Blackfyre Rebellion

A civil war born of bastardy and blood, ending in fire and exile.

Set roughly ninety years before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire, the Blackfyre Rebellion is a pivotal conflict in the history of Westeros. It centers on the struggle between the ruling Targaryen line and the descendants of Daemon Blackfyre, an illegitimate son legitimized by King Aegon IV. The rebellion involves key figures like Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aegon (the future Aegon V), who witness its aftermath firsthand.

Quick Facts

Primary battle: Battle of the Redgrass Field

Lore & Background

The rebellion's conclusion is explicitly detailed through the eyes of Ser Eustace Osgrey and Dunk. Flashbacks narrated by Ser Eustace recount the Battle of the Redgrass Field, where the Blackfyre forces were defeated. Ser Eustace himself was a former traitor who supported the usurper Daemon Blackfyre before being stripped of most of his lands for this treason. During the events of The Sworn Sword, set during the reign of Aerys I, the aftermath of the rebellion is examined in detail: Lady Rohanne Webber refuses to marry because she once loved Addam, Ser Eustace's youngest son, who died at Redgrass Field. The conflict also shaped family sigils; for instance, House Peake forfeited two of their three castles to the Crown after siding with Daemon Blackfyre in his rebellion.

Reader's Guide

The Blackfyre Rebellion began when Daemon I Blackfyre challenged the throne but was defeated at the Battle of the Redgrass Field. Key consequences include the stripping of lands from supporters like Ser Eustace Osgrey and the forfeiture of castles by House Peake. The conflict created a lineage of pretenders, with figures like Glendon Ball claiming descent from Blackfyre loyalists such as Quentyn "Fireball." In the years following the battle, the Targaryen crown maintained control but faced ongoing suspicion; for example, at the Whitewalls tourney in The Mystery Knight, attendees included those who had supported the rebellion. The war's end did not erase its impact: Addam Osgrey died at Redgrass Field, and his memory drove Lady Rohanne Webber's refusal to remarry until decades later.