War of the Ninepenny Kings

The War of the Ninepenny Kings, also known as the Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion, was a major war that afflicted parts of Westeros and Essos several decades prior to the War of the Five Kings. It is notable for ending the line of the Blackfyre Pretenders for good.
==Causes==
Following the Blackfyre Rebellion, the surviving sons of Daemon Blackfyre continued to trouble the Seven Kingdoms, several times causing problems and sponsoring rebellions against the ruling Targaryens, although they failed to muster much support from other noble families in Westeros following their defeat on the Redgrass Field.
By the 250s, the Blackfyre cause seemed lost. Then the direct descendant of Daemon, Maelys Blackfyre, entered into an alliance with eight other warlords and rulers. Their plan was to jointly support each individual's efforts to seize control of a territory, whilst each alone would fail. Alequo Adarys, called the Goldentongued, convinced Maelys and his troops, the mercenary band known as the Golden Company, to join this endeavour. Maelys agreed.
==Course of the war==
The Band of Nine overran the Disputed Lands and sacked Tyrosh, setting up Alequo as its ruler. They then attacked and secured the Stepstones as a forward base from where they could invade Westeros.
Unfortunately for the Band, King Aegon V's intelligence was effective at discovering their strategy. The king ordered a pre-emptive strike to be launched to destroy the invaders before they could regroup and strike at King's Landing. A strong fleet delivered a sizable Westerosi army onto the Stepstones, and in a series of battles the Band of Nine's forces were defeated. Ser Barristan Selmy slew Maelys in combat, ending the line of Blackfyre pretenders forever.
The Westerosi forces were not interested in helping any of the other territories overrun by the Band of Nine, so it was another six years before Tyroshi forces were able to depose Alequo from power.
==Aftermath==
Whilst the line of Blackfyre Pretenders was extinguished, their influence remained. The Golden Company survived the war, and may have supported Alequo's continued reign in Tyrosh. After this, the Golden Company became the most feared and respected mercenary band of Essos, at the forefront of many wars and fighting for many different sides. Their hatred of the Targaryens remained, but they knew they were not strong enough to challenge the might of the Seven Kingdoms alone.
In 300 AL the Golden Company broke their contract - for the first time ever - with Myr during a war in the Disputed Lands and rode Westwards towards the Narrow Sea. The reason for this is unclear.
In Westeros the War of the Ninepenny Kings saw several key Westerosi knights rise to prominence, such as Ser Jon Arryn, heir to the Vale. Hoster Tully of Riverrun befriended a member of House Baelish of The Fingers during this war, and later fostered his son. Ser Brynden Tully also raised to prominence in the war, whilst the already-famous Ser Barristan Selmy continued to gain a reputation for his supreme martial ability.
Category:Wars
Category:Historical
Category:House Blackfyre
Category:Blackfyre Rebellions