Aegon I Targaryen

Aegon I "The Conqueror" Targaryen was the descendant of a Valyrian noble who escaped the volcanic destruction of the ancient Valyrian freehold to the island of Dragonstone, off Westeros, bringing with him three dragons, Balerion, Vhaegar, and Meraxes. During the earlier years of his life, Aegon used his dragons in support of the Free Cites of Lys and Myr in their war against the city-state of Volantis. Aegon also visited all of the Westerossi kingdoms, and gathered intelligence about the royal houses, aided by his bastard half-brother Orys Baratheon. At age 25, Argillac the Arrogant, a Westerossi king, offered the hand of his daughter to Aegon, to cement an alliance against his rival, Harren the Black. Aegon refused, and instead arranged for his half-brother Orys Baratheon to marry her instead. Argillac took this as an insult and cut of the hands of Aegon's messenger. In retaliation, Aegon invaded Westeros.

Aegon, along with his two sister-wives (in the incestuous tradition of his family), Visenya and Rhaenys, led a small army across the strait separating the Westeros from Dragonstone, landing on the site of what would become the city of King's Landing and building a temporary fort known as Aegonsfort. The kings of the Westerlands and The Reach, of the houses Lannister and Gardener raised a massive combined army to attack the forces of Aegon, however they were easily defeated by his three dragons in a battle that became known as the "Field of Fire. Aegon's sisters used their dragons to destroy the navy and armies of the Stormlands, while Aegon himself flew to the Riverlands on Balerion and destroyed the fortress of Harrenhal with his dragon fire, killing King Harren the Black and his entire house in the process.

Such was the power of Aegon's dragons that the Arryns of the Vale and the Starks of the North surrendered without a fight. Only the southern kingdom of Dorne was never conquered, putting up a guerilla resistance against two invasions by Aegon, the second of which ended wiht the death of Aegon's sister Rhaenys and her dragon Meraxes in 4 AC. Other attempts to conquer Dorne by later kings would be made, but none succeeded, and the region would remain independent for 300 years, until Dornish princess Eila Martell married Aerys Targaryen, the last Targaryen king, who was shortly thereafter overthrown.

After his victory, he used the fires of his dragon to forge the swords of his many conquered foes into the Iron Throne, an intentionally uncomfortable throne- "a king should never sit easy". Aegon would rule the Seven Kingdoms from Dragonstone, but he ordered the old Aegonsfort demolished, and replaced with a proper capital, centered around the great castle and palace known as The Red Keep. Only the foundations would be lain before Aegon died in Dragonstone, where he would be succeeded by his son, Aenys. The Red Keep, however, would not be completed until the reign of Maegor I.

Aegon was a mysterious man of few words, only really understood by his sisters and best friend Orys Baratheon, who he named the first Hand of the King after his victory. Aegon was known for being lenient to those who surrendered, but absolutely merciless to those who did not.