Lịch sử Game of Thrones: Nhà Targaryen chiếm Westeros như thế nào? (bản đầy đủ) | Hải Stark

Key Concepts:

• A Song of Ice and Fire: A fantasy novel series by George R.R. Martin, known for Game of Thrones.
• Valyrian Freehold: An ancient, powerful empire in Essos that mastered dragon riding and magic.
• Dragonstone: An island in the Narrow Sea, the ancestral home of House Targaryen.
• Aegon's Conquest: The military campaign led by Aegon Targaryen to unite the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
• The Doom of Valyria: A cataclysmic event that destroyed the Valyrian Freehold.
• Blackfyre and Dark Sister: Legendary Valyrian swords.
• The Iron Throne: The throne of Westeros, forged from the swords of conquered enemies.
• The Faith of the Seven: The dominant religion in Westeros.
• The Targaryen Dynasty: The ruling house of Westeros for nearly 300 years.

1. The Origins of House Targaryen and the Valyrian Freehold

• Valyrian Freehold: Approximately 5,000 years before Game of Thrones, a new power emerged in Essos: the Valyrian Freehold. Originating from a small tribe near the Fourteen Flames (a volcanic mountain range), they discovered and domesticated dragons using a combination of skill, force, and magic.
• Empire Building: With dragons as their ultimate weapon, the Valyrians expanded their influence, conquering and destroying two ancient empires, the Ghiscari and the Rhoynar. Queen Nymeria of the Rhoynar led her people to Westeros on 10,000 ships.
• Structure of Power: The Valyrian Freehold was not ruled by a single monarch but by 40 dragonlord families. House Targaryen was one of these families, though initially minor.
• The Doom of Valyria: In 114 BC (Before Conquest), a catastrophic event, referred to as "The Doom," struck the Valyrian Freehold. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis devastated the land, destroying the empire and its dragons.
• Targaryen Survival: House Targaryen survived the Doom because, 12 years prior, Princess Daenys Targaryen foresaw the catastrophe and convinced her father, Lord Aenar Targaryen, to relocate the family and their five dragons to Dragonstone.

2. The Birth of Aegon Targaryen and Preparations for Conquest

• Dragonstone as a Base: After the Doom, House Targaryen established itself on Dragonstone, a strategic outpost controlling access to the Narrow Sea. They were supported by their vassals, House Velaryon (navy) and House Celtigar (control of the Narrow Sea), and their remaining dragons.
• Aegon's Lineage and Marriages: Aegon Targaryen was born in 27 BC. He was the son of Lord Aenar Targaryen. Following ancient Valyrian custom of incestuous marriage to maintain blood purity, Aegon was betrothed to his elder sister, Vaella. However, he was in love with his younger sister, Rhaenys, and controversially married both.
• Dragons: Of the five dragons House Targaryen brought to Dragonstone, four died. Only Balerion the Black Dread remained. Two new dragons, Vhagar and Meraxes, hatched, bringing their dragon count to three. Aegon rode Balerion, Vaella rode Vhagar, and Rhaenys rode Meraxes.
• Strategic Planning: Despite never having set foot in Westeros before his conquest, Aegon meticulously studied the continent. He commissioned a detailed wooden map of Westeros, identifying the ruling houses and their territories:
  • North: House Stark (Winterfell)
  • Southwest: House Martell (Sunspear)
  • West: House Lannister (Casterly Rock)
  • The Reach: House Gardener (Highgarden)
  • The Vale: House Arryn (Eyrie)
  • Iron Islands and Riverlands: House Hoare (Harrenhal)
  • Stormlands: House Durrandon (Storm's End)
• The Spark of Conflict: King Argilac Durrandon of the Stormlands, facing threats and seeking to reclaim lost lands, proposed a marriage alliance with Aegon, offering lands east of the Gods Eye. Aegon refused, citing his two wives. Argilac, in anger, beheaded Aegon's envoy and challenged House Targaryen. Aegon responded by sending ravens across Westeros, declaring that from that day forward, there would be only one king. Those who bent the knee would keep their lands; those who resisted would be destroyed.

