Brynden Rivers

Brynden Rivers
Political information
House(s)	Targaryen (legitimized)
Personal information
Also known as	Bloodraven Great Bastard
Culture	Valyrian First Men
Religion	Old Gods
Father	{Aegon IV Targaryen}
Lover(s)	Shiera Seastar
Sibling(s)	Paternal half-siblings: Daeron II Targaryen Daenerys Targaryen {Daemon Blackfyre} Aegor Rivers Shiera Seastar

"After much bloodshed, Daemon was killed by an alliance of his half-brothers on the Redgrass Field."

―Varys

Brynden Rivers is one of the infamous Great Bastards of King Aegon IV Targaryen, also known as "Aegon the Unworthy".

Biography

Background

On his deathbed, Aegon the Unworthy legitimized all of his bastard-born children, causing a crisis of succession that later led to all-out war. During the Blackfyre Rebellion that followed, Brynden Rivers sided with his half-brother King Daeron the Good and fought against Daemon Blackfyre at the Battle of Redgrass Field, killing him with an arrow volley.^{[citation needed]} During this same battle he lost an eye at the hands of his other half-brother Bittersteel.

Game of Thrones: Season 1

Brynden, along with his siblings, is mentioned in the House Targaryen entry of the book The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms.

Family

Daeron I Targaryen Deceased

Baelor I Targaryen Deceased

Elaena Targaryen

Rhaena Targaryen Deceased

Daena Targaryen Deceased

Aegon IV Targaryen Deceased

Naerys Targaryen Deceased

Aemon Targaryen Deceased

Daemon Blackfyre Deceased

Rohanne of Tyrosh

Aegor Rivers

Brynden Rivers

Shiera Seastar

Daeron II Targaryen

Myriah Martell Deceased

Maron Martell

Daenerys Targaryen

Aegon Blackfyre Deceased

Aemon Blackfyre Deceased

Daemon Blackfyre

Haegon Blackfyre

Wife

Baelor Targaryen

Aerys Targaryen

Aelinor Penrose

Rhaegel Targaryen

Maekar Targaryen

Dyanna Dayne Deceased

Son

Daemon Blackfyre

Son(s)

Daeron Targaryen

Aerion Targaryen

Aemon Targaryen

Aegon Targaryen

In the books

Brynden Rivers by Roman "Amok" Papsuev.©

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Brynden Rivers was often called "Bloodraven". While King Aegon IV had many bastard children, the mothers of four of them were also noblewomen, which encouraged Aegon to formally acknowledge their children. The four Great Bastards were Daemon Blackfyre (whose mother was Daena Targaryen), Aegor "Bittersteel" Rivers (whose mother was a member of House Bracken), Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers, and Shiera Seastar (whose mother was Serenei of Lys, from an ancient Valyrian noble family). Brynden's own mother, Melissa Blackwood, was the best liked of King Aegon's many mistresses, and she cultivated many friendships at court; even the King's wife Naerys, her brother Prince Aemon the Dragonknight and her son, the future King Daeron II, befriended Melissa. These friendships allowed Brynden to gain admittance and acceptance at court.

He was called "Bloodraven" because he had a winestain birthmark covering much of his cheek, which was said to be shaped like a raven and showed blood red against his pale skin (it wasn't really perfectly shaped like a raven, but sort of like when you look at a cloud and try to see shapes in it).

After Aegon IV foolishly legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed, there was strife between them and his legitimate heir Daeron, who was to become King Daeron II. These tensions would ultimately split the realm apart in the devastating civil war known as the Blackfyre Rebellion. Bloodraven sided with Daeron II, while half-brother Bittersteel sided with Daemon Blackfyre.

Bittersteel and Bloodraven hated one another, mainly because they both competed for the love of their half-sister Shiera Seastar. Bloodraven asked her to marry him dozens of times and she refused, but she did let him into her bed - though she had many lovers. Shiera, however, completely rejected Bittersteel, and for this he never forgave Bloodraven. It also didn't help that Bittersteel's mother was a Bracken and Bloodraven's mother was a Blackwood, as those two noble families had been feuding for thousands of years. Bittersteel became a great champion and general for the Blackfyres, while Bloodraven became a great champion and general for the Targaryens.

The Blackfyre Rebellion ended in 196 AC with the Battle of the Redgrass Field, in which Daemon Blackfyre and his eldest two sons were slain. It was Bloodraven's private company of archers, known as the Raven's Teeth, who rained arrows down upon Daemon Blackfyre and his two eldest sons, killing them. Many called Bloodraven a kinslayer for this, though no one knew exactly whose arrows had killed Daemon - he was pierced by many. Bittersteel responded with a ferocious counter-charge and engaged Bloodraven in an epic duel, in which Bloodraven lost an eye. However, Bloodraven's intent was not to defeat Bittersteel, but simply distract him and play for time until reinforcements arrived under Prince Baelor "Breakspear" Targaryen: already fighting Prince Maekar's forces in front, Breakspear caught Bittersteel's remaining forces from the rear in a pincer's movement. The battle was lost but Bittersteel managed to escape, and became one of the major leaders of the surviving Blackfyre forces as they fled into exile in the Free Cities. Daemon left behind five sons and multiple daughters, so Bittersteel became their guardian, secreting them across the Narrow Sea with his dwindling followers.

Appearances

• – "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" (mentioned in text)
• – "A Golden Crown" (mentioned in text)
• – "Two Swords" (mentioned in text)
• – "The Bastards of Westeros" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "The Death of Kings" (illustrated)
• – "Prophecies of the Known World" (mentioned)
• – "The Blackfyres" (mentioned indirectly)

External links

• Brynden Rivers on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms)