragedy and darkness was soon to follow.

The Great Spring Sickness arrived in Westeros in the second half of 209 AC, several months after the Ashford Tourney. It arrived by ship, ravaging the major port cities of Westeros and some of the smaller port towns. It was carried by road and river to much of the rest of the continent. The above map shows possible contagion areas: black for most lethal and light grey for the least. Lannisport and Oldtown were ravaged, but King’s Landing was devastated: 40% of the population died and a quarter of the city was burned to the ground. The total death toll for Westeros is unknown, but given that c. 150,000 (possibly more) died in the capital alone, it was likely in the millions. Dorne and the Vale were able to seal their borders in time to prevent major infection, and, lacking a major port, the Iron Islands were likewise largely not affected.

A great plague spread from the east. To what degree the Great Spring Sickness afflicted Essos is unknown, but it entered Westeros through the ports. Lannisport was badly affected (Lord Damon Lannister died there in 210 AC), but Oldtown far moreso and King’s Landing worse of all. Four-in-ten of the capital’s populace was killed.

The royal heir, Prince Valarr Targaryen died, and his brother Matarys.  King Daeron then died, and the High Septon, a third of the Most Devout, nearly all of the silent sisters (who attended to funeral rites), and more besides.

Aerys I Targaryen, the second son of Daeron II, was crowned king in a city stinking of death and decay. Unable to face the horror and the scale of the situation, he appointed Ser Brynden Rivers, Bloodraven, to the post of Hand of the King. Bloodraven proved decisive and able. He ordered the bodies of the dead burned. The fires burned brightly, too brightly, and took nearly a quarter of the city with them. But the blazed stopped the spread of the disease and spared the rest of the city.

Much of the realm was affected, apart from the Vale and Dorne which were able to close their ports and borders. Ser Duncan and Prince Aegon were visiting Dorne when the plague hit, so were spared its ravages. But the after-effects were felt for years afterwards, with many speaking of those who “died in the Spring.”

The Great Spring Sickness turned the history of the Seven Kingdoms onto a different path. It wiped out many of the lesser branches of House Targaryen and it brought King Aerys I to the Iron Throne. It also killed many of the hostages taken during the Blackfyre Rebellion, allowing their families to begin plotting and scheming again. It made some think that the Seven Kingdoms were vulnerable, and in its wake Dagon Greyjoy rebelled and began raiding the west coast very heavily. But more than all of this, it brought Bloodraven, Brynden Rivers, to the role of Hand of the King. Some call Bloodraven villain and some hero, but none could doubt his impact on the years to follow.

Historical Map 19: Reign of Decadence

Aegon IV ruled the Seven Kingdoms from 172 to 184 AC, a period of just twelve years. His was a relatively short reign, but he still managed to unsettle and destabilise the realm, setting in motion chains of events that would continue to resonate a hundred and twenty years later.

The Nine Mistresses of Aegon IV came from all over Westeros and the Free Cities.

Aegon IV, it is generally agreed, was the worst king in the history of the Targaryen dynasty, excepting only the violently insane Maegor and Aerys II. Even those who unleashed war on a huge scale, such as Aegon II and Daeron I, did so without fully comprehending the consequences of their actions. Aegon the Unworthy, on the other hand, knew full-well what he was doing was wrong and would have dire ramifications, but he did it anyway.

As a young man, Aegon had coveted the throne. As a dashing prince, he seemed well-suited to it. He was handsome, skilled at battle and had the healthy appetites of a young man. But he was also headstrong, quick to anger and slow to forgive, and deeply self-centred. He married his sister Naerys in 153 AC, at the age of eighteen, but the marriage was unhappy. Aegon was lusty and boisterous and Naerys was quiet, delicate, timid and pious. Naerys had a far closer relationship with her other brother, Ser Aemon Targaryen. Shortly after Aegon and Naerys’s marriage, Aemon was named to the Kingsguard. He was already known as one of the finest warriors in the realm and had been dubbed the Dragonknight for his elaborate helm and ferocity in battle.

Aegon and Naerys had two children: Daeron, born on the last day of 153, and Daenerys, born in 172. Both pregnancies were difficult and nearly killed the delicate queen. She lost several other children during her life, and it is said that only Aemon’s protection prevented the king from treating her more harshly.

Some, indeed, went so far as to suggest that Aemon and Naerys shared more than sibling affection and were actually lovers, and that Aemon was the father of Prince Daeron. This foul rumour seems to have started circa 174, after the young prince had begun quarrelling with his father openly. One man, Ser Morgil Hastwyck, went as far as to repeat the slander in public, to the Queen’s person. Furious, Ser Aemon challenged him to recant the words. Hastwyck proclaimed that he was speaking only what all men knew to be true…possibly because Aegon IV himself had spread the rumour. The Dragonknight challenged Hastwyck to trial by combat, which rapidly ended the rumour (and Haswyck’s life), although in closed rooms and remote castles it continued to be whispered.

Aegon IV Targaryen (135-184, r. 172-184 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Prince Daeron Targaryen had been born in 153. In 161, as part of the peace agreement between the Seven Kingdoms and Dorne, King Baelor had suggested that Daeron be betrothed to Princess Mariah Martell, the Prince of Dorne’s daughter. The Prince agreed. The two were still children, so married after coming of age, probably circa 169.

Daeron and Mariah’s marriage was happy and fruitful. Daeron was much taken with his beautiful Dornish wife, and soon became an admirer of Dornish culture and history. Mariah seems to have loved her husband. Daeron was not cowardly, but he was bookish and more interested in the serious study of governance and state than in butchery and gaining glory through battle. He was notably less flamboyant than his father…or his half-brother.

Aegon may have been married to Naerys, but he infamously had lovers and consorts almost beyond count. History records his nine “great” mistresses: Falena Stokeworth (149-151 AC), Megette of Fairmarket (155-158), Cassella Vaith (159-161), Bellegere Otherys of Braavos (161-171), Barba Bracken (171-172), Melissa Blackwood (172-177), Bethany Bracken (177-178), Jeyne Lothston (178) and Serenei of Lys (178-c. 180). However, this is not counting the many lovers he took for a night, or a few days’ amusement. It also doesn’t count the brief dalliance he had with his cousin Daena in 170 AC, which ended with her giving birth to a son, Daemon Waters. It was this event that scandalised and shocked Baelor, causing the fasting that led to his death.

Aegon IV had only two trueborn children, but bastards beyond count. Four of these were known as the “Great Bastards”, born of noble blood and acknowledged by Aegon: Daemon Waters (born 170, acknowledged in 182); Aegor Rivers (born 172, by Barba Bracken); Brynden Rivers (born 175, by Melissa Blackwood); and Shiera Seastar (born c. 180, by Serenei). At least nine more bastards went unacknowledged, although it was common knowledge that Aegon was their father.

Aegon was never fully satisfied with his son and heir Daeron. Daeron was intelligent and learned, quick-witted, diplomatic, even-mannered and cunning. He wasn’t a coward, but he had no appetite for war or unnecessary bloodshed. Aegon’s eldest bastard, Daemon, was a different kind of boy. He was charismatic, funny, savvy in tactics and tremendously skilled at arms, defeating grown men whilst still a squire. To the shock of the realm, Aegon knighted Daemon Waters in 182 AC, when Daemon was only twelve years old, acknowledged him, and gave him Blackfyre, the ancestral Valyrian steel blade of House Targaryen.

This act was a massive insult to Prince Daeron, who bore it stoically. Daemon was allowed to take a new surname for himself and chose that of his sword, thus creating House Blackfyre.

In 174 Aegon decided to complete the work of his cousin Daeron and launched an invasion of Dorne, sending a massive seaborne force with the intent of taking Sunspear completely by surprise whilst an army marched south through the Stormlands, equipped with fire-breathing wooden “dragons”, siege devices created by the Guild of Alchemists. However, both forces met with disaster: a fierce storm raged up through the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea, scattering and smashing the fleet to pieces, whilst one of the “dragons” exploded, starting a conflagration that consumed a quarter of the Kingswood and destroyed the rest of the siege machines. Aegon gave up on the idea, but Daeron was furious with his father for almost betraying the alliance bought by his marriage and undoing the diplomatic work of three generations, and which he hoped to continue.

