The Great Bastards: Bloodraven, Bittersteel, and the Targaryen Succession Crisis

In the history of Westeros, few things prove as consequential as the question of what happens to a kingdom when the line of succession becomes unclear or contested. The Wars of the Roses in medieval England sparked centuries of conflict, and Martin has always been fascinated by this historical period. In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we encounter a particularly dramatic chapter of Targaryen history centered around two illegitimate sons of King Aegon IV — men known as the Great Bastards. Their rivalry, their conflict, and their opposing visions for the future of the realm set in motion events that would fundamentally reshape Westeros and contribute to the eventual downfall of the Targaryen dynasty itself.

The Bastards Are Legitimized

King Aegon IV, known as the Shameful King for a variety of reasons, did something unprecedented late in his reign. On his deathbed, he legitimized his bastard children, acknowledging four of them publicly and granting them legitimacy. This act was shocking and controversial. In Westeros, bastards are generally kept separate from inheritance, forbidden from using their father’s name, and prevented from holding lands or titles. The bastard system is designed specifically to prevent the kind of succession disputes that might arise if too many people could claim the throne.

But Aegon, in what can only be described as a spectacular act of either generosity, spite, or madness, decided to change that. He legitimized his bastards, which meant they suddenly had a claim to his lands, his titles, and potentially even the throne. If the King can legitimize bastards, then he’s overturning one of the fundamental rules of the realm. He’s destabilizing the entire system of succession that holds the kingdom together.

Among these legitimized bastards were two who would become legends in their own right. Brynden Rivers, known as the Bloodraven, was one of the most dangerous men of his era — a skilled warrior with a pale, distinctive appearance and only one eye. Aegor Rivers, called Bittersteel, was another, distinguished by red hair and by his own considerable military prowess and ambition. These weren’t minor nobles or unimportant figures. These were men of consequence, men with the blood of the dragon running through their veins, men with the skill and determination to actually pose a threat to the established order.

The Bloodraven: Duty and Darkness

Brynden Rivers, the Bloodraven, is one of the most complex and mysterious figures in the Game of Thrones universe. He’s not simply an ambitious bastard trying to seize power for himself. Instead, Bloodraven seems genuinely conflicted about his position and his obligations. He’s loyal to the crown, serving the kings and defending the realm. Yet he’s also keenly aware that as a legitimized bastard, he has a claim to power, even if he doesn’t necessarily want to exercise it.

What makes Bloodraven truly compelling is the way he combines raw military power with political cunning and a kind of pragmatic ruthlessness. He’s not squeamish about doing what needs to be done. He’s not bound by sentimentality or personal loyalty when the safety of the realm is at stake. This makes him dangerous in the traditional sense — you wouldn’t want Bloodraven as an enemy — but it also makes him effective as a defender of the crown. When the king needs someone to do difficult things, when the situation calls for someone willing to make hard choices, Bloodraven is exactly the kind of person you want on your side.

Yet there’s something tragic about Bloodraven too. He’s exceptional in almost every way — intelligent, skilled, capable, and loyal to the crown and the realm. But because he’s a bastard, because he carries the stain of illegitimacy, he can never fully be accepted. He can never be named heir. He can never be king. No matter how loyal he is, no matter how much he sacrifices for the realm, he’ll always be defined by his illegitimacy. It’s a brilliant illustration of how Westeros’s rigid class structures can waste human potential and create bitterness even in people who aren’t inclined toward ambition.

Bittersteel: Ambition and Resentment

If Bloodraven is the tragic figure forced to serve despite his legitimate grievances, Bittersteel is the opposite — a man who takes his illegitimacy as a personal insult and a motivation for action. Aegor Rivers doesn’t accept his position quietly. Instead, he’s openly ambitious, openly competitive with the legitimate heirs of the throne, and openly willing to fight for what he believes he deserves. Where Bloodraven accepts the system and works within it, Bittersteel seems to fundamentally reject it.

