bloodraven Archives - History of Westeros

House Blackwood: Part 2 – Ravens, Dragons, Stags & Wolves

Part 2 of our House Blackwood series continues – you can find House Blackwood: Part 1 – The Time of the Tree here. It’s clear GRRM has placed the Blackwoods carefully; they are an important part of several of the most important houses’ ancestry, with strong associations with mystical elements.

In this episode, we take a look at all the heroes of House Blackwood since the coming of the Targaryens. We have lots of thoughts and ideas of what’s coming next for them as Winter and the Dragons come. They are tied to both…

North/River Shipping

Lord Stark had marched south with a great host, made up in large part of men unwanted and unneeded in the North, whose return would bring great hardship and mayhaps even death for the loved ones they had left behind. Legend (and Mushroom) tells us that it was Lady Alysanne who suggested an answer.

The lands along the Trident were full of widows, she reminded Lord Stark; women, many burdened with young children, who had sent their husbands off to fight with one lord or another, only for them to fall in battle. With winter at hand, strong backs and willing hands would be welcome in many a hearth and home. In the end, more than a thousand northmen accompanied Black Aly and her nephew Lord Benjicot when they returned to the riverlands after the royal wedding.

“A wolf for every widow,” Mushroom japed, “he will warm her bed in winter, and gnaw her bones come spring.”

Yet hundreds of marriages were made at the so-called Widow Fairs held at Raventree, Riverrun, Stoney Sept, the Twins, and Fairmarket. Those northmen who did not wish to marry instead swore their swords to lords both great and small as guards and men-at-arms.

A few, sad to say, did turn to outlawry and met evil ends, but for the most part, Lady Alysanne’s matchmaking was a great success. The resettled northmen not only strengthened the riverlords who welcomed them, particularly House Tully and House Blackwood, but also helped revive and spread the worship of the old gods south of the Neck.

GOAT Black Aly Blackwood

Huntress, horse-breaker, and archer without peer, Black Aly had little of a woman’s softness about her. Many thought her to be of that same ilk as Sabitha Frey, for they were oft in one another’s company, and had been known to share a tent whilst on the march. Yet in King’s Landing, whilst accompanying her young nephew Benjicot at court and council, she had met Cregan Stark and conceived a liking for the stern northman. And Lord Cregan, a widower these past three years, had responded in kind.

To him gathered Benjicot Blackwood of Raventree, already a seasoned warrior at three-and-ten; his fierce young aunt, Black Aly, with three hundred bows; Lady Sabitha Frey, the merciless and grasping Lady of the Twins, Lord Hugo Vance of Wayfarer’s Rest, Lord Jorah Mallister of Seagard; Lord Roland Darry of Darry; aye, and even Humfrey Bracken, Lord of Stone Hedge, whose house had hitherto supported King Aegon’s cause.

Missy Blackwood

Aegon the Fourth had died long before Jaime had been born, but he recalled enough of the history of his reign to guess what must have happened next. “Only later he put the Bracken girl aside and took up with a Blackwood, was that the way of it?”

“Lady Melissa,” Hoster confirmed. “Missy, they called her. There’s a statue of her in our godswood. She was much more beautiful than Barba Bracken.”

– Jaime I, ADWD

Images

The Three-Eyed Bloodraven

The third of our THREE (1, 2) Bloodraven episodes. This one has a deep dive into the life of Brynden Rivers beginning from the point at which he took the Black. Was he a ranger? What did he and Maester Aemon talk about? Who is Coldhands? What’s up with the Raven’s Teeth, and much more in this episode on the Three-Eyed Bloodraven!

Thanks to guest producer Zack of Game of Owns!

The Last Greenseer

Before them a pale lord in ebon finery sat dreaming in a tangled nest of roots, a woven weirwood throne that embraced his withered limbs as a mother does a child. His body was so skeletal and his clothes so rotted that at first Bran took him for another corpse, a dead man propped up so long that the roots had grown over him, under him, and through him.

