First Blackfyre Rebellion

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For the other Blackfyre Rebellions, see Blackfyre Pretenders.
First Blackfyre Rebellion
Part of the Blackfyre Rebellions
Red dragon and black dragon clash in the First Blackfyre Rebellion by Gary Gianni from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Date 196 AC[1][2]
Location westerlands, riverlands, the Reach
Battles Battle of the Redgrass Field
Result Decisive Targaryen victory
Exile of House Blackfyre to Essos
Belligerents
Iron Throne/House Targaryen House Blackfyre
Notable commanders
King Daeron II Targaryen
Brynden Rivers
Lord Hayford, Hand of the King
Prince Baelor Targaryen
Prince Maekar Targaryen
 Daemon I Blackfyre †
Ser Aegor Rivers
Ser Quentyn Ball †

The First Blackfyre Rebellion,[1][3][4][5][6] known to contemporaries as the Blackfyre Rebellion,[1][7] was a war fought between the loyalist forces of King Daeron II Targaryen and the rebel forces of his half-brother, Daemon I Blackfyre. Conflict arose when Daemon, a bastard son of the late King Aegon IV Targaryen, claimed the Iron Throne from Daeron, his older, trueborn brother, resulting in open civil war that divided the Seven Kingdoms.[7] The conflict was the first of five rebellions involving the Blackfyre Pretenders[8] over five generations.[9]

Prelude

Baelor I and Viserys II

After King Baelor I Targaryen made peace with Dorne, he returned to King's Landing and annulled his marriage to his eldest sister, Daena. He then locked Daena with his other sisters, Rhaena and Elaena, in the Maidenvault, so they could not tempt the lusts of men. However, Daena contrived to escape her imprisonment on several occasions, and towards the end of her brother's reign became pregnant by her cousin, Prince Aegon.[10] In late 170 AC, Daena gave birth to a bastard son whom she named Daemon Waters.[10][11] Daena refused to reveal the identity of the father of her child, though Aegon was already suspected to have been involved.[11] King Baelor, in response to Daemon's birth, began a forty-day fast, which eventually caused his death in 171 AC.[10] After the claims of Daena and her sisters were dismissed, Daena's uncle was crowned as King Viserys II Targaryen. Viserys ruled only for a year, until his own death, after which his eldest son, King Aegon IV Targaryen, ascended the Iron Throne in 172 AC.[12]

Aegon IV

In addition to his unacknowledged bastard son by Daena, King Aegon IV Targaryen had by his marriage to his sister, Naerys, a trueborn son named Daeron, born in 153 AC, and a daughter, Daenerys, born in 172 AC. Aegon often clashed with Prince Daeron during his reign, with Daeron opposing the ideas and the corrupt style of rule of his father. Aegon, on the other hand, despised his sister-wife, Naerys, and his younger brother, Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, to both of whom Prince Daeron was close. When Aegon, in 174 AC, planned to launch an unprovoked attack against Dorne, the homeland of his daughter-in-law Myriah Martell, Daeron opposed his ideas. Around the same time, rumors began to circulate, instigated by King Aegon himself, that Daeron was a bastard born of adultery between his siblings, Naerys and Aemon. For the first time, though not the last, Aegon threatened to name one of his bastard sons (Aegor Rivers and Balerion Otherys being the only sons Aegon had, at this point, acknowledged) as his heir over Daeron.[11] The rumors about Daeron's parentage forever remained, but despite Aegon's threats and japes, Daeron was never formally disowned. Meanwhile, two factions began to form at court, one supporting the corrupt reign of Aegon IV, the other supporting Daeron.[11]

In 182 AC, Aegon knighted his bastard son, Daemon Waters, after the boy won a squire's tourney at the age of twelve. Aegon publicly bestowed Blackfyre, one of the Valyrian steel swords of House Targaryen, on Daemon as well,[11] finally acknowledging him.[13] There were some who felt that the sword symbolized the monarchy[14] (not unlike rumors that were spread when King Aenys I Targaryen bestowed the sword on his half-brother, Prince Maegor),[15] as it had been the sword of King Aegon I Targaryen, the Conqueror, and had been passed on from king to king ever since. Aegon's public gift of the sword eventually started talk that Daemon should be king.[16] Following the acquisition of the sword, Daemon took the name "Blackfyre" for himself.[11]

Daeron II

King Aegon IV Targaryen knights his bastard son, Daemon, publicly acknowledging him as his own son, and grants him the Targaryen sword Blackfyre - by Marc Simonetti.

