Aegon the Uncrowned's rebellion

Note: The title of this article is conjecture and may be subject to change.

Aegon the Uncrowned's rebellion
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
Location	Westerlands, Riverlands
Battles	Battle Beneath the Gods Eye
Result	Iron Throne victory Death of Prince Aegon Targaryen
Belligerents House Targaryen/Prince Aegon Targaryen House Charlton House Connington House Corbray House Dustin House Farman House Frey House Paege House Parren House Piper House Roote House Smallwood House Tarbeck House Vance House Westerling House Lannister (secret support) Iron Throne/House Targaryen/King Maegor I Targaryen House Caswell House Harroway House Merryweather House Peake House Tully Notable commanders Prince Aegon Targaryen Lord Jon Piper Melony Piper Lord Qarl Corbray Ser Tyler Hill King Maegor I Targaryen Ser Davos Darklyn Lord Lucas Harroway Lord Tully Lord Peake Lord Merryweather Lord Caswell Strength Quicksilver 15,000 men from the westerlands and riverlands (including 500 men from Lannisport led by Ser Tyler Hill) Balerion 5,000 men from King's Landing unknown numbers from the Reach and riverlands Losses 2,000 Aegon Targaryen† Quicksilver† Lord Alyn Tarbeck† Melony Piper† Lord Ronnel Vance† Ser Willam Whistler† Lord Farman† Lord Farman's eldest son† Denys Snow† 100 Ser Davos Darklyn†

Following Maegor Targaryen's ascension to the Iron Throne in the wake of King Aenys I Targaryen's death, Prince Aegon, Aenys' eldest son and heir, led a rebellion to exact his claim as Aenys' legitimate successor. The rebellion was short-lived, however, due to Aegon failing to garner much support and not achieving any military victory against his usurping uncle.

Prelude

In 42 AC, Aegon and his sister-wife, Princess Rhaena were in the middle of a royal progress, but found themselves trapped at Crakehall by members of the Faith of the Seven, which had risen in rebellion against House Targaryen. At the same time, Aegon's father, King Aenys, died on Dragonstone. Dowager Queen Visenya brought her son and Aenys's half-brother, Prince Maegor, back from his exile in Essos, and he declared himself king ahead of Aegon. When the Poor Fellows who had besieged Crakehall departed to march on King's Landing, Aegon and Rhaena fled to Casterly Rock, where Lord Lyman Lannister protected them by extending guest right. There, Aegon's twin daughters Aerea and Rhaella were born the following year.

After Maegor's coronation, Aegon found himself abandoned by many who he once considered his loyal friends. Throughout the realm, it was whispered that Aegon was weak like his father was, pointing out Aegon had never taken a dragon of his own, whereas Maegor had claimed Balerion the Black Dread. In 43 AC, while Maegor was in Oldtown, Rhaena and Aegon took note of his long absence from the capital, and after a long journey managed to successfully infiltrate King's Landing. With several companions aiding them, Aegon and Rhaena entered one of the city gates in a mule wagon, concealed in the back under sacks of corn. Once in the city, they were given further aid by several collaborators who had grown weary of Maegor's persecutions. However, Aegon and Rhaena did not seize the Iron Throne, as they lacked the strength to hold it; they had come for dragons. Rhaena was reunited with her Dreamfyre, and Aegon finally claimed a dragon, his late father's mount Quicksilver. The pair left the city on dragonback, and returned to the westerlands to raise an army and exact Aegon's claim to the Iron Throne.

Aegon announces his claim

Lord Lyman Lannister was reluctant to openly support Aegon, so the prince's followers gathered in Pinkmaiden Castle, the seat of House Piper. Eventually, Aegon gained support from lords from the westerlands and riverlands, including Lords Tarbeck, Piper, Roote, Vance, Frey, Paege, Parren, Farman, and Westerling. Additionally, Lord Corbray, Denys Snow of Barrowton, and the fourth son of Lord Connington joined Aegon's side. An additional five hundred men came from Lannisport, led by Ser Tyler Hill, Lyman's bastard son.

In 42 AC, Aegon was declared king by his mother, Queen Alyssa Velaryon, but he was becoming known as "Aegon the Uncrowned" throughout the realm.. The following year, 43 AC, Aegon took to the field, intending to march on the capital. Queen Tyanna of the Tower warned Maegor that Alyssa was secretly communicating with the Starks, Arryns, Baratheons, and Lannisters. The great lords, however, would only publicly support Aegon after a victory. Thus, Aegon denounced his uncle as a tyrant and usurper, and marched through the riverlands leading an army of fifteen thousand from atop his Quicksilver.

The Uncrowned Defeated

In the riverlands, Lord Lucas Harroway and Lord Tully supported Maegor with their levies. Ser Davos Darklyn of the Kingsguard marched from King's Landing with five thousand men. From the Reach came Lords Peake, Merryweather, and Caswell and their levies. 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. Lord Qarl Corbray advised him to attack and defeat each of Maegor's forces separately before they could join their powers, but Aegon refused, as he was loathe to divide his army. Instead, he continued his march on the capital.

The armies met in battle just south of the Gods Eye. Prince Aegon found Ser Davos's force blocking his path, sitting on high ground behind a wall of spears, 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. But just then, King Maegor appeared from the south upon the back of Balerion, who was much larger and stronger than Quicksilver. 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.

Once Aegon fell, the rebels saw their cause lost and ran. As they attempted to escape, they were slaughtered by the loyalists surrounding them, and by the end two thousand of Aegon's men had died, including Lord Alyn Tarbeck, Denys Snow, Melony Piper and three of her brothers, Lord Ronnel Vance, Ser Willam Whistler, and Lord Farman and his heir. 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.

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.

However, Princess Rhaena avoided capture, having remained at Pinkmaiden Castle with her daughters and dragon. Upon hearing of the outcome of the battle, Rhaena gathered her daughters and fled on dragonback from the riverlands, fearing her uncle's wroth. While first arriving at Lannisport, she would later flee to Faircastle on Fair Isle, the seat of Lord Marq Farman. His father and brother had perished in the battle, but Farman offered Rhaena sanctuary beneath his roof.

Later, Maegor married Lord Alan Tarbeck's widow, Lady Jeyne Westerling, along with Princess Rhaena, in a ceremony where the two women and another widow were called the "Black Brides".

During the Faith Militant uprising, Poor Fellows led by Ser Joffrey Doggett targeted and assassinated some of Maegor's loyalists that had participated in the battle, including Old Lord Merryweather, the heir of Lord Peake, and Ser Davos Darklyn's aged father.