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The Tragedy of Summerhall

August 1, 2015 | By History of Westeros

The Tragedy of Summerhall was a spectacular attempt by Aegon V to hatch dragon eggs, and it failed spectacularly, killing most to all of the participants plus at least some, probably most of, the witnesses. Summerhall has some really surprising aspects to it, and explains quite a lot more than we could’ve hoped it would, despite so much of it still remaining mysterious. Not just in what happened, but in how it impacts the more recent, and even the current, ASOIAF storyline.

This episode will have a second (shorter) part focusing on the aftermath of Summerhall, examining the effects on Aerys, Rhaegar, and the realm… Listen to part 2 here!

The primary topics in this episode:

  1. History of Summerhall
  2. The Realm of Aegon V, Treason & Turmoil
  3. Dragon Dreams
  4. Enablers: The Wisdom & the Ghost
  5. The Ritual

What became of the dream of dragons was a grievous tragedy born in a moment of joy. In the fateful year 259 AC, the king summoned many of those closest to him to Summerhall, his favorite castle, there to celebrate the impending birth of his first great-grandchild, a boy later named Rhaegar, to his grandson Aerys and granddaughter Rhaella, the children of Prince Jaehaerys.


“Treason and turmoil followed, as night follows day, ending at Summerhall in sorcery, fire, and grief.”


The last years of Aegon’s reign were consumed by a search for ancient lore about the dragon breeding of Valyria, and it was said that Aegon commissioned journeys to places as far away as Asshai-by-the-Shadow with the hopes of finding texts and knowledge that had not been preserved in Westeros.


Dreams

“My brothers dreamed of dragons too, and the dreams killed them, every one.”


As he grew older, Aegon V had come to dream of dragons flying once more above the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. In this, he was not unlike his predecessors, who brought septons to pray over the last eggs, mages to work spells over them, and maesters to pore over them.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK25XfDFsIM

The dragons are done. The Targaryens tried to bring them back half a dozen times. And made fools of themselves, or corpses.

Episode Details

Episode Summary

Uncover the secrets behind the catastrophic Summerhall fire in this gripping episode! We delve into the ill-fated attempt by Aegon V Targaryen to hatch dragon eggs, exploring the surprising connections to later events in ASOIAF. From the enigmatic dreams of Aegon and his brothers to the roles of key figures like Aerion and Rhaegar, we unravel the political machinations and magical elements that contributed to this devastating tragedy. Discover how Summerhall’s fiery demise shaped the reign of the Mad King Aerys II and the path to Robert’s Rebellion. We also examine the lingering mysteries surrounding the event and its impact on the realm, leaving no stone unturned in our exploration of this pivotal moment in Targaryen history. Don’t miss the second part exploring the aftermath and its lasting consequences!

Characters

Aegon VAemon TargaryenAerion TargaryenAerys IIAerys II TargaryenBetha BlackwoodBrynden RiversDaemon II BlackfyreDaenora TargaryenDuncanDuncan TargaryenGhost of High HeartHallyneJaehaerys TargaryenJenny of OldstonesRhaegar TargaryenRhaella TargaryenRhaelle TargaryenRobert BaratheonShaera TargaryenShiera Seastar

Houses

House BaratheonHouse Targaryen

Tags

aegon the unlikelyAegon Vaegon v targaryenaemon targaryenaerion targaryenaerys ii targaryenarchmaester gyldaynaudiobetha blackwoodblack bethabrynden riversdaemon ii blackfyredaenora targaryendaeron ii the gooddragon eggsdragonsdreamsduncan the tallghost of high hearthallynehouse targaryenjaehaerys targaryenjenny of oldstonesJoy Hillprince duncan the smallpyromancersrhaegar targaryenrhaella targaryenrhaelle targaryenrobert baratheonshaera targaryenshiera seastarsummerhallthe citadelthe mad kingthe tales of dunk and eggthe tragedy of summerhallvideowildfire

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The Tragedy of Summerhall - The Full Story With Theories

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The Shadow of Summerhall: Aerys & Rhaegar (spoilers)

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