Robert's Rebellion

Robert's Rebellion, also known as the War of the Usurper, was one of the last great civil wars among the Great Houses of Westeros that took place approximately seventeen years before the War of the Five Kings begins, and lasted about one year or two, if one counts the Assault on Dragonstone as the final engagement of the conflict. It was sparked by the Execution of Rickard and Brandon Stark by the Mad King.
== History ==
=== Prelude ===
Aerys II Targaryen was King of the Andals and the First Men and the last member of House Targaryen to sit on the Iron Throne. The King is nicknamed the Mad King because his reign became increasingly erratic and murderous. Consequently, tensions between House Targaryen and several other Great Houses began to rise. The brutal fallout from Prince Rhaegar's alleged abduction of Lyanna Stark saw many noble Houses in the realm rebel against his rule. In truth, however, Lyanna had not been kidnapped; she had eloped with Rhaegar, who had the High Septon issue an annulment to his marriage with Elia Martell.
Lyanna was the daughter of Rickard Stark, Warden of the North, and betrothed to Robert Baratheon, the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. House Stark and House Baratheon were the first to protest Rhaegar's actions. Brandon Stark demanded justice from Aerys in person. Aerys had him arrested for treason and then offered to ransom him to his father Rickard. Aerys summoned Rickard to court and, when he arrived, publicly and very brutally executed both father and son. The brutal murder of Brandon and Rickard engendered much sympathy for the rebels and many Houses joined their cause.
=== The rebellion ===
Jon Arryn was the Lord Paramount of the Vale, the Warden of the East and a respected nobleman. Both Rickard's second son Eddard Stark and Robert were fostered with him as children and became close friends. When Aerys demanded that Eddard and Robert be turned over to the King's Justice, Lord Jon refused and raised his banners in revolt. The rebels forged an alliance with House Tully through marriage, with Eddard married to Catelyn Tully, who previously was to marry Brandon, and the then-middle-aged Jon to the young Lysa Tully.
Stannis Baratheon fought for his elder brother Robert during the war. Aerys used his allies in House Tyrell to besiege Stannis at Storm's End for much of the war. Stannis's force was rescued from starvation by the smuggler Davos, who brought a ship full of onions and fish into the castle. Rhaegar was killed during the fighting at the Battle of the Trident, slain by Robert himself. The site of his death is now called the Ruby Ford because it is believed to be scattered with rubies from the fallen prince's armor.
=== Sack of King's Landing ===
It was in this final hour that Tywin Lannister decided to join the conflict. He marched with a large force to King's Landing and asked that he and his bannermen be allowed into the city to aid in its defense. Aerys made the mistake of trusting his old friend and ordered the gates opened. The moment the Lannister host had entered, the Sack of King's Landing ensued.
Seeing that he was doomed, Aerys decided to ignite several caches of wildfire placed throughout the city and burn King's Landing to the ground, but was slain by Ser Jaime Lannister. His final words were "Burn them all."
Aerys had kept Rhaegar's wife Elia of House Martell and her children in King's Landing to ensure the Martells' loyalty during the conflict, regarded by most to be royal hostages. During the sacking, Elia was raped and murdered by Gregor Clegane on the orders of Tywin. Both of her children were also killed.
=== Robert's ascension ===
Robert laid claim to the Iron Throne because he had been the first to take up arms and had killed Prince Rhaegar personally. Robert was also the only rebel leader to have a blood link to the Targaryens, as his mother had Targaryen blood. The other leaders of the rebellion agreed to bend the knee. Robert was devastated by Lyanna's death, but married Cersei Lannister as a show of gratitude to her father joining his cause late in the conflict and delivering the capital of King's Landing to him. Tywin remained the Lord Paramount of the Westerlands. Robert named Jon Arryn as his Hand while Eddard took his father's role as Warden of the North. House Tyrell, House Martell and House Greyjoy swore fealty to Robert to retain their pre-war positions, maintaining the Seven Kingdoms under their new royal House.
=== Aftermath ===
The pregnant Queen Rhaella fled to the Targaryen's ancestral seat on the island of Dragonstone. She was accompanied by her youngest son, Viserys. Rhaella died soon after giving birth to Daenerys. The children were taken into exile in the Free Cities by loyal retainers. Stannis went on to conquer Dragonstone and was made Lord of Dragonstone.
Unknown to most, after the Showdown at the Tower of Joy, Eddard found out that Rhaegar had another child, who was also named Aegon Targaryen, by his sister Lyanna. Eddard raised the child as his bastard son, renaming him Jon Snow, to keep him safe from Robert since he would have surely killed Jon if he found out about his true parentage.