War of Fire and Faith

## The War of Fire and Faith

### Conflict

Religious war; Faithful of the Seven wished to depose the Red God worshiping King

### Outcome

Maekar Waters takes the Throne; Aelor I Targaryen and Baelor II Targaryen die; destruction of the Red Temple of King's Landing

**The War of Fire and Faith** was an armed religious conflict that began in 332 AC, when the Red God worshipping King Aelor I Targaryen ascended the Throne, and declared that the only funeral pyre suitable for his father, King Aegon VI Targaryen, was the Great Sept of Baelor. In response, Lords faithful to the Seven raise their banners for the faithful bastard of Aegon, Maekar Waters. The war ended with the deaths of both Aelor and Baelor, as well as the the coronation of Maekar as Maekar II Targaryen.

## Background

Aegon's reign was short, especially when compared to his father, King Rhaegar I Targaryen, lasting only six years. Especially notable were his dalliance with his bastard half-sister, Visenya Waters, resulting in the birth of Maekar and Rhaella Waters, and his handling of the succession crisis of the Iron Islands. His reign was marred by internal conflict; public perception of his reign is generally negative.

When he died, his son, Aelor Targaryen, who had much earlier been converted to the worship of R'hllor, declared that the only funeral pyre befitting one of their blood was the center of heresy in King's Landing: The Great Sept of Baelor. The Fiery Hand, an armed branch of the Red Priests of R'hllor that Aelor had allowed to enter Westeros very early in his reign, set fire to the Sept. Visenya Waters informed her son, Maekar, of this immediately, and after calling for the recreation of The Faith Militant, was imprisoned in the Maidenvault by King Aelor.

Visenya's letter reached Oldtown, where Maekar was located with his sister Rhaella, who was in training to be a Septa. Soon after, he met with Lord Willard Hightower, a man of great faith, and they both determined that *something* had to be done. Lord Hightower called his banners, and sent ravens to all the holdings of Westeros with a simple message: the faithful would stand with the rightful King of Westeros. Letters from the High Septon, blessing Maekar's claim, soon followed.

## Conflict

With his levies raised, Maekar and Lord Willard began to march north along the Ocean Road. It was their haste that saved them from the host of Lord Tyrell, as well as the tactical usage of skirmishers.

Arriving in Lannisport, Maekar made a deal with Lord Loren Lannister, who had been smitten with Rhaella Waters ever since he laid eyes upon her at a Tourney. In exchange for his support, Maekar would grant him his sister's hand in marriage. Lord Loren quickly accepted, and after gathering what remained of his banners, began the march along The Gold Road to King's Landing. A second wing of his force, led by Lord \_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_, marched south, the idea being that, by threatening the Reach, they would be able to keep the Tyrells from rendezvousing with the Royal forces.

Lord Medgar Tully, the son of the late Lord Edmure Tully, upon hearing of the Lannister's decision to back the bastard's claim, declared for King Aelor. His decision was primarily fueled by the feud between their houses that had existed since Robert's Uprising, and was exacerbated by The Crisis of the Rock. A section of his troops stayed to defend the mountain passes leading out of the Westerlands, but most went to meet up with the Royal Army. They had joined by the Battle of the Blackwater.

When the forces of Maekar and King Aelor met at the confluence of the Blackwater Rush, Maekar emerged victorious; King Aelor was killed during the battle by the heir to Driftmark, Monterys Velaryon, a personal friend of Maekar's. The remaining Crownlander forces retreated to King's Landing, being harried all the way, while the Rivermen, having lost their Lord in the battle, retreated north. A portion of Maekar's forces broke off to ensure that the Rivermen could not rejoin the Royal Host, but the majority headed for King's Landing.

King's Landing was only lightly defended when Maekar arrived; most of the Crownlords had returned to their holdings. They held little loyalty to the heathen king's brother, who was crowned King Baelor II Targaryen when he learned of his brother's demise. Realizing that Maekar's victory was now inevitable, they elected to save themselves, instead. Thus, King's Landing was left with little more than what remained of its own levies, the goldcloaks, who numbered around 4,000 at the time, and The Fiery Hand.

In the conflict that followed, The Siege of King's Landing, King Baelor fell. First-hand accounts claim that he was last seen rushing into one of the breached gates, which he had set ablaze with wildfire. Clutching a spherical object in his arms, he screamed that R'hllor would protect him, and that he was the true blood of the Dragon. His body was never identified.

## Aftermath

Maekar Waters was legitimized by the High Septon himself, and crowned King Maekar II Targaryen. He took his half-sister, Daena Targaryen, as his Queen, mostly to support his own claim. The Red Temple of King's Landing was burned to the ground, straining relations between The Iron Throne and The High Priest of R'hllor. He reigned until his death in 372 AC.