Fire and Blood Book Spoilers

Upcoming HBO Series”House of the Dragon‘ followed by Centuries of Targaryen tales “Game of Thrones” event. George R.R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood, on which the series is based, is actually the first of his planned two-volume set. Centuries of Targaryen rule in Westeros‘House of the Dragon’ will likely follow ‘Fire and Blood’, but it’s very unlikely that the series will deviate as far from the source material as ‘Game of Thrones’ did. To high. However, if you want a complete rundown of Martin’s original version of the story, you’ve come to the right place. Read on. But be careful. The night is dark and full of spoilers.

Conquest of Aegon

“Fire and Blood” begins with Aegon I, who leads his family from Essos to conquer Westeros. After a long civil war in his hometown ends, Aegon looks west to unite the Seven Kingdoms under his rule. The war raged on for about three years, with some of Westeros’ great houses surrendering quickly while others resisted.

Among the Houses conquered in Aegon’s invasion are some names that Game of Thrones fans will know. House Baratheon emerges when Orys Baratheon, the Targaryen commander, conquers the Stormlands and marries the daughter of the Storm King to establish a noble house of his own. In the West, the Gardeners and Lannisters have allied themselves with Aegon and are waging a great war. House Lannister was conquered, House Gardener was wiped out, and Gardener’s custodian, House Tyrell, surrendered and allied himself with Aegon.

In the North, Thoren Stark chooses to bend the knee to Aegon rather than cause more bloodshed. Only Dawn is really holding out, with the promise of bigger battles to come. Aegon transforms his former enemy’s sword into an Iron Throne and chooses to rule from his landing, a new city, Kings.

The book also chronicles Aegon’s subsequent reign. One of the most notable events during his reign is his continued attempts to conquer Dorne. After a long series of battles in which neither side achieves a decisive victory, Aegon and the Martell family agree to make peace. After Aegon’s death, his sons Aerys I and Magor I deal with their respective problems, including the need to put down a rebellion.

Reign of Jaehaerys I

A large portion of Fire and Blood is dedicated to the reign of Jeharis I, the longest reigning Targaryen king. Known as the “wise” king and “arbiter”, his reign begins with conflict when he chooses to marry his sister Alysanne. Jaehaerys has resisted attempts by many, including his own mother and advisers, to stop the marriage or remove him from power.

Jaehaerys’ reign is fraught with many ups and downs. He implemented many reforms in Westeros, from changing taxes to creating a comprehensive set of laws. He also deals with both man-made and natural disasters, including famine and subsequent plague, indiscriminately killing Jaehaerys and his one of Alysanne’s own children. The couple has 13 children, 9 of whom are adults. Notable among them are Eamon, the eldest son and heir, who marries a Baratheon woman, and Baelon, who marries his sister Alyssa and has three children: Viserys, Damon, and Aerys.

The death of Prince Aemon leaves Jeharis’ future reign uncertain. Aymon has no sons and his only daughter is Princess Reinis. Jaehaerys (to the disapproval of many, including his wife) instead declares his second son Baelon to be the new heir. This decision proves to be a pivotal point, as Baeron also does not outlive his father, further complicating his succession.

dragon dance

After Jaehaerys’ death and a reign of 55 years, his grandson Viserys becomes King Viserys I. The question of Viserys’ successor is A big rift within the Targaryen clan With lasting results. Viserys’ first marriage ends when his Queen Emma dies in childbirth, leaving only one heir. She is Princess Raenira.

Viserys chooses her to be his successor and raises her to be a ruler from an early age. However, she later remarried and had a son, this time with Queen Aricent. Rhaenyra has also been married twice and has children from both marriages. Her second marriage is to her father’s younger brother, Prince Damon.

When Viserys dies, he still intends for Laenira to succeed him, but Aricent and his eldest son Aegon have other plans. Aegon is crowned Aegon II, but Raenira is not even told of his father’s death until after Aegon’s takeover. Upon learning her truth, she vows her revenge and sets up her own rival council to reclaim what she believes is her rightful legacy.

The war lasts for several years, with rival Targaryen factions gaining and losing positions while dealing with the ever-shifting loyalties of those around them. Several heirs to the throne from both claimants are killed. A battle between dragon riders – Rhaenyra’s half-brother Aemond and her husband Daemon – ends with both crashing to the ground.

Ultimately, both Aegon II and Raenira can only rule for a short period of time. Eventually both are killed, along with many families and dragons. The son of Raenira and Daemon is eventually crowned Aegon III and marries Aegon II’s daughter Jaehera to unite the warring branches.

aftermath

Following the Dragon’s Dance, Targaryen succession becomes more complicated, male-dominated, and controversial. “Fire and Blood” was only the beginning of Aegon III’s reign, who is still a boy under his reign. The currently unreleased sequel is likely intended to continue Targaryen history until it catches up with the events of “Game of Thrones.”

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