Post by Maester Sam on Sept 1, 2015 3:23:15 GMT
"Better for Daenerys, and for Westeros. Daenerys Targaryen loved her captain, but that was the girl in her, not the queen. Prince Rhaegar loved his Lady Lyanna, and thousands died for it. Daemon Blackfyre loved the first Daenerys, and rose in rebellion when denied her. Bittersteel and Bloodraven both loved Shiera Seastar, and the Seven Kingdoms bled. The Prince of Dragonflies loved Jenny of Oldstones so much he cast aside a crown, and Westeros paid the bride price in corpses. All three of the sons of the fifth Aegon had wed for love, in defiance of their father's wishes. And because that unlikely monarch had himself followed his heart when he chose his queen, he allowed his sons to have their way, making bitter enemies where he might have had fast friends. Treason and turmoil followed, as night follows day, ending at Summerhall in sorcery, fire, and grief. Her love for Daario is poison. A slower poison than the locusts, but in the end as deadly."
I agree, we can't use Barristan's beliefs as fact. He is wrong, or partially wrong, about all of these examples he uses. Based on the WB, the Blackfyre rebellion was primarily the result of Aegon the Unworthy giving his sword to his bastard instead of his heir - not Daemon being in love with Daenerys. At the time of the rebellion, the first Dany had been in Dorne for many years, and had borne her new husband many children. The rebellion had nothing (or very little) to do with her.
Same for the BR/Bittersteel rivalry. It was not just about Shiera, it was about the whole Blackfyre vs Targaryen issue. And Duncan marrying Jenny was not the cause of that war either; it was the combination of all his siblings also refusing their designated matches.
So these statements here are clearly just B's interpretations of history, adding his own motives or perhaps repeating what he heard in songs. I give him no credibility whatsoever on anything he did not witness in person.