Aegon I Targaryen

Aegon was born in 27 BC on Dragonstone, the son of Lord Aerion Targaryen and Lady Valaena Velaryon. Twelve years before his birth, the Doom of Valyria had destroyed the Valyrian Freehold, leaving House Targaryen as the sole surviving dragonlords. Aegon had two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, whom he married in accordance with Valyrian tradition to preserve their dragonriding bloodline. The family ruled as lords of Dragonstone, a small island off the coast of Westeros, for over a century before Aegon conceived his grand ambition.

According to legend, Aegon had a prophetic dream, a vision of a great darkness from the far north threatening all of Westeros. He believed the only way to stand against it was to unite the squabbling kingdoms under a single ruler. In 2 BC, he began building a fleet and commissioned the Painted Table, a massive carved map of Westeros, to plan his campaign. The Conquest began in 1 AC when Aegon and his sisters landed with their dragons, Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes, at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush.[edit]

Aegon was pragmatic and decisive, known for his calm demeanor in battle and his willingness to accept surrender. He rarely showed anger, even after the death of his wife Rhaenys, but grew melancholic in his later years. He was not cruel, but he was ruthless when necessary, the Field of Fire proved he would burn entire armies to achieve his goals. He had a strong sense of duty, believing his conquest was not just ambition but a necessity to save the realm from a future threat. He was also politically astute, understanding the importance of symbols: he forged the Iron Throne from enemy swords and adopted the Faith of the Seven to win over the smallfolk and the nobility.[edit]

Aegon's story begins with the Conquest itself. In 1 AC, he subdued the Riverlands and the Crownlands, then faced the combined forces of King Loren Lannister and King Mern IX Gardener at the Field of Fire. His dragons burned over 4,000 men, forcing both kings to surrender. Loren bent the knee and became Warden of the West; Mern died, and his kingdom of the Reach was given to House Tyrell. Torrhen Stark, King in the North, knelt without a fight after seeing the devastation, becoming the King Who Knelt. The Vale, the Stormlands, and the Iron Islands also submitted, but Dorne resisted. In 4 AC, Rhaenys and Meraxes were killed in Dorne, and Aegon's attempt at vengeance, the First Dornish War, ended in a stalemate after five years.

After the Conquest, Aegon established the King's Peace, outlawing wars between the great houses. He created the Kingsguard in 10 AC and appointed his half-brother Orys Baratheon as the first Hand of the King. He began construction of the Red Keep in 19 AC, but it was completed after his death. His final years were spent mostly on Dragonstone, where he died of a stroke in 37 AC at age 64. His legacy was a unified Westeros that lasted nearly three centuries under Targaryen rule.[edit]

Aegon the Conqueror is one of the most iconic figures in fantasy literature, his story establishing the Targaryen dynasty's three-century rule. The phrase 'Fire and Blood,' the Targaryen house words, originates from his conquest. His dragon Balerion is synonymous with absolute power. On Ranker, he is the 4424th most popular fictional character overall and 212th among fantasy characters. His influence permeates the lore, from the Iron Throne's design to the Targaryen sigil of a three-headed dragon representing himself and his sisters.[edit]