The War of Conquest was the campaign in which Aegon I conquered Westeros. Supported by his two sisters, their dragons and a small army of soldiers, the Targaryens subdued six of the Seven Kingdoms. Not all the continent had to be taken by conquest, some regions and houses actively supported House Targaryen and others submitted voluntarily
Events: Beachhead landing The Targaryen host landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush next to three hills. Upon the highest hill, Aegon started construction of a wooden motte and bailey fort as his first claim to the mainland of Westeros. Visenya crowned Aegon and Rhaenys hailed him as king. He sent Visenya and Rhaenys to subdue the local lords; Rosby yielded to Rhaenys and Visenya took Stokeworth without any bloodshed. The Darklyns of Duskendale and Mootons of Maidenpool did put up a fight but were easily beaten.
The Battle Of Gulltown After being crowned King, Aegon sent his fleet commanded by Daemon Velaryon to take Gulltown with his sister Visenya Targaryen and her dragon. In the ensuing battle, the Arryn fleet was able to defeat the Targaryen fleet and Daemon Velaryon was killed. Visenya Targaryen on her dragon, Vhagar, burned the Arryn fleet in response. Though, the Targaryens lost the battle, the Sistermen on the Three Sisters revolted against the House Arryn because of the lost fleet.
Conquest of the Riverlands and Iron Islands Aegon first struck northwest against the King of the Iron Islands, Harren the Black. King Harren ruled both the Iron Islands and the Riverlands from his newly-completed monstrous fortress of Harrenhal, the greatest Westeros has ever known, which is considered impregnable against siege or storm. When King Harren refused to surrender, Aegon used his dragon to overcome Harrenhal's defenses and burned Harren and his sons alive in what was later called Kingspyre Tower. The remaining ironborn fled back to the Iron Islands, Aegon hounded them all the way back with the aid of the Riverlords, where he demanded their fealty. The ironborn elected Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke to lead them, and Greyjoy and Tully were among the first to swear their fealty to Aegon. For Tully's service, Aegon made them overlords of the Riverlands, making all other lords along the Trident to swear fealty to them.
Conquest Of The Stormlords Aegon first struck northwest against the King of the Iron Islands, Harren the Black. King Harren ruled both the Iron Islands and the Riverlands from his newly-completed monstrous fortress of Harrenhal, the greatest Westeros has ever known, which is considered impregnable against siege or storm. When King Harren refused to surrender, Aegon used his dragon to overcome Harrenhal's defenses and burned Harren and his sons alive in what was later called Kingspyre Tower. The remaining ironborn fled back to the Iron Islands, Aegon hounded them all the way back with the aid of the Riverlords, where he demanded their fealty. The ironborn elected Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke to lead them, and Greyjoy and Tully were among the first to swear their fealty to Aegon. For Tully's service, Aegon made them overlords of the Riverlands, making all other lords along the Trident to swear fealty to them.
Battle of Two Kings or The Field Of Fire After their separate engagements, the Targaryens and their dragons met at the Stoney Sept in response to the gathering of a great host in the west. Alarmed at the sweeping success of the invaders, King Loren Lannister of the Rock and King Mern IX of the Reach made an alliance and assembled their armies to face the Targaryens. Their army, dubbed by historians 'The Host of the Two Kings', numbered 55,000; five thousand of them mounted knights, while the Targaryens had only 10,000 men, many of uncertain loyalty and reliability. The battle went badly for the Targaryen army. With their smaller force severely weakened and in danger of routing, Aegon and his sisters deployed all three dragons at once; the only time this happened during the war. Their combined fires scoured the battlefield, immolating more than four thousand men (including King Mern and his heirs) and giving the battle its name: The Field of Fire. After he was captured, King Loren bent the knee and was allowed to remain Lord of Casterly Rock and became the first Warden of the West. With Mern dead, Aegon accepted the surrender of Harlen Tyrell, Mern's steward, and appointed him overlord of the Reach. This infuriated House Florent, who had a superior blood-claim to the Gardener line, but Aegon dismissed this.
