The Defiance began in
277 AC when Lord
Denys Darklyn ceased to pay his taxes,
[1] to demonstrate his anger.
[2] Aware of the strained relationship between King
Aerys II Targaryen and Lord
Tywin Lannister, Denys invited Aerys to come to Duskendale to hear his petition. When Tywin advised him not to go, Aerys, who wished to distance himself from his Hand, decided to deal with the problem personally. Aerys travelled to Duskendale with a small escort led by only one
Kingsguard knight, Ser
Gwayne Gaunt, to bring the defiant Lord Darklyn to heel. Upon arrival, however, the king was imprisoned. Some of the king's escort were killed defending their king, including Ser Gwayne, who was slain by Denys's master-at-arms, Ser
Symon Hollard.
[1][3] Aerys was shoved roughly, stripped of his royal raiment, and even struck.
[1] Young
Robin Hollard, a squire, pulled the king's beard.
[3]
Lord Denys refused to give up the king, threatening that he would kill Aerys at the first sign of an assault. As Lord Tywin Lannister could not attack Duskendale, he besieged it with a sizable host.
[3][1]
The Defiance lasted half a year.
[1][3] Lord Denys remained convinced that it was a matter of time until Tywin would offer better terms. However, Tywin gave Duskendale a final demand to surrender the king, promising that refusal would result in the loyalists storming the town and executing everyone inside.
[1]
The Defiance was eventually ended when Ser
Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard offered to perform a solo rescue mission. Lord Tywin gave him a day before he would storm the castle. Barristan scaled the walls unseen at night, making his way into the
Dun Fort disguised as a hooded beggar, before scaling those walls as well. He freed King Aerys out of the dungeons, and while bringing the king to safety, avenged his sworn brother, Gwayne Gaunt, by slaying his killer, Symon Hollard. Before the castle's gates could be closed, Barristan had managed to get a horse and bring the king to safety, despite an arrow wound to the chest.
[1][4] Without a hostage, Lord Denys surrendered.
[1]
