Difference between revisions of "Maegor I Targaryen"

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(The Brides of Maegor the Cruel)
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Maegor notoriously kept [[polygamy|multiple wives]] at a time.  He had up to six wives, though not all of them were simultaneous and killed a few for failing to produce an heir.  Only two of Maegors six wifes survived. Maegor also forced women who he personally widowed to wed him. These three women became known as the '''Black Brides'''. They were [[Jeyne Westerling (wife of Maegor I)|Jeyne Westerling]],{{Ref|aSoS|14}} [[Elinor Costayne]] and even his own niece [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena Targaryen]] whose husband Maegor had personally slain. None of Maegor's wives ever produced him a living heir, many miscarriages and stillbirths of deformed children happened throughout his rule.{{Ref|TRP}}{{Ref|twoiaf| Maegor I}}  {{Ref|twoiaf| The Brides of Maegor the Cruel}}
 
Maegor notoriously kept [[polygamy|multiple wives]] at a time.  He had up to six wives, though not all of them were simultaneous and killed a few for failing to produce an heir.  Only two of Maegors six wifes survived. Maegor also forced women who he personally widowed to wed him. These three women became known as the '''Black Brides'''. They were [[Jeyne Westerling (wife of Maegor I)|Jeyne Westerling]],{{Ref|aSoS|14}} [[Elinor Costayne]] and even his own niece [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena Targaryen]] whose husband Maegor had personally slain. None of Maegor's wives ever produced him a living heir, many miscarriages and stillbirths of deformed children happened throughout his rule.{{Ref|TRP}}{{Ref|twoiaf| Maegor I}}  {{Ref|twoiaf| The Brides of Maegor the Cruel}}
  
In {{Date|44}}<ref name=forum>A Forum of Ice and Fire: [http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/119534-twoiaf-spoilers-inconsistency-or-intentional/ Inconsistency or Intentional?]</ref> Maegors wife, [[Alys Harroway]] gave birth to a monstrous stillborn. Maegors other wife [[Tyanna]] who also served as his [[Master of Whisperers]] convinced her husband that the child was the product of secret affairs that Alys had with other men. Maegor in rage had Aly's and those who assisted her in the birthing put to death, but he did not stop there, her entire [[House Harroway|line]] was wiped out including [[Lucas Harroway]] the [[Hand of the King]]. Maegor made [[Edwell Celtigar]] his new Hand.
+
In {{Date|44}}<ref name=forum>A Forum of Ice and Fire: [http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/119534-twoiaf-spoilers-inconsistency-or-intentional/ Inconsistency or Intentional?]</ref> Maegors wife, [[Alys Harroway]] gave birth to a monstrous stillborn. Maegors other wife [[Tyanna]] who also served as his [[Master of Whisperers]] convinced her husband that the child was the product of secret affairs that Alys had with other men. Maegor in his rage had Aly's and those who assisted her in the birthing put to death, but he did not stop there, her entire [[House Harroway|line]] was wiped out including [[Lucas Harroway]] the [[Hand of the King]]. Maegor made [[Edwell Celtigar]] his new Hand.
  
 
In {{date|45}} Maegor's first wife [[Ceryse Hightower|Ceryse]] died mysteriously. Many believe that Maegor grew tired of her failing to produce an heir and was also personally killed by Maegor.  
 
In {{date|45}} Maegor's first wife [[Ceryse Hightower|Ceryse]] died mysteriously. Many believe that Maegor grew tired of her failing to produce an heir and was also personally killed by Maegor.  

Revision as of 12:43, 2 December 2014

House Targaryen crest.PNG
Maegor I
House Targaryen crest.PNG
MAEGOR I.jpg
Maegor I by Amok©
Monarch
Reign 42 AC - 48 AC
Full name Maegor Targaryen First of His Name
Titles
Predecessor Aenys I Targaryen
Successor Jaehaerys I Targaryen
Personal Information
Alias Maegor the Cruel
Born In 12 AC[1]
Died In 48 AC[2], at King's Landing
Family
Dynasty House Targaryen
Queens
Father Aegon I Targaryen
Mother Visenya Targaryen
References
Books

Maegor I, called Maegor the Cruel, was the son of Aegon I Targaryen and Visenya Targaryen. He was the younger half-brother of Aenys I Targaryen.[3] He was the third Targaryen king to sit the Iron Throne.

Appearance & Character

According to a semi-canon source, Maegor was large, larger than his father, Aegon I. A warrior, he was bull-like with heavy shoulders, thick neck and huge arms. He kept his hair short and his beard trimmed to his jawline. He wore Aegon the Conqueror's crown.[4]

Maegor was often seen as cruel, never treating animals well and keeping to himself.[3]

Early life

Maegor was considered a skilled warrior, distinguishing himself well in tournaments and melees. At the age of thirteen he competed in the royal tourney in 28 AC at King's Landing where he unhorsed three knights of the Kingsguard in successive matches in the joust and went on to win the melee. He was a better jouster than many grown men he met in the lists. He was knighted by his father three years later and was the youngest knight in the realm at that time.