Daeron II Targaryen (153-209, r. 184-209 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Prince Aemon the Dragonknight had died at the end of 170s. Aegon IV had caught his mistress Bethany abed with Ser Terrence Toyne of the Kingsguard and put them both to death. Two of Terrence’s brothers ambushed the king and tried to assassinate him in revenge. Aemon killed both attackers and saved his brother, but took a mortal wound in the process. Queen Naerys did not long survive him, dying within a year in childbirth (the child also did not survive).

With Aemon and Naerys both dead, nothing could restrain Aegon’s more dubious appetites. Fortunately, he was consumed by his passion for food and drink rather than attempting anything more bloody and died, so horribly obese he couldn’t stand, in 184 AC.

The realm breathed a sigh of relief. King Daeron II Targaryen ascended the Iron Throne and rapidly began setting right his father’s wrongs. He dismissed his father’s corrupt and indolent counsellors, replacing them with men of ability. These included Ronnel Penrose, his master of coin, although it was quite well known that it was Ronnel’s wife – and Daeron’s cousin – Elaena (the youngest of the princesses in the Maidenvault) who was the true power behind the treasury. With her good sense and cunning investments, the Seven Kingdoms rapidly began to recover from the financial mismanagement of King Aegon IV. Daeron also had to rebuild the City Watch of King’s Landing, which had fallen into disrepute and corruption.

Daeron’s most important act, however, came early in his reign. Immediately after taking the throne, Daeron began negotiations with Prince Maron Martell of Dorne. After two years, in 187 AC, Maron was wed to Daeron’s younger sister Daenerys. After the wedding ceremony, Maron knelt before Daeron and swore fealty to the Iron Throne of Westeros, adding Dorne peacefully to the Seven Kingdoms. The continent of Westeros south of the Wall was now united under House Targaryen. Great celebrations followed, for Daeron II had accomplished with words and compromise what Aegon and Daeron I could not with blood and fire.

In 188 Daeron built a great summer palace in the Dornish Marches, where the borders of Dorne, the Reach and the Stormlands came close together. He named it Summerhall, and after the Red Keep and Dragonstone it became the most important stronghold of House Targaryen.

Daemon Blackfyre (170-196 AC) and Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers (172-241 AC), the eldest of Aegon IV’s “Great Bastards”.

King Daeron the Good, as he was named by the commons, was beloved by the smallfolk for ensuring peace in the realm. He was loved by the merchants for improving their trade rights in the Free Cities: after Lord Penrose’s unfortunate death, Princess Elaena Targaryen had married Michael Manwoody. Daeron dispatched both of them to Braavos as diplomats, and they won remarkable trading concessions for the Seven Kingdoms, to the further enrichment of the realm. Daeron sponsored many great works, improved laws and the relations between his individual kingdoms (to the delight of the maesters), remained respectful of the Faith, remained faithful to his wife and caused no great scandal. He and Mariah had four sons. The eldest, Baelor, and youngest, Maekar, showed promise as great warriors, formidable in battle. Such was Baelor’s valour that he even defeated Daemon Blackfyre at a tourney, earning the sobriquet “Breakspear” (and Daemon’s mild enmity) in the process. By the early 190s, Daeron’s circle of counsellors was bolstered by the addition of his bastard half-brother Brynden Rivers, dubbed “Bloodraven” for a distinctive birthmark, who had a nose and talent for sniffing out scandals and plots against the crown despite his young age.

Daeron’s good name, impeachable reputation and tremendous wisdom could not cancel out the nagging rumour that he was not the legitimate king, however. The suggestion that Aemon the Dragonknight had been his true father continued to be whispered, and most virulently by Aegor Rivers, another of the Great Bastards. Aegor harboured a grudge for the displacement of his mother in Aegon IV’s affections by Bloodraven’s mother. This enmity reignited the long-quiescent feud between House Bracken and House Blackwood (causing their mutual liege, Lord Tully, no end of trouble) and earned Aegor the nickname “Bittersteel”. Bittersteel loathed Bloodraven, disliked King Daeron II and he yearned to see both brought low.

Bittersteel befriended Daemon Blackfyre, earning his respect through his own skill at arms (which was not far off Blackfyre’s) and his gift for military strategy (which far surpassed Blackfyre’s). Blackfyre had become a popular figure at court, respected by all for his skill at arms and loved by many for his sense of humour and his easy charisma. He and Daeron seemed to get on well, for all that some counted Aegon giving him Blackfyre as a deliberate slight against Daeron. But Daemon was not part of Daeron’s inner circle. Indeed, aside from his sons and his cousin Elaena, Daeron’s inner circle started to take on a more Dornish flavour, the influence of his wife and her family.

Lords in the Dornish Marches were concerned to see Dornish merchants and travellers moving freely through their lands. Some of the Marcher lords now wondered if they had any purpose. Other lords of Westeros, who initially welcomed the peace, now frowned upon seeing Dornish lords and knights being given places of honour at court over those families that had supported the Targaryens for two centuries, or in some cases more. In most cases this amounted to no more than furrowed brows and muttered irritations, but for some it became a more pressing matter.

Brynden “Bloodraven” Rivers (175-252? AC) and Shiera Seastar (c. 180- c. 140? AC)

What finally caused the breach between House Targaryen and House Blackfyre is unclear. Some say that Daemon had loved Daenerys and resented her marriage to Prince Maron Martell, but if that was the case he waited a long time to do anything about it. It’s also possible that Daemon was anticipating a role of honour and respect, perhaps even the Handship, and when that failed to materialise he rebelled. More likely, the slow accumulation of perceived insults, the poisoned words of Bittersteel and the growing amount of military support from other lords finally pushed him to a point where he felt it was the right thing to do.

In 196 AC, Daemon Blackfyre prepared to claim the Iron Throne. But before he could do so, word got to the king’s spymaster. Bloodraven told the king, and the Kingsguard was sent to arrest Blackfyre. Aided by his friend and mentor Ser Quentyn Ball, the famed master-of-arms at the Red Keep (dubbed “Fireball” by many), Blackfyre escaped. He took up arms against the king and began gathering support.

The First Blackfyre Rebellion had begun and, with it, sixty-five years of turmoil.

Historical Map 18: The Second Dornish War

After Aegon III took the throne in 131 AC, the realm endured a period of rebuilding. Marriage pacts were made to bind formerly warring houses against one another, but it was a difficult time. Regents ruled on Aegon III’s behalf for six years, and his advisors and counsellors schemed with and against one another incessantly.

The Second Dornish War, also called the Conquest of Dorne, was fought with stunning rapidity. Only a few months into his reign and aged just fourteen, the Young Dragon invaded Dorne in a three-pronged assault by land and sea. By early 158 Sunspear had surrendered and the last rebels in the hinterlands crushed by early 159. However, Daeron misjudged matters by leaving a Lord of Highgarden to rule over the Dornish. Within months the nation had rebelled against him. By mid-161, Daeron was dead and Dorne was free once more.

The death of Corlys Velaryon, the Sea Snake, in 132 at the age of seventy-nine left a void in the Seven Kingdoms, but one that was ably filled in by his legitimised grandson (and some say actual son), Alyn, the brother of Addam of Hull. Alyn Velaryon first destroyed the pirate lord Racallio Ryndoon and then sailed against the Red Kraken in the Iron Islands. His skill at naval combat soon saw him named “Oakenfist”, and although his six great voyages did not match the nine titanic trips of his grandfather, they were nevertheless remarkable and ambitious.

Aegon III was a moody and sullen king, traumatised by his experiences as a child during the Dance of Dragons. He hated dragons, of which only four had survived the Dance. Sheepstealer and the Cannibal were never seen again in Westeros, whilst Silverwing’s fate, on her island in Red Lake, is even murkier. Some say she also just took wing and disappeared, whilst others saw she was slain by a brave knight, but he failed to bring any proof of the deed to others.