In early 184 AC, King Aegon IV Targaryen legitimized all of his bastards on his deathbed. Prince Daeron ascended the throne as King Daeron II Targaryen, and did all he could to keep the nobly-born Great Bastards close. He paid the dowry his late father had promised to the Archon of Tyrosh, seeing his half-brother Daemon I Blackfyre wed to Rohanne of Tyrosh, as per the late Aegon's desire.[1]

Daeron was a cultured and scholarly man who swept the court clear of Aegon the Unworthy's corruption, depriving several people of their advantageous positions. Daeron placed men of his own in the positions of power, and he began negotiations with his brother-in-law, Maron Martell, the Prince of Dorne. This resulted in the wedding of Maron to Daeron's younger sister, Princess Daenerys, in 187 AC, and the joining of Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms.[1]

Dissatisfaction grew from the fact that Dorne had won several concessions during Maron's negotiations that the other regions did not have (e.g. the right to keep their royal title, autonomy to maintain their own laws, the right to assess and gather the taxes due to the Iron Throne with only irregular oversight from the Red Keep). Additionally, it was the belief that the Dornish held too much power at court, as many Dornishmen were brought to Daeron's court, and several filled important offices.[1]

While Daeron had chosen to be crowned with his father's crown, rumors about his legitimacy remained. Daeron was not a warrior, and while Prince Baelor, Daeron's eldest son by his Dornish wife Myriah Martell, was all that could be desired in a warrior, Baelor had the looks of a Martell, and not, like Daemon Blackfyre, of a Targaryen. Nobles and knights from the Dornish Marches began to mistrust both Daeron and Baelor, and began to long for the days when the Dornish were still their enemies.[1]

Meanwhile, Daemon Blackfyre had grown into a great warrior of his own, trained by Ser Quentyn Ball,[3] and had come to resemble Aegon the Conqueror in appearance according to his supporters, with silver-gold hair and deep purple eyes.[13] Married to Rohanne of Tyrosh in 184 AC, his twin sons Aegon and Aemon were born later that same year.[17] Five other sons, and at least two daughters followed during the years to come.[3][7] Daemon's supporters claimed that Daemon had desired his half-sister, Princess Daenerys, and the singers claim that she loved him as well. It is said that Aegon, who had seen more profit in the match with Tyrosh, had promised Daemon that he could have more than one bride. Daeron, however did not agree. Nor has it ever been proven that Princess Daenerys indeed loved Daemon, as the singers and Daemon's supporters claimed.[1]

The Dornish concessions and influence, the sudden change of Dornish enemies to Dornish allies, Daeron's rumored illegitimacy, and Aegon IV's public gift of the sword of kings to Daemon, all were part of the seeds from which the first Blackfyre Rebellion grew. Still, it took many years for the actual rebellion to begin.[1] There was no final insult that resulted in the declaration of Daemon's claim.[1] Daemon had come to resent having the status of bastard, and what it represented.[18] Additionally, he had councillors who urged him to rebel, and many famous warriors who disagreed with the peace with Dorne sought him out. Years passed between the first man approaching him, and Daemon finally declaring his claim. However, Maester Yandel considers it likely that it had been Aegor Rivers, Daemon's younger half-brother, who managed to convince Daemon in the end.[1] According to Maekar Targaryen, it had been both Bittersteel and Fireball, the master-at-arms at the Red Keep, who had played the largest role in convincing Daemon.[3] Aegor pressed him to proclaim, increasing his efforts after Daemon agreed to wed his eldest daughter, Calla, to Bittersteel himself, and many lords and knights joined in.[1]

War

Open rebellion

The First Blackfyre Rebellion finally broke out in 196 AC.[1] It lasted nigh on a year[1] and divided the Seven Kingdoms.[7] Daemon's decision to claim the Iron Throne had been made rashly, and word soon reached Daeron's court that Daemon meant to declare within a month. It has been suggested by Archmaester Merion that Brynden Rivers, another one of Aegon IV's bastard sons, was involved in the news reaching Daeron.[1] The Kingsguard was sent to arrest Daemon, but, with the aid of the master-at-arms of the Red Keep, Quentyn Ball, Daemon managed to escape imprisonment.[1][3] Daemon reversed the colors of House Targaryen, taking for his own sigil a black dragon on a red field, which led to his nickname, the "black dragon" (with Daeron becoming known as the "red dragon").[7]

