How did Aegon the Conqueror die? On a short list of the greatest Targaryen kings, Aegon the Conqueror would definitely earn a podium finish. While he may not have been the leader, his grandson Jaehaerys I turned out to be it was Aegon, with Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes, who defeated the petty kings of Westeros and forged the Land into the Seven kingdoms.
It was Aegon the Conqueror that broke the hold of House Hoare on the Riverlands, Aegon defeated the King of the Reach during the Field of Fire, and Aegon was the one who built King’s Landing. Few other Game of Thrones characters can claim to have had such a huge impact on the setting, and yet, despite his great power, Aegon did eventually pass away. So how did Aegon the Conqueror die?
How did Aegon the Conqueror die?
Aegon the Conqueror died of a stroke at age 64. The king was at Dragonstone telling his grandchildren about his conquest of Westeros when he passed away. Following his death, he was cremated, and his eldest son, Aenys I, took the throne.
Unfortunately for Aenys I, and later his brother Maegor, vengeful lords across the land took the death of Aegon as an opportunity to try and overthrow the Targaryens, and a number of uprisings broke out across Westeros after the Conqueror’s death.
These were brutally put down by Maegor, but the Targaryens continued to be unpopular even into the reign of Jaehaerys I, who, through his wisdom and leadership, managed to bind the Seven Kingdoms into one cohesive kingdom, which later Targaryens (we’re looking at you Mad King and Daenerys Targaryen) would destroy.
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