- "All the same, his descendants continued to threaten the Targaryens until half a century later, when Barristan the Bold slew Maelys the Monstrous on the Stepstones, extinguishing Daemon's line."
- ―Varys
Maelys Blackfyre, better known as Maelys the Monstrous, was called "the Monstrous" in part due to his freakishly large size and strength, but also due to the fact that he had a small vestigial second head sprouting out of the side of his neck - the remnant of a twin that he had absorbed in the womb.[1]
Biography
Background
Barristan Selmy kills Maelys Blackfyre at the end of the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
Maelys Blackfyre was the last of the Blackfyre Pretenders to the Iron Throne. Like previous members of House Blackfyre, he proclaimed himself the rightful king as a descendant of Daemon Blackfyre, bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen, while the main Targaryen line descended from Aegon IV's lawful son King Daeron II Targaryen. Maelys rallied an army of mercenaries in the Free Cities and began a conquest of the Stepstones as a prelude to invading Westeros itself. The Targaryens attacked the Stepstones before he could launch the invasion, leading to the War of the Ninepenny Kings. This conflict ended when Maelys was killed in the Stepstones by the young Ser Barristan Selmy, extinguishing Daemon Blackfyre's line and ending further threat of Blackfyre pretenders.[2]
Quotes
- "During the War of the Ninepenny Kings, I sought out Maelys the Monstrous, last of the Blackfyre pretenders, who had started this whole war. Maelys believed that his Targaryen blood gave him a claim to the Iron Throne. I made sure that his blood claimed nothing more than the dirt around his corpse."
- ―Barristan Selmy remembers Maelys.
Family tree
Template:House Blackfyre family tree
In the books
Maelys the Monstrous had a vestigial second head growing out of his neck, the remnant of a twin he absorbed in the womb.
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Maelys Blackfyre was the last male descendant of Daemon Blackfyre. He had a huge upper body and a second head sprouting from his neck. This was said to be the head of his twin whom he had absorbed in the womb, earning him the nickname "Maelys the Monstrous".
Maelys was named Captain-General of the Golden Company after killing his cousin Daemon when they fought for the position, becoming a kinslayer for the second time, although this time by choice. The freakishly strong Maelys killed Daemon's horse with a single mighty punch, then twisted Daemon's head around and tore it bare-handed from his shoulders.
During the War of the Ninepenny Kings, Maelys was one of the Band of Nine, a group of merchants, sellswords, and pirates who joined forces to carve kingdoms out for themselves. After conquering the Disputed Lands, Tyrosh and the Stepstones, Maelys convinced the other members of the band to attack Westeros and aid him in retaking what he claimed was his birthright. However, the Targaryens acted swiftly and sent their own force out to the Stepstones to meet him. There, Maelys was slain by Ser Barristan Selmy in single combat on the Stepstones, ending the Blackfyre pretensions to the Iron Throne.
The exact line of descent from Daemon I to Maelys is unclear. Daemon had seven sons and several daughters. Based on chronology, he was apparently Daemon I's grandson, but it isn't known from which of his children.
See also
References
- ↑ Robert's Rebellion (Histories & Lore)
- ↑ "The Death of Kings"