Difference between revisions of "Battle Beneath the Gods Eye"

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| image        =  [[File:Battle Beneath the Gods Eye.jpg|350px]]
 
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| caption  = [[Maegor I Targaryen]] and [[Balerion]] make short work of [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Aegon Targaryen]] and [[Quicksilver]] during the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye, as depicted by Michael Komarck in ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]''.
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| caption  = [[Maegor I Targaryen]] and [[Balerion]] make short work of [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Aegon the Uncrowned]] and [[Quicksilver]] during the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye, as depicted by Michael Komarck in ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]''.
 
|battle_name = Battle Beneath the Gods Eye
 
|battle_name = Battle Beneath the Gods Eye
 
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Revision as of 21:30, 26 December 2018

Battle Beneath the Gods Eye
Battle Beneath the Gods Eye.jpg
Maegor I Targaryen and Balerion make short work of Aegon the Uncrowned and Quicksilver during the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye, as depicted by Michael Komarck in The World of Ice & Fire.
Date 43 AC
Place Gods Eye, the riverlands
Combatants
King Maegor I Targaryen Prince Aegon Targaryen
Commanders
King Maegor I Targaryen Prince Aegon Targaryen
Strength
Balerion
5,000 swords from King's Landing
unknown numbers from the Reach and riverlands
Quicksilver
15,000 men from the westerlands and riverlands
Casualties
100
Ser Davos Darklyn
2,000
Aegon Targaryen
Quicksilver
Lord Alyn Tarbeck
Lord Jon Piper
Lord Ronnel Vance
Ser Willam Whistler
Denys Snow

The Battle Beneath the Gods Eye took place near the Gods Eye in the latter part of 43 AC.

Prelude

King Maegor I Targaryen, the half-brother of the late King Aenys I Targaryen, claimed the Iron Throne in 42 AC. At the time Aenys's eldest son, Prince Aegon Targaryen, was besieged at Crakehall Castle by thousands of Poor Fellows, leaving Aegon unable to act. After Maegor had won his trial of seven against the Warrior's Sons at King's Landing, Aegon's mother, Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon, proclaimed Aegon king on Driftmark, to no avail. When the Poor Fellows besieging Crakehall finally marched to King's Landing, Prince Aegon and his sister-wife, Princess Rhaena, were able to depart. They fled to Casterly Rock, where they were given protected by Lord Lyman Lannister. Lady Jocasta, Lyman's wife, discerned that Rhaena was with child. The princess gave birth to her twin daughters, Aerea and Rhaella, the same year.[1]

Aegon remained adamant about his claim to the throne, but was unable to find many lords who were willing to risk Maegor's wroth by supporting Aegon's claim. Not even Lord Lannister was willing to give his support to Aegon, although he did refuse Maegor's demands that Aegon and Rhaena be expelled from Casterly Rock. Additionally, it was said that Aegon's own mother had abandoned his cause, as she had been present at King's Landing for King Maegor's third marriage.[1]

Eventually, Aegon gained support from lords from the westerlands and riverlands, including Lords Tarbeck, Piper, Roote, Vance, Frey, Paege, Parren and Westerling. Additionally, Lord Corbray, Denys Snow, and the fourth son of Lord Connington joined Aegon's side.[1]

When Aegon eventually marched in 43 AC, King Maegor was informed by his mistress of whisperers, Tyanna of the Tower, that Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon had been in secret correspondence with the Starks, Arryns, Lannisters, and Baratheons. However, the great lords wished to be certain of Aegon's ability to win before they pledged their support.[1]

Battle

In 43 AC, Aegon asserted his claim to the throne and denounced King Maegor I Targaryen as a tyrant and usurper.[1][2] He marched through the riverlands leading an army of fifteen thousand strong from atop his dragon Quicksilver.[1] Lord Lucas Harroway and Lord Tully supported Maegor, however,[1][3] and Ser Davos Darklyn of the Kingsguard marched from King's Landing with five thousand men. From the Reach came Lords Rowan, Merryweather, and Caswell.[1] Although each of these armies were smaller than Aegon's force, they were coming from all sides. Only seventeen years old, Aegon was yet an inexperienced commander. He refused to attack and defeat each of Maegor's forces separately, as Lord Corbray advised, as he was loathe to divide his army. Instead, he continued his march on the capital.

Just south of the Gods Eye, Prince Aegon found Davos's force blocking his path, as the forces of the Reach were advancing from the south, and the forces from Lords Tully and Harroway were advancing from the north. Aegon ordered a charge against the hill where the Kingslanders had gathered, hoping to shatter them before the other hosts could flank him. Aegon mounted Quicksilver, intend to lead the attack himself. However, King Maegor I appeared from the south upon the back of Balerion, who was much larger and stronger than Quicksilver. Balerion the Black Dread fell upon the younger dragon from above, ripping a wing from her body. Quicksilver fell to her death, with Prince Aegon upon her back.[1]

Once Aegon fell, the rebels saw their cause lost and ran. They were slaughtered by the loyalists surrounding them as they attempted to escape, and by the end two thousand of Aegon's men had died, including Lord Alyn Tarbeck, Denys Snow, Lord Jon Piper, Lord Ronnel Vance, and Ser Willam Whistler. Among Maegor's forces, the losses were fewer. In total a hundred men died, and the only notable loss among them was Ser Davos Darklyn, who had been slain by Lord Corbray with Lady Forlorn.[1]

Aftermath

The battle beneath the Gods Eye in the latter half of 43 AC was followed by a half a year of trials and executions. Dowager Queen Visenya Targaryen managed to persuade King Maegor to spare some of the rebellious lords. Maegor demanded lands and titles from the rebels, and took hostages as well to ensure the loyalty of those he had spared.[1]

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 The Sons of the Dragon.
  2. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
  3. The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands: House Tully.