If you’re familiar with the world of Game Of Thrones, you’ve likely heard of Aegon The Conqueror. This is the name of the most famous Targaryen monarch, the man who dominated the Seven Kingdoms and forged the great and terrible Iron Throne.
Before he received his crown, Aegon I Targaryen was no ordinary commoner. His lineage was that of Old Valyria, the capital city of the greatest civilisation in existence and the birthplace of the legendary dragonriders.
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It was with dragons that Aegon and his kin launched their campaign to seize control of and unite the sovereign lands of the far-western continent.
How Did Aegon I Conquer The Seven Kingdoms?
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After a cataclysmic event called the Doom Of Valyria, the Targaryens became one of the last surviving families of the Valyrian Freehold, joined only by the houses Velaryon and Celtigar. Their blood was special in that it allowed them to bond with dragons, and this unique capability gave complete control over the greatest power in the world.
When Aegon I set his sights on subjugating Westeros, he made plans to do so not with overwhelming military might, but with dragon fire. Many great kings bent the knee, with Torrhen Stark (then King Of The North) submitting without resistance, and those who dared try to maintain their sovereignty did not resist for long, overcome by the indomitability of the Targaryen birthright.
Despite Aegon The Conqueror’s success, there was one territory that he could not so easily claim: Dorne. The challenge of controlling the southernmost kingdom persisted long after the two years of war that received the name Aegon’s Conquest, and many battles were fought against the Dornish by the descendants of the first king, including Aenys I and Maegor I. In the end, it was a marriage pact that brought Dorne into the fold, though their customs and traditions remained mostly intact.
Which Was Aegon The Conqueror’s Dragon?
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Aegon The Conqueror’s dragon was Balerion The Black Dread, the most famous and most fearsome of his kind. He was born in Valyria, from which he was taken when Aenar Targaryen (Aegon I’s ancestor) fled the prophesised Doom. By the time Aegon I sought to claim his mount, Balerion was the last of the Freehold’s native dragons … and the largest of all existing after the collapse of Valyria.
Prior to Aegon’s Conquest, Balerion was battle tested against the Free City Of Volantis; however, this was but the precursor to a greater task. Balerion unleashed fire upon Aegon I’s enemies in the Seven Kingdoms, vanquishing armies of thousands and destroying castles of stone with swirls of black flame.
When the war was concluded, Balerion melted the swords of Aegon I’s enemies to help create the Iron Throne.
Who Are Aegon The Conqueror’s Sisters?
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The period leading to the unification of the Seven Kingdoms is named after Aegon I, but he was not alone in his mission. At his side were his sister wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, who — like their brother — rode their own dragons: Vhagar and Meraxes respectively.
Interfamily relations were not uncommon by the standards of Valyrian tradition, but marrying two sisters was irregular. It is believed that Aegon I took Visenya to wife to secure his succession, her being the eldest sibling, while his vow to Rhaenys was one of love.
The different reasons for marriage were emphasised by the sisters’ contrasting personalities. Visenya was a stern-faced warrior, fierce and unforgiving, renowned for her skill with the Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister. Rhaenys, on the other hand, swapped the violent arts for the creative, and she was said to be the best of the dragonriders on account of her love of flying.
How Was Aegon The Conqueror Related To The Baratheons?
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If your familiarity with the Targaryens and Baratheons is limited to Game Of Thrones, you’d be forgiven for thinking that these houses have always been the most ardent of rivals. Though this may be true in the time of Robert’s Rebellion (the war that ended with the dethroning of the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, and the murder of most of his bloodline), when Aegon I landed in Westeros, he was loyally supported by the man who would become Orys Baratheon, the founder of his house.
Their connection is one of blood, with Orys strongly believed to be the bastard half-brother of Aegon I. These rumours could never be officially verified, but it remains true that Orys was a close confidant of the future king, more so than any other.
Throughout the Conquest, Orys was trusted with command of Aegon I’s forces, and he was made the first Hand Of The King upon Aegon I’s coronation. The family name Baratheon was not adopted until Orys slayed King Argilac Durrandon in single combat, after which he received the title of Lord Paramount Of The Stormlands.
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