Editing Great Spring Sickness (section)

==History==
[[File:Valarr and Matarys by wittythunderwitch.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The princes Valarr and Matarys Targaryen, who "died in the spring" by wittythunderwitch]]
The plague killed tens of thousands in the [[Seven Kingdoms]] with the major cities affected the most; it was bad in [[Lannisport]], worse in [[Oldtown]], but worst of all in [[King's Landing]], where four in ten succumbed to it. A strong man could wake up healthy in the morning and die by the evening, so swiftly did the plague strike.{{Ref|TSS}} 

[[Dorne]] and the [[Vale of Arryn]] did not suffer from the Great Spring Sickness, as they closed off their access roads and their ports to all travellers. Ser [[Duncan the Tall]] and his squire, Prince [[Aegon V Targaryen|Aegon Targaryen]], were in Dorne for the duration of the plague so were unaffected by it.{{Ref|TSS}}

The plague killed many people both nobles and [[smallfolk]], including King [[Daeron II Targaryen]] and his two most immediate heirs, Princes [[Valarr Targaryen|Valarr]] and [[Matarys Targaryen|Matarys]], as well as the [[High Septon]], a third of the [[Most Devout]], nearly all of the [[silent sisters]] in King's Landing,{{Ref|TSS}}{{Ref|TMK}} and possibly Daeron's [[Hand of the King]]<ref>It is unknown whether "...sweet Matarys and Valarr, the Hand." indicates that Valarr was Hand, or that Matarys, Valarr, and an unnamed Hand of the King died during the Spring Sickness.</ref> Ser [[Rolland Uffering]], the fourth husband of Lady [[Rohanne Webber]], died in the spring,{{Ref|TSS}} as did the youngest son of Lord [[Ambrose Butterwell]].{{ref|TMK}} Other notable victims include the heir and eldest son of Lord [[House Bracken|Bracken]],{{Ref|TSS}} and in {{Date|210}},{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Westerlands: House Lannister Under the Dragons}} Lord [[Damon Lannister (lord)|Damon Lannister]].{{Ref|TMK}}

Lord [[Brynden Rivers]], the [[Hand of the King]] to Daeron's successor [[Aerys I Targaryen]], ordered the many bodies to be brought to the [[Dragonpit]] and burned by the [[Alchemists' Guild|pyromancers]]. The light of their [[wildfire]] pyres could be seen as a dark green glow throughout King's Landing during the night.{{Ref|TSS}} A quarter of the city burned to the ground.{{ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II}}

Many hostages of the [[Iron Throne]], taken from [[Daemon I Blackfyre]]'s supporters in the aftermath of the [[First Blackfyre Rebellion]], died in the spring. With these kinsmen of their supporters already dead, Lord [[Gormon Peake]] and [[Daemon II Blackfyre]] felt more comfortable attempting the [[Second Blackfyre Rebellion]].{{ref|TMK}}{{ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Aerys I}}