Editing Oldtown (section)

==History==
===Ancient History===
[[File:At the gates game of thrones lcg by jcbarquet-d87qsb4.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Sphinx]]es at the [[Citadel]], by Juan Carlos Barquet © Fantasy Flight Games]]
The origins of Oldtown are lost to time. The oldest [[Runes|runic]] records of the [[First Men]], as well as records from [[maesters]] that claim to have lived among the [[children of the forest]], confirm men have lived at the mouth of the [[Honeywine]] since the [[Dawn Age]]. Maester [[Jellicoe]] suggested the settlement at [[Whispering Sound]] began as a trading post where ships from [[Valyria]], [[Old Ghis]], and the [[Summer Isles]] could resupply and trade with so-called "elder races".{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}}

In the [[Age of Heroes]], what is now the [[Ravenry]] of the [[Citadel]] was supposedly the stronghold of a [[pirate]] lord who robbed ships as they came down the Honeywine.{{ref|AFFC|45}} [[House Hightower]] lived within an ancient fortress of [[black stone]] on [[Battle Isle]] and subsequently built the [[Hightower]] above it.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}}

Rival kings, pirates, and reavers coveted Oldtown's wealth as the city grew more powerful, but it was protected by only wooden palisades and ditches. In one century, the city was sacked by [[Samwell Dayne|Samwell the Starfire]], [[Qhored Hoare|Qhored the Cruel]], and [[Gyles I Gardener|Gyles the Woe]]. Three quarters of the city's inhabitants were reportedly sold into slavery by Gyles, but he failed to conquer the Hightower. [[Otho II Hightower|Otho II]], [[King of the High Tower]], built massive stone walls to protect Oldtown.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}}

Oldtown joined the [[Kingdom of the Reach]] when King [[Lymond Hightower]] and King [[Garland II Gardener]] agreed to marry each other's daughters.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: The Gardener Kings}}

Oldtown survived the [[coming of the Andals]] by welcoming the newcomers instead of resisting them. Lord [[Dorian Hightower]] married an [[Andal]] princess, while his grandson [[Damon Hightower|Damon]] converted to the [[Faith of the Seven]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}}

Oldtown was [[Anarchy in the Reach|besieged]] by a [[Dorne|Dornish]] king in the late reign of [[Garth X Gardener|Garth X]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Andals in the Reach}}

===Wars of Conquest===
At the time of [[Aegon's Conquest]], Oldtown was the greatest city in Westeros.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}} The [[High Septon (Aegon's Conquest)|High Septon]] advised Lord [[Manfred Hightower (Aegon's Conquest)|Manfred Hightower]] to yield Oldtown without conflict, so the city was open to King [[Aegon I Targaryen]] when he marched south after the [[Field of Fire]] and the submission of King [[Torrhen Stark]]. Two years after [[Aegon's Landing]], Aegon the Conqueror's reign is dated from his coronation by the High Septon in the [[Starry Sept]]. Hundreds of lords attended the event in the sept, and thousands of people cheered the new king as he flew through the city on [[Balerion]].{{ref|FAB|Aegon's Conquest}}

Oldtown's walls repelled an attack by Ser [[Joffrey Dayne]] during the [[First Dornish War]], but the [[Dornishmen]] burned farmland and villages in the vicinity of the city before returning to the [[Red Mountains]].{{ref|FAB|Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I}}

King Aegon visited Oldtown many times during his [[royal progress]]es,{{ref|FAB|Three Heads Had the Dragon - Governance Under King Aegon I}} and he visited the Starry Sept during each visit.{{ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

===Faith Militant Uprising===
[[File:Oldtown.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Oldtown, by Franz Miklis © Fantasy Flight Games]]
After the death of Aegon the Conqueror, his elder son [[Aenys I Targaryen]] traveled by land for his coronation in Oldtown.{{ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} The [[High Septon (Aenys I)|High Septon]] objected to Aenys's polygamous younger brother, Prince [[Maegor I Targaryen]], and to the incestual marriage of Aenys's children, Prince [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Aegon]] and Princess [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena]], however.{{ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} Maegor later claimed the [[Iron Throne]] after Aenys's death.{{ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

Oldtown contained a chapter of the [[Warrior's Sons]] during the [[Faith Militant uprising]]. Ser [[Joffrey Doggett]] gathered an army of two thousand during his journey from [[Lannisport]] to Oldtown to seek the blessing of the [[High Septon (Aenys I)|High Septon]].{{ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} Lord [[Martyn Hightower]] called his banners to resist King Maegor the Cruel, and thousands fled Oldtown out of fear of the [[dragon]]s of [[House Targaryen]]. Oldtown submitted to Maegor and his mother, Dowager Queen [[Visenya Targaryen]], however, after the High Septon suddenly died. Maegor held court in Oldtown for half a year, dismantling the Warrior's Sons chapter and reconciling with his first wife, Queen [[Ceryse Hightower]].{{ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