3. The First Battles of Aegon's Conquest

• Landing at the Blackwater Bay: Aegon landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Bay with a small army (around 3,000 men). The region, nominally controlled by the Stormlands and Riverlands, was undefended. Aegon quickly secured the area, naming the three hills after himself and his sisters.
• Early Victories:
  • Rhaenys and Meraxes: Took Harrenhal without a fight.
  • Vaella and Vhagar: Overcame resistance at Stockwolt, burning the castle's roof and forcing surrender.
  • Battle of the Weeping Water: Aegon's commander, Orys Baratheon, defeated Lords Darklyn of Duskendale and Mooton of Maidenpool, who had attacked with 3,000 men. Aegon and Balerion attacked from above, securing victory.
• Founding of Aegonfort: Aegon built a wooden fortress, Aegonfort, on the highest hill, where the lords of the Blackwater Bay swore fealty. The Targaryen banner, a red dragon on a black field, was raised.
• Initial Advance and Setbacks: Aegon divided his forces:
  • Orys Baratheon and Rhaenys with Meraxes marched towards the Stormlands.
  • A fleet led by Daemon Velaryon attacked the Arryn stronghold of Gulltown, with Vaella and Vhagar.
  • Aegon led the remaining forces towards the Gods Eye.
  • Stormlands: Orys's army was ambushed, suffering heavy losses.
  • Gulltown: Daemon Velaryon was killed, and the fleet was defeated by the Arryn fleet.
  • Gods Eye: Aegon faced ambushes from Black Harren's sons.
• Dragon Power Turns the Tide: Despite initial setbacks, the dragons proved decisive. Rhaenys and Meraxes burned the Stormlands ambushers. Balerion destroyed the Arryn fleet. Vhagar burned the Arryn ships. The dragons' aerial superiority reversed the fortunes of war.

4. The Conquest of the Riverlands and the Fall of Harrenhal

• Riverlords' Discontent: The lords of the Riverlands, resentful of Harren Hoare's brutal rule and the construction of Harrenhal, refused to answer his call to arms against Aegon.
• Edmund Tully's Defection: Lord Edmund Tully of Riverrun openly declared for Aegon, rallying other Riverlords, including Blackwood, Bracken, Piper, Mallister, and Frey. Aegon's army swelled to 8,000 men.
• Harrenhal's Impenetrability: Harren Hoare retreated into his massive, seemingly impregnable fortress, Harrenhal, which had five colossal towers, inexhaustible water supplies, and immense walls.
• Aegon's Offer and Harren's Defiance: Aegon offered Harren terms of surrender, but Harren refused, boasting of his castle's strength. Aegon warned that stone could not withstand dragons.
• The Dragon's Fury: As night fell, Aegon and Balerion attacked Harrenhal. Balerion's fire melted the stone, igniting the castle's wooden structures, supplies, and inhabitants. Harren and his sons perished in the inferno.
• Aftermath: The House Hoare's rule over the Riverlands ended. Aegon appointed Edmund Tully as the first Lord Paramount of the Riverlands.

5. The Battle of the Last Storm and the Fall of House Durrandon

• Stormlords' Loyalty: The Stormlords remained loyal to King Argilac Durrandon. Argilac gathered his forces at Storm's End, a formidable castle.
• Argilac's Defiance: News of Harrenhal's fate did not deter Argilac. He vowed to die with his sword in hand, not like Harren burned in his own castle.
• The Battle: Argilac led his army out to meet Aegon's forces, commanded by Orys Baratheon. Rhaenys and Meraxes scouted Argilac's movements. Orys chose a defensive position on the hills south of Bronzegate.
• The Storm and the Battle: A storm began as the Stormlands army advanced. Argilac, confident in his superior numbers (twice that of Orys's army), ordered an attack. The battle was fierce and bloody.
  • Argilac's knights struggled on the muddy slopes.
  • Orys's infantry advanced under the cover of rain.
  • Rhaenys and Meraxes intervened, turning the tide with dragonfire.
• Argilac's Death: Argilac Durrandon was surrounded and killed in combat by Orys Baratheon, fulfilling his vow to die with his sword in hand.
• Fall of Storm's End: Orys marched on Storm's End. Argilac's daughter, Princess Argella Durrandon, declared herself queen but her men, terrified of the dragons, surrendered. Argella was captured and presented to Orys, who, impressed by her spirit, married her.
• Orys as Lord Paramount: Orys Baratheon was appointed Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, adopting the Durrandon sigil and taking the title of Storm King.
• Dragon's Importance: The victory at the Last Storm highlighted the crucial role of dragons in Aegon's conquest. Without them, Aegon would have likely been defeated early on.