Aegon III refused to let Morning or her hatchlings out of the ruined Dragonpit, to the distress of the rest of his family. Cloistered in the ruins, they could not grow to their full size and the last Targaryen dragon, stunted and sickly, died in 153. She left behind a clutch of eggs, but none of them hatched.

One piece of good news emerged during this period. Prince Viserys, the younger brother of King Aegon, had survived the Battle of the Gullet as a prisoner on the Lyseni fleet. He had been raised in Lys as a ward of the Rogare family and was ransomed back to King’s Landing by Oakenfist for a huge sum. Aegon, who had blamed himself for his younger brother’s demise, was delighted and Viserys became his closest friend and confidante, the only person he ever fully trusted.

Aegon III Targaryen (120-157, r. 131-157 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Aegon III married Daenaera Velaryon, a cousin of Oakenfist, and they had two sons, Daeron and Baelor, and three daughters: Daena, Rhaena and Elaena. All of these would become storied and infamous in the history of the Seven Kingdoms, especially Daena’s own son, Daemon. Meanwhile, Viserys had married Larra Rogare in Lys and they had three children who would also become infamous: Aegon, Naerys and Aemon.

Aegon III Targaryen died from consumption early in 157, after twenty-six years of rule. It was a difficult reign, marked more for the achievements of the men around the king (especially Oakenfist and Viserys) rather than the king himself. The death of the last dragon in his reign led some to dub him the Dragonbane, and others the Broken King.

His son and heir was a different matter.

The generation that grew up with memories of the Dance of Dragons were not very keen on fighting or warfare. The memories of the two-and-a-half years of constant, bloody warfare were horrific and traumatising. Whenever the threat of military action arose, a veteran of the Dance would say “War is not a game,” and those words would carry weight.

By the time Daeron I Targaryen came to the Iron Throne, the Dance was a quarter-century in the past and a fading memory. A new generation of young men and knights arose, for whom war and combat promised honour and valour, not butchery and blood.

Daeron was only fourteen when he took the throne. His uncle, Viserys, was Hand of the King and chose not to appoint a regent. The Hand and the king’s counsellors were surprised when Daeron informed them that he wanted to “complete the Conquest” and finally take Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms. At first they rejected the idea out of hand, pointing out that they had no dragons, but Daeron presented a military proposal so sound that they agreed to consider it.

Daeron I Targaryen (143-161, r. 157-161 AC)

The Dornish were taken aback by the invasion. Dorne had not intervened in the Dance of Dragons and, aside from a brief alliance with the Triarchy during their war with the Sea Snake, had enjoyed cordial relations with King’s Landing for over a century. Whilst the Dornish had years to make preparations to resist Aegon’s invasion, Daeron moved so fast they had no time to react.

Daeron Targaryen invaded Dorne late in 157 AC. Lord Lyonel Tyrell led the main host south through the Prince’s Pass. This army consisted mostly of forces from the Reach. Daeron assumed command of a second army, believed to consist of troops from the Stormlands and Crownlands, and moved up the Boneway. But rather than advance along the main pass, which Orys Baratheon had done to his ruin, he located goat tracks and side-trails off the beaten path, known to local hunters and scouts from the Dornish Marches.

The Dornish were taken by complete surprise when Daeron’s host appeared in their rear, near Yronwood at the southern end of the Boneway, and was able to outflank their main army in the Prince’s Pass. They were forced to retreat, allowing Tyrell’s army to link up with Daeron and press home the attack.

It was at this point that Daeron unleashed his masterstroke. During the First Dornish War, the Targaryens had lacked any significant strength at sea. Their main fleet had been destroyed by the Arryns and no other house in Westeros had the naval power to assist them. The ironborn had many ships, but none suitable for a massive naval invasion (it would be a long, long time before they would finally build the more formidable Iron Fleet), and it would appear that the Arbor was not the naval powerhouse it would be three centuries later. The few ships Aegon had to hand would be at risk from the pirates of the Stepstones should they attempt a landing.

During the Second Dornish War, matters were very different. House Velaryon had rebuilt its formidable fleet damaged during the Dance of Dragons and the Targaryens also had their Royal Fleet. Oakenfist assumed command of both and, having already smashed the pirates of the Stepstones a few years earlier, was able to blockade the coast of Dorne.

Dorne was not a major sea power: its entire south coast was almost four hundred leagues of rock and mud and cliffs, without a single good anchorage or landing point all the way from Starfall in the west to Sunspear in the east. Sunspear commanded the only half-decent anchorage on the whole south or east coast, and even that was a poor thing compared to the harbours of King’s Landing or Oldtown. But there was one key weakness: the Greenblood, the primary river of Dorne which emptied into the Summer Sea south-west of Sunspear. It certainly wasn’t the Mander or the Blackwater, let alone the Rhoyne or Sarne, but it provided easy access to the Dornish interior.

As Daeron and Lyonel advanced from the west, a portion of Oakenfist’s fleet broke off and sacked the Planky Town near the mouth of the Greenblood, putting the town to the torch. Oakenfist’s galleons and smaller craft then sailed up the Greenblood and its two tributaries, the Scourge and the Vaith. This allowed additional troops to land and menace Godsgrace and Lemonwood, surprising both castles who believed the enemy was still hundreds of miles away. It also allowed troops to advance on the Tor from the south, Saltshore from the north and of course Sunspear from the south-west.

The Dornish preference for fading into the desert or mountains to continue the fight did not avail them. The three armies, all highly mobile, had divided up Dorne quite efficiently, neutralised most of the Dornish armies without a massive, pitched battle (which led Daeron to seriously overestimate their numbers in his war memoir) and allowed Daeron to advance quickly on Sunspear. A number of major battles were fought, but Daeron won each one with a mixture of skill, stealth and superior numbers.

A somewhat dazed Dorne surrendered to the Young Dragon in 158. The Prince of Dorne and forty of the most powerful lords of the nation bowed to the king in Sunspear itself. The Submission of Sunspear was a major, feted event. Daeron was praised for achieving something even the Conqueror couldn’t. When Dornish rebels arose in the mountains and the hinterlands, Daeron sortied against them and crushed them with surprising rapidity. In early 159 Daeron was able to return home in triumph, bringing with him fourteen highborn hostages and leaving Lord Lyonel Tyrell in command of Dorne.

Baelor I Targaryen (144-171, r. 161-171 AC). Artwork by Amok.

This was an uncharacteristic strategic error by Daeron. Having accepted the Prince of Dorne’s oath of fealty, he perhaps would have been better served by leaving him to order his realm and trusting his leadership, as Aegon the Conqueror had with his conquered vassals. It would have also left the task of extinguishing any remaining embers of rebellion to the Dornish themselves.

Instead, Daeron left Dorne under an effective military occupation commanded by Reachmen, whom the Dornish had fought bitterly against for thousands of years. The hostages discouraged rebellion by the nobles, but their smallfolk had no compunction against murdering royal soldiers patrolling the streets, ambushing supplies and interfering with communications. When Lord Lyonel Tyrell was murdered in an elaborate trap at Sandstone (involving an extremely large number of scorpions and his bed), Dorne rose in warfare and rebellion.

Daeron had returned home to write – or complete, as he may have begun it whilst still on campaign –The Conquest of Dorne, his own much-feted account of the invasion. That done, he barely had time to relax before news of the rebellion reached him. He raised a fresh army and invaded Dorne again in 160. This time the Dornish were ready, and his secret way past the Boneway was known to them. The coastal castles also knew to avoid the counter-attack by Oakenfist.

The decision to repeat the earlier tactic was a mistake, as it allowed the numerically inferior Dornish to position themselves in the best places to avoid being defeated again. This led to numerous raids, pitched battles and attacks against supply wagons. Eventually, however, the Prince of Dorne sued for peace and offered to meet the Young Dragon in the Prince’s Pass to discuss terms of surrender.

The meeting was a trap. Assassins attacked the Young Dragon and his entourage. Three of the Kingsguard were killed defending their king. Daeron’s cousin, already known as Aemon the Dragonknight, was struck down and taken prisoner by Lord Wyl. Daeron himself proved himself in personal combat, striking down several assailants, but he was felled by blows from at least a dozen enemies and stabbed to death, the Valyrian steel blade Blackfyre in his hands. The Young Dragon was dead after just four years of rule, most of it spent in the saddle.

