The Dance of the Dragons is the House of the Dragon's civil war, fought between half-siblings, Queen Rhaenyra and Aegon II Targaryen. Here's the complete timeline.
By Barsha Dutta
Published on May 23, 2024 | 07:42 AM IST| 18.8K
House of the Dragon (PC: IMDb)
The Dance of the Dragons is a civil war between Queen Rhaenyra and Aegon II Targaryen, who claim the Iron Throne. Supported by the Greens and Blacks factions, they have different mothers but the same father, King Viserys. The story is based on the House of the Dragon.
The late King killed his first wife, and Rhaenyra's mother, Queen Aemma Arryn, against her will in childbed, and after a series of events, was led to remarry his cunning Hand's daughter, Alicent Hightower. As seen in House of the Dragon, Viserys' death sparked the war of succession between his decreed heir, Rhaenyra, and his son, Prince Aegon. The Dance of the Dragons is a collection of occurrences that begins after Viserys I dies in 129 AC and ends with King Aegon's death in 131 AC.
Here is the entire Dance of The Dragons War.
129 AC - Blood and Cheese plot
Mysaria, on behalf of Daemon, sanctions the Blood and Cheese plot after Lucerys Velaryon's assassination. Blood and Cheese, disguised as serjeants and rat-catchers, enter the castle and murder Aegon II's heir, Helaena, in front of his mother. The assassins steal Prince Jaehaerys' head, causing Helaena to lose her sense of self.
129 AC - The Civil War in the Riverlands
After the assassinations of Prince Lucerys and Prince Jaehaerys, the Riverlands of the Seven Kingdoms become a battleground. House Blackwood, led by Queen Rhaenyra, invades House Bracken's holdings, leading to the Battle of the Burning Mill. The Brackens' Stone Hedge castle falls to the Blacks, forcing them to surrender, leaving Aegon II alienated in the Riverlands.
129 AC - the New Green Hand
The Greens face setbacks, and Aegon II becomes increasingly angry with his Hand and grandfather, Otto, and dismisses him. He chooses Criston Cole as the Hand's successor, a more ruthless military man. Otto strengthens the capital's defenses and seeks allies across the Narrow Sea, including the Triarchy, who made enemies with Daemon and the Velaryons during the War for the Stepstones. Dorne stays out, and the Vale, North, and lords of the Reach are in the Black camp. The Greyjoys refuse Greens' support while Otto waits to hear from the Triarchy.
Advertisem*nt
129 AC - the Cargyll Twins
The Dance of the Dragons divides the Cargyll Kingsguards, with Ser Arryk remaining loyal to his King and Ser Erryk disillusioned and traveling to Dragonstone. Arryk, who is Aegon's Kingsguard, is sent to Dragonstone as a pretender to perform the Greens' dirty work. The lore is ambiguous about Arryk's intentions, but this infiltration leads to a deadly duel between the Cargyll twins.
129 AC - Princess Rhaenys and Meleys death
Under Criston Cole, the Greens sack Duskendale and behead Lord Darklyn, a loyalist of the Rhaenyra. They then attack Rook's Rest, the seat of House Staunton, and lay siege to Meleys. Princess Rhaenys arrives and is killed by Aegon II and Aemond. The Greens parade Meleys' head in King's Landing, causing free psychosis among the masses. Aegon recovers at King's Landing, while Sunfyre is kept at Rook's Rest for healing. Aemond becomes Prince Reagent and Protector of the Realm after the Battle.
Advertisem*nt
End of 129 AC
After Princess Rhaenys' death, Jacaerys set his sights on the capital. To that end, he appeases the late Princess Rhaenys' husband, Corlys, by appointing him as the Queen's Hand. Jacaerys wants to take unclaimed dragons to war and calls on the baseborn Targaryen descendants to mount them.
