Difference between revisions of "Dance of the Dragons"

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King Viserys I had three children by his first queen of [[House Arryn]], but only one, Princess [[Rhaenyra Targaryen|Rhaenyra]], survived to adulthood. Lacking a son to succeed him, Viserys began to train Princess Rhaenyra to be his heir. Young Rhaenyra was included in discussions of the affairs of state, and was allowed to participate in meetings of the [[small council]]. Many of the nobles took note, and Rhaenyra soon acquired a clique of adherents and supporters. However, after his queen died, the king remarried, this time to a [[Alicent Hightower]] and had four more children, including three sons, the eldest son named [[Aegon II Targaryen|Aegon II]]. Nonetheless, Rhaenyra's strengthened her place in the succession; she married Lord [[Lyonel Strong]] of [[Harrenhal]] in her first marriage, who served her father as [[Hand of the King]]. He fathered three sons on her who all had reached adulthood when their royal grandfather died.  
 
King Viserys I had three children by his first queen of [[House Arryn]], but only one, Princess [[Rhaenyra Targaryen|Rhaenyra]], survived to adulthood. Lacking a son to succeed him, Viserys began to train Princess Rhaenyra to be his heir. Young Rhaenyra was included in discussions of the affairs of state, and was allowed to participate in meetings of the [[small council]]. Many of the nobles took note, and Rhaenyra soon acquired a clique of adherents and supporters. However, after his queen died, the king remarried, this time to a [[Alicent Hightower]] and had four more children, including three sons, the eldest son named [[Aegon II Targaryen|Aegon II]]. Nonetheless, Rhaenyra's strengthened her place in the succession; she married Lord [[Lyonel Strong]] of [[Harrenhal]] in her first marriage, who served her father as [[Hand of the King]]. He fathered three sons on her who all had reached adulthood when their royal grandfather died.  
  
When [[Lyonel Strong]] passed away Rhaenyra's sons, the future [[Aegon III Targaryen|Aegon III]] and [[Viserys II Targaryen|Viserys II]] were fathered by her second consort, an as-yet unknown member of House Targaryen. Her father's intention that she should follow him on the [[Iron Throne]] was confirmed by proclamation and the will of [[Viserys I]]. However when Lord Lyonel died, he was succeeded as [[Hand of the King]] by [[Otto Hightower]] the father of Queen Alicent.  
+
When [[Lyonel Strong]] passed away Rhaenyra's sons, the future [[Aegon III Targaryen|Aegon III]] and [[Viserys II Targaryen|Viserys II]] were fathered by her second consort, an as-yet unknown member of House Targaryen. Her father's intention that she should follow him on the [[Iron Throne]] was confirmed by proclamation and the will of [[Viserys I]]. In {{date|105}} hundreds of [[Lord]]s and landed [[knight]]s had done obesience to the Princess [[Rhaenyra Targaryen|Rhaenyra]] However when Lord Lyonel died, he was succeeded as [[Hand of the King]] by [[Otto Hightower]] the father of Queen Alicent.  
  
 
In [[111 AL]], a great tourney was held at King’s Landing on the fifth anniversary of the king’s marriage to Queen Alicent. At the opening feast, the queen wore a green gown, whilst the [[Rhaenyra Targaryen|Princess Rhaenyra]] dressed dramatically in Targaryen red and black. Note was taken, and thereafter it became the custom to refer to “[[The Greens|greens]]” and “[[The Blacks|blacks]]” when talking of the queen’s party and the party of the princess, respectively. In the tourney itself, the blacks had much the better of it when Ser [[Criston Cole]], wearing Princess Rhaenyra’s favor, unhorsed all of the queen’s champions, including two of her cousins and her youngest brother, [[Gwayne Hightower|Ser Gwayne Hightower]]. <ref>[[The Princess and the Queen]]</ref>
 
In [[111 AL]], a great tourney was held at King’s Landing on the fifth anniversary of the king’s marriage to Queen Alicent. At the opening feast, the queen wore a green gown, whilst the [[Rhaenyra Targaryen|Princess Rhaenyra]] dressed dramatically in Targaryen red and black. Note was taken, and thereafter it became the custom to refer to “[[The Greens|greens]]” and “[[The Blacks|blacks]]” when talking of the queen’s party and the party of the princess, respectively. In the tourney itself, the blacks had much the better of it when Ser [[Criston Cole]], wearing Princess Rhaenyra’s favor, unhorsed all of the queen’s champions, including two of her cousins and her youngest brother, [[Gwayne Hightower|Ser Gwayne Hightower]]. <ref>[[The Princess and the Queen]]</ref>

Revision as of 00:43, 11 August 2013

For the book, see A Dance with Dragons
Dance of the Dragons
War of succession
Date 129131 AC
Location Westeros
Result Aegon III's ascension to the throne.
Belligerents
House Targaryen (The Blacks).House Targaryen (The Greens).
Notable commanders
Queen Rhaenyra.King Aegon II.

