#the amethyst empress

[meerabanerjee]

The voices (Rhaenyra and Amethyst Empress parallels) got me so good this time fanart was produced 😯

#art #artist #artwork #digital art #digital artist #drawing #fanart #digital artwork #book #digital drawing #asoif fanart #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #rhaenyra targaryen fanart #queen rhaenyra #rhaenyra targaryen #the amethyst empress #amethyst empress #fireandblood #book art #artists on tumblr #george rr martin #small artist #art on tumblr #my roman empire #house of the dragon

[daenerysies]

i think the biggest problem i have with the whole team discourse in f&b + hotd is that it isn’t just about which characters you like more/who you want to sit on the throne at that end; it’s that each side is fighting for completely different ideologies, regardless of one members personal beliefs. grrm could not have made it anymore clear.

team black isn’t just fighting for rhaenyra to be queen, they’re fighting for the monarch’s right to choose an heir, for the oaths they swore years before, for the complete opposite of precedent/tradition: the king’s word is law. team green isn’t just fighting for aegon to be king, they’re fighting for tradition, that no matter the words of a king being law sons will always come before daughters, that oaths are fickle and don’t matter. each side is in some way fighting back against what’s already been established for the kingdom, but the end goal is completely different.

we’re not given as much insight into why most of the houses initially sided with rhaenyra, but we do have an inkling into how the green council felt and acted, however. jaehaerys choosing baelon over rhaenys (against andal tradition, the king can choose his heir) is one point. the great council of 101 is another. alicent, despite being the leader of the council, is removed from the equation and shoved off to the side when it comes to swearing oaths of loyalty between the members on account of her womanhood. daemon being a second coming of ‘maegor’ (despite what we know would be a better suited title for aemond, but i digress) is also used. when discussing who would side with them the vale is automatically disqualified from the list, due to them presently being ruled by a woman, jeyne arryn. she doesn’t choose to fight for rhaenyra for the sole reason of them being kin, but because her own right to rule can and will be put into question if aegon steps over rhaenyra. because she is a woman. she does so in spite of her dislike for daemon (and his supposed maegor-ness) too.

even if one were to look at each characters personal feelings about the succession the fact of the matter is that rhaenyra is usurped because she is a woman. it’s stated almost blatantly multiple times before and during the war. the greens use scapegoats and smokescreens in attempts justify it (her ‘bastards’ chief among them, but legally her sons live and die as the trueborn children between her and laenor, with the reminder that septon eustace refutes this claim to begin with). even when she is killed grrm has her breast pricked to arouse a dragon that doesn’t want to kill her (and why is that?). aegon ‘wins’ against her and is king, but then why is jaehaera, as his last living remaining child not named his heir? why is aegon iii put ahead of her, despite being the enemies son? these are rhetorical questions. aegon had no plans to ever consider her his heir, he made it clear with how excited he was to marry cassandra baratheon and produce more ‘strong’ sons. his dragon (who had fought and bled for him the entire war) wasn’t mourned properly, he couldn’t wait to hatch a ‘new dragon, prouder and fiercer than the last.’ yet he wasn’t even capable of doing that in the six months before he too was killed.

it’s also safe to mention that grrm created an entire separate lore story, one that would seem to have no bearing on the original story unless you’re capable of understanding symbolism. the amethyst empress is usurped by her younger brother the bloodstone emperor, and the first long night ensues from this decision. rhaenyra (amethyst = arryn blue + targaryen red) is usurped by her younger brother aegon ii (bloodstone = hightower green + targaryen red) and the dying of the dragons, the very creatures needed to stop the next long night, are eradicated, along with the magic needed to hatch them and keep them alive (until). the war is the blacks (power, death, grief, rebellion, restraint) versus the greens (ambition, greed, jealousy, anger, wealth). the amethyst empress is important to the main story in the same way that rhaenyra is important, that snubbing the women (an integral aspect to the power the targaryens held) of house targaryen can lead only to disaster. daenerys is the key, the one to break the cycle and fix the wrongdoings caused by her ancestors obsession with power. mother of dragons, mhysa, breaker of chains, slayer of lies, daughter of death, the dragon queen, azor ahai come again, the prince that was promised will bring the dawn.

you can argue for technicalities sake all day, but there is a meaning to this story beyond the scope of rightful heirs. and it shouldn’t be shoved off to the side just so you can praise your favorites and hate those who go against them. it makes for a poor consuming of the actual story. fire and blood was created as a history book to expand on daenerys as a character. her family, what and where she’s come from, and how she relates to them. she’s the antithesis to every targaryen that’s come before her, a hero in her own right. the only targaryen’s we can say are radically important to dany’s story are the conquerors (aegon the conqueror with teats) and rhaenyra (the amethyst empress). i don’t know, just some food for thought.