In {{date|47}}, Maegor sent Princess [[Rhaella Targaryen (daughter of Aegon)|Rhaella Targaryen]] to Oldtown to be trained as a septa, while her twin sister [[Aerea Targaryen|Aera]] was named Maegor's heir and kept at court. After Rhaena fled [[King's Landing]] to join the cause of Prince [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]] in opposition to Maegor the following year, the enraged king cause sent a rider to Oldtown, commanding Lord Hightower to behead Rhaella as punishment for Rhaena's betrayal. Lord Hightower instead imprisoned the messenger and declared for Jaehaerys.{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}}

In {{Date|48}}, Septon [[Moon (septon)|Moon]] led thousands of followers of the [[Faith of the Seven|Faith]] across the Reach to pressure the "[[High Lickspittle]]" against Maegor. While encamped outside of Oldtown, his forces were joined by the armies of Lord [[Torgen Oakheart]] and Lord [[Rickard Rowan]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}}{{Ref|FAB|The Sons of the Dragon}} Although most of Moon's followers remained camped outside Oldtown after Maegor's death, the horde fell apart after the septon was assassinated. [[Lorcas the Learned]] led a group in attacking Oldtown's gates, but all were killed by the city's defenders. After Lords Oakheart and Rowan returned to their seats, Lord [[Donnel Hightower]] had his men slaughter Moon's stragglers who refused to depart from Oldtown. The defeat of Septon's Moon followers allowed for Jaehaerys to be crowned in Oldtown.{{ref|FAB|Prince Into King - The Ascension of Jaehaerys I}}

===Jaehaerys I===
[[File:Oldtown by eemuium.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Oldtown by eemuium]]
Lord [[Edwell Celtigar]], Jaehaerys I's [[master of coin]], imposed new taxes on the [[smallfolk]] of Oldtown, but the Hightowers refused to collect them.{{ref|FAB|A Surfeit of Rulers}}

In {{Date|50}}, Lord [[Rogar Baratheon]] sent his brother, Ser [[Orryn Baratheon|Orryn]], to the [[motherhouse]] of the Starry Sept to demand that the High Septon turn over Rhaella, still a novice, so she could be taken to [[Storm's End]]. Rogar planned to force her to confess that she was the actual Princess Aerea, not Rhaella, and Rogar would crown her queen in opposition to Jaehaerys. [[Casper Straw]] led thirty armed septons in protecting Rhaella, however, and the Baratheon plot was foiled.{{Ref|FAB|A Surfeit of Rulers}}

As part of his royal reforms, Jaehaerys replaced the harbormaster of Oldtown.{{ref|FAB|A Time of Testing - The Realm Remade}} The king's spouse, Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen]] brought to court a harpist from Oldtown.{{ref|FAB|A Time of Testing - The Realm Remade}} After the [[High Lickspittle|High Septon]] died in {{date|54}}, Jaehaerys and Alysanne flew on their dragons, [[Vermithor]] and [[Silverwing]], to ensure that the replacement would be a supporter of their [[Doctrine of Exceptionalism]]; [[Alfyn]] was eventually chosen.{{ref|FAB|Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I}}

In {{date|56}}, [[Elissa Farman]] departed Oldtown on ''[[Sun Chaser]]'' to explore the [[Sunset Sea]] with ''[[Lady Meredith]]'' and ''[[Autumn Moon]]''.{{ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}}

Oldtown lost a quarter of its population to the [[Shivers]] during the winter of {{Date|59|60}}.{{ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}} Jaehaerys visited his daughter, Septa [[Maegelle Targaryen|Maegelle]], in Oldtown in {{date|89}}.{{ref|FAB|The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain}} [[Corlys Velaryon]] visited Oldtown in his youth, and Prince [[Daeron Targaryen (son of Viserys I)|Daeron Targaryen]] squired in the city.{{ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

===Dance of the Dragons===
At the start of the [[Dance of the Dragons]], Ser [[Tyland Lannister]], a supporter of King [[Aegon II Targaryen]] instead of his rival, Queen [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]], sent a third of the royal treasury to Oldtown for safekeeping.{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens}} Lord [[Ormund Hightower]] and Aegon's younger brother, Prince Daeron, marched an army from Oldtown on behalf of Aegon's [[greens]]. Their host participated in the [[Battle of the Honeywine]],{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold}} and they sent the children of [[Lady Caswell]] to captivity in Oldtown after the [[sack of Bitterbridge]].{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}} Ormond and Ser [[Bryndon Hightower]], the foremost knight of Oldtown, were slain by Lord [[Roderick Dustin]] in the [[First Battle of Tumbleton]],{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}} however, and the remnants of their host fell to pieces after [[Second Battle of Tumbleton|Second Tumbleton]].{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown}}

The Hightowers were slow to reply to Aegon II's call for more men from Oldtown after the [[Battle of the Kingsroad]], and the crippled king was soon after [[poison]]ed and succeeded by King [[Aegon III Targaryen]], son of the late Rhaenyra.{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II}} Ormond's heir, [[Lyonel Hightower]], was convinced by his paramour, Lady [[Samantha Tarly]], to make peace.{{ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} The relationship between Lyonel and Sam outraged the [[High Septon (Regency of Aegon III)|High Septon]], as Sam had briefly been married to Lord Ormond before his death in the war.{{ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}

===Regency of Aegon III===
Lord [[Alyn Velaryon]] stopped at Oldtown during his voyage west to confront Lord [[Dalton Greyjoy]], and Lord Lyonel provided twenty war galleys under the command of Ser [[Leo Costayne]] in support of the Oakenfist.{{ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Voyage of Alyn Oakenfist}} Dalton, the Red Kraken, was killed at [[Faircastle]] before Alyn arrived in the west, and the Oakenfist spent more time with Lyonel and Lady Sam in Oldtown during his return journey.{{ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Voyage of Alyn Oakenfist}}

Trade expanded in Oldtown during the [[Rogare Ascendency]]. After the collapse of the [[Rogare Bank]], House Hightower—which had, unlike others in Westeros, not entrusted its wealth to it—founded the [[Bank of Oldtown]] and became even more wealthy.{{ref|FAB|The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency}}

===Plagues===
During the [[Great Spring Sickness]] of {{Date|209}}, Oldtown suffered badly, second only to [[King's Landing]]. Ser [[Duncan the Tall]] met Maester [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]] when he and Prince [[Aegon V Targaryen|Aegon Targaryen]] visited the city while returning from [[Dorne]] via ''[[White Lady]]''.{{ref|TSS}} The city steamed and sweltered during the summer of King [[Maekar I Targaryen]]'s reign.{{ref|AGOT|25}}

A generation later Oldtown was struck by the dreaded [[grey plague]], a more deadly and fast-acting cousin of [[greyscale]]. The outbreak occurred when [[Grand Maester]] [[Pycelle]] was young, and it wiped out half the city and three-quarters of the [[Citadel]] during its run. To prevent its spread, Lord [[Quenton Hightower]] ordered the gates barred, all the ships in harbor burned, and anyone trying to leave killed. These orders made him extremely unpopular, but the measures were successful. The day he rescinded the orders, after the plague had burnt itself out, Quenton and his young son were pulled from their horses and had their throats slit by the survivors.{{ref|AFFC|8}}

===Later History===
Around fifty years ago, [[Hother Umber]] disemboweled a whore in Oldtown, earning himself the nickname Whoresbane.{{ref|ADWD|17}} [[Varys]] visited Oldtown, King's Landing, and the [[Free Cities]] while part of a troupe of [[mummers]].{{ref|ACOK|44}}

Prince [[Oberyn Martell]] and Princess [[Elia Martell]] visited Oldtown on their way to [[Casterly Rock]] where their mother was to broker their marriage to the [[House Lannister|Lannister]] twins, [[Cersei Lannister|Cersei]] and [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]].{{ref|ASOS|70}} Oberyn later studied at the Citadel of Oldtown, where he forged six links.{{ref|ASOS|38}} Oberyn fathered [[Obara Sand]] on an Oldtown whore.{{ref|AFFC|2}}

Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] defeated [[Blackshield]] in a [[tourney]] at Oldtown.{{ref|ASOS|67}}

===Baratheon Era===
[[Orland of Oldtown]] is a court musician for King [[Robert I Baratheon]].{{ref|ASOS|7}} Maester [[Pylos]] was sent from Oldtown to aid Maester [[Cressen]] at [[Dragonstone]] shortly before Stannis Baratheon closed the isle.{{ref|ACOK|Prologue}} [[Allard Seaworth]] has a relationship with an Oldtown girl.{{ref|ASOS|5}}

Lord [[Baelor Blacktyde]] spent eight years as a hostage in Oldtown after [[Greyjoy's Rebellion]].{{ref|AFFC|18}} Before fleeing in exile from Lord [[Eddard Stark]], Lord [[Jorah Mormont]] attended fairs and festivals in Oldtown with his wife, [[Lynesse Hightower]].{{ref|ACOK|12}} Archmaester [[Marwyn]] is known as Marwyn the Mage all across Oldtown.{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}} Lord [[Randyll Tarly]] is little loved in the city.{{ref|AFFC|45}} Oldtown knows the father of [[Penny]] and [[Groat]] as [[Hop-Bean]].{{ref|ADWD|33}}

Although Oldtown remains the largest and richest city of Westeros, the newer capital city of [[King's Landing]] has since grown more populous.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Reach: Oldtown}}