Everything you need to know about Hugh Hammer from House of the Dragon Season 2

House of the Dragon Season 2 will introduce us to the new generation of dragonriders. The Dragonseeds are an elite force of warriors from Westeros who can train riderless and wild dragons. Amongst their ranks is a renowned character infamous for his deeds during the Dance of the Dragons.

Hugh Hammer was one of the dragonseeds who played a pivotal part in the Targaryen civil war, as described in George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood. This article will explain everything we need to know about Hugh Hammer.

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Who was Hugh Hammer?

Credits: Max

In Fire and Blood, Hugh Hammer is a blacksmith’s bastard son, born on the island of Dragonstone. He only had the name Hugh when he was born, though he earned many names and titles during the Dance of the Dragons. Among these were the titles Hard Hugh and Lord Hammer.

Hugh was tall, with hands strong enough to twist solid steel bars. He could not read or write. His weapon of choice when he fought in the war, was an immense warhammer. Hugh had silvery white hair, which led many to suspect that he had Valyrian blood and was a Targaryen bastard.

In House of the Dragon season 2, actor Kieran Bew plays Hugh Hammer. Bew has previously appeared in HBO Max’s series Warrior. In Episode 1, Hugh petitions King Aegon II to pay the blacksmiths up front in order to build more artillery for the war, to which Aegon agrees.

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How did Hugh Hammer become a Dragonseed?

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Hugh’s involvement in the Targaryen civil war began early on, during the Dance of the Dragons. Rhaenyra’s son, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, realized the Black faction needed more dragonriders.

The Blacks had a number of untamed and riderless dragons in their possession, and without someone to ride them, they would not be able to utilize them. Therefore, Prince Jacaerys called for dragonriders, initiating an event known as the Sowing.

One of the largest dragons that the Blacks possessed was Vermithor, The Bronze Fury. The previous rider of Vermithor was the Old King Jahaerys I Targaryen, known as the Conciliator.

In Fire and Blood, Vermithor’s description states that the dragon is tolerant of the presence of people and more accepting of new riders. However, in House of the Dragon season 1, only Daemon dared to approach Vermithor, singing to the dragon in High Valyrian.

During the Sowing of the Dragonseeds, Lord Gormon Massey, the Lord of Stonedance, attempted to mount Vermithor. Unfortunately, the dragon burned him to death when he attempted to approach.

Quite unexpectedly, Vermithor bent his neck to Hugh, the blacksmith’s bastard. Vermithor allowed Hugh to ride him because he was possibly a bastard of Valyrian descent. With Vermithor accepting him as a rider, Hugh joined the Black faction and rode into battle alongside the other Dragonseeds.

Accompanying the Dragonseeds Ulf White, Nettles, and Addam Velaryon, Hugh fought in the Battle of the Gullet, led by Prince Jacaerys. Together, the dragons attacked ninety Triarchy warships.

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Hugh Hammer during the Dance of the Dragons

Credits: Midjourney

The Battle of the Gullet was the bloodiest sea battle during the Dance of the Dragons. Hugh fought valiantly alongside the other dragonseeds, and the Blacks emerged victorious. However, the Dragonseeds lost one of their most important members, their commander, Prince Jacaerys.

Despite losing their commander, Hugh celebrated the victory with his comrade Ulf White. It was after this battle that Hugh began to call himself Hugh Hammer. The Blacks then took King’s Landing from the Greens when Prince Aemond moved the armies to Harrenhal.

Hugh participated in the Fall of King’s Landing along with the other Dragonseeds, landing on the Hill of Rhaenys outside the Dragonpit. After King’s Landing had fallen to the Blacks, Prince Daemon suggested marrying Hugh to the daughter of Lord Rosby from the crownlands.

However, Queen Rhaenyra declined, granting Hugh knighthood and lands on Driftmark instead. The account of Mushroom, the court jester of King’s Landing, tells us that around this time, Hugh beat one of Rhaenyra’s knights to death. Mushroom states that the dispute was over a maiden in the Street of Silk, the brothel district of King’s Landing.

As the war progressed, Prince Daemon suggested destroying the Houses of Baratheon and Lannister. Both the Houses fought for the Greens, and Daemon proposed granting Casterly Rock to Hugh Hammer once they completed this task.

However, the Sea Snake Lord Corlys Velaryon strongly opposed this idea. Based on his refusal, Queen Rhaenyra decided not to act upon Prince Daemon’s suggestion. The Blacks did not realize that the constant refusal of honours for the Dragonseeds would eventually cost them heavily.

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The Two Betrayers

Credits: Douglas Wheatley

An army led by Ormund Hightower advanced toward Tumbleton, the last stronghold of the Blacks before the capital. The Blacks sent Hugh Hammer and UlfWhite to defend the town, riding Vermithor and Silverwing.

The battle ensued, and it appeared that the Blacks would come out on top. However, Ulf White and Hugh Hammer turned their dragons on the Blacks and betrayed them, defecting to the Greens. Historians say that it is unknown why the two took this action, but it is presumably because Rhaenyra refused them Lordships.

After this battle, Hugh called himself Lord Hammer, desiring to be the king. Many soldiers supported him, believing in a prophecy that foretold the arrival of a new king when a hammer fell on a dragon.

When Hugh made his claim known, Prince Daeron Targaryen threw wine in his face. Hugh threatened to beat Prince Daeron for this act.

The next day, Hugh emerged wearing a black iron crown. Ser Roger Corne, a knight from Blackwater, knocked the crown off Hugh’s head. This led to a brutal retaliation from Hugh, who nailed three horseshoes to Roger’s skull.

This, in turn, led to a battle between Hugh’s and Roger’s supporters, leaving three dead and twelve wounded. Sometime after this, Hugh was said to have slept with the widow of a knight he had killed at Tumbleton.

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Hugh Hammer’s Death and Legacy

Credits: John McCambridge

As the Two Betrayers grew increasingly unruly, some members of the Greens became uneasy and decided that something had to be done. Thirteen nobles gathered to discuss this at the Bloody Caltrops Inn at Tumbleton.

Lord Unwin Peake, the Lord of Starpike, and Ser Hobert Hightower, the cousin of Lord Ormund, were the nobles who led this group. The group was known as the Caltrops due to the inn where they met.

They decided to kill the Two Betrayers and claim their dragons in Tumbleton. Prince Daeron joined them, affixing his seal to the warrant for their execution. The Caltrops planned to kill the two dragonseeds two days after the meeting.

However, that very day, Addam Velaryon attacked the town, causing the Second Battle of Tumbleton. Ulf White was extremely drunk when the battle occurred, and he slept through the entire attack.

When Hugh Hammer realized the town was under siege by the Blacks, he rushed to the stables to mount Vermithor. On the way there, he ran into Bold Jon Roxton. Jon was a member of the Caltrops, and he wielded the Valyrian steel sword Orphan-Maker.

When he encountered Hugh, he attacked the dragonseed, who was not expecting it. Jon split him from groin to throat with Orphan-Maker. As legend tells, Hugh’s men attacked Jon, who slipped on his fallen adversaries’ entrails. Hugh’s followers then advanced upon Jon and killed him.

Thus, the prophecy of Hugh becoming king did not come true. However, a century later, Lord Robert Baratheon fulfilled the prophecy. Lord Robert killed Prince Rhaegar Targaryen with his warhammer at the Trident, ascending the Iron Throne as King.

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