What skin the corpse lord showed was white, save for a bloody blotch that crept up his neck onto his cheek. His white hair was fine and thin as root hair and long enough to brush against the earthen floor. Roots coiled around his legs like wooden serpents. One burrowed through his breeches into the desiccated flesh of his thigh, to emerge again from his shoulder. A spray of dark red leaves sprouted from his skull, and grey mushrooms spotted his brow. A little skin remained, stretched across his face, tight and hard as white leather, but even that was fraying, and here and there the brown and yellow bone beneath was poking through. – Bran II, ADWD

The last greenseer, the singers called him, but in Bran’s dreams he was still a three-eyed crow. When Meera Reed had asked him his true name, he made a ghastly sound that might have been a chuckle. “I wore many names when I was quick, but even I once had a mother, and the name she gave me at her breast was Brynden.” – Bran III, ADWD

Three-Eyed Bloodraven Images

Bloodraven's sigil by Abjiklam — Bloodraven’s sigil by Abjiklam

Eastwatch — Bloodraven’s sigil by Abjiklam

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 8 – Bloodraven 2

The second of THREE Bloodraven episodes and part 8 of our Blackfyre Rebellions series. This one covers Bloodraven’s time as Hand up to the point where he takes the Black. A full accounting of the reigns of Aerys I and Maekar, plus Aerion Brightflame, Daeron the Drunkard, Egg, Maester Aemon, Blackfyres and so much more including the discovery of the Prince That Was Promised prophecy. Big thanks to Camille S and Valkyrist (who you can catch on the Vassals of Kingsgrave pod) for the voices, and to all the art contributors, particularly Klaradox for the maps, as always.

Bloodraven proved to be a capable Hand, but also a master of whispers who rivaled Lady Misery, and there were those who thought he and his half sister and paramour, Shiera Seastar, used sorcery to ferret out secrets. It became common to refer to his “thousand eyes and one,” and men both high and low began to distrust their neighbor for fear of their being a spy in Bloodraven’s employ.

Yet Aerys had need of spies, given the trouble that followed the Great Spring Sickness. Summer came, and with it a drought that lasted more than two years. Many blamed the king, and many more accused Bloodraven. There were poor brothers who preached treason, and knights and lords as well. And amongst those were some who whispered a specific treason: that the Black Dragon must return from across the narrow sea and take its rightful place.

– The World of Ice and Fire.

Bloodraven Images

Bloodraven by Eliyadoodles — Brynden Rivers by Eliyadoodles

Bloodraven & Shiera Seastar by hubsher — Brynden Rivers by Eliyadoodles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMigsZx30uQ

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 8 – Bloodraven 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMigsZx30uQ)

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 7 – Bloodraven

The first of THREE Bloodraven episodes and part 7 of our Blackfyre Rebellions series. This one covers the time from his birth until the death of King Daeron II.

Six years ago in King’s Landing, Dunk had seen him with his own two eyes, as he rode a pale horse up the Street of Steel with fifty Raven’s Teeth behind him. That was before King Aerys had ascended to the Iron Throne and made him the Hand, but even so he cut a striking figure, garbed in smoke and scarlet with Dark Sister on his hip. His pallid skin and bone-white hair made him look a living corpse. Across his cheek and chin spread a wine-stain birthmark that was supposed to resemble a red raven, though Dunk only saw an odd-shaped blotch of discolored skin. He stared so hard that Bloodraven felt it. The king’s sorcerer had turned to study him as he went by. He had one eye, and that one red. The other was an empty socket, the gift Bittersteel had given him upon the Redgrass Field. Yet it seemed to Dunk that both eyes had looked right through his skin, down to his very soul. Despite the heat, the memory made him shiver. – The Sworn Sword

Bloodraven Images

https://youtu.be/1eGA7K3hWZ0

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 7 – Bloodraven (https://youtu.be/1eGA7K3hWZ0)

Euron Greyjoy (TWOW spoilers)

We’re joined by special guest PoorQuentyn for a look at Euron Greyjoy and his past, present and future. This episode includes spoilers for The Forsaken chapter from The Winds of Winter. Listen to our episode on The Forsaken here.

Credits

Our introduction and the Westeros and Essos maps were created by Michael Klarfeld (Klaradox), with the cyvasse pieces created by dutchmogul. Check out the episode on YouTube below to see those images and some great art of Euron while listening, as well as the newest art of Mazzalicartho, by Azany. You can also find these images below.

“Tell the Crow’s Eye he’s afraid of kinslaying, and he’ll murder one of his own sons just to prove you wrong.”

– ADWD, The Wayward Bride

Images of God

“Who knows more of gods than I? Horse gods and fire gods, gods made of gold with gemstone eyes, gods carved of cedar wood, gods chiseled into mountains, gods of empty air… I know them all. I have seen their peoples garland them with flowers, and shed the blood of goats and bulls and children in their names.

And I have heard the prayers, in half a hundred tongues. Cure my withered leg, make the maiden love me, grant me a healthy son. Save me, succor me, make me wealthy, protect me! Protect me from mine enemies, protect me from the darkness, protect me from the crabs inside my belly, from the horselords, from the slavers, from the sellswords at my door. Protect me from the Silence.” He laughed. “Godless? Why, Aeron, I am the godliest man ever to raise sail! You serve one god, Damphair, but I have served ten thousand. From Ib to Asshai, when men see my sails, they pray.” – AFFC, The Iron Captain

Euron by Mike Hallstein — Mike Hallstein

Euron had seduced them with his glib tongue and smiling eye and bound them to his cause with the plunder of half a hundred distant lands; gold and silver, ornate armor, curved swords with gilded pommels, daggers of Valyrian steel, striped tiger pelts and the skins of spotted cats, jade manticores and ancient Valyrian sphinxes…

– AFFC, The Reaver

“When I was a boy, I dreamt that I could fly,” he announced. “When I woke, I couldn’t…. or so the maester said. But what if he lied?”

– The Reaver, AFFC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwKWMSTb1qE&t=6555s

Euron Greyjoy (TWOW spoilers) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwKWMSTb1qE&t=6555s)

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 5 – Bittersteel

The Blackfyre series returns! This time: the life of Aegor Rivers, aka Bittersteel. Aziz also does a Grandpa Simpson impression.

Credits

Our new introduction, animations, and the Bittersteel sigil were created by Michael Klarfeld (Klaradox). dutchmogul created the cyvasse pieces.

“Younger than Daemon Blackfyre, older than Bloodraven. Bittersteel was also a warrior, and looked the part. He was only half Targaryen, so he got the purple eyes, but his hair was black. As an adult he wore a beard, cropped very short, little more than a shadow on his face and jaws. Somewhat of a Conanesque look to him, but not the Frank Frazetta Conan and definitely not the Arnold Conan, more the Barry Windsor-Smith version, or the one described by REH (Robert E. Howard)– he is tall and well made, but lean and lithe as a panther. And angry. No smiles here. Bittersteel was pissed off all his life, and had a special loathing for Bloodraven and his mother, who had displayed his own mother as the king’s favorite.” – GRRM

Serenei was the most beautiful of Aegon’s mistresses, but she was also reputed to be a sorceress. She died giving birth to the last of the king’s bastard children, a girl called Shiera Seastar who became the greatest beauty in the Seven Kingdoms, beloved of both her half brothers, Bittersteel and Bloodraven, whose rivalry would ripen to hatred.

“I should have gone with Bittersteel into exile, or died beside my sons and my sweet king. That would have been a death worthy of a chequy lion descended from so many proud lords and mighty warriors. Daeron’s mercy made me smaller.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IyZi47RyM4

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 5 – Bittersteel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IyZi47RyM4)

Dark Sister

Everything you ever wanted to know (and more) regarding the Valyrian Steel Sword Dark Sister. Famous owners from Queen Visenya to Bloodraven, and all their epic kills! Plus we have speculation about the sword’s future. Let us know what you think the future of the sword is.

Ash has since learned new information straight from GRRM himself – that Bloodraven took Dark Sister with him to the Wall! She asked him this in August 2018, which is two and a half years after this episode.

Credits

Thank you to Joey Townsend for our intro music, and to Ed Scheer for the art. And as always, thank you to our wonderful patrons.

When Queen Visenya and an escort were set upon, two of her guards died before she cut down the last villain herself with Dark Sister.

Dark Sister by Ed Scheer — by Ed Scheer (The Art of Geekishness)

On one occasion in 10 AC, Aegon and Visenya were both attacked in the streets of King’s Landing. If not for Visenya and Dark Sister, the king might not have survived. Despite this, the king still believed that his guards were sufficient to his defense; Visenya convinced him otherwise. It is recorded that when Aegon pointed out his guardsmen, Visenya drew Dark Sister and cut his cheek before his guards could react. “Your guards are slow and lazy.”

“He proved the greatest jouster and swordsman of his age—a knight worthy to bear Dark Sister. He became known as the Dragonknight for the three-headed dragon crest wrought in white gold upon his helm.”

Bloodraven

“Six years ago in King’s Landing, Dunk had seen him with his own two eyes, as he rode a pale horse up the Street of Steel with fifty Raven’s Teeth behind him. That was before King Aerys had ascended to the Iron Throne and made him the Hand, but even so he cut a striking figure, garbed in smoke and scarlet with Dark Sister on his hip.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfssg3tW820

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 4 – The Battle of Redgrass Field (spoiler free)

Aziz is joined by guests Steven Attewell (Race for the Iron Throne) and Jim McGeehin (Wars and Politics of Ice and Fire) to recap and explain one of the largest battles in the history of Westeros: the battle of Redgrass Field. The Red Dragon vs. The Black Dragon, winner takes the Iron Throne. Find the rest of our Blackfyre series here.

The primary topics in this episode:

My Kingdom For An Arrest
Red or Black: Recruitment, Propaganda & Ambition
The Battles before Redgrass
The Day the Grass Bled

“I will never forget the way the sun looked when it set upon the Redgrass Field…ten thousand men had died, and the air was thick with moans and lamentations, but above us the sky turned gold and red and orange, so beautifully it made me weep to know that my sons would never see it.” He sighed. “It was a closer thing than they would have you believe, these days. If not for Bloodraven…”

Red or black? was a dangerous question, even now. Since the days of Aegon the Conquerer, the arms of House Targaryen had borne a three-headed dragon, red on black. Daemon the Pretender had reversed those colors on his own banners, as many bastards did.

“It would suit Lord Bloodraven if their names were all forgotten, so he has forbidden us to sing of them, but I remember. Robb Reyne, Gareth the Grey, Ser Aubrey Ambrose, Lord Gormon Peake, Black Byren Flowers, Redtusk, Fireball . . . Bittersteel! I ask you, has there ever been such a noble company, such a roll of heroes?”

Daemon

Old fools and young malcontents still make pilgrimages to the Redgrass Field to plant flowers on the spot where Daemon Blackfyre fell.

Daemon was the Warrior himself that day. No man could stand before him. He broke Lord Arryn’s van to pieces and slew the Knight of Ninestars and Wild Wyl Waynwood before coming up against Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard. For near an hour they danced together on their horses, wheeling and circling and slashing as men died all around them. It’s said that whenever Blackfyre and Lady Forlorn clashed, you could hear the sound for a league around. It was half a song and half a scream, they say. But when at last the Lady faltered, Blackfyre clove through Ser Gwayne’s helm and left him blind and bleeding.

“There was much and more afterward, I know. I saw a bit of it myself . . . the rebels running, Bittersteel turning the rout and leading his mad charge . . . his battle with Bloodraven, second only to the one Daemon fought with Gwayne Corbray . . . Prince Baelor’s hammerblow against the rebel rear, the Dornishmen all screaming as they filled the air with spears . . . but at the end of the day, it made no matter. The war was done when Daemon died.”

