This video is full of spoilers for the end of
House of the Dragon. So if you haven’t read the books and you care about spoilers, click away
now. I’ve done videos on every Targaryen king up until this point in fake history, and
a couple of those videos are good.
The story of Aegon Targaryen the Third is one
of tragedy, loss, and renewal. In the last video in this series, we looked at the reigns
of Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who tore Westeros apart in their feud for the Iron Throne.
Aegon III’s reign began with the end of the brutal civil war that tore his family and realm apart,
the Dance of the Dragons. His mother Rhaenyra fought his uncle Aegon II for the Iron Throne.
Aegon was deeply traumatized by the war. His ship was attacked, he had to cling to his dragon’s
neck to escape the battle, which left his brother Viserys behind and his half-brother Jacaerys
to die in the fight. He waited in the Red Keep while his mother Rhaenyra ruled for half a year,
until the city rose up in violent riots against the Targaryens, in which Aegon lost his older
half-brother, Joffrey Velaryon. So he escaped once more with his mother to Dragonstone, where
he was forced to watch as Aegon II fed Rhaenyra to his dragon. He was then made a hostage
of Aegon the Elder, who threatened to cut off his ear until his court poisoned him.
When the war was done, Aegon lost his mother, his father, his brother, all of his half-brothers,
and his dragon. During his gloomy reign, he was called “a singularly joyless man.” “A shadowy
monarch who said little and did less, and lived a life steeped in grief and melancholy.”
Kermit Tully and Ben Blackwood, who were 19 and 13 respectively, led the black army into King’s
Landing, where the smallfolk cheered them on, as peace was finally at hand. A “strange euphoria”
took hold over the city as Tully and Blackwood planned to issue pardons to the green lords and
have a lavish coronation for Aegon. Leowyn Corbray secured Duskendale, his brother Corwyn secured
Maidenpool, and Alyn Velaryon took Dragonstone. All the green lords were summoned to the Red Keep
to pledge Aegon III fealty, with the promise of safe conduct and full pardons. This short-lived
euphoria was known as the False Dawn.
With the arrival of Cregan Stark, the Hour of
the Wolf began. He chastised the lads Tully and Blackwood for offering the green lords pardons,
and began to plan new excursions against Storm’s End, Oldtown, and Casterly Rock. When he met
Aegon, Corlys, and the Lads, Cregan told them, “The North remembers.” The Starks pledged Rhaenyra
fealty, and fought for her in the Riverlands. Cregan himself only just arrived from Winterfell,
but he meant to continue the war in Rhaenyra’s name. Oldtown and Casterly Rock had not yielded
and still held the crown’s gold, and Storm’s End still held Jaehaera, Aegon II’s daughter who might
be crowned against Aegon III. Blackwood said, “Half your men will die, Lord Stark.” Cregan said,
“They died the day we marched, boy.” Winter was coming, so lots of men in the North left their
homes to find an honorable death in the south, giving their families one fewer mouth to
feed during the coming harsh winter.
Corlys Velaryon urged for peace, just as he had to
Aegon II, and just as he had to Rhaenyra. He said if Aegon II had heeded his council, he might still
be alive. “Is that why you poisoned him, my lord?” Cregan Stark asked. At once, Northmen filled the
room and arrested Corlys, Larys Strong, Grand Maester Orwyle, Ser Perkin (the knight who raised
up Trystane Truefyre), and Septon Eustace, all accused of conspiring to poison King Aegon.
The realm would surely have plunged right back into war if not for the women who made peace.
During the false dawn, ravens flew to the green lords offering pardons in exchange for fealty.
During the Hour of the Wolf, those ravens were being answered. The widow Lady Johanna of Casterly
Rock was defending against Dalton Greyjoy, the Red Kraken. She agreed to pledge fealty and send back
all the crown’s gold, so long as Tyland Lannister, who was master of coin for Aegon II, was released
from the dungeons and so long as the crown told Dalton Greyjoy to end his attacks.
Lady Elenda, the widow of Borros Baratheon, pledged fealty as well, and returned Princess
Jaehaera to King’s Landing, Aegon’s future bride. The Hightowers were still dangerous, with plenty
of gold and plenty of troops. After his father Ormund’s death, the new Lord Hightower was Lyonel,
a boy of 15. Lady Samantha Tarly was married to Lord Ormund, but Lyonel had the hots for his
step-mom. She promised to marry Lyonel as long as he agreed to the crown’s peace terms. He did. It’s
also possible that Lyonel was forbidden to raise an army by the Tyrells, or else his brother,
who was a ward of Highgarden, may be harmed. Whether it was Lady Sam or House Tyrell who
convinced him, Lyonel Hightower made peace.