The Iron Throne passed to Daeron’s brother, Baelor. Baelor was a very different man to Daeron. Baelor was pious and pacifistic, eschewing violence as a solution to the problems of the world. He would rather while away an afternoon discussing matters of faith with a septon rather than studying the art of warfare. He showed no interest in women at all, and seemed frightened of them. Baelor’s desire was to become a septon, but his uncle Viserys and brother had compelled him to marry his sister Daena against his wishes.

Baelor the Blessed marched all the way – barefoot – from King’s Landing to Sunspear and then back again as far as Wyl, a distance of approximately 2,450 miles (in red). At Wyl he rescued his cousin Aemon the Dragonknight but sustained numerous snakebites in the process. Aemon carried him dozens of miles up the Boneway to safety in the Dornish Marches, from where Baelor was carried to Blackhaven to begin his recovery.

The royal court screamed for blood, demanding that a new, massive army be raised from all seven kingdoms and that Dorne be crushed to dust for their treachery. Prince Aegon, the eldest son of Viserys, seemed particularly keen on this idea. But Baelor refused to countenance it. He pardoned the Dornish hostages and decided to take them home to make amends and make peace. To the astonishment of both the court and the Dornish, Baelor walked the Boneway barefoot, clad only in sackcloth, leading the hostages behind him on horses. At Wyl Castle he pleaded for the release of his cousin Aemon, hanging in a cage in the sun, but the Wyls refused, forcing Baelor to press on.

Baelor, astonishingly, survived not only the Boneway but the northern desert between the Scourge and the Sea of Dorne. He finally met the Prince of Dorne and forged a new peace, promising the hand of his cousin Aegon’s son Daeron, still an infant, to the Princess Mariah Martell, the Prince of Dorne’s eldest daughter. The Prince of Dorne agreed, apparently humbled by Baelor’s feat. The Dornish were fierce, independent and sometimes cruel, but they were also of the faith, and Baelor’s miraculous journey uncharacteristically astonished them.

Then Baelor did it again.

This time the road was not quite so onerous: the Prince of Dorne commanded that Baelor be granted every hospitality by the castles and waystops along the way. The Prince also sent word to Lord Wyl commanding him to release the Dragonknight to Baelor’s custody. But when Baelor reached Wyl, the cruel lord simply gave him the key to Aemon’s cage and asked him to unlock it himself. During Baelor’s journey to Sunspear, Lord Wyl had, in a moment of inspiration, ordered a pit dug under Aemon’s cage and filled with vipers.

Baelor crossed the pit of vipers, despite being bit dozens of times, and opened the cage before passing out from the venom. Despite having been sealed up in the cage for months on end, Aemon was able to rescue his cousin and jump clear from the pit, to the apparent incredulity of the Wyls (who had been laying bets on the outcome). Aemon carried his cousin a fair way down the Boneway before a village septon, overawed by Baelor’s piety, gave him a donkey to carry Baelor back on. Aemon finally reached Blackhaven in the Dornish Marches, where the maester of House Dondarrion took over Baelor’s care.

Baelor recovered, but some said that his wits had been left behind in the viper pit. Baelor dissolved his marriage to his sister Daena, but then locked her and their other sisters, Rhaena and Elaena, up in the Red Keep, in the structure later known as the Maidenvault. Baelor claimed this was so the sight of them would not tempt him to carnality. He also outlawed prostitution in King’s Landing, despite the uproar this caused, and busied himself in spiritual matters. He regularly emptied the treasury to pay for good works, winning the love of the commons but the despair of the lords and his master of coin. He also ordered the construction of an absolutely massive new sept on the top of Visenya’s Hill. The ambitious building was still only partially complete when he died, so it was named the Great Sept of Baelor in his honour.

Baelor’s rule ended in 171 with his death from an overzealous fast. His sister Daena have given birth to a son, despite her confinement, and she resolutely refused to name the father. She instead named the child Daemon Waters. Baelor was so distressed by this sin that he fasted for forty days, drinking only water and eating a small portion of bread each day. On the forty-first day, he was found dead before an altar of the Mother.

Viserys II Targaryen (122-172, Hand of the King 157-171, r. 171-172 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Baelor’s death has occasionally been blamed on his uncle Viserys, who had been waiting a long time to inherit the Iron Throne. However, this seems unlikely. There was no real motive, since, as Hand to a king completely uninterested in temporal matters, Viserys had arguably more power than the king himself. Some have suggested that Baelor was planning to convert all unbelievers in Westeros to the Faith of the Seven, but this would have meant war with both the North and the Iron Islands. Given that Baelor was a rabid pacifist, refusing to reinstate the Faith Militant even at the urging of many septons, this seems highly implausible.

With both Daeron and Baelor dead without issue, Viserys II Targaryen inherited the Iron Throne. He ruled for only a year before dying of a swift illness. Viserys had actually ruled for fourteen years as Hand of the King. His shrewdness and intelligence was undoubted and his interest in public works, increasing trade with the Free Cities and revamping Jaehaerys’s code of laws hint that he may have been a great king indeed. But he died long before that could come to pass.

In 172 AC Viserys’s son Aegon succeeded to the Iron Throne as Aegon IV, known to history and infamy as Aegon the Unworthy, the worst king to sit the Iron Throne. Some point to the depredations of Maegor the Cruel or Aerys the Mad, but they at least had the excuse of illness and insanity. Aegon was not mad, he was very consciously corrupt, venal, grasping, narcissistic and selfish, with no care for the consequences of his actions and no interest in preserving the peace or good of the realm above his own concerns.

Astonishingly, Aegon IV somehow did not plunge the Seven Kingdoms into war or an irrecoverable crisis. That was left to his bastard son. It soon became clear that the bastard son of Daena the Defiant was Aegon’s, a man who would match his sire’s more doubtful place in history: Daemon Blackfyre.

Historical Map 17: The Dance of Dragons – Fire and Blood

The first battles fought in the Dance of Dragons were skirmishes, with relatively little loss of life but they nevertheless proved that both sides were willing to fight to back up their claims.

The battles of the Dance of the Dragons in chronological order.

Rhaenyra Targaryen took the initiative. She dispatched her son Lucerys on his dragon Arrax to Storm’s End. Her hope was to win the allegiance of Lord Borros Baratheon and his fierce stormlanders quickly before moving on King’s Landing. Jacaerys flew north on Vermax to the Eyrie. Her mother’s family, House Arryn, swore readily to her cause and Jacaerys was quickly able to secure the loyalty of the Sisters and then Lord Manderly of White Harbor.

Lucerys had considerably worse luck. He found Lord Borros intractable and unsympathetic: Rhaenyra’s missives had spoken more like commands then requests and Borros felt that Rhaenyra had taken his allegiance for granted. By chance, Prince Aemond arrived on his dragon Vhagar from King’s Landing with a considerably more generous offer of alliance and reward from King Aegon. Borros was minded to side with the greens, but told the two cousins to take their feud outside.

The first clash of the Dance of the Dragons, appropriately, came with tooth and claw and wing and flame. Arrax and Vhagar met in battle in the skies over Storm’s End as an epic storm erupted. Lucerys was an eager warrior and Arrax a hardy beast, but both were no match for the last-surviving of Aegon the Conqueror’s great dragons. Vhagar sent Arrax plummeting from the skies, killing Prince Lucerys outright.

Prince Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar slay Prince Lucerys and his dragon Arrax in the skies over Storm’s End. Art by Chase Stone for The World of Ice and Fire.

Meanwhile, Rhaenyra’s uncle and husband Prince Daemon Targaryen took wing on Caraxes for the Riverlands. He landed Caraxes on Kingspyre Tower in Harrenhal, where Harren the Black had once burned alive under the breath of Balerion the Black Dread. Taking the hint, the castellan Ser Simon Strong yielded the castle without giving battle. Daemon quickly secured the allegiance of House Tully over the objections of the infirm and bed-ridden Lord Grover who wished to side with Aegon II. His grandson and heir Elmo and great-grandson Kermit overrode his decision and declared for Rhaenyra. Most of the other riverlords quickly fell in line, all aside from Lord Bracken who sided with Aegon. Daemon and Lord Blackwood took Stone Hedge after the Battle of the Burning Mill, unifying most of the Riverlands under Rhaenyra’s banner.

