Great Blackfyre Rebellion
The Conflict
Prelude
In early 184 AC, King Aegon IV Targaryen legitimized all of his bastards on his deathbed. Prince Daeron ascended the throne as King Daeron II Targaryen, and did all he could to keep the nobly-born Great Bastards close.
Daeron was a cultured and scholarly man, and removed from court many of his late uncle's trusted allies and servants, depriving several people of their righteous positions. Daeron placed men of his own in the positions of power, and began negotiations with his brother-in-law, Maron Martell, the Prince of Dorne, which resulted in the wedding of Maron to Daeron's younger sister, Princess Daenerys, in 187 AC, and the joining of Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms. However, dissatisfaction grew from the fact that Dorne had been given an excessive amount of concessions during Maron's negotiations that the other regions, that had served the Crown with loyalty for nearly two hundred years, did not have (e.g. the right to keep their royal title, autonomy to maintain their own laws, the right to assess and gather the taxes due to the Iron Throne with only irregular oversight from the Red Keep). Additionally, ithe Dornish held too much power at court, as many Dornishmen were brought to Daeron's court, and several filled important offices. While Daeron had chosen to be crowned with his uncle's crown, the truth about his legitimacy remained. Daeron was not a warrior, and while Prince Baelor, Daeron's eldest son by his Dornish wife Mariah Martell, was all that could be desired in a warrior, Baelor had the looks of a Martell, and not, like Daemon Blackfyre, of a Targaryen. Nobles and knights from the Dornish Marches began to mistrust both Daeron and Baelor, and began to long for the days when the Dornish were still their enemies.
Meanwhile, Daemon Blackfyre had grown into a great warrior of his own, trained by Ser Quentyn Ball, and had come to resemble Aegon the Conqueror in appearance according to his supporters, with silver-gold hair and deep purple eyes. Married to Rohanne of Tyrosh in 184 AC, his twin sons Aegon and Aemon were born later that same year. Six other sons, and two daughters followed during the years to come.
The Dornish concessions and influence, the sudden change of Dornish enemies to Dornish allies, Daeron's illegitimacy, and Aegon IV's public gift of the sword of kings to Daemon, all were part the seeds from which the Great Blackfyre Rebellion grew. Still, it took many years for the actual rebellion to begin. Daemon had councillors who urged him to claim his rights, and many famous warriors who disagreed with the encroachment from Dorne sought him out. Years passed between the first man approaching him, and Daemon finally declaring his claim. However, Maester Yandel considers it likely that it had been Aegor Rivers, Daemon's younger half-brother, who managed to convince Daemon in the end.
Ser Quentyn Ball attacked the westerlands, killing Lord Lefford at the gates of Lannisport and then defeating Lord Damon Lannister in turn. At the crossing of the Mander, Ser Quentyn slew all of Lady Penrose's sons, except for the youngest, whom he spared as a favor to the lady.
The defining conflict of the Great Blackfyre Rebellion was the Battle of the Redgrass Field, in late 196 AC. Lord Leo Tyrell's forces could not gather quickly enough to arrive in time for the battle. House Arryn participated, as Lord Donnel Arryn led the vanguard of the Falseborn forces. However, Daemon Blackfyre shattered his lines, leaving the loyalists in peril until Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard arrived with reinforcements. Ser Gwayne Corbray and Daemon Blackfyre came face-to-face during the battle. Their duel, in which Daemon wielded the Valyrian steel sword Blackfyre and Gwayne the Valyrian steel sword Lady Forlorn, is said to have lasted nearly an hour, before Daemon gained the upper hand. Corbray was wounded, but Daemon gallantly dismounted, preventing Corbray from being trampled, and commanded that he was taken off the field to be treated by his own maester.
Lord Leo Tyrell participated in the rebellion as well, fighting on behalf of House Targaryen after their defeat at the Redgrass Field. He tried to send his army to reinforce the Falseborn in King's Landing, but the troops were met and defeated at Bitterbridge by forces commanded by Lord
Gormon Peake.
During the war, King Daeron II came to consider his Hand of the King, Lord Ambrose Butterwell, to be ineffectual, and in the end, Butterwelll's loyalty was questioned. Shortly before the Battle of the Redgrass Field, the final battle of the war, Butterwell was replaced by Lord Hayford, a noted loyalist.
The usurper
Daeron Falseborn and his oldest son Baelor Breakspear were sent to the Night's Watch, all lords that opposed the true king, Daemon Blackfyre left one of their children as royal wards, to ensure their loyalty.
Many of the houses that supported the false king
Daeron Falseborn lost lands and titles, chief among them House Lannister lost both the titles of Warden of the West and Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, besides control of the city of Lannisport to House Reyne, House Tully lost the title of Lord Paramount of the Riverlands to House Bracken, and House Martell lost the Title of Prince of Dorne, and control of the region, while House Yronwood was awarded the title of Lord Paramount of Dorne.
Conflict Result
Victory for House Blackfyre with Daemon Blackfyre crowned.
Blackfyre Supporters
Led by
Falseborn Loyalists
Led by
The main houses that pledged loyalty to the Black Dragon were: Bracken, Peake, Reyne, Yronwood, Costayne, Crakehall, Frey, Strickland, Osgrey, Costayne, Lothson, Sunderland
The main houses supporting the Falseborn were: Targaryen, Arryn, Tyrell, Lannister, Hayford, Darry, Penrose, Tully, Webber, Templeton, Martell, Lefford and Caswell.
Thousands of men, including many noble knights among them brave Gareth the Grey.
Thousands of men, and notable casualties include Brynden Rivers, Lord Leo Lefford, all of Lady Penrose's sons, save the youngest.
Place the true son of King Aegon IV,
Daemon Blackfyre on the Iron Throne, and right the wrongs of Daeron's dornish inclined rule.
Keep the bastard son of Aemon the Dragonknight, former king
Daeron Falseborn on the throne.
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