Upon his fathers death Aenys assumed the throne, he presented Maegor with Aegon's Valyrian blade, Blackfyre, admitting to all assembled that he was not nearly the warrior his half-brother was. Maegor also became Balerion's rider that year. Balerion was the dragon, Maegor always desired and now claimed him for himself. [5]

Visenya Targaryen suggested that Maegor be married to Aenys daughter Rhaena Targaryen but a vigorous protest from the High Septon stopped that, so Maegor was wed instead to the High Septons own niece Ceryse Hightower.

During his half brother reign several rebellions broke out, one of which took place in the Vale. Jonos Arryn rose against his own brother Ronnel Arryn. Maegor personally crushed this rebellion himself. Flying Balerion to the Eyrie and hanging Jonos and his followers, for this Aenys named him his new Hand of the King.

Maegor was stripped of his office in 39 AC when he took a second wife named Alys Harroway. This marriage angered the Faith of the Seven so Aenys tried to placate the faith by stripping Maegor of his office and sending him into exile to Pentos. A renowned Septon known as Murmison replaced him as Hand of the King

When the Faith Militant uprising began, Aenys was unable to deal with the crisis. Upon Aenys death. Maegors mother mounted Vhagar and flew to Pentos to retrieve her son.

Rule

Upon Aenys death, Maegor came to the Iron Throne ahead of his brother's son, he was crowned on Dragonstone. Grandmaestar Gawen protested his coronation stating that by all the laws of inheritance, the crown should pass to Aenys son Aegon. For that statement Maegor beheaded him with Blackfyre, their was no further protest after that. [6]

Maegor took Aegon's mother, Alyssa Velaryon who was on Dragonstone hostage. Maegor also made her other son (and his own nephew) Visery's his squire, keeping him close as a hostage for his mother's good behavior.

Ravens flew, declaring a new King had been crowned and that those who defied him would suffer a traitors death. Chief among Maegor's foe were the Faith Militant. Maegor mounted the Black Dread and set for King's Landing to crush the uprising. Landing on Visenya's hill he planted his standard, rallying his supporters to him. Visenya challenged those who questioned her son right to rule to prove themselves. A challenge that the Captain of the Warrior's Sons accepted.

Ser Damon Morrigen challenged Maegor to a Trial of seven who which Maegor accepted. Ser Damon and six Warrior Sons against the King and his six champions. It was a conquest in which the Kingdom itself was at stake. In the end only King Maegor was left alive, the other thirteen lay dead. Though King Maegor took a blow to the head and collapsed just as the last Warrior Son died. For twenty seven days he lay in a coma. On day twenty eight, Queen Alys returned from Pentos bringing with her Tyanna of Pentos who many whispered was a sorcerer. On the 30th day the King awoke.

Maegor mounted Balerion and without warning flew over the Sept of Remembrance on Rhaenys's Hill unleashing the Black Dread's flames and consuming the Sept and all within in dragon flame. Those who tried to flee were slain by archers Maegor had placed around the hill. The screams of burning and dying men were said to echo in the streets of King's Landing and for it was claimed for seven days a pall hung over the city. The High Septon remained staunchly opposed to Maegor.


At the Battle of Stonebridge, Maegor brutal methods against the Faith made the Mander run red with blood for twenty leagues. The bridge and castle that commanded it was forever known as Bitterbridge thereafter. Another fierce battle was fought at the Great fork of the Blackwater which was a decisive victory for King Maegor whose dragon left death in it's wake.

The Faith Militant uprising was not crushed however and through out his reign they remained his bitterest foes. He crushed the rebellions with ruthless and brutal methods, he instituted a new set of laws that became known as Maegor's law forbidding Holy men from carrying arms. He put bounties on any who refused to comply offering a gold dragon for the scalp of a Warrior's Son and a silver stag for the scalp of a Poor Fellow, earning him his nickname "The Cruel".


In 43 AC Aegon Targaryen, the son of Aenys I launched a rebellion against his uncle to claim the Iron Throne. Maegor mounted on Balerion killed him along with his dragon Quicksilver during the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye making Maegor a kinslayer.


During his reign, Maegor oversaw the completion and the construction on the Red Keep, giving Maegor's Holdfast its name. Lacking any heirs, Maegor when not directly fighting in the war threw himself into the project. Personally overseeing everything. He envisioned a host of tunnels, secret passageways hidden under the castle. Maegor left the day to day task of running the kingdom to his hand and good father. Upon the completion of the Red Keep Maegor threw a huge riotous feast for the builders, masons, craftsmen and all those who took part in the construction. After three days of revelry at the Kings expense. Maegor had them all put to the sword to protect the secrets of the hidden passages he had constructed.[7] The completion of the Red Keep was Maegor's chief achievement but like everything in his cruel reign it turned to horror.

