Wedding of Aegon III Targaryen and Jaehaera Targaryen

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

The wedding of Aegon III Targaryen and Jaehaera Targaryen occurred in 131 AC in King's Landing. In the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragons, King Aegon III Targaryen married Princess Jaehaera Targaryen to help bring peace between the warring factions known as the blacks and the greens.

Prelude

During the Dance of the Dragons, King Aegon II Targaryen, leader of the greens, had his half sister and rival, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, leader of the blacks, fed to his dragon, Sunfyre, after the fall of Dragonstone. Aegon the Elder took Rhaenyra's son, Prince Aegon the Younger, as a hostage.^[1]

Lord Corlys Velaryon insisted that Aegon the Younger be wed to King Aegon's only remaining child, the eight-year-old Princess Jaehaera, to join the two branches of House Targaryen. Lord Larys Strong convinced King Aegon to agree to both the betrothal, as well as to naming Aegon the Younger as the heir to the Iron Throne, insisting that, after the war was done and won, the situation could be dealt with.^[2]

King Aegon II was poisoned in the aftermath of the Battle of the Kingsroad.^[2] Aegon the Younger succeeded to the Iron Throne at the age of ten.^[3]

Plans were made for a lavish coronation and wedding.^[3] Guests came to King's Landing from throughout the Seven Kingdoms, the Free Cities, and even the Summer Isles. Tents and pavilions were raised outside of the capital since the inns and stables within were full. Tavernkeepers throughout King's Landing and prostitutes from Flea Bottom and the Street of Silk profited handsomely from the guests.^[4]

Wedding

Since Jaehaera was joyless after the Dance of the Dragons, Grand Maester Munkun laced her milk with sweetsleep before the wedding to ensure the girl would not collapse during the ceremony.^[4]

The wedding took place outside atop Visenya's Hill in 131 AC on the seventh day of the seventh moon, a date held sacred in the Faith of the Seven. Towering grandstands were built for the noble guests. When the vows were pronounced by the High Septon, a roar went up from the smallfolk.^[4]

Aegon and Jaehaera were cheered by tens of thousands as they traveled from Visenya's Hill to the Red Keep on Aegon's High Hill. Once at the castle, Aegon was crowned with a golden circlet and proclaimed king, after which he placed the crown on his bride.^[4] Jaehaera was considered brave and beautiful that day.^[4] Notably, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Jaehaera's grandmother, did not attend the proceedings.^[4]

Aftermath

Aegon's firsts act as king were to name replacements to the Kingsguard and to appoint regents who would rule for him until he came of age.^[4] The various great lords who attended the celebration gradually returned to their homes after the wedding and coronation.^[4]

Aegon and Jaehaera had a troubled marriage with little contact between the two aside from rare formal occasions.^[4] Jaehaera eventually perished in 133 AC at the age of ten, throwing herself onto the spikes below Maegor's Holdfast.^[5] Recalling her wedding day, some smallfolk of King's Landing speculated that the young queen had actually been murdered, with Lord Unwin Peake considered the most likely suspect.^[5] The Maiden's Day Ball was eventually held so that Aegon could choose a new queen.^[5]

Attendees

Royal House

Royal Household

Ser Tyland Lannister, Hand of the King
Grand Maester Munkun
Septon Eustace
Ser Willis Fell

From the crownlands

From the north

Lord Cregan Stark
Lord Cerwyn
Lord Hornwood
Ser Medrick Manderly
Ser Torrhen Manderly
- a hundred knights from White Harbor

From the Reach

High Septon
Lord Lyonel Hightower
- Samantha Tarly
- Twoscore Hightowers
Lord Alan Tarly
Lord Redwyne
Lord Costayne
Lord Alan Beesbury
Lord Thaddeus Rowan
Lord Unwin Peake

From the riverlands

From the stormlands

From the Vale of Arryn

Lady Jeyne Arryn
Lord Leowyn Corbray

From the westerlands

Lady Johanna Lannister
- Two daughters
Lord Roland Westerling

Foreign guests

Quotes

Their wedding was as lavish a spectacle as the Seven Kingdoms had seen since the coronation of Aegon II in the Dragonpit.^[4]
—writings of Gyldayn

References

↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.
↑ ^4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows.

[Rfabthe_dying_of_the_dragons_-_rhaenyra_overthrown{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-1] Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.

[Rfabthe_dying_of_the_dragons_-_the_short,_sad_reign_of_aegon_ii{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.

[Rfabaftermath_-_the_hour_of_the_wolf{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Fire & Blood, Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf.

[Rfabunder_the_regents_-_the_hooded_hand{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-4] 4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.

[Rfabunder_the_regents_-_war_and_peace_and_cattle_shows{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Dance of the Dragons
129 AC	Coronation of Aegon II Coronation of Rhaenyra Assault on Harrenhal Fight above Shipbreaker Bay Battle of the Burning Mill & Taking of Stone Hedge Sack of Duskendale Battle at Rook's Rest The Sowing of the Seeds
130 AC	Battle of the Gullet¹ Battle of the Honeywine² Retaking of Rook's Rest Battle at the Red Fork Sack of Lannisport Battle at Acorn Hall Aemond's march on Harrenhal Fall of King's Landing Battle by the Lakeshore Siege of Longtable Sack of Bitterbridge Butcher's Ball First Battle of Tumbleton Fall of Dragonstone Battle Above the Gods Eye Riots at King's Landing Storming of the Dragonpit Flight to Dragonstone Second Battle of Tumbleton Moon of the Three Kings
131 AC	Battle of the Kingsroad Hour of the Wolf Wedding of Aegon III and Jaehaera
¹The World of Ice & Fire includes the Battle of the Gullet among the battles of 129, but George R. R. Martin settled for 130 in Fire & Blood. ²Occurred a fortnight after the Battle of the Gullet (Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold).