House Blackfyre

House Blackfyre of Pentos is the cadet branch of House Targaryen, House Blackfyre was founded by Daemon Blackfyre, a legitimized Great Bastard of King Aegon IV Targaryen. House Blackfyre is named for the Valyrian steel sword of the same name.
Their sigil was a black three-headed dragon, breathing black fire on red, the Targaryen sigil with the colours reversed. Their house words are "We Bear the Sword". Among the traits passed on to the Blackfyres by the Targaryens were platinum blond hair, violet eyes and the premonition-like dragon dream ability.
== History ==
=== Origin ===
Daemon Waters was a bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen. When Daemon won a squires' tourney at the age of twelve, Aegon granted him knighthood and surprisingly gave him Blackfyre, one of the ancestral Valyrian steel swords of House Targaryen. According to Ser Eustace Osgrey, Blackfyre had been wielded by every king from House Targaryen since the Conquest. Daemon subsequently took the name Blackfyre for himself.
When Aegon IV was on his deathbed, the king legitimized his bastard children, including Daemon Blackfyre. The young knight wed Rohanne of Tyrosh when he was fourteen, and Daemon was granted a tract of land along the Blackwater Rush and the right to build a keep there by his half-brother, King Daeron II Targaryen.
=== First Blackfyre Rebellion ===
In 196 AC Daemon and his friends and allies revolted against Daeron II Targaryen, his half-brother, using the old rumour that Daeron was the son of Aemon the Dragonknight instead of King Aegon IV Targaryen and that the gift of the ancestral weapon Blackfyre proved that Aegon wanted Daemon to succeed him. Since many bastards reversed their family's colours, the banners of Daemon's rebels depicted a black three-headed dragon on a red field instead of House Targaryen's red dragon on a black field. Daemon also struck his own coinage during the war.
Ultimately the Blackfyre Rebellion failed in the Battle of the Redgrass Field. Daemon broke Lord Arryn's van in the battle, slaying Wyl Waynwood and the Knight of Ninestars and severely injuring Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard. While protecting his fallen foes, however, Daemon and his two eldest sons, Aemon and Aegon Blackfyre, were slain by his Great Bastard half-brother, Brynden Rivers, known as Bloodraven, and the Raven's Teeth.
Daemon's remaining sons fled to the Free Cities of Essos with his principal supporter, Aegor Rivers, known as Bittersteel, another Great Bastard of King Aegon IV. When Aegor saw all the exiled lords and knights signing on with other sellsword companies, and saw the support of House Blackfyre ebbing away, he created his own sellsword company, the Golden Company.
=== Second Blackfyre Rebellion ===
Daemon II Blackfyre, who had dragon dreams, defeated Ser Franklyn Frey and Ser Galtry the Green in the wedding tourney at Whitewalls, which was where the Second Blackfyre Rebellion began in 211 AC. However, the rebellion was snuffed out quickly by Bloodraven before it could spread beyond Whitewalls, and several key Blackfyre supporters were killed. The remaining sons and their descendants attacked the Seven Kingdoms three more times.
=== Third Blackfyre Rebellion ===
In 219 AC, Bittersteel launched a new invasion after crowning Haegon I Blackfyre. It was late in the reign of King Aerys I Targaryen, who was not very involved in ruling. The leadership of his younger brother, Prince Maekar Targaryen, during the conflict was commendable, as was the courage of Maekar's youngest son, Prince Aegon Targaryen. Prince Aerion Targaryen was also active in its events.
The war featured the second duel between Bittersteel and Bloodraven. At the end of the final battle, Haegon was dishonourably killed after he surrendered and had given up his sword. Bittersteel was taken captive and led in chains to the Red Keep. While Aerion Brightflame and Bloodraven both urged that Bittersteel be executed, King Aerys offered Aegor mercy, sending him north to join the Night's Watch. The Golden Company learned of this through their informants, however, and attacked the prisoner transport as it sailed to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Before the year was over, Bittersteel returned to Tyrosh and crowned Haegon's eldest son as Daemon III Blackfyre.
