The Princess and the Queen, or, The Blacks and the Greens | |
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Author | George R. R. Martin |
Audio read by | Iain Glen |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Series | A Song of Ice and Fire |
Genre(s) | Fantasy |
Published in | Dangerous Women |
Publisher | Tor Books |
Media type | Novella |
Publication date | December 3, 2013 |
Followed by | " The Rogue Prince " |
The Princess and the Queen, or, the Blacks and the Greens is an epic fantasy novella by American novelist George R. R. Martin, published in the 2013 Tor Books anthology Dangerous Women . [1] [2] [3] The novella is presented in the form of writings by the fictional historian Archmaester Gyldayn, who is also the "author" of Martin's 2014 novella The Rogue Prince , a direct prequel to The Princess and the Queen. [4] The plot of both The Princess and the Queen and The Rogue Prince is later expanded further in the 2018 novel Fire & Blood , which also spawned a television series in 2022.
A spin-off of Martin's famed A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, The Princess and the Queen is set about 200 years before the events of A Game of Thrones (1996), and chronicles the "continent-burning warfare" of a Targaryen war of succession that explodes between heir to the throne Crown Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (whose supporters are known as "the blacks") and her stepmother Queen Alicent Hightower (supported by "the greens"), who conspired to usurp Rhaenyra and have her half-brother Aegon (Alicent's eldest son) crowned on the Iron Throne instead. [5] [6] [7] The resulting civil war is called the "Dance of the Dragons" due to the active involvement of dragonriders, and is designated the primary cause for the extinction of dragons in Westeros before the time of A Song of Ice and Fire.
When King Viserys I Targaryen dies, his second wife and widow, Queen Alicent of House Hightower, conspires a coup and has their eldest son Prince Aegon crowned as King Aegon II, before Viserys' daughter and only surviving child from his first marriage, Crown Princess Rhaenyra, can inherit the Iron Throne herself. Although Rhaenyra is the king's oldest child and had been named heir apparent years before, Queen Alicent and her supporters declare Rhaenyra unfit to rule and argue that, as a woman, Rhaenyra should be placed after Alicent's male children in the line of succession.
After Rhaenyra is crowned Queen by her followers at the Targaryen ancestral seat of Dragonstone, her second born son Lucerys Velaryon and King Aegon's younger brother Aemond both take their dragons to seek the support of Lord Borros Baratheon of Storm's End. However, Lucerys and his dragon Arrax are attacked and killed over the Shipbreaker Bay by Aemond, who rides the much larger dragon Vhagar. In revenge, Rhaenyra's uncle and second husband, Prince Daemon, has Aegon II's elder son and heir Jaehaerys murdered by a pair of assassins. Soon both branches of the Targaryen royal line are at open war, rallying various noble houses supporting Rhaenyra (known as "The Blacks", a colour she often wore) against those supporting Aegon II and Queen Alicent (known as "The Greens", a colour she often wore).
The war of succession –known as the "Dance of the Dragons" due to both sides having dragonriders –is the first major civil war of the Targaryen dynasty, and sees many Targaryen kinsmen, dragons and noblemen killed in combat, including Rhaenyra's eldest son, Jacaerys Velaryon. After some early Greens victories, Rhaenyra successfully turns the tide and assaults the capital, King's Landing, expelling Aegon II and captures large numbers of Greens members. However, the harsh taxes she then enacts (due to the treasury being secretly emptied by the Greens supporters), as well as her vengeful lust, paranoia and subsequent summary executions of perceived traitors, trigger a violent riot in the capital, during which angry mobs fearful of dragons storm the Dragonpit and kill most of the remaining dragons (as well as Joffrey Velaryon, her last surviving son from her first marriage to Laenor Velaryon), and she is forced to flee after just half a year on the throne. Eventually, Aegon II's two brothers, Aemond and Daeron, as well as his only remaining son, Maelor, are all killed. Aegon himself is rendered crippled and no longer fertile; likewise, by the ending moments of the war, Rhaenyra's three eldest children have all been killed along with her husband Prince Daemon. Rhaenyra is betrayed and captured by Aegon II, who brutally executes her by having his crippled dragon Sunfyre burn her alive before devouring her in six bites. The war continues after Rhaenyra's death, with her Blacks supporters rallying behind her fourth son, Aegon the Younger, despite the latter being imprisoned as a hostage by Aegon II.
As the last known living male member of House Targaryen, Aegon the Younger is named by Aegon II as his heir, but is constantly threatened with execution by his uncle. However, after the Greens' last army is annihilated at the Battle of the Kingsroad, the stubbornly defiant Aegon II is assassinated by his own men, who then surrender unconditionally to the Blacks. Aegon the Younger is freed and crowned as King Aegon III, ending the conflict. It is a pyrrhic victory, as House Targaryen has lost virtually all of their dragons. The surviving dragons either go feral and/or die out during the reign of Aegon III, earning him the infamous nickname "Dragonbane".
House Targaryen, continuing through Rhaenyra's direct family line, reigns for the next 150 years, until it is overthrown by Robert Baratheon.
