Volantis - Why help Aegon?

[Nyrhex]

I was wondering if someone could help me out here. I've been thinking about what Martin gave Dany and what he gave Aegon in order for them both to be able to become contenders for the throne in time. While doing so, I've realised that among several things that have taken my willfull suspension of disbeliefe to new boundries, was Volantis' aid to Aegon in the form of ships to land in Westeros. However, when I think about it, it makes absolute no sense.

1. Volantis is a part of the coalition that is currently fighting Dany.

2. Volantis is about to send it's fleet of 300-500 ships to Mereen, with it's army.

3. Volantis sees that the Golden Company is following Aegon (or so he claims to be), and is trying to get hold of enough ships to attack Westeros.

4. Volantis helps by sending enough ships to transport the Golden Company.

Now, the official reason is that it would get the Golden Company away from Volantis, and everybody knows that it's never too safe to have an unhired mercenarie company just hanging about near your city. However, when you think about the implications, this move simply does not make sense.

Aegon claims to be kin to Dany. As such, they are natural allies. If he wins, he will become a powerful enemy. But it is not so likely that he should win. The Lannisters and the Tyrells may suffer from Ironborn raids, but with the Redwyne fleet on it's way and Garlan raising another army, it doesn't look like much. Stannis Baratheon is currently freezing in the North, and it looks like his cause is doomed as well. If Volantis is banking on Dorne to help Aegon, that just won't be enough. So it's pretty safe to assume that Volantis does not have high hopes of Aegon ever making it.

But the other scenario does not mean peace for Volantis. If Aegon fails, the Iron Throne will turn it's wrath against those who helped him - Volantis. They had helped Aegon wage war against them. Is Volantis realy expecting the Iron Throne to forget that? The Iron Throne has at least 1,200 ships, with the potential for plenty more once it finishes it's enemies. Volantis has less then half of that, and is sending it in the opposite direction.

So they send a likely enemy to either gain power or be replaced with a greater enemy, while sending thier fleet and army away? How does this make any sense?

[thecryptile]

I thought maybe helping Aegon was a psyops type of tactic, to lower Dany's prestige by introducing another Targaryen (making Dany less unique) and Aegon taking "her throne" in Westeros diminishes perceptions of Dany's power. Aegon's Volantene backers may also hope to distract the Red Priests, presenting Aegon as the fulfillment of the prophecies.

[di229]

Did volantis even know they had Aegon?

[WinterKing]

It was just: "there is an army in our doorsteps,so lets help them, so they get the hell out of here".

[Maegor the Cuddly]

Alternatively, they were also fighting Dany, and Dany's Nephew shows up. They don't want the two uniting, especially with Aegon having the GC, so they took him up on his offer to drop him off in Westeros. Do note how Jon Conn mentioned how the Volantene ships were just dropping off the GC men haphazardly...

And does the IT even know it was Volantene ships who did it? And what could they do if they did, moving an army from one continent to another isn't exactly an easy, or even feasible task.

[Winter's Breath]

Remember at the time Volantis is on the verge of a slave revolution. There are normally many more slaves than people, and their army has just sailed away leaving really no force of power. They were panicking, already, and did not want to deal with an army of 10,000 camped outside the city.

They decided that 30- 40 ships (in the biggest port city in the world, with the second biggest ship production rate) was an easy bargain to get that army away. And if if the Iron Throne is pissed at them for backing Ageon (if he loses), they cant do much. There is no royal fleet, and only about 200-250 Redwyne ships that now have to battle the Ironborn. I doubt Gulltown has a big fleet (its never been mentioned) and the Northern fleet is not about to sail half way around the world on a Lanisters's bidding. Volantis is too far away to be threatened.

[-Ghost-]

I dont think they knew it was Aegon. They did know it was the Golden Company though and they wanted them gone from their city. I think the GC had turned down an offer to fight for them and no one was really sure why they were just hanging out in their city. Kinda how Pentos and whoever else give the Dothraki stuff to leave.

[Morienthar]

To get ten thousand un bought sell swords off their doorstep......

[Sevumar]

As others have said, the Volantene escort was a measure for the city's leaders to be sure the Golden Company had departed its territory. After we pick up with the Golden Company/Connington's arrival on Westeros, we start getting reports that the ships and their Volantene escorts simply started putting Golden Company people and assets ashore wherever land was sited. They didn't really care too much about where people ended up.

It looks to me like they simply wanted to discharge their mission and to get home.

[Fire Eater]

It was never announced that Aegon was claiming the IT until after the GC landed. Th GC said they were hired by an exile lord to regain his lands in Westeros. The Volantenes didn't even know about Aegon's existence. They wanted to get rid of the army on their doorstep as well.

[Djinn]

The triarchs didnt know about Aegon. They just wanted the GC out.

But even if they knew:

-Aegon is a way to deflate Danaerys rep as Queen of Westeros.

-Aegon might be used to confuse the Rhllorists.

-By helping him, they are gaining favour they can collect if he wins.

-The IT doesn't know about there assistance. And even if they knew, there always plausible deniability.