=== Great Council of 233 AC ===
After the death of King Maekar I Targaryen in 233 AC, there was no definitive heir to ascend the throne, so the Hand of the King, Lord Bloodraven, called a Great Council. Aenys Blackfyre, writing from exile, put forth his claim to the Iron Throne. Lord Brynden offered him safe conduct to King's Landing so Aenys could present his claim in person. As soon as Aenys entered King's Landing, however, he was seized by the gold cloaks and dragged to the Red Keep where he was executed. His head was presented to the lords of the Great Council as a warning to any who might still have Blackfyre sympathies.
=== Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion ===
In 236 AC, Daemon III Blackfyre led the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion, landing at Massey's Hook. The rebellion had little support, however, as people thought the Blackfyres to be done, as tattered as their banners. At the Battle of Wendwater Bridge, Ser Duncan the Tall slew Daemon. Bittersteel retreated across the narrow sea again, and the war was quickly over.
=== War of the Ninepenny Kings ===
The last attack of the Blackfyres occurred when Maelys I Blackfyre, head of the Golden Company, joined forces with a number of ambitious men and eventually invaded the Stepstones in 260 AC as a base for a future invasion of the Seven Kingdoms. King Jaehaerys II sent an army that defeated the rebels. Maelys the Monstrous was killed in single combat by Ser Barristan Selmy, who cut a bloody path though the Golden Company's ranks to get to Maelys.
According to Illyrio Mopatis, the Blackfyres were extinguished in the male line when Maelys was slain. What happened to the female line is currently not known.
=== Sixth Blackfyre Rebellion ===
== House members at the end of the fourth century ==
=== of Aerion ===
* Lord Jacaerys Blackfyre
** Lady Name
*** Aemon Blackfyre, the eldest child, died of the flu before his first nameday.
*** Naera Blackfyre, the eldest daughter
*** Ser Daemon Blackfyre, second son of King Jacaerys Blackfyre
*** Daena Blackfyre, second born daughter and fourth born child
*** King Aegon I Blackfyre, 
**** Queen Estelle Tarly, his lady-wife 
***** Princess Visenya Blackfyre, their only daughter.
***Rhaenyra Blackfyre
***Maegor Blackfyre
*Name Blackfyre
**Lady Name Blackfyre
***Ser Aemond Blackfyre, Lord Commander of Aegon's Kingsguard.
***Melora Blackfyre
=== of Daemon ===
* Haegon Blackfyre
** Roelle Blackfyre nee Tarth
*** Rhaegar Blackfyre
*** Rhaella Blackfyre
== Historical Members ==
* Daemon I Blackfyre, born as Daemon Waters, founder of House Blackfyre. Started the First Blackfyre Rebellion.
** Aegon Blackfyre, his first born son. His fathers heir and squire. Twin to Aemon.
** Aemon Blackfyre, his second son. A squire to his father and twin to Aegon.
** Daemon II Blackfyre, his third son. He led the brief Second Blackfyre Rebellion.
** Haegon I Blackfyre, his fourth son. Heir to his older brother Daemon II. Led the Third Blackfyre Rebellion
*** Daemon III Blackfyre, Haegon's eldest son, who led the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion.
** Aenys Blackfyre, his fifth son.
** Calla Blackfyre, his daughter, promised in marriage to Ser Aegor Rivers before the First Blackfyre Rebellion.
** Two other sons and at least one daughter.
* Daemon Blackfyre, a cousin to Maelys I, of unknown exact descent.
* Maelys I Blackfyre, Captain-General of the Golden Company, last of the Blackfyres. Of unknown exact descent. Fought in the Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion, the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
Category:House Blackfyre
Category:House Targaryen
Category:Royal houses
Category:Cadet branches
Category:Crownlands