According to George R. R. Martin, the Dance of the Dragons, the main conflict portrayed in The Princess and the Queen, was inspired by the 15-year-long civil war in High Medieval England known as The Anarchy, where Empress Matilda, the daughter and heir of Henry I of England, fought a protracted war of succession against her cousin Stephen from 1138 to 1153 AD, which eventually ended with the ascension of Matilda's son Henry II, the founder of the Plantagenet dynasty. [8]
The story was to be included in the companion book The World of Ice & Fire but was removed because the book was becoming too long for the original concept of a fully illustrated book. It and several other stories appeared in abridged versions in other anthologies. [9]
Entertainment Weekly called the 35,000-word novella "a great demonstration of Martin's ability to dramatize the slippery complexities of power: how evil begets heroism, how heroes become villains". [7] The Princess and the Queen was nominated for a 2014 Locus Award. [10]
An HBO series adaptation of The Princess and the Queen, called House of the Dragon , began airing from August 21, 2022. House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones covering the Dance of Dragons civil war, and incorporates additional material from Fire and Blood and the expanded text "The Dying of Dragons." The show is produced by Martin, Vince Gerardis, Ryan Condal, and Miguel Sapochnik; in addition, the latter two are its showrunners. [11] The sixth episode of the pilot season of House of the Dragon is also named after the novella.
The Rogue Prince, or, a King's Brother is a novelette by George R. R. Martin, published in the 2014 Bantam Spectra anthology Rogues. It is set on the continent of Westeros of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, hundreds of years before the events of A Game of Thrones (1996) during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen.
Fire & Blood is a fantasy book by American writer George R. R. Martin and illustrated by Doug Wheatley. It tells the history of House Targaryen, the dynasty that ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros in the backstory of his series A Song of Ice and Fire. Although originally planned for publication after the completion of the series, Martin revealed his intent to publish the history in two volumes as the material had grown too large. The first volume was released on November 20, 2018.
House of the Dragon is an American fantasy drama television series created by George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal for HBO. A prequel to Game of Thrones (2011–2019), it is the second television series in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik served as the showrunners for the first season. Based on parts of Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood, the series begins about 100 years after the Seven Kingdoms are united by the Targaryen conquest, nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Featuring an ensemble cast, the show portrays the events leading up to the decline of House Targaryen, a devastating war of succession known as the "Dance of the Dragons."
"The Heirs of the Dragon" is the series premiere of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, an adaptation of the second half of George R. R. Martin's book Fire & Blood and a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by series co-creator Ryan Condal and directed by co-showrunner and executive producer Miguel Sapochnik. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on August 21, 2022.
"The Rogue Prince" is the second episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by series co-creator Ryan Condal and directed by Greg Yaitanes. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on August 28, 2022. The title of the episode is named after George R. R. Martin's 2014 novelette.
"The Princess and the Queen" is the sixth episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. Its title is named after George R. R. Martin's eponymous 2013 novella. The episode was written by Sara Hess and directed by showrunner and executive producer Miguel Sapochnik. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on September 25, 2022.
"We Light the Way" is the fifth episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. Its title is the motto of House Hightower, one of the fictional noble families featured in the series. The episode was written by Charmaine DeGraté, and directed by Clare Kilner. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on September 18, 2022.
"Driftmark" is the seventh episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by Kevin Lau and directed by showrunner and executive producer Miguel Sapochnik. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on October 2, 2022.
"The Lord of the Tides" is the eighth episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by Eileen Shim and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on October 9, 2022.
"The Green Council" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by Sara Hess and directed by Clare Kilner. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on October 16, 2022.
"The Black Queen" is the tenth and final episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by series co-creator and co-showrunner Ryan Condal and directed by Greg Yaitanes. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on October 23, 2022. Two days before it aired, the episode leaked online and was shared among many fans on illegal torrent websites.
Rhaenyra Targaryen is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, appearing in the 2013 novella The Princess and the Queen, the 2014 novella The Rogue Prince and the 2018 novel Fire & Blood. She has been called "the face" of the television adaptation House of the Dragon, and is portrayed by Australian actress Milly Alcock as a teenager and primarily by English actor Emma D'Arcy as an adult. The character and D'Arcy's portrayal in particular have been met with critical acclaim.
"A Son for a Son" is the second-season premiere episode of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by series co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal and directed by executive producer Alan Taylor. It first aired on HBO and Max on June 16, 2024.
"Rhaenyra the Cruel" is the second episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by executive producer Sara Hess and directed by Clare Kilner. It first aired on HBO and Max on June 23, 2024.
"The Burning Mill" is the third episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by David Hancock and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel. It first aired on HBO and Max on June 30, 2024.
"The Red Dragon and the Gold" is the fourth episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. Its title refers to Meleys and Sunfyre, the dragons of Rhaenys and Aegon, respectively. The episode was written by series co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal and directed by executive producer Alan Taylor. It first aired on HBO and Max on July 7, 2024.
"Regent" is the fifth episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by Ti Mikkel and directed by Clare Kilner. It first aired on HBO and Max on July 14, 2024.
"The Red Sowing" is the seventh and penultimate episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The title refers to the bloody fate of many Targaryen bastards, who are called "dragon seeds", trying to claim dragons. The episode was written by David Hancock and directed by Loni Peristere. It first aired on HBO and Max on July 28, 2024.
"The Queen Who Ever Was" is the eighth and final episode of the second season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by Sara Hess and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel. It first aired on HBO and Max on August 4, 2024. Several days before its release, scenes from the episode were leaked online and quickly shared among fans on TikTok, X, and Reddit.