Tourney at Ashford Meadow

The tourney at Ashford Meadow^[1]^[2] or tourney at Ashford^[3] was a tourney hosted by House Ashford at Ashford Meadow in 209 AC. Due to the accidental death of Prince Baelor Targaryen—the Prince of Dragonstone, son and heir of King Daeron II Targaryen, and Hand of the King—Ashford was one of the most famous and historically significant tourneys.

History

Lord Ashford staged the tourney to celebrate his daughter's thirteenth name day. The fair maid was the queen of love and beauty and would have five champions to defend her honor. All other entrants were the challengers, and if anyone defeated a champion, they would take their place as the new champion. After three days of jousting, the champions would determine if Lord Ashford's daughter retained her title or if another would wear it.^[1] According to a semi-canon source, Lord Ashford hoped to curry favor with Prince Baelor Targaryen by hosting the tourney.^[4]

Instead of competing in the tourney, Prince Daeron Targaryen escaped his escort and hid with his younger brother, Prince Aegon Targaryen, at an inn near Ashford. Aegon became acquainted with Ser Duncan the Tall at the inn.^[1]

The Joust

The jousting area had five lanes situated north-south, so none of the jousters would have the sun in their eyes. The viewing stand was raised on the eastern side of the lists with an orange canopy to shield the lords and ladies from sun and rain.^[1]

The original five champions were:

Matchups:

Ser Tybolt Lannister defeated Ser Androw Ashford (6 tilts)
Ser Lyonel Baratheon defeated Ser Robert Ashford (10 tilts)
Lord Leo Tyrell defeated Lord Damon Lannister (3 tilts)
Ser Humfrey Hardyng defeated Lord Medgar Tully (2 tilts)
Prince Valarr Targaryen defeated Ser Abelar Hightower (2 tilts)
Lord Leo Tyrell defeated Lord Pearse Caron
Ser Humfrey Hardyng defeated Ser Joseth Mallister
Prince Valarr Targaryen defeated Lord Gawen Swann (2 tilts)
Ser Tybolt Lannister defeated Ser Jon Penrose
Lord Leo Tyrell defeated Ser Robyn Rhysling (4 tilts)
Ser Humfrey Hardyng defeated Ser Humfrey Beesbury (13 tilts)
Ser Humfrey Hardyng defeated Prince Aerion Targaryen (by forfeit)
Prince Valarr Targaryen won seven more times.^[1]

Known Attendees

In addition, a semi-canonical list of attendees can be found in some editions of the graphic novel for The Hedge Knight.

The Trial of Seven

An altercation occurred between Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aerion Targaryen when the prince assaulted a girl, Tanselle. This resulted in Duncan striking the prince, claiming that he was only following the knight's vows to defend the weak. Aerion demanded a trial of seven to clear his name. Prince Daeron Targaryen also claimed to have been injured by Duncan, so he made a claim as well. The two sides met on Ashford Meadow.^[1]

For the Defendant, Ser Duncan the Tall	For the Claimants, Princes Aerion & Daeron Targaryen
Ser Robyn Rhysling	Ser Roland Crakehall
Ser Humfrey Hardyng (fatally wounded)	Ser Steffon Fossoway
Ser Lyonel Baratheon	Prince Daeron Targaryen (wounded)
Ser Duncan the Tall (wounded)	Prince Aerion Targaryen (yielded)
Prince Baelor Targaryen (fatally wounded)	Prince Maekar Targaryen
Ser Humfrey Beesbury (killed)	Ser Donnel of Duskendale
Ser Raymun Fossoway	Ser Willem Wylde (wounded)

Duncan made Aerion and Daeron withdraw their claims, proving his innocence. However, Humfrey Beesbury was slain by Donnel during the fight, and Willem had to be carried from the field. Baelor died from a blow to his head, likely given by his brother, Maekar. Humfrey Hardyng also died afterwards from wounds received in the skirmish.^[1]

Maekar deeply regretted having caused Baelor's death, and each year he observed the anniversary of his brother's passing.^[3]

Quotes

Lord Ashford was staging this tourney to celebrate his daughter's thirteenth nameday. The fair maid would sit by her father's side as the reigning Queen of Love and Beauty. Five champions wearing her favors would defend her. All others must perforce be challengers, but any man who could defeat one of the champions would take his place and stand as a champion himself, until such time as another challenger unseated him. At the end of three days of jousting, the five who remained would determine whether the fair maid would retain the crown of Love and Beauty, or whether another would wear it in her place.^[1]
—thoughts of Duncan the Tall

He remembered Tanselle's puppet show, and the wooden dragon that had started all the trouble there at Ashford. The memory made Dunk feel guilty, as it always did. Three good men dead, to save a hedge knight's foot. It made no sense, and never had.^[5]
—thoughts of Duncan the Tall

It was not in the tilt, or the mêlée, but in a trial of seven—the first in a century—in which Baelor fought on behalf of a lowly hedge knight of no parentage of note. His death was a mishap, almost certainly, and it is written that Prince Maekar always bitterly regretted Baelor's passing and marked its anniversary every year. Yet Baelor died, and doubtless Maekar and the realm wondered if one hedge knight was worth the loss of the Prince of Dragonstone and the Hand of the King.^[3]
—writings of Yandel

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 The Hedge Knight.
↑ The Sworn Sword.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.
↑ So Spake Martin: Tourney Rules, April 29, 1999
↑ The Mystery Knight.

[Rthk{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 The Hedge Knight.

[Rtss{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-2] The Sworn Sword.

[Rtwoiafthe_targaryen_kings:_daeron_ii{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.

[4] So Spake Martin: Tourney Rules, April 29, 1999

[Rtmk{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-5] The Mystery Knight.

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