As a historian with decades of studying Westeros’ tumultuous past, I must say that the tales of Formya and Maegor, the Blackfyre Rebellions, and Robert’s Rebellion are etched deeply into the annals of our realm. The dance of the dragons, the rise and fall of pretenders, and the betrayals and alliances forged in the fires of war – these stories have shaped the very fabric of our world.
In the annals of Westeros, there’s been a continuous cycle of empires rising and collapsing. Among these, the Targaryens from Old Valyria have made the most significant impact. Originating from Dragonstone, the westernmost outpost of the Valyrian Freehold, they initiated their conquest around 2 BC. In less than two years, Aegon and his sister-wives managed to establish a political dominance over Westeros (excluding Dorne). They ruled directly over the Crownlands, while the Seven Kingdoms – previously independent regions like the Mountain and the Vale, the Rock, the North, the Reach, the Stormlands, the Isles, and the Rivers – were put under the indirect rule of the crown. This division was later made by Aegon into the Riverlands and the Iron Islands.
The vast expanse and complexity of the Targaryen empire was unparalleled, often leading to internal conflicts due to its immense size. Notably, one such conflict, known as the Dance of the Dragons, is detailed in George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood and has been adapted by HBO into a second live-action series titled House of the Dragon. The storyline of Game of Thrones, however, starts around seventeen years following the end of Robert’s Rebellion. While the Dance of the Dragons is unique, it is not the only civil war that took place during the Targaryen rule over Westeros. So, what does Game of Thrones lore reveal about the civil wars that occurred during the Targaryen reign in Westeros?
Civil Wars, Low-intensity Conflicts And Minor Rebellions
The rule of Targaryen kings was marked by frequent civil unrest, including full-blown wars, smaller skirmishes, and minor uprisings. Targaryen monarchs often took part in battles themselves, employed proxies to fight for them, or relied on local lords to quell rebellions against the crown. However, notable exceptions include the Maegor vs. the Faith Militant, the First Blackfyre Rebellion, and Robert’s Rebellion, which were clear-cut civil wars, involving Targaryens versus anti-Targaryen factions across the realm. Similar to the Dance of the Dragons, conflicts like the Faith Militant Uprising, the First Blackfyre Rebellion, and Robert’s War saw the realm divided between House Targaryen, the Faith, and other opposing Houses. These conflicts were characterized by open defiance, with noble houses supporting the rebellions to overthrow the Targaryens. In contrast, the First Dornish War initiated by Aegon I or Daeron’s Conquest of Dorne were bloody but ultimately unsuccessful invasions.
During King Viserys I’s rule, the Targaryens engaged in warfare in the Stepstones rather than fighting internal conflicts. Contrary to popular belief, the Dornish Wars did not fragment the kingdom into two separate entities, making them unlike traditional civil wars. Instead, these wars were about either overthrowing or maintaining the existing order. It’s worth noting that House Targaryen managed to garner the allegiance of its vassal Houses during both series of conflicts. The Dornish Wars can be seen as invasions, while the conflict in the Stepstones was primarily waged by House Velaryon (and later joined by Daemon Targaryen) to expel the Triarchy’s influence from the region. Wars for territorial control and conquest are not categorized as civil wars, even when they involve massive human and financial resources, despite their scale and cost.
The Faith Militant Uprising (41-48 AC)
During the initial decades of Targaryen rule, the family divided Westeros into two opposing factions due to their custom of marrying brothers with sisters for bloodline purity and power consolidation within the family. The Faith Militant Uprising was a time when Aenys I, the Conqueror’s heir, struggled with a waning monarchy, being criticized by the Faith for arranging a marriage between his eldest child, Rhaena, and his son, Aegon. This union brought upon Aenys the title of “King Abomination” from the High Septon, leading to widespread rejection among the common people, the order of the Poor Fellows of the Faith, and many lords across the realm. The Warrior’s Sons, counterparts to the Poor Fellows, also rose in rebellion, leaving weak king Aenys to seek sanctuary at Dragonstone.
