Sept of Remembrance

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Maegor I Targaryen, on the back of Balerion, destroys the Sept of Remembrance, as depicted by Jordi Gonzalez Escamilla in The World of Ice & Fire.

The Sept of Remembrance was one of the first septs built in King's Landing.[1] It was constructed on the Hill of Rhaenys in memory of Aegon I's sister-wife Rhaenys Targaryen.[1] The sept was used as the base of the Warrior's Sons during the Faith Militant uprising, and was destroyed by Maegor I in 42 AC.[2]

History

The Sept of Remembrance was the third sept built in King's Landing.[1] It was constructed at the top of the Hill of Rhaenys, in memory of Aegon I Targaryen's queen Rhaenys,[3] who was killed in 10 AC during the First Dornish War.[4] It seems likely that construction of the sept began during the reign of Aegon I Targaryen, and it seems to have been completed by 41 AC.[N 1]

In 41 AC, it was used for the controversial marriage of Aenys I's children Aegon and Rhaena.[3] This marriage of two siblings led to the Faith Militant uprising, and during this time the Sept of Remembrance became the base of operations for the Warrior's Sons.[5][2]

On the thirtieth day since the trial of seven between Ser Damon Morrigen and King Maegor I Targaryen, hundreds of Warrior's Sons gathered for their morning prayers. Maegor mounted his dragon, Balerion, and unleashed dragonfire without warning. During the burning of the Sept of Remembrance some tried to flee, but were cut down by the archers and spearmen that Maegor had ready. It is said that the screams of the burning and dying men were heard throughout King's Landing. The burning was so immense that scholars claim there was a pall over the capital for seven days.[2]

Afterwards, Maegor had the ruins of the Sept cleared, and ordered the construction of a large domed stable, the Dragonpit, where Targaryens could house their dragons.[2]

Notes

  1. There are no known sources that mention exactly when it was built, but the fact that it was used for the wedding of Aenys I's children in 41 AC[3] shows that the sept was either built some time between the death of Rhaenys in 10 AC and the end of Aegon I's reign in 37 AC, or that the entire sept was constructed during the first few years of Aenys' reign.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon I.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  4. The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Dorne Against the Dragons.
  5. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I.