According to Ser Duncan the Tall, half the realm declared for Daemon and half for Daeron.[7] While Daeron had the support of great houses, such as Houses Martell,[7] Lannister,[19] and Tyrell,[6] Daemon was backed by powerful rivals like House Yronwood[8][20] and possibly House Reyne,[7] plus the ancient and proud[21] House Peake.[3] Not all houses pledged their full support to one claimant. Notably, Houses Hightower, Butterwell, Oakheart and Tarbeck gave support to both Daemon and Daeron. At least one supporter of Daemon, Manfred Lothston, betrayed him for Daeron.[7] Most of Daemon Blackfyre's core supporters were concentrated in the Reach and the stormlands, primarily among the border lords with strong anti-Martell sentiment who resented the new peace with Dorne. Daemon did manage to openly control enough territory that at some point he began minting his own coinage.[3] At some point the thief Quickfinger attempted to steal dragon eggs for Daemon, but was caught.[7]

Over the course of the war, battles were fought between the rebels and loyalists in, amongst other places, the Vale, the westerlands, the riverlands and the Reach.[1] Quentyn Ball—known as Fireball—attacked the westerlands, killing Lord Lefford at the gates of Lannisport and then defeating Lord Damon Lannister in turn.[3] At the crossing of the Mander, Quentyn slew all of Lady Penrose's sons, except for the youngest, whom he spared as a favor to the lady.[3] Lord Leo Tyrell participated in the First Blackfyre Rebellion as well, fighting on behalf of House Targaryen. He won notable victories in the Reach against Daemon Blackfyre's supporters.[6]

During the war, King Daeron II came to consider his Hand of the King, Lord Ambrose Butterwell, to be ineffectual, and in the end, Ambrose's loyalty was questioned. Shortly before the Battle of the Redgrass Field, the final battle of the war, Ambrose was replaced by Lord Hayford, a noted loyalist.[3][7][4]

On the eve of the Redgrass Field, Fireball was slain in a chance encounter, picked off by a random archer when he stopped for a drink of water.[3] Meanwhile, Lord Bracken had gone across the narrow sea to hire sellswords to reinforce the Blackfyres, but storms delayed the return of him and the Myrish crossbowmen he had hired.[7]

The Battle of the Redgrass Field

Ser Aegor Rivers, by Mike Hallstein ©
Main article: Battle of the Redgrass Field

The final conflict of the First Blackfyre Rebellion was the Battle of the Redgrass Field, in late 196 AC, as Daemon I Blackfyre's rebel army approached King's Landing itself. Lord Leo Tyrell's forces could not gather quickly enough to arrive in time for the battle.[6] Lord Donnel Arryn led the vanguard of the Targaryen forces, but Daemon shattered his lines, leaving the loyalists in peril until Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard arrived with reinforcements.[5] Gwayne and Daemon came face-to-face during the battle, with each wielding a Valyrian steel sword, Blackfyre by Daemon and Lady Forlorn by Gwayne. Their duel is said to have lasted nearly an hour, before Daemon gained the upper hand and wounded Gwayne. Daemon dismounted to preventing Gwayne from being trampled, and he commanded that the defeated Gwayne be taken off the field.[7]

In the meantime, Brynden Rivers with his archers, the Raven's Teeth, had captured and assumed a position atop the Weeping Ridge, which overlooked the battlefield and allowed them to rain arrows down among Daemon and his commanders. Daemon's heir Aegon died first, followed by Daemon himself. When Daemon's second son, Aegon’s twin brother Aemon took up Blackfyre, he was slain as well.[7][1]

The rebels began to rout, but Ser Aegor Rivers claimed Blackfyre and rallied the rebels by leading a charge against the Raven's Teeth. In the ensuing duel, Aegor took out Brynden's eye. However, Prince Baelor Targaryen arrived with a host of Dornish spearmen and stormlanders, while his younger brother, Prince Maekar, rallied what remained of the van. As such, Baelor crushed the rebel army against Maekar's shield wall, a move later called "the hammer and the anvil".[7][1]

The size of the armies participating in the Battle of the Redgrass Field is not known; However, ten thousand men died, and many more were maimed and wounded.[7][1]

While the state of the rebellion across all of Westeros is unknown, many widely believed that the fate of the realm hung in the balance at Redgrass Field, and had Daemon won that battle he would probably have gone on to take King's Landing and win the entire war.[7]

Aftermath

King Daeron II Targaryen's punishment of the rebels was harsher than had been previously expected of him.[1] Those who had supported Daemon Blackfyre lost lands, titles or wealth, and all were forced to give hostages.[3] Lord Gormon Peake lost two of his three castles for his support of Daemon's cause,[3][4] for instance. Ser Eustace Osgrey, whose three sons Edwyn, Harrold and Addam had died upon the Redgrass Field, had to give up his daughter Alysanne as a hostage, and lost a great amount of land to House Webber.[7][1]

Aegor Rivers was able to recover the sword Blackfyre from the battlefield and escape to the Free Cities, together with Daemon's widow, Calla Blackfyre, and remaining children, eventually ending up in Tyrosh.[3][7] Daemon's descendants continued their struggle for the Iron Throne in exile as the Blackfyre Pretenders.[1]