Conquest Of The North A host of northmen under the leadership of the King In The North, Torrhen Stark, marched south towards the Riverlands and Aegon halted his southern advance, mustered his troops and dragons to meet him on the banks of the Red Fork of the Trident, east of Riverrun. Torrhen intended to engage Aegon in battle, but viewing Aegon's vast host and his dragons made Torrhen realise his folly and instead he bent the knee in submission. Aegon named him Lord of the North and of Winterfell. In later years, an inn was built on the site of this event, known as the Inn of the Kneeling Man.
Conquest of The Vale The head of House Arryn, King of Mountain and Vale was a young boy, Ronnel Arryn. His mother, Sharra Arryn, ruled as regent. She sent sent a massive army to the Bloody Gate and then she returned to the Eyrie for safety. Visenya Targaryen simply rode her dragon, Vhagar, up into the courtyard of the Eyrie. The regent then rushed outside to see the young king seated on the dragon begging for a ride. The regent acknowledged King Aegon's supremacy, and the young king got his ride.
Battle Of Dorne Rhaenys led an invasion of Dorne in an attempt to secure the southernmost lands as well. The army was taken through the Red Mountains, but the Dornish, having learned of the mistakes made at the Field of Fire and Harrenhal, refused to give open battle or hide in their castles, instead striking supply lines and engaging in guerilla warfare and melting away before the dragons could be brought to bear. Rhaenys captured holdfasts to no avail, as their people had already fled, leaving only the elderly and infirm. Frustrated, Rhaenys flew directly to Sunspear to demand Princess Mariya's surrender. Mariya instead informed her that, "This is Dorne. You are not wanted here, return at your peril." Rhaenys replied that she would return with "Fire and blood," but Mariya simply replied, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken." The Targaryen army withdrew from Dorne, leaving the country untaken. A thousand pinpricks did what a single pitched battle could not, and Aegon chose to withdraw and leave Dorne an independent nation.
Conquest Of Oldtown When news arrived in Oldtown of the landing of Aegon and his sisters, the High Septon fasted and prayed for seven days and nights under the dome of the Starry Sept in Oldtown. He then announced that the Faith would not have them oppose the Targaryens, because the Crone had shown him that to do so would mean the destruction of Oldtown in dragonflame. Lord Hightower, a pious man, kept his forces at Oldtown and when Aegon's marched south towards Oldtown, he freely open his gates submitting to Aegon's authority. The High Septon then anointed Aegon and acknowledged his place as King of Westeros, destroying much of the remaining opposition among the Westerosi people.
Events:
Beachhead landing
The Targaryen host landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush next to three hills. Upon the highest hill, Aegon started construction of a wooden motte and bailey fort as his first claim to the mainland of Westeros. Visenya crowned Aegon and Rhaenys hailed him as king. He sent Visenya and Rhaenys to subdue the local lords; Rosby yielded to Rhaenys and Visenya took Stokeworth without any bloodshed. The Darklyns of Duskendale and Mootons of Maidenpool did put up a fight but were easily beaten.
The Battle Of Gulltown
After being crowned King, Aegon sent his fleet commanded by Daemon Velaryon to take Gulltown with his sister Visenya Targaryen and her dragon. In the ensuing battle, the Arryn fleet was able to defeat the Targaryen fleet and Daemon Velaryon was killed. Visenya Targaryen on her dragon, Vhagar, burned the Arryn fleet in response. Though, the Targaryens lost the battle, the Sistermen on the Three Sisters revolted against the House Arryn because of the lost fleet.
Conquest of the Riverlands and Iron Islands
Aegon first struck northwest against the King of the Iron Islands, Harren the Black. King Harren ruled both the Iron Islands and the Riverlands from his newly-completed monstrous fortress of Harrenhal, the greatest Westeros has ever known, which is considered impregnable against siege or storm.
When King Harren refused to surrender, Aegon used his dragon to overcome Harrenhal's defenses and burned Harren and his sons alive in what was later called Kingspyre Tower. The remaining ironborn fled back to the Iron Islands, Aegon hounded them all the way back with the aid of the Riverlords, where he demanded their fealty. The ironborn elected Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke to lead them, and Greyjoy and Tully were among the first to swear their fealty to Aegon. For Tully's service, Aegon made them overlords of the Riverlands, making all other lords along the Trident to swear fealty to them.
Conquest Of The Stormlords
Aegon first struck northwest against the King of the Iron Islands, Harren the Black. King Harren ruled both the Iron Islands and the Riverlands from his newly-completed monstrous fortress of Harrenhal, the greatest Westeros has ever known, which is considered impregnable against siege or storm.
