The Battle of Gulltown was a naval engagement fought during the War of Conquest. The battle was fought between the naval forces of House Targaryen, commanded by Visenya Targaryen, and the fleet of House Arryn, near the city of Gulltown.
Background[]
Aegon the Conqueror had landed his army at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and split it into three forces. His plan was to simultaneously engage the forces of King Argilac Durrandon to the south, King Harren Hoare to the north-west and King Ronal Arryn to the north-east. He led one army against King Harren personally, sending his sister Rhaenys and half-brother Orys Baratheon south against Argilac. He dispatched his other sister Visenya with the bulk of the Targaryen naval forces against House Arryn. Their orders were to capture the port of Gulltown and use it as a staging post for a later move against the Eyrie.
The battle[]
The Targaryen fleet was taken by surprise when the Arryn fleet sallied forth and attacked aggressively rather than waiting for them. The Arryns were able to inflict substantial damage on the Targaryen forces, sinking many of their ships and forcing the remainder to flee. Although the Arryns were strategically victorious, Visenya took vengeance upon them using her dragon Vhagar. Flying high above their ships, she destroyed many of them with her dragon's fire.
Outcome[]
Although the Targaryen fleet had been defeated, the Arryns lost most of their naval forces in Visenya's counter-attack. The result was a naval stalemate, forcing the matter to be settled at a land battle instead. Accordingly, the Arryns and their vassals prepared a significant defence at the Bloody Gate.
However, Visenya chose a different course. By flying over the Mountains of the Moon she was able to reach the Eyrie by air. She found King Ronal Arryn - a young boy - playing in the courtyard and was able to talk to him directly. When the Queen Regent, Shara Arryn, emerged from the castle, she found that her son had already agreed to surrender the Vale of Arryn to Aegon in return for a ride on Vhagar's back. Ronal was named Lord of the Vale and Warden of the East in return for his peaceful compliance.