The First Blackfyre Rebellion left its mark upon Westeros for years to come. Asking a man whether he had fought for the black dragon or the red was considered a dangerous question,[3][7] Singers immortalized the Battle of Redgrass Field in a song about the hammer and the anvil, referring to the strategy of Baelor and Maekar Targaryen.[7]

The Great Spring Sickness, which began in 209 AC, created the possibility for another rebellion to arise. Many of those who had been taken hostage by King Daeron II had died,[3] as had Daeron himself.[3][7][1] Baelor Breakspear, Daeron's heir and Hand of the King, had died shortly before during the tourney at Ashford Meadow.[22] Baelor's two sons, Valarr and Matarys perished in the Spring Sickness as well,[7] leading to the coronation of Daeron's second son, the bookish Aerys I Targaryen, who named Ser Brynden Rivers as his Hand.[3][7][4] Under these circumstances did Daemon Blackfyre's eldest surviving son, Daemon the Younger, arrive in Westeros from Tyrosh, and the Second Blackfyre Rebellion was attempted in 212 AC.[3]

Houses by Allegiance

While not every house supporting the loyalists and the rebels respectively is known, this list provides an overview of the loyalties that have been revealed thus far:

Loyalists (Targaryen supporters)

Rebels (Blackfyre supporters)

Houses who supported both sides

Other known combattants

Quotes

Eustace: If Daemon had ridden over Gwayne Corbray ... if Fireball had not been slain on the eve of battle ... if Hightower and Tarbeck and Oakheart and Butterwell had lent us their full strength instead of trying to keep one foot in each camp ... if Manfred Lothston had proved true instead of treacherous ... if storms had not delayed Lord Bracken's sailing with the Myrish crossbowmen . . . if Quickfinger had not been caught with the stolen dragon's eggs ... so many ifs, ser ... had any one come out differently, it could all have turned t'other way. Then we would be called the loyalists, and the red dragons would be remembered as men who fought to keep the usurper Daeron the Falseborn upon his stolen throne, and failed.
Duncan: That's as it may be, m'lord, but things went the way they went.[7]

—Eustace Osgrey and Duncan the Tall

Treason ... is only a word. When two princes fight for a chair where only one may sit, great lords and common men alike must choose. And when the battle's done, the victors will be hailed as loyal men and true, whilst those who were defeated will be known forevermore as rebels and traitors. That was my fate.[7]

—Eustace Osgrey to Egg

The First Blackfyre Rebellion had perished on the Redgrass Field in blood and glory.[3]

—thoughts of Duncan the Tall

Some old dead king gave a sword to one son instead of another, that was the start of it.[3]

—thoughts of Duncan the Tall

Notes

  1. ↑ Ser Aubrey Ambrose supported Daemon,[7] but it is unknown if he did so on his own or with the backing of his house.
  2. ↑ Ser Quentyn Ball supported Daemon,[7] but it is unknown if he did so on his own or with the backing of his house.
  3. ↑ Robb Reyne supported Daemon,[7] but it is unknown if he did so on his own or with the backing of his house.
  4. ↑ House Yronwood fought on the side of House Blackfyre for three of the five Blackfyre Rebellions.[20] They are known not to have fought in the Second or Fifth Rebellions, leaving the First, Third, and Fourth.

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.
  2. ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Maekar I Targaryen.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 The Mystery Knight.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys I.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale: House Arryn.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: House Tyrell.
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 7.23 7.24 7.25 7.26 7.27 7.28 7.29 7.30 7.31 7.32 7.33 7.34 7.35 7.36 7.37 7.38 7.39 7.40 7.41 7.42 7.43 The Sworn Sword.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Queer Customs of the South.
  9. ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Baelor I.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV.
  12. ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys II.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 So Spake Martin: The Great Bastards (December 26, 2005)
  14. ↑ So Spake Martin: SF, Targaryens, Valyria, Sansa, Martells, and More (June 26, 2001)
  15. ↑ The Sons of the Dragon, notes from the reading at LonCon 2014
  16. ↑ So Spake Martin: Targaryen History (April 20, 2008)
  17. ↑ See the calculations for Aegon and Aemon Blackfyre
  18. ↑ So Spake Martin: Private Meeting (Santa Fe, NM) (May 4, 2004)
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands: House Lannister Under the Dragons.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 13, The Soiled Knight.
  21. ↑ Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows.
  22. ↑ The Hedge Knight.
  23. ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 37, Brienne VII.
  24. ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands: House Tully.
  25. ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 24, The Lost Lord.
  26. ↑ The Winds of Winter, Arianne II
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