Quick answer: The Blackfyre Rebellion was a Targaryen civil war fought in 196 AC, about 13 years before the events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Daemon Blackfyre, a legitimized bastard of King Aegon IV, claimed the Iron Throne from his half-brother King Daeron II. The rebellion ended at the Battle of the Redgrass Field, where Daemon and his two eldest sons were killed. But his line survived in exile, and Blackfyre pretenders kept trying to take the throne for another 60 years.
The rebellion is the recent past in the world of Dunk and Egg. Knights who fought at Redgrass are still alive, families are still divided by which side they chose, and the Targaryens are still nervous about anyone with a claim. Here is what happened, why it matters to the show, and how it echoes all the way to Game of Thrones.
How It Started: Aegon IV’s Last Act
King Aegon IV, remembered as Aegon the Unworthy, was one of the worst kings Westeros ever had. He fathered many bastards with many mistresses, and on his deathbed in 184 AC he did something that would tear the realm apart: he legitimized all of them.
His favorite was Daemon Waters, a gifted young warrior. Aegon had already given him Blackfyre, the Valyrian steel sword of Aegon the Conqueror, traditionally carried by the king. Daemon took the sword’s name as his own house name, and to many lords the gift looked like a statement: Aegon wanted Daemon, not his trueborn son, to rule.
The throne went to that trueborn son, Daeron II. Rumors had long claimed Daeron was not really Aegon’s son at all, and Aegon himself had encouraged them. That doubt gave the Blackfyre cause its first argument.
Why Lords Joined Daemon
Daeron II was a thoughtful, peaceful king, but he was not popular with everyone. He married a Dornish princess, Myriah Martell, and completed the union of Dorne with the rest of the realm. Many lords who had spent their lives fighting the Dornish saw that as favoritism, and they resented Dornishmen at court.
Daemon, by contrast, looked like a king out of a song: tall, handsome, a superb fighter, carrying the Conqueror’s sword. Lords who valued martial strength, distrusted Dorne or simply hated the new court rallied to him. The realm split, and some families split down the middle, with brothers on opposite sides.
The Battle of the Redgrass Field
The war ended in a single bloody battle in the Reach in 196 AC. The Blackfyre army was strong, and Daemon nearly won.
- Bloodraven’s arrows: Brynden Rivers, another of Aegon IV’s legitimized bastards, fought for Daeron. He led a company of archers known as the Raven’s Teeth, and their arrows killed Daemon and his twin sons, Aegon and Aemon.
- The hammer and the anvil: Daeron’s son Prince Baelor Breakspear and his brother Maekar trapped the rebel army between their two forces, breaking it.
- Bittersteel escapes: Daemon’s half-brother and greatest supporter, Aegor Rivers, known as Bittersteel, fled across the Narrow Sea with Daemon’s surviving younger sons.
Baelor and Maekar are the two princes Dunk meets at Ashford in the first season, and Maekar is Egg’s father. When you see how the Targaryens react to threats in the show, remember that these men won a war for their family barely a decade earlier.
What Happened Next: The Golden Company
In exile, Bittersteel founded the Golden Company, a sellsword army made up largely of exiled Blackfyre loyalists and their descendants. It became the most famous mercenary company in Essos, with a vow never to break a contract and a long-term dream of returning home.
The Blackfyre line kept producing pretenders. Historians in Martin’s world count five Blackfyre Rebellions in all. The last ended in 260 AC, during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, when the final Blackfyre claimant, Maelys the Monstrous, was killed by a young Ser Barristan Selmy.
Why It Matters to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The series is set in 209 AC, 13 years after Redgrass. That timing shapes almost everything:
- Every lord remembers which side he chose. Blackfyre loyalists who were pardoned still carry suspicion and shame.
- The Targaryens fear rivals. A legitimized bastard almost took the crown once, which colors how the royal family treats claims, insults and loyalty.
- Bloodraven is still powerful. By Dunk and Egg’s time he is the King’s Hand, feared and distrusted across the realm.
- Season 2 goes straight into it. The next novella, The Sworn Sword, follows Dunk serving an old knight who fought for the Blackfyres and lost almost everything, so the rebellion moves from background to front and center.
The first season even turns on a related question. In Episode 3, Egg reveals he is Aegon Targaryen, Maekar’s son. The prince Dunk has been carrying around as a squire belongs to the branch of the family that crushed the Blackfyres.
Key Figures of the Blackfyre Rebellion
| Figure | Side | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Daemon Blackfyre | Rebel | Claimant; killed at Redgrass Field |
| Aegor Rivers (Bittersteel) | Rebel | Escaped into exile; founded the Golden Company |
| Daeron II | Crown | The reigning king |
| Brynden Rivers (Bloodraven) | Crown | Archer commander whose men killed Daemon; later Hand of the King |
| Baelor Breakspear | Crown | Prince and hero of Redgrass |
| Maekar Targaryen | Crown | Prince; Egg’s father |
How It Connects to Game of Thrones
The echoes run for more than a century. Bloodraven eventually goes to the Wall and, in the books, becomes the mysterious figure known as the three-eyed crow — the inspiration for the Three-Eyed Raven Bran meets in Game of Thrones. The Golden Company appears in the final season of the HBO show, hired by Cersei. And Ser Barristan Selmy, the Kingsguard veteran of Game of Thrones, made his name by killing the last Blackfyre pretender.
For more on where these stories sit in Westeros history, see our A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms timeline explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Blackfyre Rebellion?
A Targaryen civil war in 196 AC in which Daemon Blackfyre, a legitimized bastard of Aegon IV, tried to take the Iron Throne from Daeron II.
Who won the Blackfyre Rebellion?
The crown. Daeron II’s forces won at the Battle of the Redgrass Field, where Daemon was killed.
Who killed Daemon Blackfyre?
Archers led by Brynden Rivers, known as Bloodraven.
How many Blackfyre Rebellions were there?
Five, ending with the death of Maelys the Monstrous in 260 AC.
What is the Golden Company?
A sellsword army founded in Essos by Bittersteel, built largely from exiled Blackfyre supporters.
How long before A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was the rebellion?
About 13 years. The series is set in 209 AC.
Is the Blackfyre Rebellion in the show?
It is the backdrop of Season 1 and becomes central to the story adapted for Season 2.
Where can I watch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
On HBO Max in the US.