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Long before the start of theGame Of Thronesseries, there were plenty of othermajor conflicts over the Iron Throneand even Westeros as a whole. One of the more significant conflicts that doesn’t get the kind of attention that some feel it deserves is the Last Storm, one of the most pivotal battles during Aegon’s Conquest. Had this battle gone differently, Aegon’s Conquest may have wound up with a shockingly different conclusion, even if Aegon had access to a number of dragons.
With the battle named for the massive storm that began as the fighting started, The Last Storm was important for the Targaryens, but it was just as important for House Baratheon. In fact,Game Of Throne’sfamous House Baratheon wasn’t even in existence prior to the completion of this battle. The prowess of Orys on the battlefield directly led to him victoriously founding House Baratheon as he continued to aid Aegon Targaryen in his conquest across Westeros.
2 BC
House Targaryen, House Durrandon
Conclusion:
House Targaryen victory, Orys Baratheon kills the Storm King, House Baratheon is established
The Last Storm was a massive battle that pittedthe House Targaryenagainst House Durrandon, also known as the Kingdom of the Storm. Aegon Targaryen was seeking to conquer as much of Westeros as possible, and realistically, he wanted the whole continent. He wouldn’t end up conquering absolutely everything but he set in motion the land of Westeros that fans ofGame Of Thronesknow and love. On his way to take the Stormlands, the people there weren’t interested in just submitting to Targaryen rule. It was their massive stand against the Targaryen forces that would become known as The Last Storm.
After some negotiations broke down between the Storm King andthe mighty Aegon Targaryen, the two’s forces were destined for battle. Gathering all the allies he could at Storm’s End, the bannermen of House Durrandon would meet with the Targaryen forces at Bronzegate. Despite how cinematic the battle sounds in its description, taking place in the midst of a massive storm, the brutal battle hasn’t been seen on screen in any fashion. The two massive forces would clash, though it seems that the battle wouldn’t last all that long, partially due to the weather, and partially due to what the Targaryen forces had lying in wait.
The Battle Of The Last Storm Forces
House Targaryen:
Unknown force size led by Rhaenys Targaryen and Orys Baratheon, and the dragon Meraxes
House Durrandon:
Roughly two times the size of the Targaryen force led by the Storm King, Argilac Durrandon
The seemingly meager Targaryen forces were led by Orys Baratheon and Rhaenys Targaryen. Those names may not be known to the averageGame Of Thronesfan, but there is something important most will assume and that’s the fact that Tagaryens tend to have dragons. Indeed, Rhaenys wasriding the dragon Meraxes for the battle, providing the kind of additional firepower to the Targaryen army that few others could hope to match. The actual content of the Targaryen army is unknown, but what is known is the fact that, without the dragon Meraxes, the Last Storm certainly would have been a victory for the Storm King.
The Storm King, King Argilac Durrandon led his bannermen into battle against the Targaryen forces, but they were all doomed from the start. He actually managed to gather an incredible force tothe great Storm’s End, even doubling the numbers of the approaching Targaryen forces. The struggle is that while his army was equipped with plenty of horsemen, they were unable to contend withthe threat of a massive dragon. The weather could have posed more of a disadvantage to either side in the long run, but with no way to reliably kill a dragon (like a group of well-aimed scorpions, for instance), even having roughly twice as many troops as the Targaryens just didn’t matter.
How Did The Last Storm End?
Depending on the perspective one takes, the battle of the Last Storm was over long before it ever even began. As soon as Aegon Targaryen decided he wanted to conquerthe lands of Westeros, it was essentially game over for most of the continent. The battle itself began to wind to its end once the harsh weather conditions forced the horseback warriors of House Durrandon to their feet, something that just so happened to leave them with no escape from the flames of a massive dragon. Rhaenys and Meraxes torched many of the Storm King’s vital leaders, leaving him as one of the final commanders to stand and fight.
Unfortunately for the Storm King,Orys of House Baratheonwould meet him on the battlefield. After declining to surrender to the Targaryen forces, Orys met the Storm King in combat. It’s clear that Orys was a strong power player in Aegon’s Conquest as Aegon himself says as much about Orys inThe World Of Ice & Firebook:
My shield, my stalwart, my strong right hand.
Their battle was another fierce one, with both men nearly losing their lives at certain points, but in the end, Orys Baratheon slayed the Storm King. With their ruler slaughtered, whatever forces remained then attempted to flee the battlefield, openly surrendered, or were likely taken captive. Orys would then go on to marry the daughter of the late Storm King, thus making himself the ruler of the Stormlands. Due to the mysterious nature of his birth, with him potentially being the bastard brother to Aegon, Orys would then claim the banner of House Durrandon and founded House Baratheon.Aegon’s Conquest would only continue from there.
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Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones, based on the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin, tells the sprawling story of warring families in Westeros. This includes the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, and the Targaryens. Along with human conflicts, Westeros is also threatened by the re-emergence of dragons, and an undead enemy from beyond the Wall.
