Maegor I Targaryen
Maegor I | |
---|---|
Maegor I by Amok© | |
Monarch | |
Reign | 42 AC - 48 AC |
Full name | Maegor Targaryen First of His Name |
Titles |
|
Predecessor | Aenys I |
Successor | Jaehaerys I |
Personal Information | |
Alias | Maegor the Cruel |
Died |
48 AC King's Landing |
Family | |
Dynasty | House Targaryen |
Queens | |
Father | Aegon I |
Mother | Visenya Targaryen |
References | |
Book | A Game of Thrones (Mentioned) |
Maegor I, called Maegor the Cruel, was the son of Aegon I and Visenya. He was the younger half-brother of Aenys I.[1] He was the third king to sit the Iron Throne.
Appearance & Character
According to a semi-canon source, Maegor was large, larger than his father, Aegon I. A warrior, he was bull-like with heavy shoulders, thick neck and huge arms. He kept his hair short and his beard trimmed to his jawline. He wore Aegon the Conqueror's crown.[2]
Maegor was often seen as cruel, never treating animals well and keeping to himself.[1]
Early life
Maegor was considered a skilled knight and was one of the youngest in the kingdom ever to be knighted. He was a better jouster than many grown men he met in the lists.[1]
At 13 Maegor married one of his half-sisters (a full sister of Aenys[1]) who was around 16 or 17 years old. The day afterward their wedding he proclaimed that he had created a son on his wedding night, although no child resulted from the consummation. In early life he did not bond with a dragon, claiming none were worthy.[1]
When his father died he served as Hand during his half-brother Aenys' rule. When Aenys assumed the throne, he presented Maegor with Aegon's Valyrian blade, Blackfyre, admitting to all assembled that he was not nearly the warrior his half-brother was.[1]
When the Faith Militant uprising began, Aenys was unable to deal with the crisis and much of the responsibility fell on Maegor to handle the revolt. Maegor instituted laws forbidding Holy men from being able to bear arms which became known as "Maegor's laws".
Rule
Upon Aenys's death, Maegor came to the Iron Throne ahead of his brother's son, Jaehaerys, under unknown circumstances. During his reign, the Faith Militant uprising continued. He crushed the rebellions with ruthless and brutal methods, offering a gold dragon for the scalp of a Warrior's Son and a silver stag for the scalp of a Poor Fellow, earning him his nickname "The Cruel." However, the fight with the militant orders was only ended under the reign of his successor.[3]
Maegor eventually became Balerion's rider.[4]
Maegor completed the construction on the Red Keep, giving Maegor's Holdfast its name. He had its builders executed to protect the secrets of the hidden passages he had constructed.[5]
Maegor notoriously kept multiple wives at a time. He had up to eight or nine wives, though not all of them were simultaneous and beheaded a few for failing to produce an heir - a test that all of them ultimately failed.[6] Among his wives was Jeyne Westerling.[7] Alys Harroway and Tyanna of Pentos were also married to him at the same time.[8] Maegor also had three Grand Maesters executed during his reign.[9]
Maegor was killed on the Iron Throne by unknown means, though some whisper by the throne itself.[10] He died with no issue.
Legacy
While notoriously brutal in his personal life, Maegor seems to have been quite effective in cementing the Targaryen dynasty as the ruling House of the Seven Kingdoms despite a massive popular uprising that lasted eleven years. One might say that a brutal Hand and King is not a bad fit for a brutal era.
Family
References and Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Westeros Forum, "The Sons of the Dragon", read at Bubonicon 45 (Mar 28 2013)
- ↑ So Spake Martin, Targaryen Kings. (November 1, 2005)
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
- ↑ The World of Ice and Fire
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 58, Eddard XV.
- ↑ So Spake Martin, Targaryen Polygamy (June 06, 2001)
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
- ↑ The World of Ice and Fire
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 12, Tyrion II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 36, Davos IV.
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Targaryen. |
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