Jacaerys reached Winterfell and took counsel with Lord Cregan Stark. After some brief negotiations, Cregan and Jacaerys signed the Pace of Ice and Fire: Stark would commit troops in support of Queen Rhaenyra in return for a princess of Targaryen blood marrying into House Stark. However, winter was bearing down on the North and Cregan urgently needed men to collect the last harvest. He promised to bring significant strength of arms south to Rhaenyra’s aid. In the meantime, he dispatched Lord Roderick Dustin and two thousand troops – the “Winter Wolves” to provide support, with additional troops sent by Lord Manderly.

Word of Lucerys’s death reached Daemon at Harrenhal. Having once commanded the City Watch of King’s Landing (and given them their famous gold cloaks), Daemon had many agents still in the city. He ordered two of these into the Red Keep with orders to kill one of King Aegon’s children. They executed Prince Jaehaerys, the eldest son of King Aegon II and his sister-wife Helaena, right in front of the queen and his younger brother, Maelor. In retaliation, Ser Criston Cole dispatched Ser Arryk Cargyll of the Kingsguard to Dragonstone in the guise of his twin brother, Ser Erryk of Rhaenyra’s Queensguard, to assassinate the queen. However, the two brothers met by chance in the halls of the citadel and slew one another in single combat, allegedly dying in one another’s arms.

Aegon II Targaryen (107-131, r. 129-131 AC). Artwork by Amok

With his southern flank secured and Lord Borros providing support from the Stormlands, Ser Criston Cole now led a counter-offensive against the Queen’s forces in the Crownlands. He captured Rosby and Stokeworth in a lightning campaign, forcing both lords to bend to the knee. He brutally sacked Duskendale when the Darklyns failed to do the same before marching up the coast to Crackclaw Point and besieging Rook’s Rest. Lord Staunton secured his gates and sent to Dragonstone for aid. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, the wife of Lord Corlys Velaryon, arrived on her dragon Meleys, the Red Queen. She attacked Cole’s forces, but fell into an ambush. Prince Aemon Targaryen, riding Vhagar, and King Aegon II himself on Sunfyre appeared and attacked. Meleys was outmatched but she was a canny and powerful beast. In the fierce combat that followed Meleys was killed and Rhaenys with her, but Sunfyre was injured so badly he never flew properly again. Aegon II was carried away from the battlefield with a broken and burned body, and he was more than a year in recovering.

Learning of his wife’s death, a grief-stricken Lord Corlys threatened to leave Rhaenyra’s cause. Instead, she named him Hand of the Queen and asked for his help in reinforcing their numbers. They hit on the idea of offering a noble title to any man or woman who could tame the wild dragons of Dragonstone. Several tried and were killed, but several – the “dragonseeds” – succeeded: Vermithor was claimed by Hugh Hammer, Silverwing by Ulf the White, Seasmoke by Addam of Hull and Sheepstealer by a wild girl named Nettles. Addam and his brother Alyn claimed to be bastards of Ser Laenor Velaryon and thus grandsons of Lord Corlys. This seemed unlikely, but Corlys adopted them anyway and named Addam as his heir.

Rhaenys and Meleys had been providing cover for Lord Velaryon’s fleet that was blockading Blackwater Bay. With the dragon gone, the blacks were now able to launch a counter-offensive. Lacking strength at sea, they had secured an alliance with the Triarchy. A fleet of warships from Lys, Myr and Tyrosh, supported by a small number of ships from the Stormlands and mercenary forces, assembled under the command of Admiral Sharako Lohar. In total, more than ninety warships from the Free Cities took part in the attack.

Rhaenyra Targaryen (97-130, r. 129-131 AC, disputed). Artwork by Amok.

By chance, the cog Gay Abandon, carrying Prince Aegon the Younger and Prince Viserys, had departed from Dragonstone shortly before the Triarchy fleet arrived. The cog was captured and Prince Viserys taken prisoner, but Aegon escaped on his young dragon Stormcloud. Stormcloud was heavily wounded in a hail of arrows, but managed to deliver the prince home. Aware of the threat bearing down from the Narrow Sea, Prince Jacaerys and Lord Corlys, still grieving the loss of his wife, were able to engage the enemy fleet in open battle just south of Dragonstone.

The result was one of the largest naval battles in recorded history, the Battle of the Gullet. The Velaryon fleet was outnumbered but Prince Jacaerys and his dragon Vermax proved a fine force-equaliser. Significant parts of the Triarchy fleet were burned and destroyed, but Vermax was then brought down in a hail of scorpion bolts and arrows. Jacaerys jumped clear, but was killed almost immediately. Heartened, the Triarchy fleet may have won the day and pressed on to Dragonstone, but the dragonseeds had been roused by the clamour of battle. Silverwing, Sheepstealer, Seasmoke and Vermithor took wing and soon bore down on the Triarchy fleet. By this point it had broken into several smaller squadrons to engage the Velaryon fleet scattered across Blackwater Bay. Several of these were completely destroyed, but more were too distant. Several of these smaller formations descended on Driftmark, completely destroying Spicetown and burning High Tide before being forced to withdraw.

The Battle of the Gullet ended inconclusively. The Velaryon fleet had lost more than a third of its number, but the Sea Snake survived and was able to continue the blockade of King’s Landing. Driftmark was badly damaged but survived, and Dragonstone was not threatened. The Triarchy fleet had lost sixty-two ships in the battle, leaving just twenty-eight to limp home. The decision to join the war was bitterly criticised in the Triarchy, with recriminations and feuding following. Within a year the Triarchy had collapsed, the Kingdom of the Three Daughters was no more, the cities of Lys, Tyrosh and Myr were at each other’s throats and, after a thirty-year respite, the Disputed Lands fell into dispute once again. The loss of Jacaerys and Vermax, so soon after Rhaenys and Meleys and Lucerys and Arrax, was keenly felt.

The Battle at Rook’s Rest, where Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon Meleys the Red Queen severely wounded King Aegon II and his dragon Sunfyre. Art by Gonzales Escamilla for The World of Ice and Fire.

Also keenly felt was the loss of Prince Viserys. Prince Aegon the Younger berated himself for leaving his younger brother behind, and soon the blacks came to believe that Viserys was dead. The rest of that curious tale is for another time, however.

At the outset of hostilities, Lord Ormund Hightower had assembled a strong force of arms at Oldtown. However, the Reach was riven by disagreement. The Lady Regent of Highgarden had declared House Tyrell neutral in the conflict and most of her vassals had followed suit. The Hightowers, furious, had been forced to raise support by themselves but this resulted in both a much smaller army than they had hoped to take to King Aegon’s aid and also resulted in a lot of wasted time. Eventually they raised a host and marched to the relief of King’s Landing, but this involved a march of over a thousand miles.

Not long after the host set out, it was beset on the banks of the River Honeywine by Rhaenyra supporters. Lord Thaddeus Rowan and Tom Flowers, the Bastard of Bitterbridge, advanced from the north whilst Ser Alan Beesbury, Lord Alan Tarly and Lord Owen Costayne cut off the Hightowers from the south. The result was a likely rout, but the younger Prince Daeron, the youngest brother of King Aegon II, had joined Lord Ormund’s host with his dragon Tessarion. Daeron took the attackers by surprise and unleashed his dragon’s fire in such force that they were forced to retreat. For the boldness of his counter-attack, Daeron was knighted and dubbed “Daeron the Daring”.

The year 130 AC opened with both the Lannister army under Lord Jason marching east from Casterly Rock and the Hightower host under Lord Ormund marching north-east from Oldtown, both seeking to relieve King’s Landing which was still vulnerable to an attack. It would have been better for Lord Jason to have taken the southern route along the Blackwater and thus been able to join his host to Ormund’s, but Jason had judged that it was more important to invade the Riverlands and prevent the riverlords from assembling a host and marching on King’s Landing from the north. This proved strategically unwise, for the riverlords were reinforced by both the Arryns and the newly-arrived Winter Wolves from the North, granting them local superiority.

