Trial by seven of Duncan the Tall

The trial by seven of Duncan the Tall was a major event in the life of Ser Duncan the Tall, which had unexpected repercussions across the realm.

History

Background

While attending a tournament at Ashford in the Reach, Ser Duncan the Tall, a poor hedge-knight, became smitten with a beautiful Dornish woman. However, the arrogant Prince Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen accosted the young woman, at which Ser Duncan sprang to her defense - as any true knight should - and struck Prince Aerion. To strike a member of the royal blood was treason, and the corresponding sentence would usually be the loss of the offending hand. Ser Duncan, however demanded a trial by combat, which, at the insistence of Prince Aerion, then became a rare "trial of seven", involving two teams of seven men each.

Ser Duncan's side was victorious, but during the combat Aerion's uncle Crown Prince Baelor "Breakspear" Targaryen accidentally took a severe head injury, and the resulting concussion killed him.

In the books

The trial by seven of Duncan the Tall is the central event of the first installment in the Tales of Dunk and Egg prequel novellas set 90 years before the events of the main A Song of Ice and Fire series.

It was a blow from Maekar's mace which gave his brother Baelor his severe head injury. Baelor had entered the trial wearing his son's lighter armor, which did not fit properly and didn't provide adequate protection. Maekar had not meant to severely harm Baelor, and Baelor seemed fine at first, acknowledging that it was an accident. Soon, however, Baelor started behaving drunkenly, and he actually had a severe concussion from which he died in a matter of hours. The guilt of accidentally killing his own brother haunted Maekar for the rest of his days.

Baelor had two sons of his own, but they later died in the Great Spring Sickness, along with Baelor and Maekar's father, old King Daeron II Targaryen.

The events surrounding the trial also convinced Maekar that Aerion was a psychopath unworthy to be his heir, and that he should focus on the upbringing of his younger son Aegon, then only a small boy better known by his nickname, "Egg". Through a series of events at the tournament and trial Ser Duncan had befriended Egg, and Maekar agreed to let Egg serve as Ser Duncan's squire as he traveled through Westeros, to give the young prince a better understanding of the world. In later years, and several other deaths in the royal family, Egg succeeded his father as King Aegon V Targaryen, and "Dunk" became the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard.