Aegon's story is fake news and propaganda

[GoT_Academy]

The story of Aegon The Conqueror is clearly a piece of propaganda hatched by the shrewdest political campaign strategists in the realm. Since this book is written as a proper history written in medieval times, we have to keep in mind that it was not written as a purely academic pursuit, but as an effort to advance an agenda. And this agenda is a clear pro-Aegon story meant to justify everything that he did, deter those who read it from rebelling against this new Targaryen dynasty, and 

When we read what happened we should ALWAYS keep that in mind. This story was written by the winners, and passed down through the generations, until this maester wrote it.

So who was actually this Aegon fellow? We don't know. Nobody knows. He's a mythical figure that might be very different from how he is portrayed. It's not important who he actually was, what's important is what he represents. He is nobody and everybody at the same time. If he had wanted people to know what he was really like, he would have told the maesters to write a different story about him. But he left himself, intentionally, as an enigma. You can project into his mythical image whatever you're looking for - warrior, ruler, collaborator, strong-willed, he's whatever you want him to be. That's a powerful image, and obvisouly deliberately crafted.

The story is meant to justify the conquest by:

1. Highlighting how bad the situation was before he came around (constant in-fighting)

2. He's not the problem - he's the solution (sure, he killed thousands but with one realm it's better for all)

3. Emphasizing that Aegon is not really a foreigner, and definitely not an outside invader (he visited Westeros, he landed in an empty space, he prays to the Seven, has banners, respects Westerosi customs and institutions, etc)

4. Making him out to be divine, with omens and godly support (the dry grass in the Field of Fire, the High Septon praying on it for seven days, etc)

I think this is the subtext that George put into his story: a man who wrote about himself as a perfect person. No one during that time would have dared write anything negative about him, and the people who did write, maesters mostly, became close allies and gained national influence through Aegon's Conquest and the unification of the realm.

Do you read Aegon's story as is, at face value? I elaborate more on this in this video on my channel > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZKR9_dBfow

[Lion of the West]

EDITED: Forget about it.

[three-eyed monkey]

History is always written by the victors to paint themselves in a good light, and I don't think GRRM would have it any other way for Westeros. I think "fake news" is a bit strong for the story of the conquest, but there are obviously elements of pro-Targ propaganda. It's unfathomable to think otherwise.

As for what type of person Aegon truly was? I think, in the context of the story, that the character of Jon, especially if it is revealed in the books that his name was Aegon, will be the obvious parallel.

[John Suburbs]

7 hours ago, GoT_Academy said:

snip

Well, yeah. Why would anyone think otherwise?

[Darth Sidious]

The victors do not get to write all of history.  The idiot maesters were doing most of the recording and many among them are Anti-Targaryen.  The seven kingdoms is proof of Targaryen achievement.  They held it together for three centuries.  Look in comparison to what a big mess the team of Baratheon, Stark, and Arryn did in a few short years when they took over.

[Reekazoid]

Well then mayhaps greenseers connected to the Wiernet would be in a position to present alternative facts that might challenge the narrative being pushed by the masterstream media.

Alas, though, then it's almost certain that the poor greenseers would likely be dismissed  out of hand by the maesters for not being real historians, probably labeled as subversives by the faith for operating outside the system and communing with outside sources , and almost certainly accused of deceptive editing of their visions.

 

[rotting sea cow]

On 12/5/2018 at 9:40 AM, GoT_Academy said:

The story of Aegon The Conqueror is clearly a piece of propaganda hatched by the shrewdest political campaign strategists in the realm.

Impossible. Internet and social media do not exist in Westeros, nor the evil Putin-bots. News and history are only run by reputable, 100% reliable and objective mainstream maesters trained in the Citadel. We should trust and believe them.

[Arthur Peres]

17 hours ago, Silver Bullet 1985 said:

The victors do not get to write all of history.  The idiot maesters were doing most of the recording and many among them are Anti-Targaryen.  The seven kingdoms is proof of Targaryen achievement.  They held it together for three centuries.  Look in comparison to what a big mess the team of Baratheon, Stark, and Arryn did in a few short years when they took over.

you forgot house Lannister.

[TPTWP Timett]

21 hours ago, Silver Bullet 1985 said:

The victors do not get to write all of history.  The idiot maesters were doing most of the recording and many among them are Anti-Targaryen.  The seven kingdoms is proof of Targaryen achievement.  They held it together for three centuries.  Look in comparison to what a big mess the team of Baratheon, Stark, and Arryn did in a few short years when they took over.

Ned didn't even know the crown was in debt. How is he responsible? Bobby B started the mess with Arryn watching but it took the Lannisters to really wreck things.

[Platypus Rex]

This is a very trendy, but useless, way of thinking about things.  Trendy, postmodern, deconstructionist, and useless.

The victors write history, to be sure.  But the victors were there, and you were not.  If only one account has been handed down to you, from olden days, you have little choice but to accept that account.  Because however flawed it may be, it is probably more reliable than the alternative - disregarding what has been handed down and making up myths of your own[**].  BUT, when you have to consider two different conflicting accounts, BOTH of which date back to the time in question, THEN it makes perfect consider bias in determining which is most likely to be accurate. 

That applies to the real history, in the read world.  But, additionally, when reading a work of fiction, the first rule is suspension of disbelief.  Why would you bother reading fiction, otherwise?

Certainly, it is plausible that not everything we have heard about Westerosi history is 100% true.  We should be prepared for surprises.  But assuming everything is false, without any conflicting evidence to consider, is just silly.

Anyway, in medieval times, history was not as tightly controlled as it might be in a modern totalitarian regime.  We see this in the Westerosi histories.  As pro-Targ as these maesters are, they still don't stint to portray Aegon and his descendants as the depraved murderous bastards they are. 

[**] This is in fact the main point of radical deconstructionism of the past:  To prepare the way for the creation of new myths, more congenial to new agendas, and/or to the interests of those currently in power.   Reliable ascertainment of truth is never the goal.

[Starkz]

On 12/5/2018 at 10:06 PM, Silver Bullet 1985 said:

The victors do not get to write all of history.  The idiot maesters were doing most of the recording and many among them are Anti-Targaryen.  The seven kingdoms is proof of Targaryen achievement.  They held it together for three centuries.  Look in comparison to what a big mess the team of Baratheon, Stark, and Arryn did in a few short years when they took over.

The Lannisters and Baratheons were the ones responsible. They never should have controlled the Throne.

[Ralphis Baratheon]

What about Dorne though? Seems they had the last laugh on Aegon I. And before that they made him look silly by chopping off his Hand's hand and tricked him into thinking one of their fools was a champion. All of this is known. Is it known because Dorne was not apart of the Targaryen realm yet? Or did Aegon make no effort to try to control the narrative. I feel like he could have at the very least been able to claim Toland's fool was indeed a champion and his victory over him was a great martial achievement. 

[Lord Lannister]

Still using this message board to promote your YouTube channel I see.

[Dorian Martell's son]

On 12/5/2018 at 12:40 AM, GoT_Academy said:

I elaborate more on this in this fan fic speculative time sink on my channel > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZKR9_dBfow

fix'd it fer ya

[Dorian Martell's son]

18 minutes ago, Lord Lannister said:

Still using this message board to promote your YouTube channel I see.

lol