Westeros is officially heading to the big screen in 2029, with Warner Bros. locking in a June 1, 2029 release date for an Aegon the Conqueror movie just before its merger with Paramount. Whether this should have been developed as a TV show or a movie is still up for debate, but we know that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms director Owen Harris will tackle bringing some of the most pivotal moments in Westeros to life.
Long before the events of Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, Westeros was divided into seven distinct kingdoms. The rulers of these kingdoms, some with familiar names and some who will be new to non-book readers, each had the impossible task of deciding whether they wanted to yield their power or face Aegon's dragons. Here I'm going to break down how the leaders of these Great Houses fared against the Targaryens and what characters we will likely meet in this hopefully epic movie.
Warning: Spoilers for George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood and The World of Ice and Fire ahead!
The Riverlands / Iron Islands: King Harren Hoare
House Hoare originally ruled over the Iron Islands and eventually conquered the Riverlands as well. When Harren Hoare came to power, he was the most feared king in Westeros for ruling over his kingdom with an iron fist. During a 40-year project, Harren oversaw the construction of Harrenhal to serve as the seat of his power, despite the castle draining his kingdom's resources.
The same day Harrenhal was completed, Aegon landed on Westeros and set out to conquer Harren's lands himself. After taking refuge inside Harrenhal, which was believed to be an impenetrable fortress, Harren found himself surrounded by 8,000 Rivermen led by House Tully, who turned on him and swore allegiance to the Targaryens. When Harren refused to bend the knee, Aegon used Balerion to burn Harrenhal and its occupants, ending House Hoare and installing House Tully as the overlords of the Riverlands.
The Stormlands: King Argilac Durrandon
By the time of the conquest, House Durrandon had been struggling to hold their grip over the Stormlands. Although Argilac had been a strong ruler, he was an old man with no male heir by the time of the Conquest. Argilac foolishly attempted to offer Aegon lands that he did not even own, and his daughter as a bride even though Aegon already had two wives.
Like Harren, Argilac refused Aegon's request to bend the knee and instead gathered his bannermen to meet the Targaryens in battle. Rhaenys and her dragon Meraxes helped Orys Baratheon defeat Argilac's army on the ground during a thunderstorm. Orys, who was also Aegon's Hand of the Kind, became the ruler of the Stormlands. He also married Argilac's daughter, and took his castle, sigil, and House words to establish House Baratheon.
The North: King Torrhen Stark
King Torrhen Stark was the last Stark to hold the title King in the North until Robb Stark brought it back in the main series. After Aegon conquered the Riverlands, Stormlands, Westerlands, and the Reach, Torrhen met the Targaryens at the Trident with a massive Northern host at his back.
After hearing reports about the Targaryen dragons burning Harrenhal and the Western armies, Torrhen made the decision to bend the knee to Aegon. Although this forever gave him the nickname "The King Who Knelt," Torrhen's decision preserved House Stark and their status as the overlords of The North.
The Westerlands: King Loren Lannister
King Loren Lannister formed an alliance with King Mern Gardener of the Reach when Aegon demanded their fealty. Together, they formed an astounding 55,000-man army to meet the Targaryens in the field. Although Aegon's host was only a fifth of the Western Kings' army, the Targaryens won what was later known as the Field of Fire.
During the battle, Aegon took advantage of the dry conditions and had Rhaenys and Visenya start fires upwind of the Western army. The smoke blinded them and scared their horses while Aegon descended on them with Balerion. Thousands burned, and Loren Lannister was eventually captured and swore fealty to Aegon.
The Reach: King Mern Gardener
Unlike Loren, King Mern and his sons all perished in the Field of Fire, ending the line of House Gardener that stood for thousands of years. When the Targaryens marched on the Gardener seat of Highgarden, they found its steward Harlan Tyrell in charge. Tyrell immediately yielded the castle and pledged fealty to Aegon, securing his house as the rulers of the Reach for at least the next three centuries.
The Vale: Sharra Arryn
Sharra Arryn ruled as the Vale's regent since her son Ronnell was a young boy. Once known as one of the most beautiful women in Westeros, Sharra attempted to seduce Aegon by sending him a portrait of herself. She offered to marry him as long as he named Ronnell his heir.
After receiving no response, Sharra garrisoned an army at the Bloody Gate and reinforced other defenses in her kingdom. One day, Sharra found that Visenya Targaryen had flown the dragon Vhagar past all her defenses and landed in the Eyrie. With Ronnell sitting on Visenya's lap, Sharra knew she was beaten and surrendered House Arryn's crown to the Targaryens.
Dorne: Princess Meria Martell
Meria Martell, also known as the Yellow Toad of Dorne, ruled over the desert kingdom during the Conquest. 80 years old and blind, Meria was the only Westerosi ruler to withstand the Targaryen dragons and retain her kingdom's independence. Meria offered to be an ally against the Stormlands, but would not bend the knee.
After conquering the other six kingdoms, Rhaenys Targaryen led an invasion of Dorne on Meraxes. She found each castle empty aside form women and children, with the men resorting to guerilla warfare in the desert. Rhaenys eventually flew Meraxes to Sunspear to meet with Meria and demand her fealty. Meria told her that Dorne would never surrender, proving that her House's words "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken," were no joke.
Rhaenys left Dorne unconquered, and the kingdom would repel multiple Targaryen invasions and remain independent for nearly 200 years.
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