Rosby

Rosby was a Crownlands stronghold caught in the changing fortunes of the Dance of the Dragons. Its gates were barred to Rhaenyra during her flight from King's Landing; later, it was compelled to submit to Aegon II and pay for its allegiance, before passing without bloodshed to Aegon III's side.

Resistance to Rhaenyra

As Rhaenyra fled King's Landing, Rosby's gates were closed against her by order of a young woman whose claim she had passed over in favor of a younger brother. The refusal formed part of a dangerous journey: Rhaenyra's authority was weakening beyond the capital, and even places where she sought refuge could deny her entry. The evidence does not identify the young woman by name, but makes her thwarted claim the stated reason for the barred gates.

Aegon II's reprisals

After Rhaenyra's death, Aegon II sent his own men and the stormlanders of Borros Baratheon against Rosby, Stokeworth, Duskendale, and neighboring keeps and villages. The threatened lords lowered Rhaenyra's quartered banner and raised Aegon's golden dragon, yet submission did not spare them punishment: they were brought in chains to King's Landing and made to perform obeisance. They were not released until they agreed to pay a heavy ransom and provide hostages to the Crown.

The campaign was intended to punish those who had supported Rhaenyra, but it helped harden her former adherents against Aegon II. Reports of new forces gathering in the North and riverlands followed, showing how the treatment of Rosby and other Crownlands strongholds fed resistance rather than securing lasting peace.

Transfer to Aegon III

After Aegon II's death, Rosby fell bloodlessly to the forces supporting Aegon III. Its people hauled down Aegon II's golden dragon and raised the red dragon of his successor. The change of banners completed a rapid reversal: the same stronghold that had been punished for its association with Rhaenyra now received the new regime without a fight. Rosby's successive refusals, coerced submission, and peaceful transfer reflect how local allegiance shifted under pressure as the war's rulers changed.