The Dance of the Dragons was a civil war during Targaryen rule. A war of succession between Aegon II and his half-sister Rhaenyra over their father Viserys I's throne, the war was fought from 129 AC to 131 AC. It saw the deaths of both rival monarchs, and the crowning of Rhaenyra's son Aegon III.

In early 2013 it was announced that the anthology Dangerous Women, previously expected to include the fourth Dunk and Egg story, will instead include a novella by George Martin named The Princess and the Queen which he described as "(...) the true (mostly) story of the origins of the Dance of the Dragons."[1]

Background

King Viserys I had three children by his first queen of House Arryn, but only one, Princess Rhaenyra, survived to adulthood. Lacking a son to succeed him, Viserys began to train Princess Rhaenyra to be his heir. Young Rhaenyra was included in discussions of the affairs of state, and was allowed to participate in meetings of the small council. Many of the nobles took note, and Rhaenyra soon acquired a clique of adherents and supporters. However, after his queen died, the king remarried, this time to a Alicent Hightower and had four more children, including three sons, the eldest son named Aegon II. Nonetheless, Rhaenyra's strengthened her place in the succession; she married Lord Lyonel Strong of Harrenhal in her first marriage, who served her father as Hand of the King. He fathered three sons on her who all had reached adulthood when their royal grandfather died.

When Lyonel Strong passed away Rhaenyra's sons, the future Aegon III and Viserys II were fathered by her second consort, an as-yet unknown member of House Targaryen. Her father's intention that she should follow him on the Iron Throne was confirmed by proclamation and the will of Viserys I. In 105 AC hundreds of Lords and landed knights had done obesience to the Princess Rhaenyra However when Lord Lyonel died, he was succeeded as Hand of the King by Otto Hightower the father of Queen Alicent.

In 111 AL, a great tourney was held at King’s Landing on the fifth anniversary of the king’s marriage to Queen Alicent. At the opening feast, the queen wore a green gown, whilst the Princess Rhaenyra dressed dramatically in Targaryen red and black. Note was taken, and thereafter it became the custom to refer to “greens” and “blacks” when talking of the queen’s party and the party of the princess, respectively. In the tourney itself, the blacks had much the better of it when Ser Criston Cole, wearing Princess Rhaenyra’s favor, unhorsed all of the queen’s champions, including two of her cousins and her youngest brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower. [2]

War

Upon Viserys' death in 129 AC, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Criston Cole, later called "the Kingmaker", defied the king's will, and crowned Prince Aegon as Aegon II. Ser Criston's motivations for doing so are unclear, but it was reputed that he and Rhaenyra were lovers, and their affair ended badly, adding a personal dimension to the conflict. He may simply have wished to uphold Andal tradition. In any event, many of the lords of the realm were aware of Viserys' wish to have Rhaenyra succeed him as Westeros's first queen regnant, and threw their support behind the princess. Doubtless, many of them were also the same supporters who has spent years currying favor with the presumptive future queen. Among Rhaenyra's staunchest supporters were her first husband's family, House Strong of Harrenhal. Rhaenyra disputed Aegon's claim, resulting in a bloody civil war. The realm was split in half. Even the Kingsguard chose sides, exemplified when the brothers Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk killed each other.[3] [4] Targaryen fought Targaryen and dragon fought dragon, with many lesser branches of House Targaryen and most of the Targaryen dragons being killed in the war, among them Rhaenyra's three sons from her first consort Lord Lyonel Strong, who all died fighting.[5]

In unknown circumstances, Rhaenyra came to be put to death as a traitor at the hands of her brother Aegon II, who had her eaten by his dragon as her son Aegon watched. However, her followers carried on under the banner of her son, calling him Aegon III. The bloody conflict ended in 131 AC with the death of Aegon II and the ascension of his nephew Aegon III to the throne, presumably because he had no children of his own and/or some compromise between the supporters of the two factions.

End

Since the Dance, House Targaryen has practiced a highly modified version of agnatic primogeniture, placing female claimants in the line of succession behind all possible male ones, even collateral relations. (See also Daena Targaryen, Daeron II). The war is the subject of the song "The Dance of the Dragons", as well as a somewhat inaccurate history by Grand Maester Munkun.

References and Notes