Lady Jeyne Arryn arrived at the Red Keep with
Rhaena Targaryen, one of Daemon’s twin daughters, who spent the Dance in the Eyrie, where
she hatched a pink dragon named Morning. She and her twin sister Baela became the
darlings of the city, and demanded that Lord Stark allow them to see Aegon, who
was confined to Maegor’s Holdfast.
With the realm agreeing to peace, Cregan Stark no
longer had a war to fight, but he demanded at the very least that justice be served to Aegon II’s
murderers. Even though he fought for Rhaenyra, Cregan believed high treason could not go
unpunished. No lord, however, has the right to judge another lord, so Aegon had to make Cregan
his Hand before the trials began. In the end, Septon Eustace was released, Grand Maester Orwyle
was sentenced to death for providing the poison, four Kingsguard were sentenced to death (since “No
knight of the Kingsguard should outlive his king when that king dies by violence”), Ser Perkin was
sentenced to death, and Corlys Velaryon and Larys Strong, the two main conspirators, were also
judged guilty, and sentenced to death. Cregan tried to sentence the men who rescued Baela to
death, since they killed King Aegon’s guards to do so, but Baela waved a sword and said she would
cut off the hand of any man who tried to kill the men who saved her, so Cregan relented.
Baela and Rhaena also fought for the release of their grandfather, Lord Corlys, and convinced
Aegon to command Cregan Stark to spare him, since if Corlys had not poisoned Aegon II, he
may have killed Aegon III. Mushroom says it was actually Alysanne Blackwood who told Cregan
to let Corlys live for the sake of peace, and gave Cregan any wish he desired in
return. Cregan desired Alysanne herself, so they got married and Corlys lived.
The man who passes the sentence must swing the sword, so Cregan Stark wielded Ice and prepared
to execute dozens of men. All of the prisoners save two wished to join the Night’s Watch instead
of losing their heads. Ser Gyles Belgrave of the Kingsguard agreed that he should not outlive his
king, and Larys Strong wished to be sent to hell, and asked that Cregan hack off his
clubfoot after he took his head, to let him be free of it in death at last.
After six days, Cregan Stark took off his badge, resigned as Hand of the King, and went back North.
The year was 131 AC and King Aegon was only 10, so a council of regents was selected. Tyland
Lannister was the new Hand, but his face was hideously scarred after being blinded and tortured
in the dungeons, so he wore a hood at court. It gave him a sinister aspect and smallfolk talked of
the masked sorcerer inside the Red Keep. Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower had gone fairly mad, and
was imprisoned in her bedchamber after telling her daughter Jaehaera to cut Aegon’s throat.
Tyland abolished the taxes imposed by Rhaenyra, halted progress on the statues of Aemond and
Daeron that Aegon II ordered to be built, strengthened the royal fleet, and did much more
to stabilize the realm. But the marriage between 11 year old Aegon and 8 year old Jaehaera was
shockingly not going well. Grand Maester Munkun said “These are not normal children … Both of
them are broken … They have no joy in them; they neither laugh nor play.” It makes sense
given that Jaehaera witnessed her twin brother get beheaded in front of her, and lost her other
brother and her father while she hid in Storm’s End during the war. The only thing Aegon and
Jaehaera had in common was depression.
Aegon had no friends except for Gaemon
Palehair, the boy who was king for a couple days after Rhaenyra fled the city. Aegon showed
no emotion except when it came to dragons - the mere mention of dragons sent Aegon into a rage.
When his step-sister and cousin Rhaena visited him with Morning, Aegon yelled “get that
wretched creature out of my sight.”
Early in 132 AC, the seven regents were down
to four. Lady Arryn and Lord Caron left to defend against incursions to their land,
and Corlys Velaryon collapsed on a flight of stairs. It is said that during the Sea Snake’s
funeral, the wild dragon Cannibal flew overhead. That is very cool, but probably not true.
Baela and Rhaena were the face of the dynasty, attending feasts and greeting lords while King
Aegon and Queen Jaehaera kept hidden in their rooms. The council of regents needed to decide
who Aegon’s heir would be until he had a son. Aegon himself suggested his friend Gaemon. Others
suggested Baela or Rhaena, but they were women, and Westeros just got done fighting a pretty big
war to avoid a woman in charge. But if one of them had a son, then that boy would be Aegon’s heir.
So Baela and Rhaena needed to get married.
The regents decided Baela would marry Lord Rowan,
who according to Baela was “forty years my senior, bald as a stone, with a belly that weighs
more than I do.” Baela had also already slept with several of his sons. Baela went
to Driftmark, told all this to Alyn Velaryon, and then married him instead. Rhaena married
Corwyn Corbray, wielder of Lady Forlorn.
Late in the year 132, Winter Fever swept
across Westeros. Thousands died in the North, and in the new year, the disease reached
King’s Landing. The first sign of winter fever was a red face, which was followed by
a rising fever, violent shivering, delirium, and bloody sweats. Death usually came by the
fourth day. Queen Alicent died of Winter Fever, and in her last hours, she wanted to see her sons
and Helaena again, as well as Old King Jaehaerys, who she had read to as a young girl.
Surprisingly, Aegon emerged from his solitude and visited the sick folks, holding their hands, and
listening to their stories. When his Hand Tyland Lannister came down with the Covid, Aegon sat with
him as well, the man who once urged for his death when Aegon II retook King’s Landing.
Upon Tyland’s death, the 12 year-old King Aegon showed signs of action for once in his life. He
named two knights to his kingsguard, summoned Lord Rowan to be his new Hand, and brought Baela back
to court as well, with her husband Alyn Velaryon, who Aegon intended to name the new admiral.
Aegon made these orders without talking to his regents. Lord Unwin Peake was the most
outspoken. He was lord of Starpike, Whitegrove, and Dunstonbury, the castle that
had once belonged to House Manderly before their exile from the reach. House Peake was powerful
under the Gardener Kings, but their influence and gold decreased after Aegon’s Conquest, when
the Tyrells were installed in Highgarden.
Unwin Peake reversed all of Aegon’s orders. He
named Ser Marston Waters, the kingsguard who stood by as Rhaenyra was burned by Sunfyre, the new Lord
Commander of the Kingsguard. Peake also gave white cloaks to his nephew and his bastard brother.
He let Lord Rowan sit on the council of regents, but took the title of Hand of the King and
Protector of the Realm for himself, determined to restore House Peake to its former glory.
So Aegon went back into his sullen silence as Unwin Peake ruled Westeros for the remaining
three years of the regency. Peake trusted no one, and guarded himself with sellswords led by
Tessario the Tiger. As Lord Peake was the Hand, his sellsword guards were known as his Fingers. He
filled the Red Keep with his friends and family. He essentially had the selfishness of Littlefinger
without the political cunning, as we’ll see.
Unwin Peake ignored Aegon whenever
possible, and treated him “more
like a sulky boy than like a king.” Aegon did have
to preside over the Feast Day of our Father Above, a holy day celebrating The Father, an aspect of
the Seven representing judgement. On Feast Day in 133 AC, Lord Peake emptied the dungeons of the Red
Keep. 68 criminals were dealt with in one way or another, while Aegon watched silently.
Lord Peake increased the royal fleet so the crown would depend less on House Velaryon, and
installed his uncle as the fleet’s commander. They were tasked with taking the Stepstones, which
were being fought over by the Free Cities. Alyn Velaryon took matters into his own hands and
sank over 30 Braavosi ships. The smallfolk of King’s Landing hailed him as Alyn Oakenfist,
and he brought an elephant back for Aegon, but Lord Peake was angry, since Alyn didn’t
actually take the Stepstones, and only allowed Racallio Ryndoon’s pirate kingdom to grow.
To rid himself of Alyn Oakenfist, Unwin Peake devised a plan. He would command him to sail to
the Iron Islands and end the struggle with Dalton Greyjoy for good. If Alyn died, Peake no longer
had to deal with him. If Alyn was successful, Peake no longer had to deal with the
Greyjoys. Win-win for Unwin.
Later in the year, Queen Jaehaera Targaryen
died at the age of 10. She was found impaled on the iron spikes below Maegor’s Holdfast, the
same way her mother Helaena had killed herself. Her death was marked down as suicide, but wiser
men believed Lord Unwin Peake was responsible. Peake knew that Aegon was not likely to
get an heir from Jaehaera for many years, and since Rhaena had a miscarriage, he wanted to
avoid the heir being the potential son of Baela and Alyn Velaryon. Peake needed Jaehaera to die
so Aegon could marry an older girl who could give him a son … like his own daughter, Myrielle Peake.
