The People's Prince

The Council 101 AC

In the year 101 AC, following the tragic demise of his son and heir, Prince Baelon, the venerable King, in his wisdom, convened a Great Council at Harrenhal. Recognizing the simmering tensions within his own house, he summoned all the lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms to deliberate and choose his successor, thus averting the spectre of civil strife that threatened to engulf the realm upon his passing. Jaehaerys, understanding that the greatest threat to the Targaryen legacy lay within, saw the council as a crucial step towards safeguarding the stability of the realm.

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The sprawling encampments surrounding the grand fortress of Harrenhal bore witness to the magnitude of the gathering. Once the seat of House Hoare, the Iron Islands' ancient rulers, Harrenhal stood as a testament to both pride and folly. Though impregnable in appearance, it fell to Aegon the Conqueror and his mighty dragon, Balerion, who bathed its imposing towers in Dragonfire until they glowed white-hot, reducing the seat of House Hoare to a twisted ruin. Passed down through various houses, each leaving its mark upon its dark history, Harrenhal now belonged to House Strong, its current lord, Lyonel Strong, graciously hosting the king and the assembled nobility for the council.

Dubbed a "conflagration of dragons," the council saw the skies above Harrenhal graced by the majestic presence of four adult dragons and three dragonlings, their riders hailing from Driftmark and King's Landing. Foremost among them was the king's own dragon, Vermithor, known as the Bronze Fury, a venerable beast nearing seven decades of age, its bronze scales gleaming in the sun.

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The council convened for thirteen days, deliberating over fourteen claims, though only three were deemed worthy of serious consideration. Among them were the maester Vaegon, who renounced his claim due to his vows to the Citadel, and Princess Rhaenys, the king's eldest descendant, supported by House Velaryon and Baratheon. However, it was Prince Viserys, the king's eldest male descendant and firstborn son of the late Prince Baelon and Princess Alyssa Targaryen, who emerged as the favoured candidate, backed by his brother Prince Daemon and the majority of the realm's lords, citing Andal law and his own progeny as factors bolstering his claim.

Following the vote, a herald proclaimed, "The Grand Council decrees that Prince Viserys shall be named Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne," prompting resounding applause from the assembled nobles. The decision, duly acknowledged by the king, solidified Viserys's position as heir apparent, much to the chagrin of Princess Rhaenys, who lamented the perceived injustice against women, and Corlys Velaryon, who felt aggrieved on behalf of his son, Laenor.

In the aftermath of the council, the king appointed Lord Otto Hightower, second son of Oldtown, to succeed Prince Baelon as Hand of the King.