6. The Reactions of the Remaining Kings

• Threat Assessment: Upon hearing of Argilac's defeat, the remaining kings of Westeros recognized Aegon as a serious threat and began to plan.
• The Vale: Queen Regent Sharra Arryn of the Vale gathered forces at the Bloody Gate. Despite the destruction of the Arryn fleet at Gulltown, Sharra proposed marriage to Aegon. Aegon refused, not needing to conquer the Vale by force.
• The North: King Torrhen Stark of the North began mustering his forces, but the vastness and sparse population of the North made mobilization slow. Aegon, confident in the impregnability of the Neck, focused his attention south and west.
• The Reach and the Westerlands: King Mern Gardener of the Reach and King Loren Lannister of the Westerlands formed a powerful alliance, amassing a combined army of 60,000 men, dubbed the "Iron Fist of the West." They met Aegon's forces, primarily from the Riverlands, in the fertile plains.
• Aegon's Disadvantage: Aegon's army was significantly outnumbered (10,000 men), largely comprised of newly subjugated Riverlords, and lacked cavalry. The terrain favored the Lannister-Gardener forces.

7. The Battle of the Burning Fields

• The Alliance's Plan: The allied kings planned to attack Aegon's flanks and crush his army in the center.
• Aegon's Strategy: Aegon, aware of the numerical disadvantage, noted the dry, tall wheat fields and the clear sky.
• The Battle: As the Lannister-Gardener army advanced, Aegon's forces initially retreated. However, this was a ruse. Aegon, Vaella, and Rhaenys unleashed their dragons.
  • Aegon and Balerion, followed by Vaella and Vhagar, and Rhaenys and Meraxes, unleashed a torrent of dragonfire.
  • The dry fields ignited, creating a massive inferno that engulfed the allied army.
  • The smoke blinded and disoriented the enemy, causing their ranks to break.
• Devastating Losses: The Battle of the Burning Fields resulted in catastrophic losses for the allied forces: 4,000 burned alive, 1,000 killed by arrows and spears, and 10,000 severely burned. King Mern Gardener and all his sons and grandsons were killed. King Loren Lannister narrowly escaped. Aegon's army suffered fewer than 100 casualties.
• Consequences: The Reach and Westerlands were conquered. Loren Lannister surrendered and swore fealty to Aegon, becoming Lord Paramount of the Westerlands. Harlon Tyrell surrendered Highgarden, and Aegon appointed him Lord Paramount of the Reach, elevating House Tyrell.

8. The Kings Bend the Knee

• Northern Advance: With the South and West secured, Aegon prepared to march north. However, news arrived that Torrhen Stark had crossed the Neck with a large army.
• Targaryen Superiority: Aegon's combined forces (Westerlands, Reach, Stormlands, Riverlands) outnumbered Torrhen's army by 15,000 men.
• The Neck's Defenses: The Neck was a formidable natural defense, and the North had a history of repelling invaders.
• The Dragons' Deterrent: Torrhen Stark, upon reaching the Trident, saw Aegon's army on the other side, with the three dragons circling overhead. The devastation of Harrenhal and the Burning Fields convinced him that a direct assault would be suicidal.
• Brandon Snow's Plan: Torrhen's bastard half-brother, Brandon Snow, proposed a daring plan to sneak across the Trident and assassinate the dragons.
• Torrhen's Decision: After a night of deliberation, Torrhen Stark chose peace over war. He personally crossed the Trident, knelt before Aegon, and surrendered his crown.
• The King Who Knelt: Torrhen was appointed Lord of Winterfell and Protector of the North. He became known as "The King Who Knelt." This decision, though seen as a blow to Northern pride, saved thousands of Northern lives.

