War of Conquest

* Unification of the Kingdoms of Isles and Rivers, the Stormlands, the Rock, the Reach, the Mountain and Vale, and the North as the Seven Kingdoms
* Ascension of Aegon of House Targaryen as the first King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men
* Foundation of House Baratheon
* Extinction of Houses Hoare, Durrandon, and Gardener
* Liberation of the Riverlands from Ironborn occupation
* Elevation of Houses Tully and Tyrell to Lords Paramount of the Riverlands and the Reach, respectively.
* Elevation of House Greyjoy to Lords of the Iron Islands.
* Dorne remains an independent principality

Combatants| **House Targaryen** House Baratheon House Lannister(post-Field of Fire) House Tyrell(post-Field of Fire)Houses of the Narrow Sea House Velaryon House TullyRiverlands Houses(except House Frey) | **Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers**(House Hoare)

**Kingdom of the Rock**(House Lannister)

**Kingdom of the Reach**(House Gardener)

File:House-Durrandon-Shield.PNG**Kingdom of the Stormlands**(House Durrandon)

**Kingdom of the North**(House Stark)

**Kingdom of the Mountain and the Vale**(House Arryn)

Commanders| King Aegon ITargaryenQueen RhaenysTargaryen †Queen VisenyaTargaryenLord Hand Orys BaratheonLord Edmyn TullyLord Quenton QoherysLord Loren Lannister(post-Field of Fire)Lord Harlen Tyrell †(post-Field of Fire) | King HarrenHoare †

King Loren ILannister Template:SurrenderKing Mern IXGardener †Lord HarlenTyrell Template:Surrender

King ArgilacDurrandon †

King Torrhen Stark Template:Surrender

King Ronnel Arryn  Template:SurrenderQueen Regent Sharra Arryn Template:Surrender

### Battles and events

Burning of Harrenhal • Last Storm • Field of Fire

The **War of Conquest**, also called the **Targaryen Conquest**, was a major war initiated by Aegon Targaryen to conquer the continent of Westeros. Supported by his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, and their dragons, Meraxes and Vhagar, as well as his own, Balerion, Aegon successfully unified six of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros under the invading forces of House Targaryen within two years. Only Dorne was able to successfully resist Aegon's conquest. Despite its name, the conflict was not entirely resolved on the field of battle, as some regions and houses of Westeros actively supported the Targaryen war effort, while others voluntarily surrendered to their might.

Upon the conclusion of his conquest, Aegon was crowned by the High Septon as the first King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, establishing the ruling Targaryen dynasty of the Seven Kingdoms for the next three centuries. Aegon's coronation date subsequently became the basis for the Westerosi calendar, with maesters tracking years from before and after Aegon's ascension to the throne.

## History

The Targaryen family had moved from Valyria to the island stronghold of Dragonstone some years prior to the Doom. When the Doom took place, the Targaryens were the only family with dragons to survive the cataclysm. During the following century, the remnants of the Valyrian empire tore themselves apart, leading to the formation of the Free Cities and the liberation of Ghiscar and the cities of Slaver's Bay.

Roughly one century after the Doom, Aegon Targaryen and his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, were in the island of Dragonstone. Before Aegon invaded Westeros, the Storm King Argilac of House Durrandon, feared that Harren the Black of House Hoare, the ruler of the Iron Islands and Riverlands, would soon attack his lands. Argilac sought an alliance with Aegon, but the communication didn't go well, ending up with Argilac (known as "the Arrogant") amputating Aegon's envoy. This was the excuse that Aegon had been waiting to use his armies and force on Westeros; he sent ravens to all Seven Kingdoms demanding their submission.

Aegon landed strategically at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, in the disputed lands between the Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers and the Kingdom of the Stormlands, so that Argilac and Harren could not decide on who should take action against him. He raised a primitive castle, where three centuries later would be the city of King's Landing. He unfurled his own banner in the manner of the houses of the Seven Kingdoms, with a red three-headed dragon breathing fire upon a black field, and declared himself King of the whole continent.

### War in the Riverlands

Aegon's forces made war upon Harren the Black. Aided by a popular uprising against the ironborn led by House Tully, Aegon eventually bottled Harren up in his massive castle of Harrenhal. Harren refused to surrender, considering his castle impenetrable. Aegon had his dragon, Balerion, burn the castle with such ferocity that the towers melted like candles, roasting Harren and the other remaining members of House Hoare alive. Afterwards, Aegon raised the Tullys to become the Lords Paramount of the Trident and commanded the ironborn to elect a new ruling house. They chose House Greyjoy of Pyke, who swore fealty to Aegon and became the rulers of the Iron Islands.

### War in the Stormlands

At the same time, Aegon's bastard half-brother, Orys Baratheon, led an army against Argilac the Arrogant. Argilac chose to give battle in the field and was defeated and killed, eliminating House Durrandon. Orys took his castle of Storm's End, his sigil and words, and Argilac's daughter Argella to wife. Aegon rewarded him by naming him Lord of Storm's End and allowing him to found House Baratheon.

### War in the West

The forces of House Lannister and House Gardener combined and marched to meet Aegon's army in battle. At a field in the Reach that became known as the Field of Fire, Aegon unleashed all three dragons and decimated the enemy host within minutes. House Gardener was destroyed. Their stewards, the Tyrells, surrendered the Reach to Aegon and were named Lords Paramount of the Reach. The Lannisters also bent the knee and became Lords Paramount of the Westerlands.

### Stand-off with the North and the Vale

House Stark mobilized for war, but upon a demonstration of Aegon's superior forces, King Torrhen Stark bent the knee to save his army from certain destruction. For his submission, Aegon named him Lord Paramount of the North. The Starks thus emerged from the war without actually fighting.

Upon the defeat of the Lannisters and the Gardeners, House Arryn mobilized their army in anticipation of an invasion of the Vale of Arryn. However, upon seeing a dragon, boy-king Ronnel Arryn surrendered peacefully in exchange for a ride. The Arryns were the last great house to surrender in the War of Conquest.

The High Septon declared that the Faith of the Seven would also support Aegon, ending much of the last resistance to the invaders.

### Invasion of Dorne

Aegon's forces made an abortive attempt to conquer Dorne, but the Dornish chose to melt away into the mountains and deserts and pursue guerrilla tactics rather than give open battle, where they would be vulnerable to dragonfire. Aegon eventually decided to allow Dorne to retain its independence, ending the War of Conquest.