“Some have written of the boldness of the men who fought with Daemon, and others of their treason. But for all their valor in the field and their enmity against Daeron, theirs was a lost cause. Daemon and his eldest sons, Aegon and Aemon, were brought down beneath the withering fall of arrows sent by Brynden Rivers and his private guards, the Raven’s Teeth. This was followed by Bittersteel’s mad charge, with Blackfyre in his hand, as he attempted to rally Daemon’s forces. Meeting with Bloodraven in the midst of the charge, a mighty duel ensued, which left Bloodraven blinded in one eye and sent Bittersteel fleeing.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYbwv1jkdwU

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 4 – The Battle of Redgrass Field (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYbwv1jkdwU)

Red Dragon or Black? – The First Blackfyre Rebellion

“Red or black?” was a dangerous question, even now. Since the days of Aegon the Conquerer, the arms of House Targaryen had borne a three-headed dragon, red on black. Daemon the Pretender had reversed those colors on his own banners, as many bastards did. – The Sworn Sword

Which houses fought for which side during the First Blackfyre Rebellion? Red dragon or black?

Though the war engulfed much of the Seven Kingdoms, we are left guessing as to who fought for whom in many cases. We’ve hunted for every last clue we could, inferred, deduced… and when we had no better option, we made educated guesses. So many of these should not be taken as certain. An unusually pious, honorable, greedy or ambitious Lord could easily change the scope of our guess, so keep that in mind.

Thanks to Jim McGeehin (SomethingLikeALawyer from the Wars & Politics of Ice and Fire) Steven Attewell (Race for the Iron Throne) and Rhaenys Targaryen (top ASOIAF Wiki contributor & Queen of Timelines). This post is intended as a companion piece for our Blackfyre Rebellions coverage, most notably “The Battle of Redgrass Field” which was released on October 31st, 2015.

We’ll go through this region by region. If you don’t see your favorite house listed, let us know and we’ll add it!

First off, the North and the Iron Islands seemed to have not been involved at all. The Redgrass field episode will go into greater detail as to why…

The Vale

For King Daeron II Targaryen:

Arryn
Templeton
Waynwood
Corbray

These banners were all seen at the Redgrass Field, save Corbray. Lord Donnel Arryn led the vanguard. Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard fought an epic duel with Daemon Blackfyre himself, making it highly likely the Corbrays in general stayed loyal.

For Daemon Blackfyre:

Sunderland
Royce?

There is no hard evidence suggesting House Royce fought for Daemon Blackfyre. Their house has a history of stubborn loyalty, which is possible strike against this idea. However, we know there was hard fighting in the Vale, yet so many of the major houses are named and none are Rebels. It is hard to imagine the Sunderlands (and the Three Sisters) being such a major problem on their own. The Three Sisters are islands, but not wealthy or populous. There had to be someone powerful in the Vale fighting for the Black Dragon. The bronze-armored Royces (as you’ll see in an upcoming episode on them) like tradition and the old way of doing things. King Daeron the Good represented change.

Since House Royce has had major issues with House Arryn in the past, and are proud and ancient besides, perhaps they saw a chance to topple House Arryn from the top spot and become Lords Paramount of the Vale. It could be seen as finally taking revenge on the House that removed them from the top spot in the Vale so long ago. The House that took their ancient bronze crown for good and all.

Notable Unknown:

Belmore
Grafton (Gulltown)
Arryn of Gulltown
Hardyng
Hunter
Redfort

The Redforts, also proud of their First Men heritage, have close ties & proximity to the Royces, it’s not unlikely the fought on the same side. The Arryns of Gulltown may have sought an opportunity to supplant the Lordly Arryns of the Eyrie, or supported their cousins honorably.

The Westerlands

For King Daeron II Targaryen:

Lannister
Brax
Kyndall
Lefford
Plumm

Lord Damon Lannister, the Grey Lion, is specifically mentioned as a loyalist. His wife was a lady of House Brax, and his son and heir’s wife was married to a lady of House Kyndall, so both are presumed loyalists. Princess Elaena Targaryen’s marriage to Ossifer Plumm, though short lived, may indicate loyalist leanings.

For Daemon Blackfyre:

Reyne
Crakehall

The famous knight Ser Robb Reyne fought for Daemon Blackfyre. It’s possible House Reyne was divided, but we prefer to guess that they were fully Black. Likewise, the famous knight Redtusk fought for Daemon. There are very few houses in Westeros that feature an animal with a tusk. The boar of Crakehall is the most notable. That Daemon had major support in the West helps back this theory.