Jacaerys makes lucrative offers and people from all walks of life, such as sailors, mummers, knights at Dragonstone, Rhaenyra's two Queensguards, squires, scullions, and men-at-arms try their luck in an event known as the Sowing in lore. Grand Maester Munkun's True Telling says sixteen were killed in the Sowing, and forty-eight were burned or injured. The victorious four are Addam of Hull, a girl named Nettles, a blacksmith's bastard, Hugh Hammer, and a man-at-arms, Ulf White.
130 AC: Battle of the Gullet
Jacaerys fosters his half-brothers, Aegon and Viserys Targaryen, at Pentos until their mother secures the capital. The Princes are shipped to Pentos on a cog called the Gay Abandon. Meanwhile, the High Council of the Triarchy supports the Greens. Ninety warships aim to end the Blacks' militarization of the Gullet. They ambush the Pentoshi cog, capture Viserys, and launch an operation in the Gullet. Four Dragonseeds, along with Prince Jacaerys and Vermax, set the warships ablaze.
Advertisem*nt
130 AC - the fall of King's landing
The Greens march to Harrenhal, while the Blacks take King's Landing. Prince Daemon Targaryen arrives on Caraxes and Rhaenyra Targaryen on Syrax. Corlys Velaryon lands east of Blackwater Bay. The Dowager Queen, Alicent, fails to inform the Greens, and the Gold Cloaks attack. Prince Daemon, former Commander of King's Landing's City Watch, is loyal to the Gold Cloaks. Alicent surrenders, and Helaena Targaryen and Larys Strong help Aegon II flee. Otto and Jasper Wylde are executed.
130 AC: the First Battle of Tumbleton
The First Battle of Tumbleton in the Reach is a victory for the Greens, thanks to the Two Betrayers, Hugh Hammer and Ulf White. Ormund leads the march to King's Landing, while Ulf and Hugh are sent to Tumbleton, Rhaenyra's last stronghold. They switch allegiances, set fire to Tumbleton, and the Greens' forces rampage through the town.
130 AC: the Fall of Dragonstone
Advertisem*nt
In 130 AC, the Greens take over Dragonstone, the original seat of House Targaryen of Westeros and Rhaenyra's stronghold. The Fall Of King's Landing leads to the Fall of Dragonstone. Ser Alfred Broome betrays Ser Robert Quince, killing him for the Greens. Lady Baela's Moondancer dies in a fight against Sunfyre, making her the Greens' captive.
130 AC: the Battle Above the Gods Eye
Prince Daemon and Prince Aemond fight atop their dragons in the skies of the Gods Eye lake, near Harrenhal. The Greens and the Blacks lose their best men and the Targaryens lose the two largest dragons. By all accounts, the Battle Above the Gods Eye is a catastrophe for House Targaryen.
130 AC: the Storming of the Dragonpit
After Queen Helaena's suicide, a mob led by Shepherd storms the Dragonpit. Prince Joffrey Velaryon uses his mother's mount, Syrax, but is pushed off and dies. The mob kills four dragons, including Syrax, who was previously freed from the Red Keep by Joffrey.
Advertisem*nt
130 AC: the death of Rhaenyra
After the riots, Rhaenyra heeds the advice and leaves the capital with her surviving son, Aegon, unaware that Dragonstone has fallen to Aegon II. The mother-son duo are captured at Dragonstone and brought before Aegon II. Prince Aegon watches in horror as Aegon II feeds Rhaenyra to Sunfyre. He endures a lifelong trauma and harbors a hatred of dragons.
131 AC: the death of Aegon II
Aegon II rules over ash and bone, unbothered by the march of a large host of the Valemen, the Riverlords, and the Northmen under Cregan Stark. Unwilling to relinquish power, or mend things, people in the Red Keep poison him.
Cregan Stark condemns key suspects during the Hour of the Wolf, while Aegon the Younger is installed on the Iron Throne and marries Aegon II's daughter, Jaehaera, to end kin strife in House Targaryen after the Dance of the Dragons.
Advertisem*nt
ALSO READ:
