Battle of the Trident

The Battle of the Trident was the decisive battle of Robert's Rebellion, fought at the ruby ford of the Trident river between the rebel host led by Robert Baratheon and the loyalist army commanded by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Robert's victory broke the back of the Targaryen cause and made his seizure of the Iron Throne all but inevitable.

Background

The rebellion had been sparked by the deaths of Rickard Stark and his son Brandon at the hands of King Aerys II, the Mad King, and by Rhaegar's abduction of Lyanna Stark, to whom Robert was betrothed. Aerys had kept Rhaegar's army in reserve; when the prince finally took the field, the two hosts met at the Trident.

The Battle

In the thick of the fighting, Robert and Rhaegar met in single combat in the waters of the ford. Robert shattered the prince's breastplate with his warhammer, scattering the rubies from Rhaegar's armor into the river and killing him. With Rhaegar dead, the loyalist host broke. The crossing became known thereafter for the rubies lost in its waters.

Aftermath

The victory opened the road to King's Landing, which fell soon after in the Sack of King's Landing carried out by House Lannister. Robert was crowned king, founding the Baratheon dynasty. The battle is remembered as the moment the Targaryen reign of nearly three centuries was undone.