After the death of Aegon the Conqueror in 37 AC, the Iron Throne inherited by his eldest
son Aenys, son of Rhaenys, a good hearted man seen as weak by many, lacking both the
cunning of his father and ferocity of his younger brother Maegor, son of Visenya.
While young, Aenys was weak and sickly, causing some to suggest he was not a true born son
of Aegon, as Rhaenys was known to surround herself with handsome young men she may have
taken to bed.
Yet those rumours largely ended when his dragon Quicksilver hatched, and as creature grew,
so did the boy.
Yet even so, Aenys was never a great warrior and so gifted his father’s valyrian steel
sword Blackfyre to his brother Maegor, who also took Baelrion the black Dread as his
own.
Unfortunately, the reign of Aenys Targaryen proved short and disastrous, beginning with
4 rebellions that emerged within the first year of his rule.
In the riverlands, Red Harren, the supposed grandson of Harren the Black captured Harrenhal
and killed its Lord, while in the Vale, Jonos Arryn rebelled against and eventually killed
his brother Ronnel, taking power in the Eyrie.
Trouble also came to the Iron Islands, where a man gained a following by claiming he was
the Priest-king Lodos who walked into the sea during the reign of Aegon I and now returned
from his meeting with the Drowned God, and in Dorne, a rebel called the Vulture King
raised 30,000 warriors to attack the Targaryen Kingdom in retaliation for the destruction
caused in the First Dornish War.
Though the noble Lords of Dorne like Princess Deria Martell claimed they were trying to
stop the rebellion, many believed they were doing nothing or else might even be supporting
them.
Meanwhile in King’s Landing, Aenys was utterly perplexed at what was happening and sent letters
to the rebels trying to discuss their grievances.
But his uncertainty, indecision and fear of violence only alienated him further from the
nobility, who were then forced to deal with these rebellions on their own, with the crown
playing a supporting role rather than leading the effort.
In the Vale, Maegor worked with House Royce to take back the Eyrie, while in the Iron
Islands House Greyjoy slaughtered Lodos and his people, leading the King to unwisely promise
their Lord any boon he desired.
Goren Greyjoy then asked that the faith of the Seven be expelled from the Iron Islands,
to which the king was forced to agree.
In Dorne, the Marcher Lord united to defeat the Vulture King and in the Riverlands, Harren
the Red killed the Hand of the King Alyn Stokeworth, only to die moments facing the Lord’s squire
Bernarr Brune.
With the rebellions defeated, Aenys Targaryen named his brother as Hand, and together ruled
well for 2 years, until yet another crisis arose, this time within their own family as
Maegor and his wife seemed unable to have children.
Though Aenys and his wife Alyssa Velaryon had 3 sons and 3 daughters, Maegor remained
childless and so took a second wife, creating outrage amongst the nobility, faith and royal
court.
Refusing to give up his new bride, Maegor was exiled from Westeros in 40AC, going to
live as an honored guest in Pentos.
The following year, an even greater outrage swept across the continent, when the King
married his eldest son Aegon to his eldest daughter Rhaenys, as was the custom amongst
the families of Old Valyria.
Yet while the High Septon and Faith of the Seven tolerated Aegon the conqueror and his
sister-wives, they now demanded that House Targaryen abandon this practice.
Though normally indecisive, Aenys outright refused and the marriage went on as planned.
In response, the High Septon named him, King Abomination, and led a rebellion against the
crown known as the Faith Militant Uprising.
Facing another rebellion, the King once again was unable to act forcefully or make a decision,
and after a failed assassination attempt, Aenys retreated to Dragonstone, where his
aunt Visenya advised him to respond with fire and blood, but still he refused.
In 42 AC, after only 5 years of rule, Aenys grew ill and died at the age of 35, with some
suggesting he was poisoned by Visenya, who afterwards flew to Pentos and brought back
her son Maegor, crowning him the new King of Westeros and challenging anyone to come
dispute the claim.
Though the crown should have passed to Aegon, the eldest son of Aenys, he and his sister-wife
were besieged by rebel forces, and so the only immediate challenge to Maegor’s authority
came from the Faith Militants in King’s Landing, as Ser Damon Morrigen Grand Captain
of the Warrior’s Sons challenged him to a Trial of Seven.
Since Maegor had no warriors with him, he fought alongside 6 volunteers in a viscious
battle that left everyone dead, save the King who was so badly injured he fell into a coma
for several weeks, until he awoke determined as ever to destroy his enemies.
Among the many deeds which earned him the name Maegor the Cruel, the King escalated
the war with the Faith, burning the Sept of Remembrance in the capital and mercilessly
raining dragonfire upon them at nearly every engagement.
After personally supervising the construction of the Red Keep to build a number of hidden
passage ways within the walls and underground, he had the builders executed, so they could
never reveal what they knew.
When his nephew Aegon took the dragon quicksilver for his own, raised an army and was crowned
as a rival king, they engaged in the Battle beneath the God’s Eye.
However Quicksilver was no match for Balerion the Balck Dread, resulting in the death of
Aegon and defeat of his army.
Back in the capital Maegor remained childless throughout his reign, leading him take a total
of 6 wives including his neice Rhaena Targaryen, the widow of Aegon who was forced to accept
the marriage to protect her twin daughters Aerea and Rhaella.
After the death of his mother Visenya in 44AC, Maegor grew even more short tempered and violent,
so that by 48 AC, the Lords of Westeros could no longer tolerate his oppressive rule, abandoning
him to rally behind Jaehaerys Targaryen in the Stormlands, the last living son of Aenys
and Alyssa who was proclaimed the true king of Westeros.
Since both Jaehaerys and his sister Alysanne rode dragons, they flew to the capital with
their army close behind, only to find Maegor dead, possibly from suicide, stabbing and
cutting himself on the swords of his throne.
With the King dead, Jaehaerys Targaryen came to power at the age of 14, with his mother
Alyssa given the regency while his greatest supporter Lord Rogar Baratheon served as Hand
of the King.
Determined to unify the realm, Jaehaerys earned the name the Conciliator, by making peace
with the High Septon and granting amnesty and pardons to those who served Maegor or
the Faith Militants.
Jaehaerys worked diligently to address the concerns of nobles and small folk, proving
himself shrewd and highly capable.
During a tournament to celebrate the Golden Wedding of the king’s mother Alyssa and
Rogar Baratheon in 49AC, it was decided that that the victors would be granted a place
in the Kingsguard of Jaehaerys I, making it one of the most competitive tourney’s in
history.
Though hundreds of knights fought in the War for the White cloaks, only 5 champions were
named, each of whom felt a special loyalty to the King, as they earned their positions
though merit rather than noble birth.
After the wedding, the Small Council began to make marriage plans for both Jaehearys
and his sister Alysanne, fearing that if the decision was left to them they would marry
each other, thereby risking another Religious rebellion, and so it was decided the Princess
would marry Ser Orryn Baratheon, brother to the hand of the king.
However, when 13 year old Alysanne learned of this betrothal, she immediately informed
Jaehaerys, and so began one of the most famous love stories in Westerosi history.
Refusing to even consider marrying anyone else, Jaehaerys and Alysanne left the red
keep with their Kingsguard and went to Dragonstone, where they were wed in a secret ceremony.
Furious to learn of their actions, Alyssa and Rogar gathered their warriors and sailed
to Dragonstone to end the marriage before it could be consummated.
However Jaehearys and Alysanne refused to comply and when soldiers were sent to physically
take them, the loyal Kingsguard stood in their way, forming a wall to protect their young
king, making it clear that if they tried to use force, Rogar Baratheon would be the first
to die.
Fearing the violence that might ensue, the king’s mother convinced her husband to back
down, and return to King’s Landing.
Even so Rogar would not accept the marriage and made several attempts to undermine their
relationship, even sending spies to try and seduce the king, but none of his plans succeeded,
and soon even his wife turned against him, removing him as Hand.
Meanwhile on Dragonstone, the young King and Queen spent every available moment together,
charming everyone with the happiness of their relationship.
And while Jaehaerys impressed many with his intelligence, work ethic, and hard earned
skill as warrior, so too did his wife Alysanne, who many claimed was just sharp and talented
as her husband, often sitting by his side in meetings and offering sage council.
And so when Jaehaerys turned 16 and was given full control over the kingdom, he and his
Queen began a long and prosperous reign, considered by many to be the golden age of Targaryen
rule.