Seven days after Jaehaera’s death, Unwin announced his plan to wed Aegon to his own daughter.
Wait, I think I’ve already seen this one.
The other regents believed he was overstepping
his rights. So instead, Houses from every corner of the realm sent their eligible daughters and
sisters to the Red Keep to be presented before King Aegon. A grand ball was held on Maiden’s
Day. Over a thousand girls attended, and it became known as the Maiden’s Day Cattle Show. Aegon sat
the Iron Throne while each girl was announced, but never gave more than a courteous nod or short
greeting to any of them. When the show was nearly over, a horn blast announced the dramatic arrival
of the dragon twins, Baela and Rhaena, who rode their horses into the throne room. With them came
Daenaera Velaryon, the six year old daughter of Daemon Velaryon, and granddaughter of Vaemond, who
Rhaenyra had fed to Syrax. Daemon died fighting in the Stepstones, and Daenaera’s mother died
of the Winter Fever, but their daughter was “surpassingly beautiful.” At the foot of the Iron
Throne, Rhaena said, “Brother … if it please you, we have brought your new queen.” She had the blood
of Old Valyria, and she was said to be “ a bright, sweet, happy little girl, the perfect antidote
to the young king’s gloom.” Her eyes were as blue as the summer sea, while Aegon had “purple
eyes so dark that they were almost black.”
Unwin Peake was angry at Aegon’s decision
to marry Daenaera, but there was nothing he could do. And since Daenaera was only 6,
Aegon could go back to his loneliness and not have to worry about producing an heir.
At sea, Alyn Velaryon’s first stop was at the Stepstones, where he met with Racallio Ryndoon,
who agreed to let Alyn pass in exchange for 3 ships, an alliance, and a kiss from Princess
Baela. Alyn’s next stop was Dorne, where Princess Aliandra Martell gave him supplies, and according
to some, they had a bit of sex as well. He then stopped at Oldtown, where he became close friends
with Lord Lyonel Hightower and his paramour, Lady Samantha. Finally, when Alyn Velaryon reached
the Iron Islands, his work was already done for him. One of Dalton Greyjoy’s salt wives had cut
his throat while he slept. The Greyjoy fleet dissolved and the Lannisters were saved.
On his journey back, Alyn stopped once more in Sunspear. During dinner with Princess
Aliandra, a man from Lys named Drazenko Rogare whispered something into Alyn’s ear. This
made him change course and sail for Lys.
Back in the Red Keep, Queen Daenaera’s sunny
nature brightened King Aegon somewhat. He was seen about the castle more than before
and even began to attend Small Council meetings. But every time he’d speak, Lord
Unwin said Aegon was wasting their time, so he stopped attending. Unwin Peake was sour
and bitter, and jealous of Alyn Velaryon, who he said was “dripping with undeserved acclaim.”
So Unwin Peake coped and seethed while Alyn Oakenfist had returned at last from Lys.
Aegon and Daenaera rode out to the docks to greet him. Aegon said, “We are glad to have you
safe home, my brother.” Alyn replied, “You have honored me with your sister’s hand, and I am proud
to be your brother by marriage. Yet I can never
be your brother by blood. But there is one who
is.” With that, a silver-haired boy and an older woman emerged from the ship. King Aegon began to
weep, as he ran to the boy and hugged him. The treasure Alyn Velaryon found in Lys was Viserys
Targaryen, Aegon’s beloved little brother. Aegon had never forgiven himself for leaving Viserys
behind at the Battle of the Gullet, when he escaped on his dragon Stormcloud. “the Broken King
felt himself unworthy to sit the Iron Throne”
Viserys once again became Aegon’s
closest companion, lifting the king from his loneliness and his gloom. He was two
years younger than Aegon, at the age of 12, but he was married to Larra Rogare of Lys.
Viserys had been a hostage of Lysandro Rogare, a wealthy Lysene banker, who made a deal with
Alyn Velaryon. The deal made Unwin Peake very, very angry. Alyn agreed to pay the Rogares 100,000
golden dragons in exchange for Prince Viserys, as well as move the crown’s gold from the Iron
Bank to the Rogare Bank, and give lordships to Lysandro’s sons. Unwin Peake resigned and the
council of regents appointed Lord Rowan, Aegon’s initial choice, as the new Hand of the King.
Viserys became Aegon’s heir, and a year later, Larra gave birth to their first son, a
boy who Viserys named after his brother, and who would later become known
as King Aegon the Unworthy.