To divert attentions away from the advancing Lannister host and to try to engage and kill Prince Daemon Targaryen, Prince Aemond led a strong army north from King’s Landing. They arrived at Harrenhal after a forced nineteen-day march, finding the castle abandoned. Unfortunately, Aemond had been betrayed by whisperers in King’s Landing, who had sent word to Daemon that the bulk of the defenders had left the city.

Daemon, riding Caraxes, and Rhaenyra, riding Syrax, appeared in the skies over King’s Landing. The goldcloaks betrayed King Aegon and went over to the blacks, throwing open the city gates. Lord Corlys’s surviving ships landed troops under the walls and soon the city was taken. The gold dragon banner of Aegon II was thrown down and the Dowager Queen Alicent was taken prisoner. Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, was executed for high treason. However, Rhaenyra’s final victory was thwarted by the disappearance of King Aegon II and his son Maelor. Despite his severely wounded state, he had been smuggled out of the city. With Aemond Targaryen, Jason Lannister and Ormund Hightower’s armies still all in the field, Rhaenyra’s position remained vulnerable.

Prince Maelor had been sent to safety in Oldtown, accompanied by Ser Rickard Thorne of the Kingsguard. However, at Bitterbridge they were met by a braying mob and both killed. Lord Hightower’s host reached Bitterbridge not long after and, learning of what had transpired, he burned the town to the ground. Lady Caswell hung herself from the walls of the castle in despair.

Around the same time, the Lannister host crossed the Red Fork of the Trident south of Riverrun. They were met by fierce opposition and Pate of Longleaf, a young squire, slew Lord Jason Lannister. The riverlords inflicted significant damage before withdrawing. Ser Adrian Tarbeck and Lord Lefford assumed command of the host and marched east towards Gods Eye. However, on the banks of the lake they were caught between the Winter Wolves, who had allied their force with that of Lord Forrest Frey and Red Robb Rivers and advanced from the north, whilst the host of Lords Bigglestone, Chambers and Perryn advanced from the south. An army commanded by Lord Garibald Grey, Jon Charlton and Benjicot Blackwood arrived the next day to complete the encirclement of the Lannister army and trap it against the river. In a ferocious battle with no quarter given, the Lannister army was almost completely destroyed and forced into the marshy lakeshore. The Gods Eye turned red from the blood pouring into it and the fish gorged themselves, resulting the colloquial name for the battle: the Fishfeed.

House Lannister’s fortunes soon turned even more grim. Having learned of the fate of Lord Jason and his army, Lord Dalton Greyjoy, the Red Kraken, fulfilled his pledge to Queen Rhaenyra and led his ships into battle. Fair Isle was overwhelmed and captured. The town of Kayce followed in a matter of weeks. The small Lannister fleet was engaged and destroyed, allowing the ironborn to sack Lannisport itself. The ironborn then scattered up and down the coast of the Westerlands, raiding and sacking at will. This prevented the Lannisters from assembling another host and effectively neutralised them in the war.

At Harrenhal, Prince Aemond and Ser Criston Cole quarrelled on strategy. Aemond and Vhagar remained in the Riverlands to inflict tremendous damage on the riverlords whilst Cole marched sound with Aemond’s host. South of Gods Eye they were surprised by the Winter Wolves and a coalition of riverlords, commanding a considerably larger and stronger host. Criston Cole challenged Ser Roderick Dustin to single combat. Dustin declined and Cole was shot down with arrows. His men were massacred in what became known as the Butcher’s Ball.

The war had now turned decisively in Queen Rhaenyra’s favour. House Lannister had been neutralised, King’s Landing had been recaptured and two of the three largest king’s armies had been destroyed. She had regained naval superiority, retained air superiority and had substantial strength of arms from the Riverlands and the Vale, with the North’s army now beginning to assemble in the wake of the last harvest and preparing for the long march south.

However, the Hightower army remained in the field and was rapidly marching on King’s Landing. Rhaenyra assembled a new host of riverlords and Valemen, along with the Winter Wolves, and dispatched them southwards to meet the enemy near the town of Tumbleton. With the army she sent two of the dragonseeds, Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer. Unfortunately this proved unwise. Ulf and Hugh listened to the terms offered by the greens and went over to the foe. Despite losing their dragons to the enemy, Lord Roderick Dustin chose to attack anyway, in a fit valour or madness. The resulting battle was bloody, but the presence of three dragons on the Hightower side meant that the end was not in doubt. Rhaenyra’s army was defeated, Lord Roderick was killed and the survivors sent fleeing back along the road to King’s Landing. However, Lord Ormund Hightower was slain, along with his brother Ser Brynden. Prince Daeron the Daring attempted to reassert control, but fell to quarrelling with the traitor dragonriders Ulf and Hugh, who were unhappy with the rewards they had been given. This moment of chaos saw many of the Hightower army desert.

At this moment, King Aegon II emerged from hiding. Lord Larys Strong had smuggled him into hiding amongst the remote villages on the far side of Dragonstone to the citadel, hiding him right under Rhaenyra’s nose. Aegon had spent a great deal of time healing, and had been found by his dragon Sunfyre. Although injured, Sunfyre was still capable of fighting. When the time was right, Aegon and Sunfyre attacked the citadel. They killed the only dragon present, Moondancer, and captured her rider, Princess Baela Targaryen, the daughter of Prince Daemon. The citadel surrendered, handing Aegon a significant prize.

By this time word of the treachery at the Battle of Tumbleton had reached Queen Rhaenyra. She ordered the other dragonseeds to be arrested. Addam of Hull escaped, thanks to a warning from his grandfather Lord Corlys. This led to Corlys’s arrest for treason. When Rhaenyra refused to release him, the Velaryon fleet departed for Driftmark with the greater part of her naval strength. She also sent an order for the arrest of Nettles, who was now based at Maidenpool, ranging out with Rhaenyra’s husband, Prince Daemon (who was now Nettles’s lover) in search of Aemond. Lord Manfryd Mooton read the order, pretended he never had received it, and warned Nettles and Daemon. The next day Nettles and Sheepstealer departed Westeros, never to be seen again, and Daemon flew to Harrenhal. He took the castle easily and sent out word that he would face Prince Aemond in battle there.

Aemond arrived, exchanged cordial greetings with Daemon, and then mounted their dragons, Vhagar and Caraxes. The resulting Battle Above the Gods Eye was epic, for Vhagar was the oldest dragon in Westeros but Caraxes was his equal in size and vigour. The two dragons were too well-matched, and in the end killed one another, locked in furious battle. According to legend, Daemon leapt from the saddle and stabbed Prince Aemond through his blind eye with the Valyrian steel blade Dark Sister, killing him outright. Then the two dragons struck the water. Many years later, Aemond’s corpse was pulled from the water and Dark Sister returned to King’s Landing, but Daemon’s body was never found. Singers like to say that he actually lived and escaped with Nettles to find a lasting happiness, but this seems unlikely in the extreme.

The Storming of the Dragonpit. Artwork by Paolo Puggioni for The World of Ice and Fire.

King’s Landing had descended into paranoia and fear. The remnants of the Highgarden host remained a threat to the south-west and the Velaryons had left for Driftmark. The Baratheons were gathering a new host to the south and Rhaenyra realised that she had very few friends left. She quickly sent to Riverrun, Winterfell and the Eyrie for aid, but the riverlords had expended a great deal of their strength fighting the Lannisters and Hightowers and did not have much left to give. Lord Cregan Stark’s new host was forming, but still weeks away from marching and months from reaching King’s Landing.

