A peace banner is a white flag or another piece of white cloth.
Culture
[edit]The seven colors of the rainbow are important to the Faith of the Seven, so their peace banner is a rainbow-striped flag with seven long tails, on a staff topped by a seven-pointed star.[1]
History
[edit]Aegon's Conquest
[edit]After the river lords joined Aegon I Targaryen, King Harren the Black took refuge in his supposedly impregnable stronghold of Harrenhal. Aegon met Harren at the gates, under a peace banner to parley, asking him to yield, but Harren refused to do so. Descending from the sky atop Balerion, Aegon used dragonflame against the great castle, and Harren and his sons died in the burning of Harrenhal.[2]
When Queen Rhaenys Targaryen flew Meraxes into Storm's End to parley, Argella Durrandon announced that they would die to the last man, but her garrison refused to share the same fate of Harrenhal and revolted, raising a peace banner and delivering Argella to Targaryen's camp, gagged, chained, and naked.[2]
Dance of the Dragons
[edit]Following the coronation of Rhaenyra Targaryen, King Aegon II Targaryen declared her a traitor and demanded their execution, but he was persuaded by his mother Alicent Hightower and his sister-wife Helaena Targaryen to dispatch Grand Master Orwyle to Dragonstone with a retinue under a peace banner, offering Rhaenyra "generous terms", which she refused.[3]
King Aegon II was eventually murdered by his own men, after which Lord Corlys Velaryon and Prince Aegon rode forth from the city under a peace banner to yield King's Landing to the army of Lord Kermit Tully.[4] Aegon the Younger inherited the throne as King Aegon III Targaryen in 131 AC.[5][4][6]
Recent history
[edit]During the final stage of the conquest of Dorne, King Daeron I Targaryen, returned to Dorne with a fresh army, so the Dornish requested to discuss peace terms with him in 161 AC, but then betrayed Daeron by treacherously ambushing him and his retinue beneath the peace banner, slaying three Kingsguard knights, as well as Daeron I himself, while Prince Aemon Targaryen, the Dragonknight, was imprisoned by House Wyl.[7]
According to a semi-canon source, when Ser Kevan Lannister approached Tarbeck Hall under a peace banner to demand House Tarbeck's surrender, Lady Ellyn Tarbeck laughed at him, telling him her brothers were also lions, with claws as sharp as his.[8]
Recent Events
[edit]A Clash of Kings
[edit]Despite carrying a peace banner, Cleos Frey's party is attacked twice by broken men, suffering three dead and six wounded.[9]
Cley Cerwyn comes to the Winterfell walls with a peace banner, announcing to Theon Greyjoy that Rodrik Cassel wishes to parley with him, but thanks to Ramsay Snow, Cley is then slain by Bolton men at the battle at the winter town in front of the castle, and his corpse is presented to Theon with an arrow in his eye.[10]
A Storm of Swords
[edit]Ser Jaime Lannister is escorted from Harrenhal to King's Landing by Steelshanks Walton, whose party included Nage, who bears the peace banner for the guards, a seven-tailed rainbow banner with the staff topped by a seven-pointed star.[1]
After his son and heir, Ser Marq Piper, is captured at the Red Wedding, Lord Clement Piper sends men under a peace banner to King's Landing to bend the knee to the Iron Throne in his stead.[11]
A Dance with Dragons
[edit]Theon Greyjoy travels to the siege of Moat Cailin under a peace banner to present Ramsay Bolton's terms of rendition to the ironborn garrison guarding its three towers.[12]
Josmyn Peckledon carries the peace banner when Jaime Lannister's band arrives at Raventree Hall to resolve the siege of Raventree.[13]
Quotes
[edit]Aegon: Yield now, and you may remain as Lord of the Iron Islands. Yield now, and your sons will live to rule after you. I have eight thousand men outside your walls.
Harren: What is outside my walls is of no concern to me. Those walls are strong and thick.
Aegon: But not so high as to keep out dragons. Dragons fly.
Harren: I built in stone. Stone does not burn.
Aegon: When the sun sets, your line shall end.[2]—Aegon I Targaryen and King Harren the Black under a peace banner
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 44, Jaime VI.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron I.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire: The Westerlands (unabridged). georgerrmartin.com
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 20, Tyrion V.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 66, Theon VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 62, Jaime VII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20, Reek II.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 48, Jaime I.