Fought on both sides:

Tarbeck

Not unlike the Swanns in the War of Five Kings, or the Hightowers in… well, several wars, House Tarbeck sent men to fight for both the Red and Black Dragon.

Notable Unknown:

Marbrand
Greenfield
Farman
Payne
Prester
Sarsfield
Swyft
Westerling

The Westerlings used to be powerful and highly-regarded. So much so that King Maegor took a certain Jeyne Westerling to wife. That didn’t go so great for Jeyne, and as we know from Robb Stark’s experience, the Westerlings are now poor. The Red Wedding was a way for them to climb back up the ladder. But what caused them to be destitute in the first place? Perhaps they fought on the wrong side of a major rebellion and were punished for it afterwards. It probably wasn’t Robert’s Rebellion, since Tywin sat on the sidelines. So *obviously* it is Daemon Blackfyre’s fault that the Red Wedding happened. House Marbrand’s close ties to House Lannister (and proximity) makes them highly likely to be loyalist. House Farman, which sits on an island, could’ve remained neutral, especially if they feared what the nearby Ironborn might do during the chaos.

The Riverlands

For King Daeron II Targaryen:

Tully
Blackwood
Smallwood

For Daemon Blackfyre:

Bracken
Shawney
Nayland
Heddle
Paege
Frey

House Bracken is Bittersteel’s house, and we know that Lord Bracken went overseas to hire sellswords for Daemon. Masha Heddle ran the Inn at the Crossroads, where Catelyn Stark had Tyrion arrested… and Black Tom Heddle is her ancestor. Black Tom was a Blackfyre supporter, and one wonders if the Heddles had land and title that was taken from them after being on the wrong side of the First rebellion.

It’s easy to miss that Lord Walder Frey was born before the Second Blackfyre Rebellion, which saw his father join only to back out just before things got nasty. Perhaps this is where Lord Walder eventually learned to delay supporting a side until seeing who is going to win. It is not known if the Freys played a role in the First Rebellion, but their presence in the Second might be a clue. Nayland and Paege are similar cases.

Also:

Butterwell
Lothston

Lord Butterwell was Hand of the King to Daeron II and did such a poor job at managing the rebellion that he was fired and accused of sympathizing with Daemon.

Lord Manfred Lothston, aka Manfred of the Black Hood, betrayed Daemon in some unknown fashion. He may have been expected to use his men to delay the Vale army that eventually got in Daemon’s way as his host headed for King’s Landing. Interestingly, Manfred himself may have been another bastard of King Aegon IV.

Notable Unknown:

Mallister
Vance
Darry
Mooton
Piper

As owners of a decent sized port, House Mooton of Maidenpool would be valuable to both sides, but particularly Daemon as he had less presence on the east coast. But we have no clue which side they took, if any.

House Darry is noted for it’s staunch loyalty to the Targaryens over the years, so we would guess they fought for Daeron II.

Stormlands

For King Daeron II:

Penrose
Dondarrion
Wylde

Prince Aerys (later King Aerys I) was brother to King Daeron II, was married to Aelinor Penrose (a cousin). The sons of Lady Penrose, save one, were slain by Fireball during the crossing of the Mander.

House Dondarrion, as a marcher house, would be expected to fight for Daemon Blackfyre. But Daeron II foresaw this danger long in advance and wedded his heir Baelor Breakspear to Lady Jena Dondarrion, assuring their loyalty.

House Wylde had a knight named Ser William in King Daeron’s Kingsguard either before or after the war. In any case, it’s unlikely a house that fought for the Blackfyres would be admitted to the Kingsguard, so we can be confident they were loyalists.

For Daemon Blackfyre:

Caron
Selmy
Swann

These three are the principle Marcher Houses in the Stormlands (save the Dondarrions). These are houses that have long standing hatred of the Dornish, and would despise their high place in the royal family. It is likely that they declared for Daemon Blackfyre, but by the time of the Redgrass Field, Baelor had won over the Stormlands entirely, or almost entirely. Thus, either the Marcher lords stood largely alone, or perhaps one or two of them did not fight for Daemon after all.