This makes Bittersteel the kind of figure who can start wars. He has the blood of the dragon, the strength to command armies, the ambition to seize power, and the resentment that comes from being denied what he feels is rightfully his. Bittersteel represents the chaos that can be unleashed when powerful men feel they’ve been treated unjustly. He’s not interested in serving the crown. He’s interested in overthrowing it if necessary and replacing it with his own rule.

The conflict between Bloodraven and Bittersteel isn’t really about personal rivalry, though there certainly is some of that. It’s about fundamentally different approaches to dealing with their position as bastards in a system that doesn’t allow for them. Bloodravel chooses loyalty and service. Bittersteel chooses ambition and rebellion. One accepts his role. The other refuses to.

The Succession Crisis and its Consequences

The central question that defines the Great Bastards’ era is: What happens when a legitimized bastard has a potentially stronger claim to the throne than the official heirs? What if a bastard is more capable, more popular, more skilled at leadership? What if the realm would be better off under their rule? These are the questions that simmer beneath the surface of Westeros during this period, and they eventually boil over into open conflict.

The legitimization of Aegon’s bastards creates a fundamental instability in the realm. Previously, bastards were excluded by definition. Now, they’re included, and you have to find new ways of deciding between competing heirs. Does the bastard who was legitimized late in a king’s reign have as strong a claim as the king’s trueborn son? What if the bastard is more capable? What if the nobles prefer the bastard? These questions have no clear answers in the law, and the ambiguity creates an opportunity for conflict.

The period following Aegon IV’s death is characterized by tension between the legitimate Targaryen heirs and these legitimized bastards. The king is weak, and strong men see an opportunity. Bittersteel, in particular, becomes a focal point for those who might want to challenge the current order. Meanwhile, Bloodraven serves the crown loyally, but his very existence as a capable alternative threatens the stability of the succession. Even loyal servants can become threats if the circumstances are right.

The Wildfire Connection

What makes the Great Bastards’ story particularly relevant to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is that it helps us understand the broader political context of the realm during this era. The events involving Bloodraven and Bittersteel, the succession crises, the tensions between different factions — all of this is happening in the background while Dunk is trying to make his way as a knight. The realm is more fragile than it might appear. There are serious tensions just below the surface about succession, legitimacy, and the distribution of power.

This also sets up some of the longer-term consequences for the Targaryen dynasty. The conflicts engendered by Aegon IV’s decision to legitimize his bastards contribute to the eventual destabilization of the realm. These are the seeds that will eventually grow into the Blackfyre Rebellion and other conflicts that weaken the dynasty. One careless decision by a dying king creates repercussions that echo through generations. The Great Bastards represent the chaos that comes when traditional structures are upended, when the rules suddenly change, when powerful people feel betrayed by the system.

Legacy and Interpretation

For fans of the Game of Thrones universe, the story of the Great Bastards offers a fascinating meditation on legitimacy, merit, and power. It raises questions about whether birth should determine destiny, whether a bastard might actually be better equipped to rule than a trueborn heir, and what happens when the rules of succession become ambiguous. It also shows us how one person’s decisions — in this case, Aegon IV’s decision to legitimize his bastards — can have far-reaching consequences that nobody could have fully predicted.

The Great Bastards also serve as an early example of how Martin explores the theme of illegitimacy throughout the Game of Thrones universe. Bastards recur constantly in these stories — sometimes as antagonists, sometimes as heroes, sometimes as tragic figures. The consistent message is that birth alone doesn’t determine worth, but the structures of Westeros insist on treating it as if it does. That contradiction creates tension, conflict, and tragedy.

In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms specifically, the Great Bastards represent a level of political complexity that exists above Dunk’s immediate concerns but that affects the world he’s navigating. The realm is unsettled by these legitimate bastards, by the tensions they create, by the questions they raise about succession and legitimacy. Understanding who the Great Bastards are and why they matter helps us understand the political context in which our humble hedge knight is trying to make his way.

Bloodraven and Bittersteel are figures who loom large in the history of Westeros, not just because of their own actions but because they represent a fundamental problem with the way the Seven Kingdoms handles power and succession. They’re the Great Bastards because they were legitimate and powerful enough to actually matter, and their story is a cautionary tale about what happens when you change the rules of the game late in the match.