9. The Conquest of the Vale and Dorne

• The Vale: Aegon sent Vaella and Vhagar to the Vale. Queen Regent Sharra Arryn had reinforced the Bloody Gate. However, Vaella simply flew Vhagar over the defenses and landed within the Eyrie. Young Prince Ronnel Arryn, fascinated by the dragon, begged his mother to fly with Vaella. The Vale was thus peacefully absorbed. Ronnel was made Lord of the Eyrie and Protector of the East.
• Dorne's Resistance: Rhaenys and Meraxes faced a different challenge in Dorne. The Dornish employed a "scorched earth" tactic, abandoning their castles and towns, leaving them empty. Rhaenys burned several settlements, but the Dornish remained elusive.
• Princess Meria Martell: Rhaenys eventually reached Sunspear and met Princess Meria Martell, an elderly but formidable ruler. Meria refused to surrender, stating that Dorne had no king and would not bend the knee. She declared their motto: "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken." Dorne remained independent.

10. The Battle of the Burning Fields and the Fall of the Reach and Westerlands

• Aegon's Arrival in Oldtown: Aegon proceeded to Oldtown, the religious center of Westeros and home to the High Septon and the Faith Militant. The High Tower family, rulers of Oldtown, and the High Septon, after receiving divine guidance, chose to surrender peacefully to avoid the destruction of their city.
• Coronation: The High Septon anointed Aegon with holy oils and placed the crown on his head, declaring him Aegon I, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, and Lord Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. This marked the beginning of the Targaryen dynasty.
• Founding of King's Landing: Aegon chose the site of his initial landing at the Blackwater Bay to build his capital, King's Landing, on three hills. The Iron Throne, forged from the swords of his defeated enemies, was placed there.
• The Dornish War (First Dornish War): Despite being crowned King of the Six Kingdoms, Dorne remained independent. Four years into his reign (4 AC), Aegon launched the First Dornish War.
• Dornish Tactics: The Dornish again employed their "scorched earth" and guerrilla tactics, making it difficult for Aegon's army to find supplies or engage in decisive battles. Many of Aegon's soldiers succumbed to the heat and lack of water.
• Orys Baratheon's Capture: Orys Baratheon was captured by Lord Will of House Yronwood at the Battle of the Weeping Walls.
• Loss of Meraxes and Rhaenys: During a retaliatory attack on Hellholt, Meraxes was killed by a scorpion bolt, and Rhaenys Targaryen died with her dragon. This was a significant loss for Aegon.
• The Dragon's Fury: In response to the loss of Rhaenys and Meraxes, Aegon and Vaella unleashed the "Dragon's Fury," burning many Dornish castles. However, Sunspear remained untouched, as Aegon feared Dornish poisons.
• Meria Martell's Death and Peace: Meria Martell died in 13 AC. Her son, Prince Nymor Martell, sent his daughter, Princess Deria Martell, to King's Landing with Meraxes's skull and a peace proposal. Dorne agreed to peace but insisted on remaining an independent kingdom. Aegon, after reading Nymor's letter, accepted the terms, ending the war. The contents of the letter remain unknown, with speculation that Rhaenys was held hostage.
• Legacy of Aegon's Conquest: Aegon's Conquest, lasting approximately 15 years, resulted in the unification of six of the Seven Kingdoms. He established King's Landing and the Kingsguard. Despite the costly Dornish War, his reign laid the foundation for the Targaryen dynasty, which ruled for 283 years.

Conclusion:

Aegon's Conquest was a pivotal event in Westerosi history, marked by strategic brilliance, brutal warfare, and the decisive power of dragons. While Aegon successfully united six of the Seven Kingdoms, his ambition to conquer Dorne ultimately failed, resulting in significant losses, including his beloved sister-wife Rhaenys and her dragon Meraxes. The conquest established the Targaryen dynasty and laid the groundwork for the political landscape of Westeros for centuries to come. The narrative highlights the importance of dragons as a game-changing military asset and the resilience of Dorne's independent spirit.