The period of wealth that followed the Rogare
arrival to King’s Landing was known as the Lysene Spring. The North was starving, the Iron Islands
were in a power vacuum in the wake of Dalton Greyjoy’s death, and the Vale were in a power
vacuum after Lady Jeyne Arryn died of sickness. But King’s Landing prospered, at least.
To solve these issues, Hand of the King Lord Rowan sent food up North (though it was nowhere
near enough), commanded the Lannisters to stop fighting the Greyjoys for revenge, and commanded
the claimants to the Vale to come to the Red Keep and present their cases (though neither the
Lannisters nor Arryns did as he wished).
Finally the spring came. “Spring is ever
a season of hope, rebirth, and renewal, and the spring of 135 AC was no different.” Toron
Greyjoy finally succeeded his father Dalton, Cregan Stark borrowed from the Iron Bank to buy
food for his people, and the various port towns of Westeros saw massive prosperity. The succession
crisis in the Vale continued, however.
On Driftmark, Baela’s 1 year old daughter Laena
hatched her dragon egg. But it was a malformed, white monstrosity and it bit a chunk off
baby Laena’s arm. Alyn Velaryon hacked it to pieces. This news was extremely troubling
to King Aegon, who famously hated dragons, and he quarreled with his brother Viserys,
who still had his own dragon egg. Aegon commanded that no dragon eggs were allowed in his
castle, so Viserys sent his egg to Dragonstone and didn’t speak to Aegon for weeks.
Only when Aegon’s friend Gaemon Palehair died did Viserys return to Aegon and comfort him.
Gaemon and Queen Daenaera had fallen deathly ill during dinner after someone poisoned the apple
tarts. Aegon didn’t like sweets so he was spared of the poison, but Gaemon died and Daenaera was
saved just in time by Grand Maester Munkun.
Aegon’s old gloom had settled over him once
again, and he seemed to lose all interest in his court and kingdom. Then came the swift and
brutal fall of the House of Rogare, as Larra’s father Lysandro and his brother Drazenko were
killed in Lys and Sunspear, respectively, believed to have been assassinated by Faceless Men. In
King’s Landing, the Rogare Ascendancy crumbled, as lords of Westeros demanded their gold from the
Rogare Bank. Moredo Rogare fled to Braavos. Lotho was arrested, as was Roggerio, who was marched
through a jeering crowd at spearpoint. Hand of the King Lord Rowan himself was even arrested
on the suspicion of financial crimes in collusion with the Rogares.
As the court began to crumble, Aegon, Daenaera, Viserys, and Larra locked themselves in
Maegor’s Holdfast, separated from the rest of the Red Keep. Ser Amaury Peake of the kingsguard
approached them, trying to arrest Lady Larra, but Viserys met him on the drawbridge wielding
an axe. “If you are come to take my lady wife, ser, turn and go,” the young prince said, “for
you shall not pass whilst I still stand.” Aegon himself then came out, after Peake mentioned
that Ser Marston Waters had been named Hand of the King, who once watched as Aegon’s mother
was killed by Aegon II. King Aegon said, “I am the king … and I never chose Ser Marston for
my Hand.” Viserys said, “The Hand names the regent and the regent names the Hand, and round and round
and round we dance… but you shall not pass, ser, nor shall you touch my wife. Begone, or I promise
you, every man of you shall die here.”
Ser Amaury Peake continued toward Maegor’s
Holdfast, so out came Sandoq the Shadow to greet him. Sandoq was a nearly seven
foot tall former pit fighter in Meereen, who was in the service of Lady Larra. He had no
tongue and a curved Valyrian steel sword. He used that sword to cut down Peake and his men.
Aegon and his family stayed inside Maegor’s Holdfast for 18 days. Each day Ser Marston Waters
would try to convince him to leave. He told Aegon he had every intention of serving him faithfully,
and that he would gladly fall upon his sword if Aegon commanded so… when he came of age. The year
was 135 AC, and Aegon was still 15, a year short of manhood. He told Ser Marston that “You stood
beside me when the dragon ate my mother … All you did was watch. I will not have you watch
while they kill my brother’s wife.”