Notable Unknown:

Baratheon
Tarth
Estermont
Morrigen
Connington

No Great Houses fought for Daemon Blackfyre, so the Baratheons were likely to be loyal or neutral. Others would have followed their lead for the most part, but there would’ve likely be an exception or two.

Dorne

For King Daeron II:

Martell
Dayne
Manwoody

The Martells were part of the Royal Family, Daeron II’s wife was Princess Mariah Martell. Prince Maekar, “the Anvil” was likewise married to Dyanna Dayne. Princess Elaena Targaryen’s 3rd husband, and most beloved, was Ser Michael Manwoody. This makes it likely that House Manwoody was on good terms with the Targaryens after the war, so we assume they were loyalists.

For Daemon Blackfyre:

Yronwood
Wyl

House Yronwood was said to “ride with Bittersteel in 3 of the Rebellions”. It is confirmed that they were not in the 2nd, and Bittersteel was not in the 5th. That leaves the 1st, 3rd and 4th. They were the primary House in all of Dorne until the coming of Nymeria, and the titles the Lords of Yronwood take reflect this ancient pride. They would’ve loved to take back Dorne from the Martells.

House Wyl is a notorious house and vassal to the Yronwoods. This is the same House that cut the hand off Orys Baratheon, hung Prince Aemon the Dragonknight in a pit above vipers, and taunted King Baelor as he walked past. They were likely involved in treachery that slew King Daeron I the Young Dragon. Given all this enmity with House Targaryen and the attitude of their overlords the Yronwoods, it’s a safe bet that there were not loyalists.

Notable Unknown

Fowler
Blackmont
Uller
Santagar
Jordayne
Gargalen
Vaith

The Fowlers hate the Yronwoods, who fought for Daemon, but they also hate the Tarlys who probably fought for Daemon. The Houses farther from Sunspear would be among the more likely to dislike the Martells, while a house like Santagar, close by (and vassals of), would likely stay loyal.

The Reach

For King Daeron II:

Caswell
Webber
Tyrell
Rowan
Ashford

Interestingly, House Caswell seems to have been loyal in the First Rebellion, only to harbor Blackfyre sympathies during the Second. The reasons for this are unknown.

Refer to the podcast episode for our thoughts on House Tyrell. Steven Attewell has a great theory on how Leo “Longthorn” Tyrell may have been playing a Tywin/Lord Walder wait-and-see who gains the upper hand approach…

House Webber’s was loyal per The Sworn Sword. House Rowan is seen to be on excellent terms with the throne during the same time period.

House Ashford hosted the tourney seen in the Hedge Knight. It is unlikely house so recently in rebellion would’ve had so many Targaryen Princes appear, especially as they seemed on very good terms with Lord Ashford.

For Daemon Blackfyre:

Peake
Ball
Strickland
Costayne
Ambrose
Osgrey
Vyrwel
Bulwer
Cockshaw
Risley
Cuy
Tarly

Here’s the best example of ambitious types we spoke of in Daemon’s episode: House Peake. They have a long history of aiming high, most notably during the Dance of the Dragons. They’re the ones who snagged the Manderly castle after encouraging the King of the Reach to drive them out. Lord Gormon seems to be cut from the same cloth. He commanded the Rebel center during the Battle of Redgrass field and personally slew Hand of the King Lord Hayford in the process. Lord Gormon lost two of his ancestral castles, leaving him with Starpike.

A descendant of his rebelled and slew King Maekar after the King put Starpike under siege.

Some of these houses may not sound familiar, or formidable, but that might be because they were on the losing side. Losers get punished, so some of these names may have loomed quite a bit larger a century ago. Some of the houses listed there aimed to fight for Daemon II in the Second Rebellion, making it likely but not certain that they also fought for Daemon I.

