Game of Thrones 126AC: Driftmark

By 126 AC relations between Queen Alicent and Crown Princess Rhaenyra had become strained, especially after Rhaenyra’s picked Hand of the King Lyonel Strong was killed and succeeded by Alicent’s father Otto Hightower. Facing a hostile court, Rhaenyra moved to Dragonstone, where she married her uncle Daemon after encouraging her husband Laenor to fake his own death.

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Main Events

S1 E6 / 126AC Renewed War for the Stepstones

In 126 the Triarchy, now allied with Dorne, renewed their war of conquest in the Stepstones. Prince Reggio Haratis of Pentos, concerned by the expansion of the Triarchs, appealed to Prince Daemon Targaryen of Westeros for support. see external link

S1 E6 / 126AC Death of Lyonel Strong

By 126 AC Princess Rhaenyra had given birth to three sons, none of whom had the Valyrian platinum hair of either Rhaenyra or her husband Ser Laenor. After implying that Rhaenyra had taken Harwin Strong, son of the Hand of the King Lord Lyonel Strong, as her lover, Queen Alicent confided to Lyonel’s ambitious younger son Larys that she wished her father Ser Otto Hightower was still Hand. Seizing this opportunity, Larys orchestrated a fire at Harrenhal which killed both his father and elder brother, leaving him as new Lord of Harrenhal and opening the way for Ser Otto’s return to power. Fearing for her safety, Rhaenyra left the royal court and moved with her household to Dragonstone. see external link

S1 E7 / 126AC Claiming of Vhagar

In 126 Prince Daemon Targaryen’s wife Laena Velaryon, facing agonizing labor and unwilling to submit to a caesarean, ordered her dragon Vhagar to incinerate her. Following Laena’s funeral in Driftmark, Queen Alicent’s son Prince Aemond quickly claimed Vhagar—the oldest and largest living dragon—disregarding the priority of Daemon and Laena’s own children. This sparked an altercation between Aemond and his cousins and nephews, during which Princess Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys slashed Aemond’s left eye with a knife. see external link

S1 E7 / 126AC Marriage of Daemon and Rhaenyra

Following the death of Prince Daemon Targaryen’s wife Laena Velaryon in 126 AC, Daemon quickly became close with his niece Princess Rhaenyra and the two conspired to marry. Under Daemon’s encouragement, Rhaenyra’s husband Laenor faked his own murder at the hands of his secret lover Qari Correy, while in reality absconding to Essos with Qari. With Rhaenyra now officially a widow, she and Daemon married in a private ceremony at Dragonstone. see external link