After the completion of the Red Keep, Maegor turned to eyes to Rhaenys's Hill and the incinerated ruins of the Sept of Remembrance. Maegor decreed that the ruin would be cleared and a large Dragonpit would be built on the hill for House Targaryen to stable its royal dragons. Though after what transpired after the completion of the Red Keep, Maegor unsurprisingly had trouble finding new builders and masons to undertake the construction, many fled the city. Maegor instead was forced to use prisoners from the city dungeon as his work force supervised by builders brought in from Myr and Tyrosh.[8]


Maegor had three Grand Maesters executed during his reign [9] among them Grandmaestar Gawen [8] and Grandmaestar Desmond.[10]


In 44 AC Maegors mother, Visenya Targaryen passed away in . Her death devastated Maegor, she had been his strongest supporter. The chaos of her death gave Alyssa an opportunity to escape with her other children, Jaehaerys and Alysanne She took the Valyrian sword Dark Sister with her and fled. Maegor as punishment had her son Visery's tortured to death, leaving his mutilated body in the courtyard to rot. The High Septon also died mysteriously in that year and a new more passive one took the office but the uprising did not end. [8]


In 45 AC Maegor continued his war with the Faith militant who refused to put down their swords at the new High Septons behest. Maegor brought over two thousand skulls back with him to King's Landing during his campaign against the Faith of the Seven claiming they were the heads of Warrior's Sons and Poor Fellows. Many suspected they were the skulls of smallfolk who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Day by day, the Seven Kingdoms turned against its King.


By 48 AC Maegors tyranny could no longer be borne by the realm. In the Riverlands Septon Moon and Ser Joffrey Doggett led the Poor Fellows against Maegor and won Riverrun to their cause. Lord Daemon Velaryon the admiral of Maegor's fleet turned against him and many great Houses joined him. A new claim for the Iron Throne was put forth by the late king Aenys last surviving son Jaehaerys who was supported by the Robar Baratheon the Lord of Storm's End who Jaehaerys named Protector of the Realm and Hand of the King.

When Rhaena Targaryen learned of her brothers claim she managed to escape her forced marriage to Maegor. Stealing away in the night while her husband slept mounted on her dragon Dreamfyre and managed to smuggle the blade Blackfyre with her. Two of Maegors Kingsguard also abandoned him. These series of betrayals and the loss of his mothers guidance left Maegor a broken man. He called his banners but few answered and those who did were not enough to defeat his many foes.

During the hour of the wolf, those few who remained left the throne room leaving Maegor alone to brood. He was found dead seated on the Throne the next morning, his robes covered in blood, his wrists slashed. Maegor died on the Iron Throne, Some say by a knight of his own Kingsguard who could no longer abide his tyranny, some by a builder that escaped the slaughter and desired revenge, some whisper by the throne itself. [11]. The most likely explaination however is that Maegor killed himself by opening his wrists on the blades of the Iron Throne. He died with no issue.[6]

The war with the militant orders was only ended under the reign of his successor.[12]

The Brides of Maegor the Cruel

Maegor notoriously kept multiple wives at a time. He had up to six wives, though not all of them were simultaneous and killed a few for failing to produce an heir. Only two of Maegors six wifes survived. Maegor also forced women who he personally widowed to wed him. These three women became known as the Black Brides. They were Jeyne Westerling,[13] Elinor Costayne and even his own niece Rhaena Targaryen whose husband Maegor had personally slain. None of Maegor's wives ever produced him a living heir, many miscarriages and stillbirths of deformed children happened throughout his rule.[14][8] [10]

In 44 AC[15] Maegors wife, Alys Harroway gave birth to a monstrous stillborn. Maegors other wife Tyanna who also served as his Master of Whisperers convinced her husband that the child was the product of secret affairs that Alys had with other men. Maegor in his rage had Aly's and those who assisted her in the birthing put to death, but he did not stop there, her entire line was wiped out including Lucas Harroway the Hand of the King. Maegor made Edwell Celtigar his new Hand.

In 45 AC Maegor's first wife Ceryse died mysteriously. Many believe that Maegor grew tired of her failing to produce an heir and was also personally killed by Maegor. During 47 AC his Black Bride Jeyne went into labour three months early, birthing a stillborn and dying shortly after.

It was rumored that Tyanna poisoned Maegors other brides causing the stillbirths. When Maegor became aware of this he cut out her heart with Blackfyre himself. [10]

Family

Maegor was the younger son of King Aegon I Targaryen and Queen Visenya Targaryen. He had an older brother, Prince Aenys, who was the son of Aegon I and his other wife, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen. Despite having been married to multiple women at the same time, Maegor had no living offspring. During his reign Maegor slew his nephew Aegon and forced his niece, now a widow, to marry him. Rhaena would receive the name "Black Bride", as would Elinor Costayne and Jeyne Westerling, both who were widowed by Maegor and then forced to marry him.[14] [16]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valaena
Velaryon
 
Aerion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Visenya
 
Aegon I
 
Rhaenys
 
 
Orys
Baratheon
 
Argella
Durrandon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ceryse
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aenys I
 
Alyssa
Velaryon
 
 
House Baratheon.svg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elinor
Costayne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alys
Harroway
 
 
Maegor I
 
Rhaena
 
Aegon
 
Viserys
 
Jaehaerys I
 
Alysanne
 
Vaella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeyne
Westerling
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tyanna of
the Tower
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhaella
 
Aerea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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References and Notes

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Targaryen.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history of House Targaryen.
As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.