#asoiaf #fire and blood #hotd #rhaenyra targaryen #pro rhaenyra #daenerys targaryen #pro daenerys #team black #anti team green #anti aegon ii targaryen #the amethyst empress #the bloodstone emperor #the amethyst empress 🤝 rhaenyra 🤝 daenerys #i’m sick and incredibly tired so please excuse any typos in my ramblings lol

[tumbledrylowwest]

The Amethyst Empress

#the amethyst empress #asoiaf #my art

[myimaginationplain]

I'm absolutely loving this song

#dragons are a necessary part of keeping nature & magic in the world of asoiaf in balance → dragon riders are inexorably tied to dragons → #the targaryens are the last dragon riders left → daenerys is (almost) the last targaryen & is the last dragon rider → #daenerys is a necessary part of returning nature & magic in the world of asoiaf to balance. #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #f&b #fire & blood #got #game of thrones #hotd #house of the dragon #daenerys targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #aegon ii targaryen #the bloodstone emperor #the amethyst empress #pro daenerys #pro dany #meta

[247reader]

And finally, we come to another ancient, divine figure, though one significantly more tragic than Elenei - the Amethyst Empress of Yi Ti, daughter of the God-on-Earth, who ruled the Empire of the Dawn briefly before being murdered by her brother and successor the Bloodstone Emperor.

She's based on Shang Dynasty China, though the jewelry is mostly fantasy invention with elements inspired by artifacts - though her hairpin is a gold version of a genuine Shang Dynasty piece. I needed to give her amethysts, after all.

#the amethyst empress #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf fanart #yi ti #hanfu #my art #i think i'm gonna have a queue tag now

[asongofsilks]

ASOIAF FANCASTING --> EVERY NAMED FEMALE CHARACTER ABOVE THE AGE OF FIVE, PART VI

Goodwife Amabel (main series era): A servant from Lady Shella Whent's household in Harrenhal. She is friends with Goodwife Harra, and they oversee the prisoners brought to Harrenhal by Gregor Clegane's men. When Harra is executed by Lord Bolton after Arya sets the northmen free, Amabel is distraught. By the time Jaime arrives at Harrenhal on his way to lift the siege of Riverrun, Amabel is gone. Fancast: Glenis Levistam.

Amanda Arryn (b. approx. 74 AC): Daughter of Lord Rodrik Arryn of the Eyrie and his first wife. Princess Daella Targaryen became her stepmother. Amanda welcomed her and wrote letters on her behalf. Fancast: Alexandrea Owens-Sarno.

Amarei Crakehall (c. 230-264 AC): Third wife of Lord Walder Frey and mother to seven of his children. Fancast: Alexandra Tydings.

Septa Amarys (lived around 131 AC): She was tasked with the religious instruction of Baela Targaryen, daughter of Prince Daemon Targaryen, but did not succeed in taming her wild nature. Fancast: Julie Andrews.

Amerei Frey (b. 282 AC): Daughter of Merrett Frey, Lord Walder's ninth son, and his wife Mariya Darry. She is the granddaughter of Amarei Crakehall. After being caught with three grooms in the stables, Amerei is married off to a hedge knight, who is later slain by Gregor Clegane. She is then married to Lancel Lannister in order to strengthen his hold on Darry lands, but Lancel dissolves the marriage. Fancast: Hudson Leick.

The Amethyst Empress (Age of Heroes): Legendary eighth ruler of the Great Empire of the Dawn and descendant of the gods. She was usurped and slain by her brother, the treacherous Bloodstone Emperor. According to the annals of the Further East, this act ushered in the Long Night and ended the Empire of the Dawn. Fancast: Li Bingbing.

Annara Farring (c. 270-298 AC): Lord Walder Frey's seventh wife and mother to six of his children. Fancast: Erin Cummings.

