The Targaryen family is famous for fighting amongst themselves. While Game of Thrones showed the family in a weakened state, with only a few members left across the world, House of the Dragon takes us back to when they were at the height of their power, before a brutal civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. This war had devastating consequences, and the extinction of dragons marked the beginning of the Targaryens’ decline.
You might expect the Dance of the Dragons, a brutal civil war, to be the last internal struggle for the Targaryen family, especially since they no longer had dragons. However, fighting continued for years afterward. The new Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, recently introduced the First Blackfyre Rebellion, which happened when the main character, Ser Duncan the Tall, was a child. In Season 1, Episode 5, “In the Name of the Mother,” we see young Dunk and his friend Rafe trying to survive during this war, while the older Dunk fights for his life in a trial. Here’s a detailed look at the First Blackfyre Rebellion, the latest Targaryen civil war in Westeros.
As Usual, the Iron Throne Was the Prize in the First Blackfyre Rebellion
HBO
The First Blackfyre Rebellion raged for nearly a year, all within 196 A.C., thirteen years before the story told in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It was a conflict between those loyal to King Daeron II Targaryen and his half-brother, Daemon I Blackfyre. The trouble began with Aegon IV, known as Aegon the Unworthy. He had a legitimate son, Daeron, with his wife, Queen Naerys Targaryen, but also a bastard son, Daemon, whose mother was Aegon’s cousin, Daena Targaryen – a common occurrence within House Targaryen. Daemon was initially overlooked because of his birth, but his father knighted him after a tournament and gifted him Blackfyre, a Valyrian steel sword belonging to House Targaryen. Daemon then adopted the name “Blackfyre,” which he used throughout the rebellion.
Before Daeron became king, Aegon officially acknowledged all of his illegitimate children. Daeron is famous for uniting Dorne with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms by arranging a marriage between his sister, Daenerys, and Prince Maron Martell. He also granted Dorne some unique legal privileges, which angered the lords along the Dornish Marches, who felt Dorne was gaining too much influence.
Whispers spread throughout Westeros about who Daeron’s real father was – some believed it was Aemon Targaryen, the son of a former king. This led people to doubt Daeron’s rightful claim to the throne. Daemon resented being seen as a bastard and felt he deserved the Iron Throne more than Daeron. Many believe his younger half-brother, Aegor Rivers (called Bittersteel), encouraged him to start a war to claim it.
The First Blackfyre Rebellion quickly plunged the realm into chaos. Daemon Blackfyre’s support was strongest in the Reach and Stormlands, areas where people disliked the Martells. Battles broke out all over Westeros, finally leading to the Battle of the Redgrass Field, where Daeron Targaryen emerged victorious. Daeron’s sons, Princes Baelor and Maekar, were crucial to this win, and their battle strategy was later celebrated in the song “The Hammer and the Anvil.” Daemon and his son, Aegon, both died in the fighting, leaving Daeron firmly on the Iron Throne.
Dunk Knows a Thing or Two About War in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’
HBO
Episode 5 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reveals details about Dunk’s difficult upbringing, focusing on the aftermath of the First Blackfyre Rebellion. The episode features a flashback showing Dunk and his friend Rafe stealing from the bodies of fallen lords and knights on a battlefield – likely Redgrass Field, close to King’s Landing. They try to sell the stolen goods to earn money for a voyage to the Free Cities.
“In the Name of the Mother” powerfully depicts the harsh realities of war, particularly in the crowded capital city. With resources dwindling, everyone seeks to profit, even the orphaned street children like Dunk and Rafe. Life is already incredibly difficult for them, as they must fend for themselves in the dangerous, impoverished streets of King’s Landing, and the war only makes things ten times worse.
Watching Dunk navigate this rebellion was a real turning point for him, no doubt about it. I think it’s what ultimately pushed Rafe to leave Westeros and try his luck in Essos. When Alester tragically killed Rafe, Dunk was completely on his own. It’s totally understandable, then, that he sought out the man who’d saved him, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, and thankfully, Arlan took him on as a squire. It felt like a natural progression of the story, seeing Dunk find some stability after everything he’d been through.
The Outcome of the First Blackfyre Rebellion Informed the Events of the Show
HBO
If Daeron had lost the First Blackfyre Rebellion, things would have been very different. Baelor and Maekar wouldn’t have been at the Ashford tourney, and Daemon Blackfyre likely would have executed Daeron and his sons had he won. Most importantly, Dunk and Egg – who would eventually become king – never would have met. In fact, if Daemon had won, the events of the story simply wouldn’t have happened. It’s also probable that Dunk wouldn’t have become a squire to Arlan of Pennytree, nor would he have traveled across the realm.
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War inevitably alters people, and usually not for the better. It can completely change the course of their lives. For Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aegon Targaryen, the events of this war ultimately led them to cross paths and forge a connection.
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2026-02-18 16:22