Moon of the Three Kings

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The Moon of the Three Kings, also called the Moon of Madness, was a period in 130 AC near the end of the Dance of the Dragons when there were multiple "monarchs" in King's Landing. These included a preacher, the so-called Shepherd, and two pretender kings, Trystane Truefyre, a hedge knight's squire, and Gaemon Palehair, the son of a whore.[1] Despite its name, the period lasted longer than a month.[1]

History

Three Kings

King Aegon II Targaryen escaped King's Landing during its fall to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, his half-sister and rival monarch. Rhaenyra ruled the city for only half a year, before she abandoned King's Landing in the aftermath of riots during the fifth moon of 130 AC.[2]

Although he did not declaire himself king, the Shepherd, the man who had instigated the Storming of the Dragonpit, commanded a mob of tens of thousands from the Dragonpit on Rhaenys's Hill. He advised his followers to cast aside their possessions and live more humbly, but his influence began to wane.[1]

Ser Perkin the Flea, a hedge knight and leader of the rioters, claimed that his squire, Trystane Truefyre, was a bastard son of the late Viserys I Targaryen, the father of Rhaenyra and Aegon.[2] After Rhaenyra fled King's Landing, Ser Garth the Harelip surrendered the Red Keep to Perkin, who then installed Trystane on the Iron Throne. Perkin executed Garth and Ser Harmon of the Reeds, among other knights, and he forced Mysaria to be whipped naked through the streets, which caused her death. Perkin spared Septon Eustace and freed all the prisoners held in the Red Keep's dungeons, including Grand Maester Orwyle, Lord Corlys Velaryon, and Ser Tyland Lannister. Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower was likewise freed from her confinement. Perkin was aided by Lord Larys Strong.[1]

The second pretender king was Gaemon Palehair, the four-year-old son of Essie, a whore who claimed the boy had been fathered by Aegon II. Given Aegon's philandering ways, this was not seen as improbable. Gaemon ruled from the House of Kisses atop Visenya's Hill and gathered thousands of followers. He issued a series of edicts,[2] including a declaration that females should be equal to males in matters of inheritance. Mushroom claimed these edicts were almost certainly the work of Sylvenna Sand, a Dornish whore and the paramour of Essie.[3]

Return of Aegon II

Meanwhile, Aegon II, hiding on Dragonstone, recuperated from injuries suffered at Rook's Rest. With Rhaenyra on the mainland, Aegon's greens took her castle through the fall of Dragonstone. In the tenth moon of 130 AC, Rhaenyra was killed by Aegon's dragon, Sunfyre, when she returned to Dragonstone. Sunfyre succumbed to his own wounds in the twelfth moon of the year.[4]

After mourning Sunfyre, Aegon II readied plans to recover the Iron Throne in chaotic King's Landing.[4] Lord Borros Baratheon led men from the stormlands to bring order to the capital on the king's behalf.[5] Ser Perkin was imprisoned, and Trystane Truefyre was executed once Aegon took the city, though not before he received the boon of knighthood. Essie admitted that Gaemon had been the son of an oarsman from Lys, and was hanged. Gaemon Palehair was arrested, but then accepted into Aegon's household.[2] Aegon had the Shepherd's tongue torn out, and then the king had the Shepherd and his most devoted followers burned to death.[1]

Quotes

Three kings reigned over the city, each on his own hill, yet for their unfortunate subjects there was no law, no justice, no protection. No man's home was safe, nor any maiden's virtue.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
  3. The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Queer Customs of the South.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The Princess and the Queen.
  5. The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: House Baratheon.