A century after the Valyrian Dragonlords of House Targaryen conquered 6 of 7 Westerosi realms,
the continent was experiencing the final years of a golden age under King Jaehaerys I
which then continued under his grandson Viserys I, who inherited the Iron Throne in 103 AC. While
Viserys was not a brilliant transformative figure like his grandfather, he was a kind, amiable King
well loved by his subjects, continuing most of the policies which led to their years of prosperity.
Yet in the matter of succession, Viserys took an uncharacteristically firm and unwavering position,
contradicting the carefully considered precedent established by his grandfather in years past.
Although the structure of Westerosi society made it function as a feudal monarchy,
with local Lords maintaining significant power, influence and armies, the overwhelming might of
House Targaryen’s dragons, which served as enormous, flying, fire breathing beasts of
mass destruction, meant the King could act as an absolute monarch, changing laws, ignoring
precedent and establishing reforms as he saw fit. Therefore, when Aemma Arryn, the wife of Viserys
Targaryen gave birth to only one surviving child, the King broke free from the tradition of agnatic
primogeniture which demanded a male inherit the throne, to name his daughter Rhaenyra as his heir.
Attending Small Council meetings and shadowing her father, Rhaenyra spent years
training to become the first Queen of Westeros, growing into a beautiful,
charming, clever young girl, beloved by all, and nicknamed the realm’s delight. After the death of
her mother Aemma Arryn in 105 AC, King Viserys invited the most prominent Lords of the realm
to a lavish ceremony where he formally declare his daughter Rhaenyra, heir to the Iron Throne,
prompting the Nobles in attendance to pledge their unwavering loyalty to the Princess.
Yet despite this precaution taken to proctect his daughters position, the first seeds of
conflict wwere planted just one year later, when Viserys married Alicent Hightower,
a highly ambitious young woman who gave him four children in quick succession, 3 boys Aegon, Aemond
and Daeron Targaryen as well as a girl Helaena, meaning there were now numerous possible male
successors. Yet Viserys remained resolute in his decision, making it clear Rhaenyra would continue
to be his heir. On reasonably amicable terms for the first few years of their relationship,
Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent grew increasingly hostile as they vyed to become
the most influential woman in the realm. No where was the division more clear then at the
great tourney of 111AC, when Princess Rhaenyra dawned a beautiful black gown while Alicent wore
one of green, leading the royal court to name their respective factions the Blacks and Greens.
Seeing that her husband the King was adamant his eldest daughter was heir, unwilling to
change his mind no matter her arguments, Alicent worked diligently over the years
to tarnish Rhaenyra’s sterling reputation, thereby chipping away at her support throughout the realm.
Unfortunately for the Princess, the unusual circumstances surrounding her private life gave
the Greens plenty of ammunition for their attacks. Though Rhaenyra married Laenor Velaryon in 114 AC,
a seemingly good match from a powerful family of Valyrian Blood like the Targaryens,
rumors abound that her husband preferred the company of men. Similarly rumors circulated about
Rhaenyra’s activities, with some claiming she lost her virginity to her uncle Daemon Targaryen and
may also have had some sort of relationship with her champion Ser Criston Cole, a Knight of the
Kingsguard madly devoted to the Princess until a highly contentious rift of unknown origins formed
between them, causing him to join the greens, as he burned with hatred for he woman he once loved.
The rumors about her private life then worsened during her marriage to Laenor, as she was believed
to be sleeping with her new champion Ser Harwin Strong, a great warrior considered by some as
the most physically powerful man in Westeros. Evidence of this affair was seemingly produced
when Rhaenyra gave birth to three sons, Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey, none of whom had the silver
white hair, violet eyes or delicate features of Laenor, instead born with the brown hair,
brown eyes and pug nose of Harwin Strong. Yet everyone involved vehemently denied the
accusations, leading to arguments, fights and increased tensions between Blacks and Greens.
Even after Rhaenyra moved with her family out of the capital to Dragonstone, the rumors
and conflict persisted until King Viserys had enough, and in 120AC declared that anyone heard
disparaging his grandchildren’s lineage would have their tongue removed, while also ordering
Harwin Strong back to his home of Harrenhal where he later died in a mysterious fire.
In addition to losing a possible lover, Rhaenyra lost her husband Laenor in that same year, with
stories claiming he was killed by a male lover. Having previously agreed to a political union,
this time the Princess married her uncle Daemon Targaryen, the man she’d loved since her youth.
Yet Daemon was a Rogue prince, beloved by some but hated by many others, living a life of hedonism
and adventure, experiencing such wild extremes that at some points in his life he mingled with
prostitutes and vagrants in the streets of King’s Landing, while at other times he struck out to
build his legacy, briefly becoming a King in his own right when he raised an army and conquered
the Stepstones. As a consequence of living such an unorthodox lifestyle, one of his most hated
enemies was Otto Hightower, the father of Alicent Hightower and Hand of the King, adding yet another
layer of conflict between the Blacks and Greens. Though Viserys saw the terrible rift forming
in his family, his conflict-averse, jovial spirit made him unable or unwilling to remedy
the situation aside from ensuring they did not squabble in his presence. As a result, any good
he accomplished throughout his reign was entirely overshadowed by the factional division he allowed
in his court, which ultimately led to the worst, most devastating civil war in Targaryen history.
Events finally came to a head in 129 AC, when King Viserys died in his sleep at the age of 52,
causing Queen Alicent to call for a meeting of the small counsel where she immediately set her
plans into motion, completely ignoring the wishes of her deceased husband to crown her eldest son as
king of Westeros. Having spent years ensuring the council was comprised of Green supporters,
nearly all agreed and pledged themselves to Aegon Targaryen, save for Old Lord Beesbury, the master
of coin, who refused and accused them of stealing Rhaenyra’s crown. Accounts differ on what happened
next, with some claiming he was arrested and died in a cell, while others say Ser Criston Cole,
now the champion of Queen Alicent, immediately slit his throat or threw him from window. Yet in
anycase, loyal Lord Beesbury became the first casualty in the Dance of the Dragons civil war.
For seven days, the Greens kept the death of the viserys secret so they could remove and replace
all their enemies at court, until finally the Kingsguard Ser Criston Cole crowned Aegon II as
King of the Westeros, claiming legitimacy through tradition and historical precedent, including the
conclusion to the Great Council of 101 AC under King Jaehaerys I, which stated a woman could not
inherit the Iron Throne over a male claimant. Born from the machinations of Alicent and Otto
Hightower, Aegon Targaryen had no ambition to be King, and when presented with the idea refused,
stating he had no desire to steal his sister’s crown. But Criston Cole eventually convinced him
his family would be killed if Rhaenyra became queen, as she would no doubt seek to eliminate
her rivals. Believing the safety of his family was at stake, Aegon saw no choice but to take
the crown and commit himself to the war. Over on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra was pregnant
with her 6th child, having given birth to two more sons with Daemon Targaryen,
naming them Aegon and Viserys. But when she heard her father was dead, and younger brother
usurped the throne, her rage was so intense she went into early labor and lost the child,
blaming Aegon, Alicent and their supporters for the death. Calling upon her allies, Rhaenyra was
crowed the true Queen of Westeros from her seat on Dragonstone, proudly wearing the crown of her
father Viserys and great grandfather Jaehaerys, as it was stolen from the royal palace by Ser Steffon
Darklyn, a knight of the Kingsguard who abandoned Aegon II, believing she was the rightful Queen.
Gathering her most loyal supporters, including her husband Daemon Targaryen, her father’s cousin
Rhaenys Targaryen, the Sea Snake Lord Corlys Velaryon and her three eldest sons, Rhaenyra
held the first meeting of the Black Council, where they went over their strategy for the war.