| Summerhall | |
|---|---|
| Ruins of lightly fortified castle | |
 Summerhall, by Fran Vegas © | |
| Location | Dornish Marches, Stormlands, Westeros |
| Founded | 188 AC |
| Named for | Summer |
| Destroyed | 259 AC, in the tragedy at Summerhall |
|
Map   Summerhall | |
Summerhall is a ruined castle in the stormlands. Formerly a lightly fortified castle used by House Targaryen as a summer palace and royal residence, it was destroyed in a great fire in 259 AC. While the heir apparent to the Iron Throne was known as the Prince of Dragonstone, a younger son could be titled the Prince of Summerhall.[1][2]
Located in or near the foothills of the Red Mountains, the ruins of Summerhall are close to the stormlands' border with the Reach, east of the Cockleswhent and southeast of the Blueburn. The Boneway runs south from Summerhall through the Dornish Marches to Yronwood in Dorne.[3]
History
Prince of Summerhall
Summerhall was built in the Dornish Marches during the notably pro-Dornish reign of King Daeron II, to celebrate the peaceful joining of Dorne to the realm. It was more palace than castle, and only lightly fortified.[2] Summerhall acted as a Targaryen summer castle and royal residence, and was used frequently by Daeron in his younger years. As he grew older, he left King's Landing less frequently, and granted Summerhall to his son, Prince Maekar. Though Maekar was the youngest of Daeron's four sons, this was possible since Daeron's heir, Baelor, had Dragonstone, and Aerys and Rhaegel seldom left the court.[4]
The holder of the castle became known as the Prince of Summerhall. Maekar maintained a household there after the First Blackfyre Rebellion.[2] Maester Melaquin served at Summerhall, tutoring Prince Maekar's sons,[5] who had dragon eggs at Summerhall.[6]
In 209 AC, two of Prince Maekar's sons, Prince Daeron and Prince Aegon, left Summerhall together to travel to the tourney at Ashford Meadow. However, as Daeron did not want to compete in the tourney, they instead hid in an inn near Ashford. Aegon, incognito as "Egg", associated himself as the squire of Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight traveling to the Ashford tourney. After various troubles including a trial of seven, Prince Maekar wanted Aegon to return to Summerhall, and for Ser Duncan to have a place there and train Aegon in knighthood. After Duncan refused, Maekar instead allowed him to take Aegon as his squire and travel the Seven Kingdoms.[1]
Later in 209 AC, King Aerys I Targaryen came to the throne and named Brynden Rivers as the Hand of the King. Maekar was angry about not receiving this appointment from his brother, and left King's Landing to brood at Summerhall for more than a year and a half.[7] In 211 AC, Ser Duncan fought in a trial by combat to resolve a feud between Ser Eustace Osgrey and Lady Rohanne Webber, so he warned Aegon that, if he were to die, he should travel to the nearest of Prince Maekar's friends to help him return to Summerhall. After Duncan recovered, Aegon chose to travel north with him, instead of south to Summerhall.[7]
After losing a tilt in the wedding tourney at Whitewalls in 212 AC, Duncan could not afford to pay the ransom for his horse and armor, so Egg suggested that Dunk could ride Rain, while he would go back to riding Maester the mule, to Summerhall where Duncan could take service with Prince Maekar and get a new horse. However, Dunk rejected the idea, as that would mean returning in shame. After the tourney turned out to be a proxy for the abortive Second Blackfyre Rebellion, Brynden Rivers debated sending Aegon back to Summerhall and Maekar, but Aegon said his place was with Duncan.[6]
When Maekar came to the Iron Throne in 221 AC, his heir Prince Daeron became the Prince of Dragonstone, but preferred to be titled the Prince of Summerhall as he felt Dragonstone was "such a gloomy abode".[8]
Tragedy at Summerhall
A great fire broke out in the castle in 259 AC, which was a serious blow to House Targaryen. The fire left the castle ruined and resulted in several deaths, including King Aegon V Targaryen, his eldest son and former heir, Prince Duncan, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Duncan the Tall.[9][10] It is sometimes blamed on one of the many Targaryen attempts to bring back dragons by hatching ancient dragon eggs.[11][12] Corso was the last maester to serve at Summerhall and was present during the fire.[12][13]
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was born at Summerhall[14] on the day of the tragedy.[15] The crown prince grew up with a complex fascination for the ruins. Here he was happiest, yet also saddened by the memory of the tragedy. He liked to visit by himself and sleep in the ruined hall of Summerhall beneath the moon and the stars.[16]
Robert's Rebellion
Upon the outbreak of Robert's Rebellion, the lords of the stormlands varied in their allegiance to their king, Aerys II Targaryen, and their lord, Robert Baratheon. The loyalist Lords Fell, Cafferen, and Grandison planned to join their strength at Summerhall and march on Storm's End. Robert was informed of their march, however, and defeated the three armies in succession in three battles at Summerhall before they could coordinate.[17]
Recent Events
A Storm of Swords
Tyrion Lannister expects that when Doran Martell comes to King's Landing, he will take the Boneway from Dorne to Summerhall, and then head east to the kingsroad.[18] Tyrion is later surprised when Oberyn Martell arrives instead of Doran.[19]
Arstan tells Daenerys Targaryen of her brother Rhaegar's melancholy and fondness for Summerhall.[16]
At High Heart, the dwarf woman tells Arya Stark that she experienced grief at Summerhall.[20]
A Feast for Crows
Maester Aemon tells Samwell Tarly how he believed Rhaegar Targaryen's birth during the tragedy at Summerhall was a sign he was the prince that was promised], but that Rhaegar later thought the prophecy was associated with his own son, Aegon.[15]
A Dance with Dragons
In Meereen, Ser Barristan Selmy tells Daenerys Targaryen of the dwarf woods witch that gave a prophecy leading to the marriage of her parents, Prince Aerys II and Princess Rhaella. While Barristan believes the woods witch died in the tragedy of Summerhall, his description of her fits the still-living ghost of High Heart.[21]
Later, Barristan recalls that the children of King Aegon V Targaryen wed for love. Treason and turmoil followed, ending at Summerhall in sorcery, fire, and grief.[22]
Quotes
This talk of a stone dragon... madness, I tell you, sheer madness. Did we learn nothing from Aerion Brightfire, from the nine mages, from the alchemists? Did we learn nothing from Summerhall? No good has ever come from these dreams of dragons, I told Axell as much.[11]
And yet Summerhall was the place the prince loved best.[16]
I gorged on grief at Summerhall, I need none of yours.[23]
—The ghost of High Heart to Arya Stark
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Hedge Knight.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.
- ↑ The Lands of Ice and Fire, Westeros.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Summerhall (June 19, 1999).
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Melaquin.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Mystery Knight.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maekar I.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Duncan.
- ↑ The Citadel: FAQ: What happened at Summerhall
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 25, Davos III.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V.
- ↑ Errata of The World of Ice & Fire: Aegon V.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Rhaegar Targaryen.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 35, Samwell IV.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 42, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 36, Davos IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 38, Tyrion V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 43, Arya VIII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 23, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 67, The Kingbreaker.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 43, Arya VIII.