The breaking point came when Queen Helaena Targaryen, King Aegon II’s sister-wife, committed suicide by throwing herself from Maegor’s Holdfast. Rhaenyra confirmed that she had killed herself in despair after the death of her son Maelor, but the smallfolk refused to believe that. There was a riot in King’s Landing, with a mob of ten thousand taking to the streets, burning and looting. The Shepherd, a religious fanatic, declared that the dragons were abominations and needed to be slaughtered. He led a storming of the Dragonpit. Shrykos and Morghul, the young dragons, were killed easily but the others proved more resilient. Tyraxes burned many attackers before being felled. Dreamfyre killed so many of the mob that they may have been driven from the Dragonpit altogether, but in the furore the supports of the great dome above the pit had been damaged and the ceiling caved in, killing the dragon. Rhaenyra’s own dragon, Syrax, descended from on high and killed many of the survivors of the mob, but a lucky crossbow bolt blinded the beast and the mob were able to slay the dragon. Prince Joffrey Targaryen was likewise killed in the furore.

With chaos spreading through the city, Rhaenyra agreed to abandon it. She fled to Duskendale with her son, Aegon the Younger, and took ship for Dragonstone.

When word came to Tumbleton of the chaos in King’s Landing, Daeron the Daring and the Hightower army prepared to march. However, Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer proved reluctant to assist and Daeron was forced to confront the possibility of having them assassinated. Before any decision could be made, the camp came under a surprise attack. Addam of Hull had arrived from King’s Landing and had managed to reform some of Roderick’s host. Proving his loyalty to Queen Rhaenyra, he led the assault. In the following battle Ulf, Hugh, Daeron and Addam were all killed, along with their dragons: Tessarion, Seasmoke and Vermithor. Silverwing survived but was now riderless.

The Second Battle of Tumbleton ended with the Hightower host being bled badly and losing all of its leaders and its dragonriders. Lord Peake assumed command and led a retreat back into the Reach. The surviving riverlords and Winter Wolves were unable to take Tumbleton or relieve King’s Landing, lacking siege equipment, so chose to retreat into the Riverlands instead.

Rhaenyra Targaryen is fed to her brother’s dragon, Sunfyre, whilst her son Prince Aegon the Younger is forced to watch. Art by Arthur Bozonnet for The World of Ice and Fire.

Upon reaching Dragonstone, Rhaenyra was shocked when her men were all put to death. She was taken into the courtyard of the citadel, where her hated half-brother waited with his dragon Sunfyre. Whilst Prince Aegon the Younger watched, on his uncle fed his mother to his dragon. The young prince was imprisoned as a hostage.

Lord Borros Baratheon led the stormlanders to King’s Landing, which fallen into total anarchy. They retook the city, butchered the leaders of the rioters and declared the city taken. King Aegon II arrived and raised his banner. He freed Corlys Velaryon from the black cells, naming him to his new small council. And that should have ended the war.

It did not. Too much blood had been spilt for this to end so easily. The now-Lord Kermit Tully, Lord Benjicot Blackwood and his aunt “Black” Alysanne Blackwood had assembled a new host, helped by Lords Darry and Mallister, and were now marching on the city. The Vale had assembled a new army and was marching to the Bloody Gate, and Lord Cregan Stark’s host, consisting tens of thousands of fresh troops, was now marching down the causeway through the Neck. Borros decided the only strategy was to engage the enemy piecemeal, defeat each army in detail before they could combine.

This was a sound strategy, but it was undone almost immediately. Borros discounted the riverlords, assuming that they had lost too many men in earlier battles and what was left was an army of green boys. Instead, Borros’s host was defeated and destroyed by the riverlords, scarcely a few days’ march north of the city. The Battle of the Kingsroad ended Aegon’s hopes of a military victory: with the Lannisters pinned down by the ironborn and the Tyrells refusing to choose sides, he had absolutely no men left to throw into the fray.

Lord Corlys advised King Aegon that he surrender and take the black to find honour in the service of the Night’s Watch. Aegon refused. He sent word to the advancing army that if he was to die, his nephew and namesake Aegon would die as well, ending Rhaenyra’s bloodline (or so he supposed). The next day, Aegon II Targaryen was found dead in his bed, poisoned. The identity of the murderer was never discovered.

Aegon the Younger was crowned as King Aegon III Targaryen. Corlys Velaryon became his closest counsellor, but they found the task of reconciling the former, bitter enemies difficult. Aegon III was also too young to rule in his own right. The remaining Great Lords were reluctant to swear loyalty to him, the ironborn flat out ignored his command to stop raiding the Westerlands and the realm teetered on the precipice of flat-out disintegration.

The Seven Kingdoms were saved – arguably – by Lord Cregan Stark. His large northern host arrived at King’s Landing to find the civil war ended. Stark’s army was filled with lords and warriors hungry for plunder, and unhappy at being disappointed. Cregan took charge of the city, arrested most of the nobles present and interrogated them harshly to find out who had murdered Aegon II. He even arrested Corlys Velaryon, releasing him only at the urgings of the twin daughters of Prince Daemon, Baela and Rhaena Targaryen. Cregan appointed himself Hand of the King for a day, had everyone he suspected of plotting against either Aegon II or Aegon III executed on the spot, and took himself back north before the roads closed for the winter. He left a large contingent of his northmen behind to serve, effectively, as Aegon III’s mercenaries.

A council of seven regents was assembled to rule until Aegon III’s majority, and did a reasonable job of healing the divisions in the realm. The Red Kraken remained a problem, but he was then killed in a bloody rebellion on Fair Isle. In 134 AC Lady Johanna Lannister allied with Lord Leo Costayne, High Lord Admiral of the Reach, and invaded the Iron Islands themselves in vengeance for their attacks on the Westerlands, destroying many of their ships and sacking many of their villages and towns. The ironborn were subdued for the next several generations

The Dance of the Dragons caused much misery in Westeros. The death toll is incalculable, both for the war and the deaths that followed in the savage six-year winter that scoured the continent. The Riverlands, ravaged by dragonfire, almost starved in that winter. But its longest-lasting effect was that it all but wiped out the Targaryen dragons. Only four survived the war. Sheepstealer and the Cannibal were never seen again. Silverwing turned wild and made her home on an island in Red Lake. She died in the next decade or so. Only Lady Rhaena’s hatchling, Morning, remained in the care of House Targaryen.

Historical Map 16: The Dance of Dragons – Prelude to War

The Dance of Dragons lasted for over two and a half years, from 129 to 131 AC, and nearly ruined House Targaryen. During this conflict, most of the Targaryen dragons were killed, several lesser branches of the family tree were extinguished and several huge battles fought, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Its violence dwarfed later conflicts such as the Blackfyre Rebellions and Robert’s Rebellion, and may not have been exceeded until the War of the Five Kings.

The initial dispositions during the Dance of Dragons. Houses loyal to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen are shown in black and those loyal to Aegon II Targaryen are shown in green. Houses Stark, Tully, Arryn and Velaryon provided Rhaenyra with her initial manpower. They were later joined by House Greyjoy, seeking opportunities for plunder. Houses Lannister and Hightower declared for Aegon II and were later joined by House Baratheon. House Bracken defied Riverrun to declare for Aegon II, whilst five houses of the Reach declared for Rhaenyra and against the Hightowers of Oldtown. House Tyrell and the independent kingdom of Dorne took no part in the war.

The background to the war lay in a simple dynastic dispute between the children of King Viserys I Targaryen. Viserys had married Lady Aemma Arryn and, in 97 AC, she bore him a daughter, Rhaenyra. In 105 Queen Aemma died in childbirth leaving Rhaenyra as his only child. The grief-stricken Viserys named Rhaenyra as Princess of Dragonstone and his heir. The realm acknowledged her as such. Viserys also named the dashing young knight Ser Criston Cole to the Kingsuard, to serve as the princess’s protector.

However, a year or so later King Viserys remarried, to Lady Alicent Hightower, the daughter of the King’s Hand, Ser Otto of Oldtown (the younger brother of Lord Hightower). Alicent quickly bore him three children: Aegon, Helaena and Aemond. In 109 Ser Otto and Queen Alicent formally requested that King Viserys recognised Aegon as his true heir. Viserys, furious, banished Otto and confirmed that Rhaenyra would follow him on the Iron Throne. In 111, at a great tourney, Rhaenyra appeared dressed in black with red highlights, the colours of House Targaryen, whilst Alicent appeared in a green gown. From that point forward, the faction favouring Rhaenyra became known as “the blacks” and the faction favouring Alicent and Aegon became known as “the greens.”