On the 12th day of the Secret Siege, named
thusly since no one else in the city or realm knew it was happening, Lord Rowan was brought
before Aegon. Rowan confessed to many crimes, the worst of which being that he plotted with
the three Rogares to poison Aegon in order to make Larra Viserys’s Queen. Prince Viserys was
smart, however, and asked Lord Rowan if his wife Larra was part of the plot as well. She was, Rowan
confessed. Viserys asked if he himself was guilty, and Rowan confessed that yes, the prince
plotted against Aegon as well. Then Viserys asked if Gaemon Palehair had a hand in
the poisoning. Rowan confessed that yes, Gaemon poisoned himself. Mushroom, understanding
what was happening, asked Rowan if he was guilty of poisoning King Viserys, Aegon’s grandfather,
who Rowan had nothing to do with at all. But Rowan confessed anyway. King Aegon commanded Ser
Marston Waters to arrest the Lord Confessor, George Graceford, one of Unwin Peake’s
leftover henchmen. It was he who forced Lord Rowan to make these false confessions.
Waters died in the ensuing violence as the rest of Peake’s henchmen were rounded up.
Lord Rowan was no longer in a fit state to rule, so Lord Torrhen Manderly was made the new Hand of
the King. He enacted tax reforms that increased the crown’s gold while relieving those lords
who lost money with the Rogare Bank. He named three new knights of the kingsguard as well.
Early in 136 AC, Larra Rogare had another son, who would later become known as Prince Aemon
the Dragonknight. His brother Aegon was caught beating him with his dragon egg.
With Aegon’s 16th nameday approaching, Lord Manderly planned out a royal progress of Westeros;
a grand tour in which Aegon and Daenaera would visit each corner of the realm and show himself to
his people. Maester Munkun told Aegon that “Spring is a time for new beginnings … and this will
mark the true beginning of your reign.”
On the morning on Aegon’s 16th nameday, he walked
into the small council chambers, shocking his regents. “Lord Manderly,” Aegon said, “pray tell
me how old I am, if you would be so good.” “You are ten-and-six today, Your Grace,” Lord Manderly
replied. “A man grown. It is time for you to take the governance of the Seven Kingdoms into your
own hands.” “I shall,” King Aegon said. “You are sitting in my chair.”
There would be no royal tour, Aegon declared. “If any man requires words
with me, he will find me on the Iron Throne.” Nor would there be a birthday feast. All the
food should be given to the smallfolk. At last, Aegon said, “Consider yourselves free to go.
I shall have no further need of regents.” And thus did the rule of the regents come
whimpering to an end, as the broken reign of the Broken King began.
This is where Fire & Blood ends; it goes in-depth on the reigns of each king from Aegon the
First through the regency of Aegon the Third. But Aegon III would reign for another 21 years. The
rest of what we know comes from The World of Ice and Fire and various other sources.
Aegon’s youth was stolen by the Dance of the Dragons and his manipulative regents.
When he finally ascended the throne, “He was melancholy to the end of his days, found
pleasure in almost nothing, and locked himself in his chambers to brood for days on end.”
He hated being touched, even by his queen, but eventually he and Daenaera Velaryon
had two sons and three daughters. Daeron, his heir, was named Prince of Dragonstone.
Aegon was cold to those he ruled, but his brother Viserys was charming. They made a good team, until
Viserys’s wife Larra Rogare left King’s Landing in 139 AC and went back home to Lys. From then on,
Viserys was nearly as gloomy as his brother.
King Aegon was at one point convinced to attempt
to restore House Targaryen’s dragon power. He hired 9 mages from Essos to work spells on a
clutch of eggs, but no dragons ever hatched.
TWOIAF tells us that “There were four
dragons still living at the start of his reign— Silverwing, Morning, Sheepstealer,
and the Cannibal. Yet Aegon III will always be remembered as the Dragonbane, for the last
Targaryen dragon died during his reign in the year 153 AC.” So we don’t know how Rhaena’s
Morning died, and the whereabouts of the other three dragons were forever unknown.
The Last Dragon was a small, sickly green female who laid a clutch of eggs before dying. Some
rumors say that King Aegon poisoned her, for his fear of dragons. Nevertheless, it was said that
“magic had begun to go out of the world the day the last dragon died.” Not for 145 years would the
night come alive with the music of dragons.
Aegon the Dragonbane died at the age of
36 from consumption, or Tuberculosis, a bacterial infection of the lungs. He reigned for
26 years, from 131 to 157 AC. “The melancholy king is not remembered fondly, and his legacy
would pale before that of his sons.”
His heir Daeron would become known as the Young
Dragon, a famous warrior-king who fought to bring Dorne into the kingdom of Westeros. But his story
will be featured in my next video in this series. Let me know in the comments your thoughts on
Aegon III’s melancholic reign, and how much of his regency you think will be adapted in House of
the Dragon. Thanks for watching and subscribing.