In any civil conflict, the Faith Militant Uprising led to widespread rebellion against the Targaryens. Aenys’ descendants were trapped at Crakehall, while his younger half-brother Maegor, born of Queen Visenya, seized their throne and engaged in a fierce war with the Faith Militant. The Grand Captain of the Warrior’s Sons, Ser Damon Morrigen, and Maegor agreed to legitimize Maegor’s rule through a Trial by Seven. In this trial, Maegor was the sole survivor, but he fell into a coma at its end. Upon waking, he flew Balerion the Black Dread and torched the Sept of Remembrance, controlled by the militants. He also clashed with Poor Fellows at Stonebridge, as well as the Faith Militant, Warrior’s Sons, Riverlords, and lords of the Westerlands at the Great Fork. Despite these battles, the Faith continued their resistance.
Despite Visenya and Maegor’s attempts to prevent it, more Poor Fellows and Sons of the Warrior rose in rebellion. Tragically, both Visenya and Maegor passed away in 44 AC and 48 AC respectively. After their demise, King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, also known as the Conciliator, managed to broker a peace agreement with the Faith. With the assistance of his advisor, Septon Barth, he did so. In return for the Iron Throne’s protection, the Poor Fellows and the Warrior’s Sons laid down their arms. Furthermore, the Faith made an allowance for the Targaryens through a doctrine known as Exceptionalism, enabling them to marry freely without restrictions.
The First Of The Blackfyre Rebellions (196 AC)
During a period of unrest, the Blackfyre claimants challenged the rule of the Targaryen dynasty, particularly Daeron II who sat on the Iron Throne. The ongoing conflicts known as the Blackfyre Rebellions have a history that involves misgovernment and a spiteful act by Aegon the IV, also known as Aegon the Unworthy. Before his death, Aegon IV, who had many illegitimate children, chose to legitimize all of them out of resentment towards his heir, Daeron, who was rumored to be the son of his sister-wife, Naerys, and younger brother, Aemon, born in an unconventional way.
In 182 A.C., Aegon IV, one of the Targaryen rulers, publicly knighted his illegitimate son Daemon with the sword known as Blackfyre, after he won a squire’s tournament. Adopting the name Blackfyre, Daemon formed a faction within House Targaryen and eventually rose in rebellion against his half-brother, King Daeron II, in 196 A.C. This uprising of Daemon Blackfyre led to a division in the realm, escalating into a full-scale civil war that culminated at the decisive Battle of Redgrass Field, where he was killed. Notable figures like warriors, councilors, and Aegon IV’s most notable illegitimate son, Aegor, supported Daemon Blackfyre during this tumultuous period when the realm was engulfed by civil war.
Robert’s Rebellion (282-283 AC)
In a turn of events, Robert Baratheon launched a war against the Iron Throne following rumors that his promised bride, Lyanna Stark, had been abducted by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. However, it was actually Lyanna who eloped with a married man, triggering a conflict that pitted Starks, Arryns, Baratheons, and Tullys against the Targaryens, Martells, and Gardeners. Tywin of House Lannister remained mostly neutral during the uprising but switched allegiances to the rebels when they were close to victory. The Greyjoys of the Iron Islands joined the rebellion after the Battle of Trident, where Prince Rhaegar was killed.
Prior to Robert’s Rebellion, an event that ignited a civil war, King Aerys II Targaryen, seated on the Iron Throne, ordered the execution of Lord Rickard Stark and his son Brandon Stark at the Red Keep. The Starks had sought the release of Lyanna Stark, unaware that she had eloped with Rhaegar Targaryen. These executions marked the beginning of a year-long conflict, which ultimately ended in a triumph for the rebels. Aerys II was slain by his Kingsguard member Jaime Lannister, while Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen, the surviving children of the Mad King, were secretly taken to the Free Cities. Robert Baratheon then ascended the throne, initiating a new era with House Baratheon in power.
Fans eagerly anticipate the debut of the third live-action Game of Thrones spinoff, titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
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2024-09-25 02:04