When King Harren refused to surrender, Aegon used his dragon to overcome Harrenhal's defenses and burned Harren and his sons alive in what was later called Kingspyre Tower. The remaining ironborn fled back to the Iron Islands, Aegon hounded them all the way back with the aid of the Riverlords, where he demanded their fealty. The ironborn elected Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke to lead them, and Greyjoy and Tully were among the first to swear their fealty to Aegon. For Tully's service, Aegon made them overlords of the Riverlands, making all other lords along the Trident to swear fealty to them.
Battle of Two Kings or The Field Of Fire
After their separate engagements, the Targaryens and their dragons met at the Stoney Sept in response to the gathering of a great host in the west.
Alarmed at the sweeping success of the invaders, King Loren Lannister of the Rock and King Mern IX of the Reach made an alliance and assembled their armies to face the Targaryens. Their army, dubbed by historians 'The Host of the Two Kings', numbered 55,000; five thousand of them mounted knights, while the Targaryens had only 10,000 men, many of uncertain loyalty and reliability. The battle went badly for the Targaryen army.
With their smaller force severely weakened and in danger of routing, Aegon and his sisters deployed all three dragons at once; the only time this happened during the war. Their combined fires scoured the battlefield, immolating more than four thousand men (including King Mern and his heirs) and giving the battle its name: The Field of Fire.
After he was captured, King Loren bent the knee and was allowed to remain Lord of Casterly Rock and became the first Warden of the West. With Mern dead, Aegon accepted the surrender of Harlen Tyrell, Mern's steward, and appointed him overlord of the Reach. This infuriated House Florent, who had a superior blood-claim to the Gardener line, but Aegon dismissed this.
Conquest Of The North
A host of northmen under the leadership of the King In The North, Torrhen Stark, marched south towards the Riverlands and Aegon halted his southern advance, mustered his troops and dragons to meet him on the banks of the Red Fork of the Trident, east of Riverrun. Torrhen intended to engage Aegon in battle, but viewing Aegon's vast host and his dragons made Torrhen realise his folly and instead he bent the knee in submission. Aegon named him Lord of the North and of Winterfell. In later years, an inn was built on the site of this event, known as the Inn of the Kneeling Man.
Conquest of The Vale
The head of House Arryn, King of Mountain and Vale was a young boy, Ronnel Arryn. His mother, Sharra Arryn, ruled as regent. She sent sent a massive army to the Bloody Gate and then she returned to the Eyrie for safety. Visenya Targaryen simply rode her dragon, Vhagar, up into the courtyard of the Eyrie. The regent then rushed outside to see the young king seated on the dragon begging for a ride. The regent acknowledged King Aegon's supremacy, and the young king got his ride.
Battle Of Dorne
Rhaenys led an invasion of Dorne in an attempt to secure the southernmost lands as well. The army was taken through the Red Mountains, but the Dornish, having learned of the mistakes made at the Field of Fire and Harrenhal, refused to give open battle or hide in their castles, instead striking supply lines and engaging in guerilla warfare and melting away before the dragons could be brought to bear.
Rhaenys captured holdfasts to no avail, as their people had already fled, leaving only the elderly and infirm. Frustrated, Rhaenys flew directly to Sunspear to demand Princess Mariya's surrender. Mariya instead informed her that, "This is Dorne. You are not wanted here, return at your peril." Rhaenys replied that she would return with "Fire and blood," but Mariya simply replied, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken." The Targaryen army withdrew from Dorne, leaving the country untaken. A thousand pinpricks did what a single pitched battle could not, and Aegon chose to withdraw and leave Dorne an independent nation.
Conquest Of Oldtown
When news arrived in Oldtown of the landing of Aegon and his sisters, the High Septon fasted and prayed for seven days and nights under the dome of the Starry Sept in Oldtown. He then announced that the Faith would not have them oppose the Targaryens, because the Crone had shown him that to do so would mean the destruction of Oldtown in dragonflame. Lord Hightower, a pious man, kept his forces at Oldtown and when Aegon's marched south towards Oldtown, he freely open his gates submitting to Aegon's authority. The High Septon then anointed Aegon and acknowledged his place as King of Westeros, destroying much of the remaining opposition among the Westerosi people.