House Ball is Fireball’s house. House Ambrose saw the famous knight Ser Aubrey Ambrose pledge to Daemon Blackfyre. Young Lord Alyn Cockshaw was a close confidant (and probable lover) of Daemon II, and knew all of Daemon’s sons as a child, as they grew up together. House Osgrey of course, is our main source of information for the Battle of Redgrass Field.

House Vyrwel may have been playing double agent in the Second Rebellion. There is some evidence that they were working with Bloodraven. This may have been an attempt to get back into the good graces of the Iron Throne.

House Tarly, as a marcher house, would be likely to fight for Daemon Blackfyre to stop the Dornish encroachment.

Also:

Hightower
Oakheart

Both of these notable houses supported both sides in unknown fashion.

Notable Unknown:

Beesbury
Florent
Fossoway
Shield Islands houses
Merryweather
Redwyne
Roxton
Serry

Often, houses follow the lead of their primary overlord. House Beesbury is vassal to Hightower, but the Hightowers played both sides.

House Florent has long sought to claim Highgarden, we hear of it in ASOIAF in current times even. This would’ve seemed like a golden opportunity to become Lords Paramount of the Reach. A perfect example of a “second best tier” house trying to move up, as discussed in the podcast.

The Shield Islands houses, like the Farmans of the West, may have been too concerned with the Ironborn to play a major role.

House Fossoway had not yet split into the Green and Red apple branches, but a Ser Derek “the Bad Apple” Fossoway was one of the Band of Nine along with Maelys the Monstrous. Perhaps the connection to the Blackfyres goes back to the First Rebellion.

Crownlands

For King Daeron II:

House Darklyn of Duskendale is noted for it’s historic loyalty, putting *seven* knights into the Kingsguard over the years. This truth is obscured by the more recent Defiance of Duskendale.

There’s a chance House Velaryon fought for Daemon Blackfyre. Daemon’s grandmother Daenaera would have only the barest relation to Daeron II. Though Oakenfist (d171-176) was the one who arranged Viserys’ release from Lys, that may not matter. Oakenfist was also Daeron I’s admiral, and his own descendants may have preferred to back the man who didn’t make peace with Daeron I’s murderers. Aegon IV arguably tried to have Oakenfist killed by repeatedly sending him on dangerous missions. Eventually, it worked.Hayford

The Crownlands are sworn to the Iron Throne, thus this region would be mostly or near-entirely for Daeron II. But this is not 100% certain.

Lord Hayford became Hand of the King during the war, and was stalwart. Yet apart from Hayford, we hear of the Crownlanders not at all on the Redgrass Field…

See a house missing? Let us know and we’ll add our best guess!

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 1 – Aegon IV the Unworthy (spoiler free)

This episode covers the life of Aegon IV the Unworthy, the man who fathered the Blackfyre Rebellions. A King who used the Iron Throne to serve his needs, caring little for the realm. Aegon IV made life miserable for his sister Naerys and brother Aemon the Dragonknight while siring Bittersteel, Bloodraven, Shiera Seastar and Daemon Blackfyre himself. Listen to the rest of our Blackfyre Rebellions series here.

“Aegon the Fourth legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed. And how much pain, grief, war, and murder grew from that? I know you trust Jon. But can you trust his sons? Or their sons? The Blackfyre pretenders troubled the Targaryens for five generations, until Barristan the Bold slew the last of them on the Stepstones.”

“…no king before or after would practice so much willful misrule.”

“Treason . . . is only a word. When two princes fight for a chair where only one may sit, great lords and common men alike must choose. And when the battle’s done, the victors will be hailed as loyal men and true, whilst those who were defeated will be known forevermore as rebels and traitors.”

“His last act before his death, all accounts agree, was to set out his will. And in it, he left the bitterest poison the realm ever knew: he legitimized all of his natural children, from the most baseborn to the Great Bastards—the sons and daughters born to him by women of noble birth. Scores of his natural children had never been acknowledged; Aegon’s dying declaration meant nought to them. For his acknowledged bastards, however, it meant a great deal. And for the realm, it meant blood and fire for five generations.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIXGoLC2OLM

Blackfyre Rebellions: Part 1 – Aegon the Unworthy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIXGoLC2OLM)