The nine mages were a group of mages from Essos summoned by King Aegon III Targaryen to attempt to hatch dragon eggs and restore the dragons from extinction. Their attempt resulted in failure.
History
[edit]King Aegon III Targaryen was deathly afraid of dragons after witnessing his mother, Rhaenyra Targaryen, being eaten alive by one. Despite dreading even the sight of them, King Aegon III became convinced that dragons would counter those who sought to oppose him. At the suggestion of his younger brother, Prince Viserys Targaryen, he sent for a group of nine mages from Essos who attempted to use their magical arts to kindle his clutch of eggs. The attempt would prove to be a debacle and a failure.[1] The identities of the nine mages are unknown, nor is it known if their attempt to kindle Aegon III's dragon eggs was before or after the death of the last dragon in 153 AC.
Recent Events
[edit]A Storm of Swords
[edit]Concerned with Stannis Baratheon's affiliation with Melisandre, the imprisoned Hand of the King, Alester Florent, decries their recent talk as madness and asks if we'd learned nothing from Aerion Brightfire, the nine mages, and Summerhall.[2]
Queen Selyse Baratheon tells her husband that he has more men than Aegon the Conqueror had when he took Westeros and lacks only dragons. Stannis counters by mentioning a number of failed Targaryen attempts to restor dragons, including the nine mages' failure to hatch Aegon III's dragon eggs.[3]
Quotes
[edit]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.[2]
Selyse: Lord husband, you have more men than Aegon did three hundred years ago. All you lack are dragons.
Stannis: Nine mages crossed the sea to hatch Aegon the Third's cache of eggs. Baelor the Blessed prayed over his for half a year. Aegon the Fourth built dragons of wood and iron. Aerion Brightflame drank wildfire to transform himself. The mages failed, King Baelor's prayers went unanswered, the wooden dragons burned, and Prince Aerion died screaming.[3]
Behind the Scenes
[edit]The nine mages are also mentioned in a cut section from a June 2004 draft of A Feast for Crows. During a lesson where Young Griff mentions Maelys Blackfyre's failed attempt at reviving the dragons, Tyrion Lannister thinks of the nine mages and other failed attempts that preceded Daenerys Targaryen's successful hatching of her three dragons.[4]
References
[edit]- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 25, Davos III.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V.
- ↑ Reddit: Secrets of the Cushing Library: The Grand Finale by u/gsteff