Tragedy at Summerhall

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Summerhall castle is consumed by fire as newborn Prince Rhaegar Targaryen takes his first breaths - by Marc Simonetti ©

The Tragedy at Summerhall was a fire at Summerhall, a pleasure castle of House Targaryen in the Dornish Marches, in 259 AC. The conflagration caused the deaths of, among others, King Aegon V Targaryen, his eldest son, Prince Duncan Targaryen, and Ser Duncan the Tall, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.[1]

The cause of the fire is as yet unknown, but was connected with King Aegon's desire to restore dragons to the Seven Kingdoms. The last years of his reign were consumed by a search for ancient lore about the dragon breeding of Valyria, and it was said that Aegon commissioned journeys to places as far away as Asshai with the hopes of finding texts and knowledge that had not been preserved in Westeros. In 259 AC, Aegon summoned many of those closest to him to Summerhall to celebrate the impending birth of his first great-grandchild to Aerys and Rhaella, the children of Aegon's heir Prince Jaehaerys.[1]

A page from Archmaester Gyldayn's history of House Targaryen hints at the events of the tragedy, but a mishap led to ink blotting out much of the information:

the blood of the dragon gathered in one …
… seven eggs, to honor the seven gods, though the king's own septon had warned …
pyromancers
wild fire
… flames grew out of control … towering … burned so hot that …
… died, but for the valor of the Lord Comman[1]

The tragedy that transpired at Summerhall left very few witnesses alive, and those who survived would not speak of it.[1] Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, who was born at Summerhall[2] on the same day,[3] often returned to the ruined castle alone and composed songs for his harp.[4]

Quotes

It was the shadow of Summerhall that haunted him, was it not?[4]

References and Notes