In 114 Rhaenyra married Laenor Velaryon. Despite the rumours that Laenor preferred the company of other young men, they had three sons: Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey. In 120 Laenor was killed, apparently in a jealous fight with one of his friends, Ser Qarl Correy, leaving Rhaenyra as a widow.

During all of this, Viserys also had to endure a tempestuous relationship with his younger brother, Daemon, who was resentful of the fact that Rhaenyra had been named as heir rather than himself and also that his brother refused to let him divorce his estranged wife, Lady Rhea Royce. Daemon fell out with his brother several times, leading to his conquest of the Stepstones with the help of Corlys Velaryon. Allegedly in 111, at the same tourney that gave rise to the greens and the blacks, Rhaenyra and her uncle had been found in bed together, to Viserys’s anger and disgust. Ser Criston Cole also turned on Rhaenyra and soon found favour in the service of Queen Alicent instead.

Viserys I Targaryen (77-129, r. 103-129 AC). Artwork by Amok.

Ser Laenor’s sister Laena was instead married to Prince Daemon following Lady Rhea’s accidental death in 115. Laena gave birth to two daughters, Baela and Rhaena, before dying in childbirth in 120. Also that year there was a jealous spat between the sons of Alicent and the sons of Rhaenyra, resulting in Prince Lucerys stabbing Prince Aemond in the eye. Viserys ended the squabble by sending Rhaenyra and her children to Dragonstone whilst Alicent and her children remained in King’s Landing.

120 AC ended with King Viserys recalling Ser Otto Hightower to serve as Hand of the King, whilst Rhaenyra and Daemon finally married. They had two children: Aegon, sometimes called Aegon the Younger to distinguish him from Alicent’s son, and Prince Viserys.

King Viserys, the first of his name, died in 129 AC. He had cut himself on the Iron Throne, at first an apparently minor injury which soon became infected. Despite the best efforts of Maester Orwyle, Viserys soon became very ill and passed away.

In King’s Landing, Ser Criston Cole picked up the royal crown and set it on the brow of Prince Aegon, naming him Aegon II Targaryen, King of the Seven Kingdoms, Lord of Westeros and Protector of the Realm. Hence, Ser Criston became known to history as “the Kingmaker”. When Lord Beesbury, the aged master of coin, insisted that the crown pass to Rhaenyra, he was executed for treason.

On Dragonstone Rhaenyra was absolutely furious. In a separate ceremony, she was crowned Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and sent out a call to arms, commanding her father’s bannermen to follow their oath of allegiance to her father. The lords of Westeros were loathe to get involved in the brewing conflict between the two forces, both reinforced by dragons. Stories of the razing of Harrenhal and the Field of Fire still troubled the lords of the realm, and they had no wish to see their armies and holdfasts burned. But they had also sworn oaths of obedience and, reluctantly they summoned their banners.

Initial Dispositions in the Dance of Dragons

Rhaenyra’s person sigil, the red-and-black dragon of House Targaryen quartered with the the falcon of House Arryn (her mother’s house) and the seahorse of Velaryon (her first husband’s house). Heraldry from the Wiki of Ice and Fire.

Disposition of the forces of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, the “blacks”

Leaders: Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Prince Daemon Targaryen, Lord Corlys Velaryon, Lord Roderick “the Ruin” Dustin, Lord Cregan Stark.

Great Houses: Arryn, Greyjoy, Stark, Tully.

Other Houses of Note: Bar Emmon, Blackwood, Beesbury, Caswell, Celtigar, Costayne, Darklyn, Dustin, Rosby, Rowan, Staunton, Stokeworth, Tarly, Velaryon.

Dragons: Syrax, Caraxes, Vermax, Tyraxes, Arrax, Stormcloud, Meleys, Moondancer, Morning (too young to fight), Silverwing (unclaimed), Seasmoke (unclaimed), Vermithor (unclaimed), Sheepstealer (wild), Grey Ghost (wild), the Cannibal (wild).

Queen Rhaenyra commanded great respect in the Seven Kingdoms. As a child she had been known as the “Realm’s Delight” for her intelligence, charm and wit, and her beauty as a young woman had been famed. She had been trained to rule since a young child and King Viserys had commanded all of the lords of the Seven Kingdoms to acknowledge her as his heir.

Queen Rhaenyra’s chief support came from the great houses Arryn (the house of her late mother, Queen Aemma), Stark and Tully, as well as the Velaryons, the family of her first husband. House Greyjoy soon joined her cause in return for plunder and booty. Her second husband was her uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen, the former “King of the Narrow Sea”, a famed and skilled battle commander on land and at sea. Her former father-in-law, Lord Corlyns Velaryon, the “Sea Snake”, was the greatest admiral and sailor in the known world, whose skill at sea was undaunted by his then-advanced age.

Rhaenyra’s charm and skill was enough to win the support of the Darklyns, Rosbys, Stauntons and Stokeworths of the Crownlands, who supported her rule rather than Aegon’s. She also won the allegiance of Houses Beesbury, Caswell, Costayne, Rowan and Tarly of the Reach. With House Tyrell declaring itself neutral, the other Reach lords were able to choose sides as they wished. However, Rhaenyra was unable to charm the Baratheons into supporting her cause. Insulted at her offer, Lord Borros Baratheon declared for Aegon instead.

Rhaenyra’s forces appeared overwhelming, with massive superiority of numbers, of ships and of dragons. However, this was somewhat illusory: winter was closing on the North and Lord Cregan Stark was initially only able to send a small force of two thousand warriors. The rest of his strength he kept back for one last harvest before he could take the field in force. The Tullys were divided by internal conflict, with Houses Bracken and Strong declaring for Aegon. The Arryns were able to commit forces, but lacked a strong leadership figure.

Aegon II’s personal sigil, the traditional three-headed dragon of House Targaryen coloured gold to reflect his own personal dragon, Sunfyre. Heraldry from the Wiki of Ice and Fire.

Disposition of the forces of King Aegon II Targaryen, the “greens”

Leaders: King Aegon II Targaryen, Queen Regent Alicent Hightower, Ser Otto Hightower, Ser Criston Cole, Prince Aemond Targaryen, Lord Borros Baratheon, Lord Jason Lannister.

Great Houses: Baratheon, Lannister.

Other Houses of Note: Bracken, Hightower.

Dragons: Sunfyre, Vhagar, Dreamfyre, Tessarion, Morghul (too young to fight), Shrykos (too young to fight).

King Aegon II Targaryen was ten years younger than his half-sister Rhaenyra and lacked leadership experience. He was initially reliant on the counsel of his mother, her father, his brother Aemond and Ser Criston Cole of the Kingsguard. Aegon II’s reputation was also soured by his well-known years as a youth carousing in King’s Landing when other men were devoting their lives to fighting or learning.

However, Aegon proved a quick study during the war and several times made bold gambits that paid off. His personal bravery in combat was not questioned, and he twice overcame crippling wounds to resume the offensive. His successful wooing of House Baratheon early in the conflict was also a significant and noted diplomatic victory.

Still, Aegon found it hard to win loyal support. The bedrock of his support remained his mother’s family, the Hightowers of Oldtown, and the Lannisters, whose belief in his cause came from an unshakeable opposition to women to rule from the Iron Throne. Many of Aegon’s other supporters came from lords eager to maintain the status quo and prevent daughters, sisters and neices disputing their inheritances should Rhaenyra come to power and make it formally law that the oldest child could inherit propery and title, as in Dorne.

Aegon was badly outnumbered on land and completely outclassed at sea. He also had far fewer dragons than his half-sister. What he did have was control of the capital at King’s Landing and the realm’s strongest fortresses at Harrenhal, Storm’s End and Casterly Rock. He also had the diplomatic nous to win an alliance with the Triarchy, the Kingdom of the Three Daughters which was keen to exact vengeance on Prince Daeron and Lord Corlys for their defeats in the Stepstones two decades earlier. Initially, however, it looked like Aegon II’s prospects for victory were slim.

The board was set, the pieces were in play and now it was time for the dragons to dance.