Anya Waynwood (main series era): Lady of Ironoaks and Head of House Waynwood. She has three sons and many daughters and grandchildren. Harrold Hardyng, the heir to the Vale, is her cousin and ward. She is one of the Lords Declarant who swear to drive Petyr Baelish out of the Vale after Lysa Arryn's death. However, Petyr manages to manipulate the situation to his advantage and even persuades Anya to allow Harrold to marry his bastard daughter, Alayne Stone, who is really Sansa Stark in disguise. Fancast: Maggie Smith.

Anya Weatherwax (b. 126 AC): She was presented to King Aegon III Targaryen at the Maiden's Day Ball after the death of his first wife. She told the king of her horse Twinklehoof, whom she loved very much. Fancast: Aubrey Elise.

Aregelle Stark (b. approx. 180 AC): Second daughter of Serena Stark and her husband Edric Stark, who was also her uncle. Serena was the younger daughter of Rickon Stark, who was the heir to Winterfell before his death, but none of Rickon's descendants inherited Winterfell. Aregelle's older twin brothers, Cregard and Torrhen, probably died young. Aregelle was married to Lord Robard Cerwyn and bore him children. Fancast: Lily Sullivan.

Previous

#asoiaf fancast #valyrianscrolls #amerei frey #amarei crakehall #septa amarys #aregelle stark #anya weatherwax #anya waynwood #annara farring #the amethyst empress #amanda arryn #goodwife amabel #asoiaf fashion #allfancasts

[reignof-fyre]

Women in the asoiaf world are so important to magic and there's so much evidence of it and everyone is seemingly willfully blind when it's right there that the murder and kinslaying of thr Amethyst Empress was the catalyst for the Long Night and the Usurpation of Rhaenyra Targaryen, the rightful queen, was the cause of the dragons dying and it was daenys the Dreamer who saved the Targaryens through her dragon dreams and ensured their survival and it was Daenerys Targaryen, the rightful heir of the Targaryen Dynasty, that brought dragons back to life like its right there throughout the history of this world that women are so fundamentally important to magic and everyone is out here crying about it when in grrms own words it's significant and important!!!! Listen people!!

#amethyst empress #empire of the dawn #long night #rhaenyra targaryen #the dance of the dragons #daenerys targaryen #daenys the dreamer #women are so important to magic in asoiaf

[kataraavatara]

“uhm actually the amethyst empress parallel isn’t a thing because rhaenyra was a bad person and bad politician and the dance was actually about how bad she was and about all Targaryens are evil and-”

come ON. The narrative parallel isn’t about the nitty gritty details and never has been, and there’s no reason the Dance can’t impart more than one message.

The Amethyst Empress gets like, two sentences. There is no personality, no actions attributed to her other than succeeding her father and being overthrown. Maybe she had bastards too, maybe she was mean, maybe she was cruel, likely she didn’t exist. We just don’t know. It’s a very sparse story. But just…look:

Elder sister (Rhaenyra/Amethyst Empress) usurped by younger brother (Aegon II/Bloodstone Emperor), bringing on catastrophic magical consequences (Death of the dragons & Targaryen decline/ First Long Night).

If this wasn’t an intentional decision on George’s part meant to draw comparisons, why not an Amethyst Emperor? All the previous rulers had been male, making the Amethyst Empress an outlier that draws the reader’s attention.

So…what’s the point if not to be a Rhaenyra parallel? As in like, please tell me. I haven’t a clue.

and a fun one: I’ve also seen (don’t remember the originator) the theory that Amethyst = Rhaenyra, because Amethysts are purple, which is red + blue…Targaryen Red + Arryn Blue…Rhaenyra. Bloodstone = Aegon II because Bloodstones are typically red and…you guessed it…green…

(also brown but pls don’t ruin my fun rock theories :((( )

#rhaenyra targaryen #amethyst empress #asoiaf lore #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf #the world of asoiaf #the world of a song of ice and fire #bloodstone emperor

[rhaenin-time]

Is it verging on tinfoil hat territory to laugh about how the egg Aegon II failed to hatch after murdering Rhaenyra was purple?

Or could it be an... easter egg?

#I'm so sorry you guys I'll see myself out #asoiaf #team black #rhaenyra targaryen #anti aegon ii targaryen #Amethyst Empress #Bloodstone Emperor #but seriously are we still pretending that the Amethyst Empress is some kind of puzzle and not an allegory for forsaking your women? #and that “lightbringer” is a literal sword and not Dany reviving magic when she hatched her dragons and came into HER OWN power? #Righting the wrong House Targaryen did by sacrificing generations of women to assimilate into a patriarchal feudal-monarchical system? #and by extension severing their connection to their culture and heritage that their magic came from? #and that it's telling that the Targs were the only ones to survive the doom with their dragons because they LISTENED to Daenys #And withdrew from a doomed realm to make their own place only to then assimilate into another doomed realm?

[acewithapencil]

HOTD opening Sigil redesigns: Baela, rhaena (after morning hatches), laena, Rhaenys, daemon, rhaenyra

We haven’t seen officially seen Rhaenys yet but this is my vision. I know they considered dark sister for daemon, and they should’ve gone with it. I did the tiara of the amethyst empress for Rhaenyra since her story and the dance is similar to the amethyst empress and the blood betrayal.

Edit: I mixed up the amethyst empress and the empress of leng in terms of whose tiara daemon gave rhaenyra 😅 but I stand by it we could’ve had it be an amethyst empress reference for her personal opening sigil

#fan art #my art #HOTD #baela targaryen #moondancer #rhaena targaryen #rhaena of pentos #morning #laena velaryon #vhagar #rhaenys targaryen #rhaenys tqwnw #meleys #daemon targeryan #dark sister #rhaenyra targaryen #amethyst empress #I’m still not planning on doing a lot of show based art #but some of these Sigils were really bothering me

[cbswonder]

Rhaenyra Targaryen/Amethyst empress

Aegon Targaryen/Bloodstone Emperor

#house of the dragon #rhaenyra targaryen #aegon ii targaryen #fire and blood #bloodstone emperor #amethyst empress #hotd #game of thrones #team black #team green

[coldraindropsss]

Amethyst Empress, Bloodstone Emperor, Tiger-woman

#Amethyst Empress #Bloodstone Emperor #Tiger-woman #digital #game of thrones #hotd #asoiaf art #asoiaf fanart #asoiaf #got #gotfanart #house targaryen #valyrianscrolls #a song of ice and fire #digitalart #asoiaffanart #housetargaryen #housetargaryen🐲 #asongoficeandfire

[daenerysies]

Rhaenyra's Usurpation and the Dying of the Dragons

There is nothing that Rhaenyra Targaryen could have done to prevent the Dance of Dragons from happening.

Let me repeat; There is nothing that Rhaenyra Targaryen could have done to prevent the Dance of Dragons from happening.

It was set in stone the minute that Jaehaerys heeded the words of his son Vaegon and held the Great Council of 101. It was set in stone when Viserys was named heir over Rhaenys and Laenor. It was set in stone when Viserys decided to name Rhaenyra as his heir, marry Alicent, and have more children, specifically sons. It was set in stone when Viserys allowed the children of his second wife to claim dragons. It was set in stone when Viserys kept Rhaenyra as his heir and failed to prepare her and the realm properly for her rule.  It was set in stone when Viserys allowed the seeds of discourse to run among the children due to his wife and her faction. It was set in stone when Aegon usurped the throne. It was set in stone when Aemond murdered Lucerys despite guest rights and terms of peace.

Rhaenyra could have been the picture-perfect heir, ‘Jaehaerys himself come again’, and still would have been usurped. Rhaenyra could have not had ‘bastards’ as her heirs, and she still would have been usurped. Rhaenyra could have remained at the Red Keep, rather than the heir’s seat on Dragonstone, and she still would have been usurped. Rhaenyra could have been at the Red Keep when Viserys died, and she still would have been usurped.

There are many themes in this book series that GRRM has chosen to bring to light and criticize, but the Dance of Dragons' main theme is that Rhaenyra was usurped because of her gender. Had she been born a man, there would have been no basis for any of Alicent’s children to have a claim to the throne, beyond being spares. They would have garnered no support, and Team Green as a whole would not exist. The excuse that it is because of her ‘bastard’ children, which, legally, they aren’t, is just that: an excuse. In GRRM’s original draft about the Dance of Dragons, Rhaenyra was married to Harwin from the get-go, and all of her children were undeniably legitimate, yet the war still took place.

A gender-based succession crisis was inevitable, so it is no small wonder that it did occur under one of the weakest Kings’ in the Targaryen’s rule. Jaehaerys set the wheels in motion, and Viserys drove full-speed past the stop sign. He almost single-handedly led his daughter, and their dynasty, straight to their deaths. Otto and Alicent wanted power, and the only way they were going to continue to have any was if Aegon was on the throne. Their scheming began when Rhaenyra was 9-10 years old, what could she have possibly done at that age to prove she wasn’t worthy of the Iron Throne?

Rhaenyra’s biggest crime in Westeros was that she dared to be a woman; a woman who wanted her inheritance. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If the war didn’t happen then, it was going to happen at some point, further generations down. It is no coincidence that after Rhaenyra’s death dragons ceased hatching, save for small, weak creatures that would not last long. The magic died with her. Her story’s resemblance to the Amethyst Empress all but confirms that. The equilibrium of Ice and Fire is put into shambles once again upon her and the dragons' deaths; the Long Night is now inevitable.

Rhaenyra was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. Her story is meant to be a tragedy. A tragedy whose meaning seems to be getting lost along the way in this fandom.

#asoiaf #fire and blood #bookverse #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #jacaerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #queen rhaenyra #pro rhaenyra #pro team black #anti team green #hotd #anti aegon ii targaryen #anti viserys i targaryen #anti jaehaerys i targaryen #dance of the dragons #the amethyst empress #the bloodstone emperor #the long night

[halfyearsqueen]

THE LONG NIGHT | THE DYING OF THE DRAGONS

#tbt . #in the sense that #the long night being involved with rhaenyras character themetically really only #exists HERE . #and how both hers and the death of the Amethyst empress #the amethyst empress’ death triggers the long night #rhaenyra’s takes away the only protection the realm would have against it and severely limits the power of the targaryens #daenerys bringing back the dragons after someone intervened from what would’ve been another instance of brother sister homicide #and effectively breaking that cycle

[balerionsblog]

amethyst empress succeeded her father but was usurped and killed by her younger brother - the bloodstone emperor, and this blood betrayal led to long night.

rhaenyra was supposed to succeed her father king viserys but she too was usurped by her younger brother, aegon ii, eventually leading to a war which killed targaryen dragons (a source of targaryen power and magic).

two women usurped from rightful positions leading to two most significant events in asoiaf - the long night and death of dragons.

now we have daenerys stormborn, named heir by viserys (her older brother), who hatched dragons after almost 300 years, strengthened magic across the planet and who'll play an important role in the long night as the azor ahai/ptwp.

#house targaryen #valyrianscrolls #princess rhaenyra #queen rhaenyra #daenerys targaryen #amethyst empress #bloodstone emperor #asoiaf #asoiaf meta #it's all connected #joined the dots

[247reader]

A while back I drew various historical Starks in neolithic-to-bronze-age clothing, and I decided to expand on that for various historical figures - from right to left, in clothes ranging from bronze age to late antiquity, we have Nymeria, Florys the Fox, Lann the Clever, Elenei, Theon Stark the Hungry Wolf, Daenys the Dreamer, and the Amethyst Empress.

Art notes beneath the cut:

Nymeria is inspired by ancient Sumerian clothing; her spear in particular is based on an artifact from Girsu, but with a stylized sunburst in place of its engraved lion.

Florys is inspired by pre-Roman Gaul; I wanted something similar but distinct from the Stark look, as the legend is part Andal and part First Men, plus the plaid dress was fun to draw.

Lann is Greek; his hat is a petasos, which is associated with Hermes and I thought would emphasize the trickster aspect of his legend.

Elenei is Minoan, which was tremendous fun to draw, though I did cover up her chest more than a Minoan woman would have. She's also shaded more sea-green, to emphasize the not-quite-human aspects.

Theon Stark is more or less a retread of my Bronze Age Brandon "Him They Called Ice Eyes," based on various burial artifacts in Denmark but with Vlad the Impaler's mustache and the crown of the North added to his hat.

I'm hardly the fist to make the Targs Byzantine, but there's a reason for that: it just works. It's also a significantly later period than everyone else, as she moves from "the mists of time" to "just pre-Conquest."

The Amethyst Empress is Shang Dynasty, though the jewelry is mostly fantasy. I really wanted to draw full trailing sleeves, hence the pose, but it turns out they weren't really a thing yet - though there were some excellent hats.

Brush credits to FireAlpaca.

#a song of ice and fire #asoiaf fanart #nymeria #florys the fox #lann the clever #elenei #theon stark #daenys the dreamer #the amethyst empress #house martell #house stark #house targaryen #my art