A dialogue between two characters at the beginning of House of the Dragon may seem trivial. It nevertheless refers to a crucial episode of the Conquest, a century earlier, and to the attitudes of the leader of House Stark towards the ambitions of Aegon Targaryen, known as the Conqueror.
It is a scene that will bring back memories to those who saw Game Of Thrones. At the opening of season 2 of House of the Dragon, we return to the Far North of Westeros, during a sequence tinged with emotion. The typical music, Winterfell, the coat of arms, House Stark, the northern accent… you’d think you’d come back to GoT.
This passage is obviously not completely free. It also serves the plot of HotD. At that time, young Jacaerys Velaryon, son of Rhaenyra, is sent as an emissary. The faction of Blacks that his mother leads wants to ensure the allegiance of the North in the war that is looming on the horizon, against the Greens of Alicent Hightower.
The following contains spoilers.
A reference to Aegon the Conqueror and Torrhen Stark
How to see House of the Dragon ?
The series about the Targaryen dynasty is an HBO exclusive. You can subscribe to Canal+ or Max to find it.
The sequence then stages this reminder of each other’s allegiances. Lord Cregan Stark (played by Tom Taylor) shows Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) around the famous Wall. The first warns the second that “ winter is coming » and that it will not be possible for him to give up a lot of strength. He must indeed monitor what is beyond the Wall.
Jacaerys tries to coax Cregan by rewriting the history of the continent’s unification. He tells him that his ancestor, Aegon Targaryen, known as the Conqueror, somehow treated his interlocutor’s ancestor, Torrhen Stark, as an equal. “ I like to think that a century ago, our ancestors parleyed here. The Conqueror and the King of the North. »
This is obviously a certain rereading of what happened. Certainly, Torrhen Stark “parleyed” with Aegon, but it was mainly through his half-brother, Brandon Snow, and a handful of maesters. Above all, these negotiations took place under strong military pressure from House Targaryen.
At that time, Aegon was indeed launched into a vast campaign to dominate all of Westeros, and unify the different kingdoms under a single banner – his own. It is from this time that he gets his nickname Conqueror. An offensive on the continent helped by the presence of three dragons, including the terrifying Belarion, the Black Terror.
From then on, Aegon and Torrhen were not quite on the same footing. In addition, Tohhren had heard of the crushing defeats suffered by the other kingdoms who had tried to resist the advance of the House of Targaryens. An alliance between the Lannisters and the Gardeners has been swept aside; the Harrenhal fortress destroyed by flames.
Torrhen will opt for surrender. He will face Aegon as King in the North, kneel, and rise again with lesser prestige—lord of Winterfell and governor of the North. He will save his city from destruction, and his men from certain massacre, but he will earn the unflattering nickname of king who knelt. Hard blow to the pride of the Northerners.
This is why Cregan Stark says to his guest “ you, at least, didn’t threaten me with your dragon. » Aegon had used Belarion as a political and military tool. When Jacaerys made the move, Vermax, his dragon, remained wise. We also note a certain embarrassment on Jacaerys when Cregan reminds him of this historical detail.
To save the face of the big » Torrhen, Jacaerys had another trick up his sleeve. He judges that Torrhen “ would have preferred to die than to bend the knee, unless he thought the Conqueror capable of unifying the kingdom. » In short, the former King of the North had flair and put the interests of the continent over the rest. This hit home for Cregan.
A century later, the unity of the continent forged by Aegon and Torrhen is in danger because of the Green faction in House of the Dragon. “ This unity is threatened, the kingdom will soon be torn apart », warns Jacaerys. The two descendants will eventually come to an agreement and Cregan will provide 2,000 men. No more, because the threat beyond the Wall continues.
Do you want to know everything about the mobility of tomorrow, from electric cars to e-bikes? Subscribe now to our Watt Else newsletter!